# Off Topic > Suggestions for Improvement >  >  Answering threads does not trigger "replied to" feature.

## NBVC

I posted an answer to this thread:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-char...-at-cells.html

yet when I click New Posts, I don't see it as responded to.. and instead it remains at same position it was in, and shows 0 replies

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## NBVC

Looks like it is not just mine....

Andrew-R answered this one:

http://www.excelforum.com/excel-form...et-please.html

and it shows as not replied to.

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## Mordred

No NBVC, they fixed this problem months ago and it's obviously your computer with the problems.  Rebuild your igloo, club your seal, run outside and yell NO DOOT ABOOT IT, and then check your posts.  All will be fixed I promise.

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## NBVC

I'll keep my mouth shut on this one.. as I seem to stir up emotions when I say anything.....

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## daddylonglegs

> Rebuild your igloo, club your seal, run outside and yell NO DOOT ABOOT IT, and then check your posts.  All will be fixed I promise.



This didn't work for me, Mordred, is this just a Canadian thing? (I'm using Chrome)

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## NBVC

It also looks like the forum messages fonts have shrunk suddenly!

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## Mordred

> This didn't work for me, Mordred, is this just a Canadian thing? (I'm using Chrome)



You'd have no issues if you used Canadian Chrome.  

@NBVC, Why stop, the forum heads need to know the issues.  Sorry for kibitzing as my intentions were not to make light of the issues, I'm just feeling particularly goofy today.

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## romperstomper

@DLL,
There was a typo - you have to shout "NO DOOT ABOOT IT, EH" for it to work.

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## Marcol

A similar thing also happens with the attachment views count.

I've had OPs saying the solution works/doesn't work when the only way to find out is by opening the attachment, but the Attachment still says 0 views ...  :Confused: 

In one extreme case I had a thread marked [SOLVED] with 0 replies and 0 views of the attachment, and I got rep for it! ... 
Spooky no ...  :EEK!: 

Arlette assures me this is fixed, just look at it again in 5-10mins when the Forum catches up with itself!

Miight be best we all use *Epic* 1.9.7 Free - India's first-ever web browser.

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## daddylonglegs

> There was a typo - you have to shout "NO DOOT ABOOT IT, EH" for it to work.



so easy when you know how.........

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## Mordred

rs, who are you that is so wise in the ways of science?  Because of your knowledge of Canadians, I dub you honourary Canadian. This title entitles you to free back-bacon, an Inuit child, and a Husky (dog).  Sorry, we have to charge foreigners for seal cubs, even honourary one's such as yourself.

ddl, sorry mate, when you become wise in the ways of Canadian science you may be eligible.

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## NBVC

..yet another thread that goes astray....  :Wink:

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## Mordred

> ..yet another thread that goes astray....



These issues aren't taken seriously anyways so......

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## npamcpp

I've just posted a reply to a thread in the "Suggestions for Improvements" forum. The actual post appears twice in the thread. I then posted again, to apologize for something I didn't cause. Ten minutes after that, I still cannot see that thread in the user CP.

Arlette, don't bother replying, please, unless you've actually got something to contribute. I know, you'll consult with the tech team and get back. Half of your posts contain that message. 

Or is it the recurring "it's-the-weekend-backup-job-that-causes-problems-with-the-forum"? In that case, do something about that backup job. It does not seem to be an issue in any other vBulletin board I visit. And I visit many. As do others.

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## Simon Lloyd

All the thread and attachment update times will have been adjusted to a larger time in admincp...etc to save on server demand - a few more twists of the elasticband should do it  :Smilie:

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## jaslake

Hi Simon Lloyd

This may not be the proper Thread to post this and you may not be the proper person to who's attention to bring this but it seems I can't find a list of System Administrator's so I can PM one of them with this (these) issues. However, I do notice you get peoples attention AND you get things done.

If you please (and if you don't simply say so)...

Issue 1...on my platform the "Select Code" icon no longer works. Is this a "my platform" issue or is it broken?
Issue 2...today, Sunday, August 26, 2012, the Forum was unavailable for most of the day until about 7:00 pm EST. I can only assume that either I was having issues with my platform or the Forum was going through one of the "upgrades" it performs periodically. Could you please ask one of the "bosses" to let us know when this is going to happen and an estimate of how long it'll take. I've asked before but to no effect.

Appreciate your time and the effort you make on our behalf.

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## Cutter

Jaslake

Your first problem was first mentioned in this thread:  http://www.excelforum.com/suggestion...e-buttons.html

Note my post in that thread - I just checked the status of my submission and it remains "Open".

As for your second problem, there were lots of problems with the site today.  It wasn't just you.

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## jaslake

Hi Cuttter

I looked at the Reference Thread  http://www.excelforum.com/suggestion...e-buttons.html  ...how do I get to Ref# 544659 in the referenced Thread?

I realize and accept this 



> As for your second problem, there were lots of problems with the site today. It wasn't just you



Isn't there some way to make us aware of these situations?

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## Cutter

For now, while this new reporting system is being tested, you can't get to that ticket.  I only put it in the thread so that I wouldn't have to search through my e-mails to get the right # and then check the system.

It's my understanding that if the reporting system proves itself to be an effective method of reporting problems then it will be made available to you.

As for advanced notice of downtime, that's assuming today's problems were predictable.  In the recent past there was a banner-like announcement at the top of the page that said an update was in progress but there wasn't anything like that this time (that I saw).  Hopefully there will be an explanation tomorrow from someone who knows what the problem was.

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## jaslake

Hi Cuttter

Regarding this



> this new reporting system is being tested



and



> if the reporting system proves itself to be an effective method of reporting problems then it will be made available to you



keep us posted as you can...it's important to us.

Regarding this



> the recent past there was a banner-like announcement at the top of the page that said an update was in progress but there wasn't anything like that this time (that I saw



Yes, I've seen the referenced banner and all was explained to my satisfaction...so, please let me know why this didn't happen this time...as you know, if you know.

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## arlu1201

Jaslake,

There were server issues whole of Sunday and the backend of the forum was down.  Hence, the tech team were not able to put up any notice about the downtime.

It got resolved only this morning around 12.30 midnite UK time. The tech team were working on it the whole night.

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## Simon Lloyd

> Hi Simon Lloyd
> 
> This may not be the proper Thread to post this and you may not be the proper person to who's attention to bring this but it seems I can't find a list of System Administrator's so I can PM one of them with this (these) issues. However, I do notice you get peoples attention AND you get things done.
> 
> If you please (and if you don't simply say so)...
> 
> Issue 1...on my platform the "Select Code" icon no longer works. Is this a "my platform" issue or is it broken?
> Issue 2...today, Sunday, August 26, 2012, the Forum was unavailable for most of the day until about 7:00 pm EST. I can only assume that either I was having issues with my platform or the Forum was going through one of the "upgrades" it performs periodically. Could you please ask one of the "bosses" to let us know when this is going to happen and an estimate of how long it'll take. I've asked before but to no effect.
> 
> Appreciate your time and the effort you make on our behalf.



Hi John, i have no admin access here any more so cannot do anything for you, the only reason you may have seen action that looked like it was me may have been because i have periodically provided solutions to their issues.

With regards the advanced notice, they have said that they would give advanced notice every time but have rarely done that, the issue that everyone experienced were probably due to the weekend back up that takes place every weekend and something may have got corrupted, as for the forum backend being down as explained by Arlette it's not possible for the forum backend to be down and be able to display the forum homepage....etc, the issue was probably a corrupt table or one that hadn't properly closed off.

Lastly, the select code button is something the tech team will have to sort out as they have now changed the select code to something a little different to the one used to have like my site.

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## NBVC

This thread http://www.excelforum.com/excel-form...ferencing.html shows that it has not been replied to when I am viewing New Posts... yet JosephP replied to it over 15 minutes ago....

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## Pete_UK

> NBVC wrote:
> 
> This thread http://www.excelforum.com/excel-form...ferencing.html shows that it has not been replied to when I am viewing New Posts... yet JosephP replied to it over 15 minutes ago....



I see this a lot. I normally scan through the New Posts list looking for those with zero replies against them so that i can see if I can help. Quite a number of them (about 3 or 4 a day, on average) then have at least one reply when you view the thread in detail, thus wasting my time (again).

Pete

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## NBVC

Don't worry, the fabulous tech team is on it 24-7  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic): 

.. and now this reply isn't showing in the the New Posts listing...

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## Pete_UK

> .. and now this reply isn't showing in the the New Posts listing...



And, if you view the list of threads in this Forum I'm still shown as the last reply for my post#24, and that was from nearly 2 hours ago.

Does this "Tech team" actually exist?_ (rhetorical question - no need for anyone to answer !!)_

Pete

EDIT: the plot thickens. I can see in the New Posts list that Arlette has added a post to this thread at 4:06 my time (currently 4:09). BUT, it does not show when I click on that link.

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## arlu1201

Pete,

I am seeing your last reply - see attached screenshot from What's New.

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## Pete_UK

Arlette, you must admit that a few things are not working correctly. This can be very frustrating to people who are giving up their time freely. Some of the errors have been reported for several months. All we ask is that they are fixed, so that our enjoyment in using this forum is not impaired.

Pete

EDIT: ... and even in posting this reply I got the error message - "you must wait another 16 seconds", even though it clearly took me more than 14 seconds to pen my reply (I can't type that quickly !!)

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## arlu1201

I agree with you completely Pete.

The post count issue was prevalent, no doubt.  But it was fixed until last sunday's server crash which has resulted in it appearing again.

I have logged a ticket with the tech team regarding this and i should have an update by tomorrow for sure.

This thread did have its post count messed up but it got fixed.

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## NBVC

I don't understand how a supposed server crash can bring up these ghosts that supposedly were previously fixed.  How does the server know what to mess up again?

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## arlu1201

Whatever fixes were put in place got undone.

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## Kyle123

hmmm sounds like more frequent back-ups/versioning required. Git? (not in the offensive sense  :Wink: )

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## npamcpp

> Whatever fixes were put in place got undone.



You mean that all the recurring weekend slownesses apparently caused by "backups" was wasted time, people watching paint dry, but nothing got actually backed up, because there now is no backup to revert to? 

Cough!

Ok, I know, I know. You'll consult the "tech team" and get back with a thin excuse. Don't bother.

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## arlu1201

npamcpp,

When a weekend backup happens, its the backup of the data not of the code that was put in place because it does not require to be backup'd.

Since the database crash last weekend, the fixes were undone, which the tech team is re-instating.

I hope that clears all your doubts !!!

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## romperstomper

> its the backup of the data not of the code that was put in place because *it does not require to be backup'd*...
> Since the database crash last weekend, the fixes were undone, which the tech team is re-instating.



do you see the flaw in the logic?

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## arlu1201

RS,

The latest code added to the forum backend is always kept up-to-date.  It is updated whenever the forum code is updated.  But its not part of the back up process.  

Since the database crashed, the code pertaining to the fixes/ changes had to be re-input.

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## Pete_UK

Well, it's Thursday now, 4 days after the "crash", and I'm still getting the time-out message - "wait 14 seconds and re-post" etc. I see a number of duplicated posts by other contributors, who have obviously done just that.

Also, I click on threads showing zero replies in the New Posts list, only to see that someone else has replied some time earlier.

How long does it take to re-input the code that supposedly fixed these errors in the past? _(again, rhetorical)_

Pete

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## romperstomper

I assume this code lives in files. If you backed up those files you could just restore them, no?

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## NBVC

Arlu, why don't you get your "tech lead" to login and explain everything.  Maybe that will help to instill some confidence, if he/she is indeed technically competent.  I am not sure you are not piecing it all together correctly.

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## Kyle123

How much code is actually stored in the database? I'm having real issues understanding why a database (being distinct from the code) would have any impact on code changes?

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## JBeaucaire

Some good questions are being asked, hopefully good answers will follow.   However, I am not seeing anything useful in the post above, that certainly should not be considered substantive to anyone's question to Arlu.  

The post was reported as offensive to some others, so please tread gently.  You're walking right up to the line of inappropriateness, and some have already said you've crossed it.  Gently, please.  Do not force moderation onto your posts.  I believe you can get your points across without crossing the line. 

Thanks.

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## npamcpp

I object to the deletion of my post above and to the infraction I received for it. I have a copy of the post for anyone who is interested. I am being accused of racism. Unjustly so. I'm happy to send a copy of that post to anyone who still wants to see it. I am outspoken, yes. I don't mince words, yes. But I'm not a racist. I mentioned that the "tech team" may not have sufficient English to understand the vBulletin documentation and get the forum running smoothly. If I recall correctly, Arlette was installed as a moderator to act as a liaison between the forum members and the "tech team" for the very reason of communication/language issues.

I also mentioned that if someone wants to run an international forum, they need sufficiently skilled staff. These things apply equally to any site that is hosted in a country where English is not the first language, be it France, Timbuktu, India or Finnland, to name just a few. That has nothing to do with racism. That's just a fact of life. 

The over-reaction of deleting the post and infracting the poster shows me that I've touched a nerve. Now, why don't you ban me? I'll be in good company.

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## Kyle123

Back to the original point off the thread, it's still happening. I replied to a thread this morning, and it hasn't shown I'm either the post count or a me as the last poster

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## arlu1201

Kyle - do you have a link to share?

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