New Forum Features

CowbellGuy · October 24, 2006, 11:01:20 AM

As promised, I'm going to start adding new features and will keep a running log here as they're added. If there's anything you hate, just speak up.

Change User Name: In the Control Center, under the Edit My Profile option, you can now change your user (login) name. I've done this manually for a few people in the past, but now you can just do it yourself. If you change your user name, please log out and back in before posting.

Link To First New Post: From the flat message list view, the "# new" at the end of the subject is now a link that will take you to the first new message in the thread.

Readable Dates: The date is now formatted to be more readable. For example, the day can now be "Today" or "Yesterday" and the year will be omitted for posts from the current year.

Avatars: You now have the ability to add avatars. Click Avatar Options in the Control Center and follow directions. The maximum size is 80x80 pixels. If you upload an image larger than that, it will not show up in your avatar selection list. You can also disable showing avatars if you prefer not to see them.

Editor Tools: In the message posting form you will now find a row of tools to help with text formatting, in addition to complete clickable access to all the smileys (and yes, it will insert at the cursor now).

Chris 02 · October 24, 2006, 12:33:06 PM

I really like the "Link to first New Post" in the flat view. That's a great feature. Before, scrolling through 78 posts to find post #79 that I hadn't read was a pain. This works really well.

imafrshmn · October 24, 2006, 04:09:20 PM

can we get avatars on posts and not just profiles? maybe that's not such a good idea.

CowbellGuy · October 24, 2006, 04:18:25 PM

Did I say anything about avatars yet?

ursusminor · October 24, 2006, 05:29:34 PM

Would it be possible to have smilies inserted at the cursor instead of at the end of the message? I often go back through a message and enter smilies after entering the all of the words.

USCHO used to do it the way that it is done here, but recently this was cahgned.

Josh '99 · October 24, 2006, 05:38:28 PM

[quote CowbellGuy]Avatars: You now have the ability to add avatars. Click Avatar Options in the Control Center and follow directions. The maximum size is 80x80 pixels. If you upload an image larger than that, it will not show up in your avatar selection list. You can also disable showing avatars if you prefer not to see them.[/quote]I don't actually *have* an "Avatar Options" button in my Control Center.

French Rage · October 24, 2006, 07:14:20 PM

[quote Josh '99][quote CowbellGuy]Avatars: You now have the ability to add avatars. Click Avatar Options in the Control Center and follow directions. The maximum size is 80x80 pixels. If you upload an image larger than that, it will not show up in your avatar selection list. You can also disable showing avatars if you prefer not to see them.[/quote]I don't actually *have* an "Avatar Options" button in my Control Center.[/quote]

Ditto

Tom Lento · October 24, 2006, 10:55:55 PM

Agreed. Even if several other featuers broke in the upgrade, that "new posts" button in flat view would have made the upgrade a net positive.

Since everything has either continued working or been improved, I'd have to say that this upgrade is a major success at this point. Great job, Age!

(Note, I would like a darker background behind the text, but that's a minor quibble - overall this color scheme is nicer than the old one, and if it really bothered me I'm sure there's a browser setting I could change somewhere).

Will · October 24, 2006, 11:21:08 PM

I'm also not feeling the avatar love here, Age. :`( :-P

EDIT: Never mind, it's working now.

CowbellGuy · October 25, 2006, 11:18:13 AM

Sorry, just fixed it.

RichH · October 25, 2006, 04:18:34 PM

It keeps getting better! Love the editor tools. Although, the smiley drop down is a bit...busy? I liked the standard smilies being visible, and then having the more specialized ones a click away.

Anyway...fantastic work.

::panic::

CowbellGuy · October 25, 2006, 04:59:52 PM

Yeah, it is a bit busy, but I sort of prefer this because it only loads the smileys when the menu is clicked, as opposed to every time a message page is loaded. If it's really unbearable, I could add the line of smileys back.

RichH · October 25, 2006, 05:49:00 PM

[quote CowbellGuy]Yeah, it is a bit busy, but I sort of prefer this because it only loads the smileys when the menu is clicked, as opposed to every time a message page is loaded. If it's really unbearable, I could add the line of smileys back.[/quote]

Nah, that's a good point. Besides, if I don't know what to type to get a standard smiley by now, I'll just yank the cable modem now.

Jacob '06 · October 25, 2006, 06:00:57 PM

is there a good way to shrink an image down to the appropriate size for an avatar on a mac?

Tom Lento · October 25, 2006, 06:10:35 PM

[quote Jacob '06]is there a good way to shrink an image down to the appropriate size for an avatar on a mac?[/quote]

If you got a system with Graphic Converter bundled that's relatively painless and should get the job done (note it's not the best graphics software out there, but it works). You might be able to save in different resolutions using Grab, but I've never tried it.

iPhoto might do it, too. I know you can do a fair amount of basic image editing to clean up your photos, so I imagine you can pull it off that way.