Exploding Garrmondo Weiner Interactive Swiss Army Penis

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-   -   New PM Popups (http://www.gamingforce.org/forums/showthread.php?t=37456)

Araes May 23, 2009 03:31 PM

New PM Popups
 
Could the behavior of private message tracking be modified so that when new messages are read through the pop-up, they are marked as having been read? There's an obsessive email part of me that loves the notification, but doesn't want to read every message twice to get rid of the Unread X in the corner.

Lord Styphon May 23, 2009 05:21 PM

In your PM window, there are check boxes next to each individual PM. If you have messages you've read through a popup, check them off, then scroll down to the Selected Messages menu at the bottom and select "Mark as read" and click Go.

Araes May 23, 2009 07:33 PM

While that is a useful method for removing the Unread tally when messages have piled up, it doesn't cover the main issue, which is messages not being noted as read in the first place. Having not delved into the mechanics of vB, it still does seem like an addition of a bool assignment line item would solve this. It would also stop the same pop-ups occurring multiple times.

THE POWER OF WATER May 23, 2009 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Araes (Post 703562)
Having not delved into the mechanics of vB, it still does seem like an addition of a bool assignment line item would solve this.

If you're curious and want to jump into it, here is a schematic of the vBulletin architecture:

http://quiteajolt.com/gff/blueballmachine2.gif

FatsDomino May 23, 2009 11:38 PM

I may glance at things in that tiny pop-up but I don't give them the full read until I get to the PM box. In your new IT POPPED UP THEREFORE I READ IT system most of all my PMs would be read and perhaps in a rage of GET OUT OF MY FACE POP-UP I'M TRYING TO READ GOD DAMN IT I'd never read any of my PMs. And that's no good. =I

ramoth May 23, 2009 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Araes (Post 703562)
While that is a useful method for removing the Unread tally when messages have piled up, it doesn't cover the main issue, which is messages not being noted as read in the first place. Having not delved into the mechanics of vB, it still does seem like an addition of a bool assignment line item would solve this. It would also stop the same pop-ups occurring multiple times.

Even if "a bool assignment line item" made sense, it's not as simple as just writing an if statement.

Someone would need to:

- Add a user setting for this. No idea how complicated this is in vBulliten or how often this is done, so it could be anywhere from incredibly easy to a bunch of work (to figure out how this is done, do that, and then figure out what inevitably went wrong along the way)
- Find where in vBulliten the decision is made to see if there are new unread messages when generating a page.
- Read and understand that code.
- Determine if, at that particular point in the code, the necessary variables for accessing the user preferences system have already been set up, and if not, set them up.
- Access the user preference system and check the setting.
- Debug a bunch.

I know nothing about vBulletin either, but I am professional software engineer. When you're working on any large codebase, the hard part is not knowing what line of code to write, but knowing where to put it. And figuring that out can take ages.

Benjamin please May 23, 2009 11:51 PM

In VB a simple function to add text to a page may very well take kbs of code across several includes files. And then you have to deal with template caching fuckery which jelsoft has never been able to figure out.

Sarag May 23, 2009 11:52 PM

Instead of Araes' feature request, I'm requesting that his PM privs be removed. That way he'll never have to worry about this issue coming up!

see, good programmers solve problems, but great programmers avoid them in the first place.

Kaleb.G May 24, 2009 01:40 AM

I got a better solution than ramoth's monstrosity. Add a button to the pop up window that says "Mark as Read & Close". Then you can use the X if you just want to close the window but keep it unread, or click the "Mark as Read & Close" button if you want it to do such.

Zergrinch May 24, 2009 01:55 AM

I usually answer "Cancel" to the popup, and then "Ok" to the next prompt. Usually does the job.

But only for the latest PM.

Araes May 24, 2009 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramoth (Post 703585)
When you're working on any large codebase, the hard part is not knowing what line of code to write, but knowing where to put it. And figuring that out can take ages.

I realize this. I work with a massive installed base of Fortran created by people who didn't comment or format in my daily work. Fortran is the devil. However, point noted.
Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleb.G
Add a button to the pop up window that says "Mark as Read & Close".

This seems like a reasonable alternative to my original suggestion of a default or selectable behavior, as it would allow compromise for AcerBandit's valid concerns.

Considering the amount of pushback, I don't expect this to ever happen, but it's an annoyance I figured I'd investigate getting changed. Thanks for the explanation of the vB background cookie and I'll try out the method you suggested Zerg.

Zergrinch May 24, 2009 06:51 PM

Araes, I messed up the sequence. You should first say Ok, then click Cancel.

Sarag May 24, 2009 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleb.G (Post 703596)
I got a better solution than ramoth's monstrosity. Add a button to the pop up window that says "Mark as Read & Close". Then you can use the X if you just want to close the window but keep it unread, or click the "Mark as Read & Close" button if you want it to do such.

That's a bad solution, since it forces a user to think 'what if I don't want to "mark as read"?'

Considering that the pop-up promt already has the word 'close', 'open the message in a new window', 'go to my PM box', and 'close this popup' that's a lot of options for a user to consider, and all for a feature that only one person has asked for and a few people have stated would be confusing and unworkable for their jobs as moderators.

Kaleb.G May 26, 2009 03:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a lurker (Post 703702)
That's a bad solution, since it forces a user to think 'what if I don't want to "mark as read"?'

Considering that the pop-up promt already has the word 'close', 'open the message in a new window', 'go to my PM box', and 'close this popup' that's a lot of options for a user to consider, and all for a feature that only one person has asked for and a few people have stated would be confusing and unworkable for their jobs as moderators.

I'm just offering a solution, not a UI redesign concept. Like you said, there are already a lot of options. Perhaps they should be slimmed down. Not that any of this change is really needed anyway, I agree.

Fluffykitten McGrundlepuss May 26, 2009 04:45 AM

People still use that popup thing? If I want to know if I have any unread PMs, I take a quick look at the number in the top right hand corner of every screen. There's even a handy link right next to it that takes you to your inbox from whence you can choose whether or not you wish to read said new message.

Sarag May 26, 2009 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kaleb.G (Post 703923)
I'm just offering a solution, not a UI redesign concept.

The problem is something with the user's experience. Your solution has nothing to do with the user's experience? I hope, for your employer's sake, that you only do backend work.

Bloodcinder May 26, 2009 03:05 PM

Playing the dozens seems a lot more fun when it's about software engineering qualifications instead of overweight mothers.

Kaleb.G May 26, 2009 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a lurker (Post 704030)
The problem is something with the user's experience. Your solution has nothing to do with the user's experience? I hope, for your employer's sake, that you only do backend work.

Good grief. Do you try to disagree with everything I say on purpose? I was agreeing with you in that second post. Settle down. :plant:

Sarag May 27, 2009 04:48 PM

I'm sorry that you think I have a vendetta against you. I don't. I'm saying that programmers who only think about what is programmatically possible* are thinking about less than half of the problem, and that giving solutions in such a situation is no more than mental masturbation.

That's not an opinion I keep special for you, Leno. Get over yourself.

* in their idealized world, without looking at the code base to assess what is possible, Mr. Bool-Line-Item-Assignment Araes I'm looking right at you

Kaleb.G May 27, 2009 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a lurker (Post 704213)
I'm sorry that you think I have a vendetta against you. I don't. I'm saying that programmers who only think about what is programmatically possible* are thinking about less than half of the problem, and that giving solutions in such a situation is no more than mental masturbation.

That's not an opinion I keep special for you, Leno. Get over yourself.

* in their idealized world, without looking at the code base to assess what is possible, Mr. Bool-Line-Item-Assignment Araes I'm looking right at you

I admit I've never really paid attention to the popup control as it stands. I know what you mean, and you're right. That's why, for example, the Song of the Week navigation area looks so shitty. (I would like to fix it, but I'm too lazy. Also, it was one of the first sites I made in PHP.)

If my solution were to be implemented, we would want to remove some other other links, or reposition them to streamline the whole control, etc. I can't access the control ATM to view it, so I'm not going to comment further.

Anyway, the whole thing is moot if nobody decides to act on the thread poster's request.

Bloodcinder May 27, 2009 07:32 PM

I'm curious about what degrees/certs you two have, because I think I'm missing half the context.

Sarag May 27, 2009 08:19 PM

I'm a web programmer but I have a strong interest in the user experience. It makes life infinitely easier if you make sites that people can understand at a glance, especially with something intentionally obtrusive like the PM notification popup.

What are you having difficulty with? I figured that "five options are more confusing than four" is pretty self-explanatory.

Kaleb.G May 27, 2009 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bloodcinder (Post 704233)
I'm curious about what degrees/certs you two have, because I think I'm missing half the context.

I'm a web developer for Microsoft platforms. I've worked solo on entire applications multiple times, and I'm in charge of one right now, so I do everything: graphic design, UI design, analysis, programming, data interfacing, DB administration, etc.

I also work with PHP and other non-Microsoft technologies on my own time.

My degree/certs are lacking, but I still manage to get by on my skill.

Bigblah May 27, 2009 09:06 PM

I'm a Computer Engineer and I scored 1590 on the old SAT

The unmovable stubborn May 27, 2009 09:11 PM

http://www.saxypunch.com/miscimg/nerds.jpg


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