Status of fixes and to-dos as of January 15

Today we discovered that part of this week's release was stopping new posts to threads. We have some help desk threads related to this - and we couldn't post a reply. That problem is now fixed.

Here is the latest status on what has been fixed and what the techs are working on next:

Fixed
Skip to New works
Favorite forums are accessible
Name hyperlinks now work
Date/Time stamps
Quote boxes
Apostrophes no longer trigger a backslash in forum posts (see note below)
Return to post after viewing photos in a thread post
Ads and ad boxes are gone for subscribers with ads turned off
Auto thread watcher - if you post to a thread, you should be automatically watching that thread, unless you have your preferences set otherwise.
Forum pages are loading faster.

Techs are working on these issues
1. Home page not syncing with forum updates - try hitting the forums page instead of home: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/ (I know it isn't as easy to get to as "Home" but it is accessible at the top of every thread.)
2. Forced preview (except on quoted replies)
3. Some symbols (such as two dashes, the temperature degree symbol) are still causing posts to vanish upon preview. We've also discovered that the apostrophes are still triggering a backslash in certain areas, such as photo captions.

On the list of fixes for an upcoming release:
Number pages at top as well as bottom.
Return to thread top (?) or bottom (?) or another spot after you submit a reply.
Add back the "while you were typing, a new post was made" alert when you are posting to a forum.
Tweak font size, background colors, etc. for readability.
"Posts I have made" to be fixed (currently links go to threads, but not to specific posts; page navigation in this area does not work.)

Terry,

I know that with the inability to post, many folks took to facebook and a few of us posted on the Daves Garden page... no one ever came in to answer questions. With no notes or nothing from Admin anywhere, IE: no forewarning,message - nothing.... members are frustrated.

I have read quite a few posts where the member has given up and they are gone and will let their membership expire. So sad to see this happen.

Just throwing this out there.... within the database somewhere, the owners of DG have everyeones email address - if there is yet another upgrade/update, how about a warning or notice. I can handle the site being down a few days for maintenance or whatever... but with no notice of any kind, many people feel that DG [whether that be IB or Admin] just do not care.

~~ Now I'll go read your post.

Terese

That link posted on the thread you locked does not work

Why won't the "threads I am watching " load ?
It is the only way I can find the few things I watch.
Can't count on the updated threads to function and now for quite a while this area I use has lost functionality

seems the "automatic" thread watch works if you post in a thread. A good sign.

I use the " threads I am watching " ( under "myinfo" ) as a map because with the new format and the forums being squished together, I can remember how to find certain threads....which community......

I don't want to wait until someone posts to it and it shows in my updated area.....
I may want to post to it..... could be the regulars in that discussion can't find it either....

I thought about this earlier... why is it that when there is a contest there is a notice on top of nearly every page of the site? Yet a notice of updates, or even "Sorry, this site is not functioning. Estimated fix to occur ...." cannot be shared in the same way.

ChillyB
YES!

I am so sick of that page that your link takes me to. I have seen it 50 times over the last few days. It was the only thing that did work. Some folks said they could start new threads. I could not.

I would think there could have been a "General Information" new thread from DG to explain the issues. I saw none.

This message was edited Jan 15, 2016 5:40 PM

Chilly -- i thought the very same thing. Easy to pop that in the banner.
Like i stated before... if we had a notice of this "disaster" saying the site would be down for a few days... big deal - I can handle that... but it was the silence. So many ways the entire membership could have been given a heads up... even after the fact -- just something.

Terese

.... and this "shut down" happened about 48 hrs ago. it was some time on the 13th. So it was not just today that it was noticed.

Yes, and being my long winded self ....I lost a something I composed.....and not realizing it was the site's LATEST issue....just thought it was a newish issue already known and experienced by me. (The occasional post that does not) and so I typed it again! 😖

missingrosie, I have tried several times, even before the lockdown, to go to the threads I am watching, and all it does is spin. Nothing ever loads.

Me too. I know it is not new, But is new since the "great overhaul" that occured.
I have reported it but cannot see it ( unless it is being described in a way that I am not grasping ) on the list of things that need tobe fixed. Honestly, I need it as a quick link to find things because I cannot remember where the discussions have moved to.

Terese
I looked on Facebook and find a page that says what DG is...with an iris on the page but not a page to join or post on. Is Daves listed as one word or two on FB?

Its really amazing that the so called professionals over here have done such an amateurish job on this latest upgrade (fiasco).

Try both ways, I believe there are several on FB. I couldnt start a new thread for 24 hrs, but then that started working. I believe Mel and Terry are in the same boat as the rest of the paddles, and would have done something if possible...nothing ever stays the same, never has nor ever will, why not just ride it out and see where it takes you?

I did try both ways to search Facebook, but don't really see a Dave G community page. I do see a nice site where there seems to be many articles. I hoped to narrow it down. I figure if others can post on it, so can DG staff. I thought maybe there would be an explanation of the last 24-48 hours on there. Also, if a broad email option is available to update subscribers, that would be appreciated.

I know how to ride things out. Having been in pulmonary medicine for 30 years and a good part of that time in critical care...I do know the virtue and wisdom in patience and riding things a ways. That being said, there is something to be said for courtesy and due diligence. Even though I realize that subscriber fees do not pay the bills ..there is an inherent obligation to inform. And, information on the FRONT end goes a long ways towards generating patience and goodwill on the back end. Somebody (s) is at the top - making decisions. I have to assume by the lack of communication that there is a culture of non communication. I am not shooting the messenger ( s) my dissatisfaction is with the DavesGarden services. I think my approach is just fine. I ask for help. I ask for information. I ask to be forewarned. I expect a service - that I pay for - to be available, and if it is not, I would like some information about when it may be available. If that shows a lack of empathy or understanding or willingness for change or to ride things out....well, I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

Crosspost..thanks Terese, that was not one of the pages I found.
Appreciate you following up.

My grandmother's name Terese ( but pronounced "Ter ace a"
(Sicilian)

I know Terrye and Melody have no control over this. But prior to this fabulous new update that was going to make things so much easier and better on my iphone and ipad everything was functioning just fine. I used my iphone and ipad all the time when accessing DG. Now it is so difficult to read and use on my iphone and ipad I wait until I get home and can use my laptop to get on DG. The whole site seems to be totally disintegrating with all the unhappy people just leaving. I too feel that somehow a notice should have been posted on the opening page of the site warning people that the site was down for maintenance to fix a critical issue.

cperdue, it is a mess on my Android, and only less so on my ipad.

Hi Terry,
That should be fixed pronto. That really leaves a very bad first impression of this current update phase.

Hi Terry,

I have a simple feature request. On the {quote} feature, remove the automatic placement of the Quote to the first of the message. (Actually, I made this request previously, but my request got no response.)

The Quote will usually appear there naturally, without any intervention from the System, because the only content in the Message box is the Quote before the user starts to enter text. The user will probably enter text beneath it, which leaves the Quote at the top of the message. But, in special cases, the user may choose to enter text before the {quote}...{/quote} construct, so not automatically placing the Quote at the top of the message is the desired behavior.

Also, let the user hand-edit in additional Quote structures into various parts of a message. There are cases where it is desired to deal with a multi-part quote (you yourself have experienced the need for that) and hand-editing the {Quote}s is the "easy" way to do that.

ZM

ZM -- your comment on Multi-part quotes... I've been doing that off and on for years. Unless it has changed, the posts are very editable where quotes are concerned.

Terese

Hi Terese,
I also have edited Quotes. I am doing this now, and typing this in before your Quote construct.

Hi Terry,

Several items need to be added to the list of fixes for an upcoming release.

On of them is to fix the erroneous error message that appears every time you Upload a photo. The message offers a Cancel button, which you should not hit, because if you wait a minute or two, the photo will upload in spite of the error message. The erroneous error message then, belatedly, goes away.

Hi Terry,

Another item to be added to the list of fixes for an upcoming release:

Identify locked threads. Do it everywhere the thread is mentioned. For example, I clicked on the "Reply" button on the thread you just locked, and it went into a wait forever mode, without telling me what was going on or that I wouldn't ever see a Reply Message Box (because the thread was locked.)

First the site goes down for 2 days then the link on the locked thread doesn't work? It makes DG look stupid. I loved this site and the people on it but I don't know how much more I can take....when admin locks a thread then posts a link that doesn't work???. There are other sites out there they can't possible be this frustrating.

Admin has explained before- techs are overseas, contact from here is per requests for tweaks to there.
From personal experience- if all your attempts to get to a place do is spin, you can count on your device being bumped out from more powerful forces. Including techs tweaking/tampering on the site.
I do not know who manages the FB site. If at first you don't succeed, try again. I know that once I start typing in my FB acct, the devices I use suggest where I want to go. Shortcut to site appears.
Many of us have far more time on our hands than admin, so are far too impatient for instant gratification of our wishes - MANY of us are paying members, the changes are usually a shock, but are definitely getting a site that will stand proud for the work we contribute.
Now, I will try to remember where the 'logo' is on here to sign in with FB...ah, yes, scroll to the bottom of this page and your link to FB is listed Right There with Twitter and Pinterest!

All i can say is.... Huh?

anyhoo -- I do believe Terry and or Melody handle the FB account.

And I fully understand those two have nothing to do really with what has been going on as they are not the programmers but Admins of this site -- Damage control. BUT - just one notice of, "whoops - Houston we have a problem" or something... would have been nice. A forewarning of a "new" update/upgrade - but thru this entire process which is over 5 weeks now, we've never been warned of the what and or when something is going to happen.

I am glad to see some of the hiccups have been fixed, I just wish the communication was better.

Right on, Terese!

" techs are overseas" That explains a lot. Wonder if they speak English. Lets hope this last bandaid stops the bleeding.

Techs are based in California. Can't remember which city but Melody post that when the ?? came up a couple of weeks ago.

I agree Terese. I am finding it hard to believe that no one could let us know what was going on. After all this time I am blown away that the mess hasn't been fixed.

Maybe instead of charging on with these so called improvements, the powers that be should stop and just fix what isn't working.

I too thought she said they were in Cali, not over seas....

I read a comment recently that pretty much rings true...
when it was a site "by gardeners, for gardeners" it was a great site, but once an "internet" company took over it's just not the same.

Wasn't that the moto or mission statement at one time.... a site for gardeners by gardeners?

I use FB regularly but I do not use the FB app or the messenger app and don't plan to. I sign on through my browser. I don't the the FB button on any site I go to and don't plan to use it on DG. I don't use it for security reasons.

Personally, I am leery of any links that are posted on commercial sites, because my feeling is all it does is allow them into your home computer, bypassing any security you have set up. This is not a technical explanation so if anyone wants to tell me I'm full of hot air about this, feel free.