Forum faults

tiscando

Senior Member
I am going to summarize all of the problems with the forum in this thread:

1. The code windows does not show all the code that is typed up.
This means I have to click on the quote button to show the rest of
the code, or re-load the page. This makes the usability of the
[code] ... [/code] tags drop - and I bet this puts new members
off using the code tags. This also affects me, where I put a very long
white space between the bottom of the code and the closing [/code].

[code]
top of code

middle of code

bottom of code






































[/code]
2. Also reffering to the code window - If there's a very long line in the code, the whole post stretches to fit the length of the line. This means that the main text in the post is not wrapped into the browser window, so especially for users with low-resolution screens, they have to scroll a long way horizontally to see all the post text spread out over there like this sentence, and also see the edit and quote buttons hanging on the very far corner, right to the next full stop.
This also gave me the habit of,
if I have a long line in a code window,
wrapping the post text manually with the return key.

Code:
#simspeed 20
...
...
...
chpwaltz:
'chopin waltz in D-flat
tune 0,2,($E8,$27,$28,$00,$2A,$27,$28,$2A,$28,$00,$2A)
for b0=1 to 7
 tune 0,2,($27,$28,$00,$2A)
next b0
tune 0,2,($27,$28,$2A,$00,$01,$03,$05,$06,$8A,$08,$06,$05,$05,$45,$43,$45,$43,$03,$02,$C3,$8A,$08,$06,$05,$05,$45,$43,$45,$43,$02,$03,$04,$2A)
for b0=1 to 4
 tune 0,2,($27,$28,$00,$2A)
next b0
tune 0,2,($27,$28,$2A,$00,$01,$03,$05,$06,$8A,$08,$06,$05,$05,$45,$43,$45,$43,$03,$02,$C3,$8A,$08,$06,$05,$03,$05,$03,$02,$03,$04,$45)
for b0=1 to 2
 tune 0,2,($06,$45,$04,$05,$08,$06,$05,$06,$05,$04,$05,$0A,$48,$0A,$48,$07,$08,$10,$0A,$08,$0A,$08,$07,$08,$11,$10,$0A,$08,$06,$05,$03,$01,$00,$2A,$28,$26,$25,$23,$21,$20,$23,$2A,$28,$27,$28,$2A,$00,$01,$03,$45,$06,$45,$04,$05,$08,$06,$05,$06,$05,$04,$05,$0A,$48,$0A,$48,$07,$08,$10,$0A,$08,$0A,$08,$07,$08,$15,$13,$11,$10,$0A,$08,$06,$05,$03,$01,$00,$2A,$28,$29,$00,$2A,$25,$26,$20,$A1,$6C,$05,$6C)
next b0
return

I tried to search the forum, but got loads of unrelated results.
 
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Dippy

Moderator
I agree the code window width can be a pain, I think it's been mentioned before.

I often have to click 'refresh' to get the full code in the code window.
I can live with that.

My frustration is with SEARCH.
It really needs to be smarter with the options of "+" or "AND" and maybe "NOT" too.
 
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tiscando

Senior Member
I often have to click 'refresh' to get the full code in the code window.
I can live with that.
But it's a problem for slow and/or unreliable internet connections

"
My frustration is with SEARCH.
It really needs to be smarter with the options of "+" or "AND" and maybe "NOT" too.
"

I agree.
At the moment, I use google search, prefixing the search with "site:www.picaxeforum.co.uk ", to do a more advanced search. I only did a simple search of "forum fault" on the forum search this time.
 

Dippy

Moderator
"But it's a problem for slow and/or unreliable internet connections"

- I don't believe it can be on the connection between me and my ISP server.
My connection may not be the fastest in the world - an online check shows >6300 kbps.

I do not have that same problem with any other Forums I use including others that use vBulletin.
i.e. it never happens on others & often happens on PICAXE Forum. Conclusions?

If you are right (and that would need proving) then the problem must be further up the line.

Anyway, I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
 

slimplynth

Senior Member
I always search before asking for help but sometimes there's no option other than to ask a question that's probably been asked before... more posts added to ever increasingly difficult resource to search (using the site's search)

That said, it doesn't really bother me having to use google, one day I'm hoping google will be installed in my head somehow :).
 

westaust55

Moderator
PICAXE forum searching

At the moment, I use google search, prefixing the search with "site:www.picaxeforum.co.uk ", to do a more advanced search. I only did a simple search of "forum fault" on the forum search this time.
I agree.
At the moment, I use google search, prefixing the search with "site:www.picaxeforum.co.uk ", to do a more advanced search. I only did a simple search of "forum fault" on the forum search this time.[/QUOTE]

While admitting the Search function is not the best, people might want to have a look at the Searth Tutorial I produced back in 2008 at
http://www.picaxeforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=11053


In this tutorial thread at post 3, I also recommend the method using Google as mentioned above by tiscando.
 

lbenson

Senior Member
I certainly agree about the problems with searching. It has been pointed out before that vbulletin supports both three-letter word searches and "stop word" lists (and supplies a sample list). Implementing these would help a great deal, and evidently would not require much more administrator time than is required to set a few switches, point to a file, and eliminate stop-words such as "led". And a bit of disk space--but surely that's too cheap to matter much.
 

westaust55

Moderator
Searching the PICAXE forum

The subject of searching would be also made easier if people:

1. put a title on all/most their posts
2. for the first post tried to make the title more meaningful (not just "I need help plz")
 

manie

Senior Member
Agree with the titles Westy, somehow it sounds more dramatic with titles like the one mentioned I think. Maybe a bit of education and some rules to improve titling of threads as well as titling of posts, the facility is there to use....
 

manie

Senior Member
Twilight Zone ?

You have just entered the Twilight Zone :)

Not to mention correct spelling....
If you refer to "titling" then sorry if it should be "tittling".... BUT, I did say "education", thanks, are you already starting with it ?

PS: Although I'm not of Spanish/Italian/Polish etc. origin, this is my SECOND/THIRD language in a country where we have 40 million people speaking languages "other" than English. Thanks Dr. P. du Munnik.... English teacher of fame.........
 

Dippy

Moderator
I wasn't referring to you Manie or anyone in particular but, for example, if someone titles their project "My PICAXE Crooze Missile" then in 6 months time when someone searches for "Cruise Missile" then they will be disappointed.

This is really aimed at those who are keen on kiddy txt spk or those determind to abbreviate important or significant words etc.

Ppl abrvtng ord words dinny matter.
Common sense innit?

PS. English is my 3rd language. I come from Dorset :) (That's a joke).
 

manie

Senior Member
Dorset ? Where the heck is that ? You "dnt meen" corset ??:rolleyes:

No problem Dippy, we need a smile (and correction) mose off the thyme ainnit ?
 

tiscando

Senior Member
My connection may not be the fastest in the world - an online check shows >6300 kbps.
6300 kbps = 6.3 megabits per second, which is quite fast.
I was talking about <100kb/s when I said 'slow connections'.
 
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