Forum update feedback and bugs

[Wain]

Please post all feedback and bug reports for the new forum update here

Background

So, as I mentioned in my previous posts, I had to update the board software to a new version (phpBB 3.2.7). We were previously running on a very old branch of phpBB that was no longer supported and was becoming more and more incompatible with modern server software. I'd put it off until forum traffic died down as BfA progressed.

Bugs and issues

Is there anything not working as it used to? Or are there outright bugs? There were some difficulties during the update process but as far as I know everything is basically working. Lack of functionality may be an issue if the functionality relied on an extension that was removed in the update process. If there's anything missing I'll try to find an extension that does the same job.

The board style

Are you happy with the new board style? Or is there another you'd prefer? As you see, the theme isn't *exactly* the same as it was, but I've picked one that is similar. This theme ("Subsilver2") is no longer official (it was back in our old version) and is made by a third party to approximate the old one. I'm not entirely happy with some aspects of it (including the fact he added a link to a Russian online store, which I removed!) and I'd not use it if it wasn't the only one that mostly matched the old one. But there are alternatives. If you go to your user control panel (top right, go to your name, click on the menu arrow) you can set a couple of other themes, such as Prosilver (which is the official default) and Prosilver SE (a greyer version). But there's also a large list of possible ones here:
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/styl ... les-12/3.2
I'd like to at least add a dark theme, if we can settle on a nice one. I've added two dark options to test out: one is Lucid Lime (not bad) and the other "ne black green" which I think looks way more horrible in practice than it did in the preview :/ But maybe I'm in the minority on that.

[GormanGhaste]

I like Lucid Lime, only issues I notice with it so far are that it seems to be missing buttons for new posts and unread posts, and our username is in black text, which makes it hard to see.

Edit: new posts and unread posts are still available in the quick links drop down menu, which works for me.

Edit 2: I bet the color of the user name is determined by what user category the member is in--maybe it could be fixed there?

[Wain]

I like Lucid Lime, only issues I notice with it so far are that it seems to be missing buttons for new posts and unread posts, and our username is in black text, which makes it hard to see.

Edit: new posts and unread posts are still available in the quick links drop down menu, which works for me.

Edit 2: I bet the color of the user name is determined by what user category the member is in--maybe it could be fixed there?

As far as I can tell you can only configure the colour of the group a user is in (hence their name colour) once for the board, and not by theme. I need to do some more research into this, because surely there are a lot of boards that want to enable both a dark and a light theme? :/ Currently no matter what I choose some name colours are going to be incompatible with some themes.

Also, the smiley icons have weird jagged edges in the dark theme :/ - I found updated icons and fixed that!

[GormanGhaste]

I wonder if one of the options is to choose the theme's main text color, rather than a particular color? Just a shot in the dark, I've never dealt with forum settings.

[Rawr]

The only problem I have with Lucid Lime is I that it seems squished, the other themes use the whole page, while Lucid Lime just uses the center with quite a bit of empty space on the left and the right.

[Ana]

On mobile Samsung Internet browser you can only see the entire forum if you toggle desktop version on. On mobile version I can see the threads but I cannot scroll so I can see the forum properly. .

Hope this makes sense

[Wain]

On mobile Samsung Internet browser you can only see the entire forum if you toggle desktop version on. On mobile version I can see the threads but I cannot scroll so I can see the forum properly. .

Hope this makes sense

Are you able to post a screenshot of what you mean?

If you mean you don’t see some of the side stuff, like the “last post by” section on the right, I think that might be deliberate to make it easier to read on a mobile phone.

[cowmuflage]

This'll get some getting used too

[WerebearGuy]

Any chance we can have an option for the user information to be on the left side? It feels absolutely wrong on the right side. Like, I thought I messed up a setting on my computer when I opened a thread. It's harshly disorienting since every other online forum has the user info on the left.

Edit: The edit signature page always returns a 502 gateway error now. Tested on two different connections and computers.

[Ana]

On mobile Samsung Internet browser you can only see the entire forum if you toggle desktop version on. On mobile version I can see the threads but I cannot scroll so I can see the forum properly. .

Hope this makes sense

Are you able to post a screenshot of what you mean?

If you mean you don’t see some of the side stuff, like the “last post by” section on the right, I think that might be deliberate to make it easier to read on a mobile phone.

Sadly not able to provide screenshots as my mobile can't do it. I can crop something tomorrow to make it ckear what I mean.

[Vephriel]

I would very much like a dark theme as it's my prefered way of browsing sites these days (much easier on the eyes)

I perused the dark theme section in the link, I'm not sure if all of them are compatible or if there are specifications required, but I would like to point out this one called Pycode as a really nice looking theme:
https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/style/pycode/

My problem with the other ones is the black and green feels like a harsh contrast, but I like the more neutral greys in this one.

[Bowno]

Lucid Lime and Pro Silver special Edition hurt my eyes a lot less than the default. Lucid lime though is a liiiittle eye burny with how bright the green is, but the layout is less stressful. The special edition of Prosilver is what I think I'll stick with.

[GormanGhaste]

On mobile Samsung Internet browser you can only see the entire forum if you toggle desktop version on. On mobile version I can see the threads but I cannot scroll so I can see the forum properly. .

Hope this makes sense

The old version of Petopia didn't have a proper mobile version of the forums, so you may just not be used to the simplified layout?

My Samsung scrolls up and down just fine--what's your operating system? Mine is an Android.

[Vephriel]

I don't have any issues on mobile either, it just looks different to how it used to (but much more mobile-friendly!)

[Anyia]

Hey now, this one looks both familiar and fresher - nice job Wain! I retract my earlier question in the old thread

[Rawr]

I'm fine with the Lucid Lime, but I do agree the neon one is super harsh also the giant wasted space bothers me.

[Shade]

Lucid Lime is a bit too neon for this little old lady's horrid eyesight. The black-green theme however is far easier on the eyes I am finding.

[Bowno]

I might be dumb and blind.. But is there no easy button to get to Active Topics? I have it as a bookmark, so I can just chill there. But like.. I cant seem to find a way to Active Topics other than using my bookmark :U

[Vephriel]

I might be dumb and blind.. But is there no easy button to get to Active Topics? I have it as a bookmark, so I can just chill there. But like.. I cant seem to find a way to Active Topics other than using my bookmark :U

I'm using this theme, and it's on the top left

[Bowno]

Ah! Thank you Veph! I'll try other themes :3