Welcome to the new homebrewandbeer.com forum

[Oliver]

Hi folks,

Well, it's finally happened. Over the past three days I've been configuring this updated forum.

Here are the main changes:

Private messaging
You can now send messages privately to other users on this board. Private messaging is managed through the User Control Panel, located at the top right when you're logged in. And you can edit a private message right up until the time it's read at the other end. You can also set up two personal folders and call them whatever you like. However, once you hit 50 private messages in your inbox, new messages will be held back until you delete some messages (this is the default), or old messages will automatically be deleted to allow the new message to be delivered. This is configured in your User Control Panel.

Preserve unread topic icon
On the old board if you had unread posts (those marked with a full glass of beer next to the topic or forum) and you logged out, those posts would be marked as read next time you logged in. Now, you can log out whenever you like and any threads with unread posts will still be marked as unread next time you log on. You can still use the "Mark topics read" link to mark all topics/threads in a forum as read.

Saving drafts
If you're halfway through a post and you realise you're late for the pub, you can now save a draft, using the Save button next to Preview and Submit. When the time comes to complete a draft and send it, you can do that from the User Control Panel.

Subscribe to forums and topics, and bookmark topics
If you subscribe to a forum or topic, you'll be notified when there are new posts. Bookmarking works like it does in your web browser, allowing you to return to topics of interest easily. Subscribing and bookmarking is done with the links at the very bottom of forums or posts. They're managed in the User Control Panel.

Report posts
If the content of a post gets you offended, then you can now report the post to moderators. This is done with icons at the top right of each post.

New style
There are similarities and differences with the new forum. One of the main things you may notice is that a user's details now appear on the right of the post, not the left as previously. This means that the post (which, of course, is what you're most interested in!), appears at the far left.

HTML coding
Although only a few people used HTML markup in their posts, it's worth noting that it is no longer possible. BBCode should do pretty much everything you used to do with HTML. If there's anything you can't do with BBCode but would like to, please let me know and I'll consider adding it as custom BBCode, which is now possible.

This is just a taste of what's new. Have a poke around and see what else you discover.

If you'd like to know more there's a user guide at the phpBB site: http://www.phpbb.com/support/documentat ... /index.php

I hope you enjoy.

(You'll probably notice there are a few things that still need tweaking (like some of the logos being a bit skewiff) or fixing (like the Smilies). If you do notice anything, please let me know and I'll fix it as soon as I can.)

Happy posting!

Cheers,

Oliver

EDIT: Online status
If a user is online, that status now shows up on the far right of their posts.

[ryan]

Congrats on a job well done. Bumping into a few things but you get that, like trying to find your way to bed at 2a.m.

[Kevnlis]

Ooops... I just made a post about this in General Discussion

[KEG]

(You'll probably notice there are a few things that still need tweaking (like some of the logos being a bit skewiff) or fixing (like the Smilies). If you do notice anything, please let me know and I'll fix it as soon as I can.)

Kevnlis, this is for you

[Oliver]

A few other things I should mention and that you can and should adjust in the User Control Panel:

1. This is where you set the time that's displayed when you're logged on. There's now a button to check to display daylight saving time, which is easier than the previous method.

2. Birthdays are now enabled. If you fill in your birthday in the User Control Panel the board will indicate to other users that it's your birthday on that day.

3. Can you all make sure that all your other details are correct in the User Control Panel. Email address is probably the one that's most important, as not having this correct means that Geoff and I can't communicate with you via email if the need arises. You also can't be sent a new password if you forget your old.

Cheers,

Oliver

[TommyH]

Good work Oliver
Looks good so far

[Liz E]

Love the forum layout, easily navigable and viewer friendly. Best of all I can now block signatures, a pet hate of mine.

[pixelboy]

Great work Oliver !! Well done.. forum looks great

[Ash]

Top work - hope this new version is a bit more spammer proof to cut down on the workload for you guys.

[Rysa]

Damn fine job!!!

[warra48]

Love the look of the new layout.
Well done!

[Pyssedas Heavy Industrial]

Outstanding work [which makes me feel all the more ashamed of the pyssedas forum's lack of aesthetic delight]. Unfortunately I can't seem to remember my birthday does this mean i can no longer be a member?

[KEG]

Oliver,

would it be possible to make search.php?search_id=newposts only accessible with a login first, as it used to be? I use a password manager, and have saved search.php?search_id=newposts as a favourite. I used to go to the favourite, then log in, then see new posts since last visit. The way it currently is, it attempts to show new posts since last visit when I'm not logged in - showing what seems to be every post lol.

Cheers

[drsmurto]

Still trying to get my head around the new layout. Damn sexy

Took me almost an hour to realise i had a PM.

Top work Oliver. The more brewing forums i visit the more often i come back here.

Cheer
DrSmurto

[rwh]

Just noticed the indicator icons for whether a thread has new unread posts is sometimes a beer glass, sometimes the default:

[Kevnlis]

rwh, I think it is a beer glass if you have not posted in the thread, and the default if you have.

[Oliver]

would it be possible to make search.php?search_id=newposts only accessible with a login first, as it used to be? I use a password manager, and have saved search.php?search_id=newposts as a favourite. I used to go to the favourite, then log in, then see new posts since last visit. The way it currently is, it attempts to show new posts since last visit when I'm not logged in - showing what seems to be every post lol.

Hmmm. Not sure. Will have to investigate this one on the phpBB forum.

Cheers,

Oliver

[Oliver]

rwh, I think it is a beer glass if you have not posted in the thread, and the default if you have.

Ah ha! Was wondering about that myself. Seems a little strange though. Perhaps I'll just make it the full glass for new posts, regardless of whether you've posted in that topic before?

Thoughts anyone?

Oliver

[rwh]

Perhaps you could combine them? i.e. full glass for new, empty glass for no new, full glass with asterisk for new and you've posted in, empty glass for no new and you've posted in.

[Oliver]

Good plan. Will get onto that when I've got all the jobs done at home that I was allowed to delay because I spent three days of my holidays on upgrading the forum!

Cheers,

Oliver