List of changes and improvements happening

[Akasha]

Since there is SO many new features brought in with the latest vBulletin version, and a lot of things I am wanting to jump on as well, I'm going to keep one compiled list in this thread outlining everything as I go. I'll reply to it when ever I update it as edits won't let you know when I've added more.

Forum software updated!
That was the big one! 8 bloody hours of downloading backups, uploading files, running installations etc. Then fixing all the broken bits it caused heh.

Forum Descriptions
When you're viewing a forum section, for example 'Site Related' is the forum section, you will now see the description at the top. This will hopefully help to ensure you're in the right section when you hit the new thread button...

Latest Post Icons (front page)
Those familiar with the the New Posts feature might know of the little icon to the left of the thread name that took you to the first unread reply since you're last view. Very handy. The front page now offers the same feature beside the threads shown in the 'Latest Threads' section. (Top bit).

As spotted by Pernicious if you click the icon, it instantly takes you to the newest post in that thread and clicking the actual text link takes you to the start of the thread. Also if you click the icon to the right of the 'by <name>' section, it takes you to the very last post in that thread.

Forum Notices
This is one feature I am very excited about! This feature allows me to set up notices to show depending on which criteria I select. For example, I can have a message that only unregistered visitors see, or only Subscribers see. I can show a message only if you're viewing the PvP section, or if you haven't posted in 30 days. I can also put a message that only Pernicious will see congratulating him on spotting the latest feature. The list is endless... well not endless, but loooooong!

This is the main thing I am working on setting up at the moment, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled as you browse the forums.

Thread Tagging!
Now this one is REALLY cool! Ever wanted to search for a talent build but can't find anything? That's because the '/' part of the build (ie 0/21/40) was never included in the search, which left each search being the numbers only... and two numbers is too short a search string. How frustrating!

Well now, threads can be tagged with "0/21/40" and you can search for that tag! Wahoo! Phrases with a plus (+hit), or anything less than 4 letters (DPS) that previously couldn't be searched for, NOW CAN!! How awesome! Course... maybe not for the search-phobic member, because there won't be any excuses for "I couldn't find it in my search".

Note: I am currently working on this feature and building a "tag pool", after that I will be opening it up for everyone to add tags to their threads.

Social Bookmarking!
For those that make use of social bookmarking sites (Google, Digg, etc), you can now easily bookmark any thread on the forums by clicking the link at the bottom! Currently there are four options: Google, Digg, del.icio.us and StumbleUpon. If there are any others people wanted added, please let me know!


Thread Prefixes
Currently enabled in the Other Class Discussion section of the forum, you can see that threads in there can be prefixed with the 'other classes' in WoW - Hunter, Priest, Mage etc. Gradually I will expand out to other sections (not necessarily all), but for now this gives you a good overview of how it works. And now you know why I was asking What 'colour' do you see when you think of other classes?

Enhanced Searching: This new addition also enhances the ability to search on the site, allowing you to select one or more prefixes in the Advanced Search option. (Hold Ctrl + Click to select multiple prefixes)

Update: The Site Related now has prefixes added as well, although I won't be backdating all the threads like I did with the other class section.

Please note that prefixes aren't required to make a thread, just there to provide more info to the thread titles. Only use a thread title if it's appropriate.


WWS Forum Section
Wow Web Stats (WWS) is a unique tool to enhance your raiding experience in World of Warcraft. With WWS, you generate and share reports of your raids, which include a tremendous amount of information and statistics. The Warlocks Den now provides a section dedicated solely to this raiding tool! This section of the forum is here to share your WWS reports for two reasons:

1. Help other Warlocks learn from your fights.
2. Get help and improve!

Please see the How to post your WWS Report - READ ME FIRST!!! thread for more information.


14/06/08 - Member Albums!!
For those who choose to take up the subscription option (or donate more than $15 in a single transaction) now have the ability to create a picture album and share their images with us all!

If you are a subscriber:

• To create your album, simply go to your User CP, and click on Pictures & Albums. Then follow the obvious links - create album > upload pictures!

• Images can be of anything you like, providing they are appropriate and fall with in the forum rules - ie no nudity, porn, bad taste etc.

• You have the ability to create 5 albums, and each album holds 50 images. This allows you to have different albums for different characters, or different things (ie one album for photoshop work, one for in game shots, one for photos of your kids if you like...)

For everyone:

• Everyone has the ability to view and comment on pictures shared.

• There is a new box at the bottom of the forums and the home page that shows random images from all the public user albums. Nifty!

• To view a list of all albums created, please see this link: All Albums I will be working on getting that put up on the navigation bar, but while I do, please click from here.

• Uum, can't think of anything else, but if I do, I'll add it here.

*** Information added 0 Minutes and 34 Seconds later... ***

P.S. Feel free to reply to this thread with any feedback or questions... especially feedback, I love feedback!

[thef00l]

And i was wondering what i kept doing wrong in the search and didn't get results sometimes.
Didn't know that special chars were not included. And now that i found it out, it's fixed...
Hm... Anyway, thanks for fixing it!

[Akasha]

Yeah it's come up a few times (the inability to search for talent builds). It's got to do with the '/' meaning "or", and the '+' meaning and, etc.

So just means if you want to search for anything with those, you use the tag search. :-)

[RomaGoth]

Maybe I missed it, but why is the front page showing advertisements? I am a subscriber (and supporter) yet ads are showing on the front page for me. They are not showing anywhere else that I can see, however. Also, my "Den Supporter" tag is missing again....

Otherwise, love the new features and the new look. Keep it up Akasha!


Edit: I noticed that some of the smiley faces are now blue rather than yellow. Nice touch.

[Pernicious]

Originally Posted by Akasha

I can also put a message that only Pernicious will see congratulating him on spotting the latest feature.

I wont lie, that one sent me on a searching frenzy through the forum looking for "hidden" messages. LOL

I personally LOVE the new updates. As they say, it's all the little things that make it great.

Another thing I love about this site is that the main content window (excluding the left menus and only viewing the actual posts) fits perfectly within my ipod Touch screen. I've got this site bookmarked so that every time I visit I see the list of new entry's and can easily read up on the latest and greatest. And yes, I check this site out even when I'm not at home or work in front of my computer.

*addicted*


::: EDIT :::

I didn't want to double post, so I figured I'd just tack this on the end here. I have a custom Avatar over there on the left. Worked hard on it :P and got it looking the way I want to. I just noticed on the Home Page when I scroll all the way to the bottom I see a little message "Welcome back Pernicious You last visited: 06-02-08 at 10:00 am" To the left of that is a little graphic that says "No Avatar Selected."

I'm thinking that there's probably a broken link someplace and that little graphic isn't getting the info it needs to put up my Avatar. Not really a big deal since i'm the only one that'll see it pop up there. But I figure if I'm having troubles, other peoples probably are too.

::: EDIT 2 :::

Just noticed that the bottom of the homepage no longer lists all the people currently on line viewing the forums. I did see it listed in the actual forums at the very bottom though. I kinda liked it on the home page. So I could see who was on and not, and how many people are actively using the forums. Its nice to see lots of names and familiar "faces". Again, not really a big deal, just an observation.

[RomaGoth]

Originally Posted by Pernicious

::: EDIT :::

I didn't want to double post, so I figured I'd just tack this on the end here. I have a custom Avatar over there on the left. Worked hard on it :P and got it looking the way I want to. I just noticed on the Home Page when I scroll all the way to the bottom I see a little message "Welcome back Pernicious You last visited: 06-02-08 at 10:00 am" To the left of that is a little graphic that says "No Avatar Selected."

I'm thinking that there's probably a broken link someplace and that little graphic isn't getting the info it needs to put up my Avatar. Not really a big deal since i'm the only one that'll see it pop up there. But I figure if I'm having troubles, other peoples probably are too.

::: EDIT 2 :::

Just noticed that the bottom of the homepage no longer lists all the people currently on line viewing the forums. I did see it listed in the actual forums at the very bottom though. I kinda liked it on the home page. So I could see who was on and not, and how many people are actively using the forums. Its nice to see lots of names and familiar "faces". Again, not really a big deal, just an observation.

I noticed both of these things as well. I also enjoy seeing who is online from the bottom of the home page. It goes back to that "everybody knows your name" feeling.

[Malboro]

It could be me but i noticed that, when clicking the "latest threads" link (i use this a lot), it takes me to a list like always but, problem is, threads that have several pages, dont show up the page links.

Example:

This is what it used to show up: "Show your UI - Page 1, 2, 3, 50, last"
This is what shows up now: "Show your UI"

Meaning, we have to open the thread and then click the "last" to go to the answers we were looking for Dunno if its intended or not but... its feedback!

EDIT: nevermind lol I understand the " As spotted by Pernicious if you click the icon, it instantly takes you to the newest post in that thread and clicking the actual text link takes you to the start of the thread. Also if you click the icon to the right of the 'by <name>' section, it takes you to the very last post in that thread." now.

[Akasha]

Maybe I missed it, but why is the front page showing advertisements? I am a subscriber (and supporter) yet ads are showing on the front page for me. They are not showing anywhere else that I can see, however. Also, my "Den Supporter" tag is missing again....

I'll look into that tonight - most likely just a setting I haven't checked. This upgrade reset EVERY setting across the forum. Hense the 8 hour downtime... 3 hours of it or so was me checking all the settings.

Edit: I noticed that some of the smiley faces are now blue rather than yellow. Nice touch.

They won't be staying, their the default smilies which overwrote my ones. I need to fix that.

I wont lie, that one sent me on a searching frenzy through the forum looking for "hidden" messages. LOL

LOL sorry.

And yes, I check this site out even when I'm not at home or work in front of my computer. And yes, I check this site out even when I'm not at home or work in front of my computer.

*cookie*

I didn't want to double post,

Double post to your hearts content, the forum merges it for you. I'll look into the avatar issue for you...

Just noticed that the bottom of the homepage no longer lists all the people currently on line viewing the forums. I did see it listed in the actual forums at the very bottom though.

That's a temporary thing, the section that shows that is currently causing huge errors (ie front page doesn't load at all) so it was disabled until I can figure it out.

It could be me but i noticed that, when clicking the "latest threads" link (i use this a lot), it takes me to a list like always but, problem is, threads that have several pages, dont show up the page links.

They were purposely removed to clean up the look of the forum. As you saw, with the new icons taking you to the first unread, start and end of a thread, you can make use of those now.

[Akasha]

Updated! Spot the new bit...

[Pernicious]

Originally Posted by Akasha

Updated! Spot the new bit...

I know you were mentioning a new thread tagging feature. And I only now just noticed on the forum screen little tags to the right side of the thread titles that when rolled over list a bunch of tags. Also lists deleted posts. Pretty neat I think, gives a little more info on the post as I'm able to get a few more key words before actually opening it up and reading.

Not sure that's the bit you asked us to spot though!