Phorum 5.1 Roadmap
Posted by Brian Moon
Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 23, 2005 06:32PM |
Admin Registered: 23 years ago Posts: 4,495 |
(OUTDATED, Phorum-5.1-alpha has been released)
With 5.0 out there and doing well, it is time to shift to 5.1. Here is our
roadmap for 5.1. I welcome comments and possible additions.
For the latest, see the Milestone: [phorum.org]
Major changes:
===============
Completely new template from scratch - Promopixel, creator of the Eugenol template, has expressed an interest in doing a completely new template. I recently used the Eugenol template and was impressed with the CSS/HTML structure. There are two goals here. 1) Better CSS/HTML structure that will move closer to allowing pure CSS templates like [www.csszengarden.com]. Phorum's dynamic data will not allow full CSS mastery (absolute positioning would be though), but the less HTML fiddling the better. 2) Feature more of the things that Phorum has to offer users. Things like post counts are buried in the profiles. Most people evaluating the software may very well believe that they are not there.
Data Caching - This will be optional caching that will cache data that Phorum uses. It will not cache HTML output. It would most likely involve caching the phorum_db_* function calls. User data is the first area that would eliminate lots of queries that return the same data over and over.
Default Forum Options - Many users moving from other apps have found Phorum's admin is too liberal with allowing (or requiring) you to configure each forum individually. You see the questions all the time in the forums. They change foo in the General Settings and are confused why it does not change everywhere.
(done)MySQL Fulltext Search - faster, better, cooler. This is already in play on my Phorum install at dealmac.com. There are hurdles to moving it into the tree however. For one, the default minimum word length is 4 for a standard install. That means any search terms under 4 characters will be skipped. On my server we have set it to 1. I will need to put in an extra step to scan for these terms before the FullText query. See: [dev.mysql.com]
Virtual Roots - This was thought up by Thomas and is brilliant for sites that want to have lots of forums for different sites served by one server. You would assign a point in the hierarchy as a Virtual Root. That would then become a top level folder. The structure outside of that would ignore from that point forward. Does that make any sense? Perhaps Thomas can explain better.
Folders "Enhanced" - If you have had a look under the hood, you know that folders are nothing more than forums with a property set. We are leaning toward removing the folder assignment and simply allowing forums to have sub-forums. thoughts?
Inheritence of Forum Settings - We have had many requests to have the option to set a parent folder with options and have the forum children inherit those options. Having parent forums (see above) would make this even easier.
Enhanced Private Messaging - Folders is the big option here we want to add. Also maybe built in email when you get a PM. (done)Also, we will put it in that you can reply to a normal message via PM. other things???
Super Stickies - There is just a little code that is stopping these from happening. These would be stickies that appear on all forums.
The rest of this is just todo stuff. No long winded info needed:
* link from list page to the first new message of a thread.
* Put a link on the followed thread page to the last post in the thread.
* check for forum being down and give the admin the option to down the forum.
* make announcements have a better reason that you can not reply to them. (message just says closed right now) (done)
* Reply (post-form) in separate page (optional)
* more moderation functions:
--thread-split/thread-merge
--move a message to be its own thread
--others??
* preview when editing message
"mark thread read" in read-view (done)
* support for more db-layers (goal we will need help with)
* better attachment workflow
* allow attachments to be in the fs or db.
* enhancements to user admin: send password, remove subscriptions, more?
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2005 03:04PM by ts77.
With 5.0 out there and doing well, it is time to shift to 5.1. Here is our
roadmap for 5.1. I welcome comments and possible additions.
For the latest, see the Milestone: [phorum.org]
Major changes:
===============
Completely new template from scratch - Promopixel, creator of the Eugenol template, has expressed an interest in doing a completely new template. I recently used the Eugenol template and was impressed with the CSS/HTML structure. There are two goals here. 1) Better CSS/HTML structure that will move closer to allowing pure CSS templates like [www.csszengarden.com]. Phorum's dynamic data will not allow full CSS mastery (absolute positioning would be though), but the less HTML fiddling the better. 2) Feature more of the things that Phorum has to offer users. Things like post counts are buried in the profiles. Most people evaluating the software may very well believe that they are not there.
Data Caching - This will be optional caching that will cache data that Phorum uses. It will not cache HTML output. It would most likely involve caching the phorum_db_* function calls. User data is the first area that would eliminate lots of queries that return the same data over and over.
Default Forum Options - Many users moving from other apps have found Phorum's admin is too liberal with allowing (or requiring) you to configure each forum individually. You see the questions all the time in the forums. They change foo in the General Settings and are confused why it does not change everywhere.
(done)MySQL Fulltext Search - faster, better, cooler. This is already in play on my Phorum install at dealmac.com. There are hurdles to moving it into the tree however. For one, the default minimum word length is 4 for a standard install. That means any search terms under 4 characters will be skipped. On my server we have set it to 1. I will need to put in an extra step to scan for these terms before the FullText query. See: [dev.mysql.com]
Virtual Roots - This was thought up by Thomas and is brilliant for sites that want to have lots of forums for different sites served by one server. You would assign a point in the hierarchy as a Virtual Root. That would then become a top level folder. The structure outside of that would ignore from that point forward. Does that make any sense? Perhaps Thomas can explain better.
Folders "Enhanced" - If you have had a look under the hood, you know that folders are nothing more than forums with a property set. We are leaning toward removing the folder assignment and simply allowing forums to have sub-forums. thoughts?
Inheritence of Forum Settings - We have had many requests to have the option to set a parent folder with options and have the forum children inherit those options. Having parent forums (see above) would make this even easier.
Enhanced Private Messaging - Folders is the big option here we want to add. Also maybe built in email when you get a PM. (done)Also, we will put it in that you can reply to a normal message via PM. other things???
Super Stickies - There is just a little code that is stopping these from happening. These would be stickies that appear on all forums.
The rest of this is just todo stuff. No long winded info needed:
* link from list page to the first new message of a thread.
* Put a link on the followed thread page to the last post in the thread.
* check for forum being down and give the admin the option to down the forum.
* make announcements have a better reason that you can not reply to them. (message just says closed right now) (done)
* Reply (post-form) in separate page (optional)
* more moderation functions:
--thread-split/thread-merge
--move a message to be its own thread
--others??
* preview when editing message
"mark thread read" in read-view (done)
* support for more db-layers (goal we will need help with)
* better attachment workflow
* allow attachments to be in the fs or db.
* enhancements to user admin: send password, remove subscriptions, more?
Brian - Cowboy Ninja Coder - Personal Blog - Twitter
Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2005 03:04PM by ts77.
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 24, 2005 09:04AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
I have to add ... everyone has a lot of workload.
If you think that you can contribute with implementing one of the stuff from above (may it be even as small as a simple message) feel free to do so and send us a message / patches.
This will allow to bring phorum-5.1 faster to birth :).
Oh and about the virtual roots:
my aim is to have all things that would work with "all forums" work only in a given set of forums if a virtual root is enabled.
I.e. "search all forums" would only search in the forums in the current virtual root, announcements would only show up in the forums in that vroot and so on.
Thomas Seifert
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2005 09:06AM by ts77.
If you think that you can contribute with implementing one of the stuff from above (may it be even as small as a simple message) feel free to do so and send us a message / patches.
This will allow to bring phorum-5.1 faster to birth :).
Oh and about the virtual roots:
my aim is to have all things that would work with "all forums" work only in a given set of forums if a virtual root is enabled.
I.e. "search all forums" would only search in the forums in the current virtual root, announcements would only show up in the forums in that vroot and so on.
Thomas Seifert
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/24/2005 09:06AM by ts77.
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 12:28PM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 110 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 05:05PM |
Admin Registered: 23 years ago Posts: 4,495 |
It is stored as meta data so you can't fiddle with it. =)
Brian - Cowboy Ninja Coder - Personal Blog - Twitter
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 05:47PM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 110 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 06:06PM |
Registered: 22 years ago Posts: 1,076 |
brianlmoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> With 5.0 out there and doing well, it is time to
> shift to 5.1. Here is our roadmap for 5.1. I
> welcome comments and possible additions.
Any opinions about message list link opening the first list page instead of the one that was viewed before.
---
-=[ Panu ]=-
-------------------------------------------------------
> With 5.0 out there and doing well, it is time to
> shift to 5.1. Here is our roadmap for 5.1. I
> welcome comments and possible additions.
Any opinions about message list link opening the first list page instead of the one that was viewed before.
---
-=[ Panu ]=-
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 06:11PM |
Admin Registered: 23 years ago Posts: 4,495 |
bossie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah I know,
> but why isn' it stored as text in hte actual
> message, linke in Phorum 3?
> Thats my question.
> Thats easier, to fidlle with.
It wasn't that way in Phorum 3 because we had no choice. There was no meta data in Phorum 3. We only store the data in Phorum 5 - the edit count, user and time. that allows for translation of that data for multi-lingual Phorums.
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yeah I know,
> but why isn' it stored as text in hte actual
> message, linke in Phorum 3?
> Thats my question.
> Thats easier, to fidlle with.
It wasn't that way in Phorum 3 because we had no choice. There was no meta data in Phorum 3. We only store the data in Phorum 5 - the edit count, user and time. that allows for translation of that data for multi-lingual Phorums.
Brian - Cowboy Ninja Coder - Personal Blog - Twitter
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 06:14PM |
Admin Registered: 23 years ago Posts: 4,495 |
Panu Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any opinions about message list link opening the
> first list page instead of the one that was viewed
> before.
I take it you mean the old Phorum 3 feature Go To Topic?
-------------------------------------------------------
> Any opinions about message list link opening the
> first list page instead of the one that was viewed
> before.
I take it you mean the old Phorum 3 feature Go To Topic?
Brian - Cowboy Ninja Coder - Personal Blog - Twitter
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 25, 2005 07:38PM |
Registered: 22 years ago Posts: 1,076 |
brianlmoon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Panu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Any opinions about message list link opening
> the
> > first list page instead of the one that was
> viewed
> > before.
>
> I take it you mean the old Phorum 3 feature Go To
> Topic?
I'm not sure. I'll try to give an example.
If I'm on 3rd list page and decide to read a thread on that page, then when I click messagelist link on the read page I go to the first list page (instead of th elist page I was before.
I think it would be an easy fix, I can provide a patch propably ...
---
-=[ Panu ]=-
-------------------------------------------------------
> Panu Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Any opinions about message list link opening
> the
> > first list page instead of the one that was
> viewed
> > before.
>
> I take it you mean the old Phorum 3 feature Go To
> Topic?
I'm not sure. I'll try to give an example.
If I'm on 3rd list page and decide to read a thread on that page, then when I click messagelist link on the read page I go to the first list page (instead of th elist page I was before.
I think it would be an easy fix, I can provide a patch propably ...
---
-=[ Panu ]=-
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 03:46AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 09:53AM |
Registered: 22 years ago Posts: 1,076 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 10:26AM |
Admin Registered: 23 years ago Posts: 4,495 |
Ok, wanna know a secret? I wrote a module that does this. It is working on forums.dealmac.com. The users there revolted over Go To Topic when we upgraded to Phorum 5. That forum is very busy, so if you only come once a day, you have to read 5 pages of list.php to get it all.
I will see about either making it a released module or putting it in the core.
Edit: here is the funciton I wrote:
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2005 10:31AM by brianlmoon.
I will see about either making it a released module or putting it in the core.
Edit: here is the funciton I wrote:
function go_to_topic($thread) { $PHORUM = $GLOBALS["PHORUM"]; $conn = phorum_db_mysql_connect(); if(!$PHORUM["threaded_list"]){ $sql="select count(*) as count from phorum5_messages where sort=0 or (parent_id=0 and sort=1 and forum_id={$PHORUM['forum_id ']})"; $res=mysql_query($sql, $conn); echo mysql_error(); $count=mysql_result($res, 0, "count"); } $sql="select count(*) as count from phorum5_messages where message_id>$thread and forum_id=$PHORUM[forum_id] and status=2 and pa rent_id=0"; $res=mysql_query($sql, $conn); echo mysql_error(); $count+=mysql_result($res, 0, "count"); if($PHORUM["threaded_list"]){ $page=ceil($count/$PHORUM['list_length_threaded']); } else { $page=ceil($count/$PHORUM['list_length_flat']); } $url=phorum_get_url(PHORUM_LIST_URL, $PHORUM["forum_id"], "page=$page", "thread=$thread#mark"); header("Location: $url"); exit(); }
Brian - Cowboy Ninja Coder - Personal Blog - Twitter
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/26/2005 10:31AM by brianlmoon.
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 11:09AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 01:07PM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
About templates: todo.txt says that you want no caching of templates. Why? Isn't it the fastest way (bound with compiling to PHP)?
About templates and databases: maybe you should look at Smarty templating engine (http://smarty.php.net/) and ADOdb database abstraction layer (http://adodb.sourceforge.net/). ADOdb would allow many databases other than MySQL, and it has a binary PHP module that fastens it yet a bit.
About templates and databases: maybe you should look at Smarty templating engine (http://smarty.php.net/) and ADOdb database abstraction layer (http://adodb.sourceforge.net/). ADOdb would allow many databases other than MySQL, and it has a binary PHP module that fastens it yet a bit.
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 01:28PM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
> About templates: todo.txt says that you want no caching of templates. Why? Isn't it the fastest way (bound with compiling to PHP)?
no, only to *ALLOW* not having cached templates. some people still have file-permission issues.
smarty/adodb are both much too heavy and would slow us down like hell.
Thomas Seifert
no, only to *ALLOW* not having cached templates. some people still have file-permission issues.
smarty/adodb are both much too heavy and would slow us down like hell.
Thomas Seifert
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 02:17PM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 26, 2005 03:51PM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:09AM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 121 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:33PM |
Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 868 |
Ok me thinking about the following:
Usergroups:
- A integrated usergroup file unlike that what we have now. Standard in forum. Since we have usergroups in Phorum I only think it would be sound to have a public accesible file for this as well.
- Admin usergroups; I love the virtual thingy and believe that it would be very nice to have admin usergroups so that you can "delegate" forums/admins without letting someone see the complete admin properties.
Private messages:
- Limit the size of one's messagebox? I dont know if this is relevant or having any impact on the performance of the system with or without it.
- With PM's read receipts? Again could be made as a mod? Same questions as with the previous point when it comes to performance and usability.
Usernames:
-Disallow usernames?
FAQ:
- A page that comes with forum in any language on "how to use Phorum" for the user end.
Anyways, this is what comes to mind. I am more then sattisfied with Phorum and the work you guys did. I can help with the template since a clan member and I are working on a new template. So let me know what you decide on that.
My 2 cents ;-)
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
Usergroups:
- A integrated usergroup file unlike that what we have now. Standard in forum. Since we have usergroups in Phorum I only think it would be sound to have a public accesible file for this as well.
- Admin usergroups; I love the virtual thingy and believe that it would be very nice to have admin usergroups so that you can "delegate" forums/admins without letting someone see the complete admin properties.
Private messages:
- Limit the size of one's messagebox? I dont know if this is relevant or having any impact on the performance of the system with or without it.
- With PM's read receipts? Again could be made as a mod? Same questions as with the previous point when it comes to performance and usability.
Usernames:
-Disallow usernames?
FAQ:
- A page that comes with forum in any language on "how to use Phorum" for the user end.
Anyways, this is what comes to mind. I am more then sattisfied with Phorum and the work you guys did. I can help with the template since a clan member and I are working on a new template. So let me know what you decide on that.
My 2 cents ;-)
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:43PM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
> - A integrated usergroup file unlike that what we have now.
what do you mean?
> - Admin usergroups
Hmm, we already have group-administrators
> - With PM's read receipts?
huh? you can see in your sendbox if its read or not.
> -Disallow usernames?
what do you mean?
> - A page that comes with forum in any language on "how to use Phorum" for the user end.
Heh, you are funny "in any language" ;).
If you feel like that just write it up and we will see how many people jump on the train to translate it.
We are coders, not really "documentors" ;).
Thomas Seifert
what do you mean?
> - Admin usergroups
Hmm, we already have group-administrators
> - With PM's read receipts?
huh? you can see in your sendbox if its read or not.
> -Disallow usernames?
what do you mean?
> - A page that comes with forum in any language on "how to use Phorum" for the user end.
Heh, you are funny "in any language" ;).
If you feel like that just write it up and we will see how many people jump on the train to translate it.
We are coders, not really "documentors" ;).
Thomas Seifert
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:46PM |
Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 868 |
There is a file in the "hacks" forum that shows the registered users and their usergroups.
PM's; no like a PM notification that the other guy read it or not.
Disallow usernames that are vulgar etc.
I translate: Speak 6 languages ;-) I will do it.
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
PM's; no like a PM notification that the other guy read it or not.
Disallow usernames that are vulgar etc.
I translate: Speak 6 languages ;-) I will do it.
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:48PM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
> PM's; no like a PM notification that the other guy read it or not.
oh, you want to receive another pm that he read it?
> Disallow usernames that are vulgar etc.
you mean that? [phorum.org]
Thomas Seifert
oh, you want to receive another pm that he read it?
> Disallow usernames that are vulgar etc.
you mean that? [phorum.org]
Thomas Seifert
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 27, 2005 03:53PM |
Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 868 |
PM's: I dont "need" it, but I dont know if its usable. Its just an idea. I dont want it to become a "outlook"system where you get a message back with "hey I am on holidays PM me next week" :-p
Usernames: Yea that would be cool. On the gaming forum I run I get a lot of n00bs pushing the limit with rascist names etc.
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
Usernames: Yea that would be cool. On the gaming forum I run I get a lot of n00bs pushing the limit with rascist names etc.
Sergej
------------------------------------------
^AU^ Assassins United
[www.assassinsunited.com]
------------------------------------------
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 06:18AM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
ts: yes i know that every function call will slow everything down, but i think it would be easier to integrate phorum into a cms along with some php things like counter, ads management, etc if it uses some sort of database- and template-abstraction.
by the way, do you use phpAccelerator or some other accelerator?
by the way, do you use phpAccelerator or some other accelerator?
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 06:21AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 10:16AM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 10:20AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 10:44AM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 10:47AM |
Admin Registered: 21 years ago Posts: 9,240 |
Re: Phorum 5.1 Roadmap February 28, 2005 10:59AM |
Registered: 19 years ago Posts: 99 |
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