Site Update - read me

[Admin]

Hi All

The Recreational Flying site has just had a major update performed on the forums changing many of the "under the hood" items. This means that all other components/sections of the site have to also be updated to make use of the extra functionality and changes made to the forums and thus, all other areas have been temporarily turned off. As I complete the updating of the other areas of the site over the coming days, they will be turned back on one by one making sure they still work as they were intended to with the forums.

 

I apologise for any inconvenience this may cause however the update to the forums is a massive change. You will now see:

• There is a new editor right across the whole site with drag and drop, image paste support, user tagging, and iOS/Android support
  
• Smilies now work better on mobile devices
  
• Every post now contains an edit history so any edits/changes made to posts are logged and each version of a post can be compared to each other to see what changes a user or moderator has made
  
• The site performance has been improved
  
• There are new "Watched" icons and you can now "Watch" a whole forum instead of just a thread
  
• Mobile devices will default to a new "Responsive Design" style of the site
  
• Robot identification in online visitors
  
• A new Registered Member section that shows highest posters, users with highest likes and much more
  
• The entire site including all the other sections are now searchable instead of just the forums
  
• Quoted posts take up less room in posts with an easy "expand" function
  
• The Private Conversations area has its own sub menu, it is easier to search conversations, conversations can be "Starred" and participants are listed in the conversations list...plus more
  
• More improved anti-spam management
  
• User tagging so you can use the @ sign with user names like @@Admin which creates a link automatically to the user's Member Card and when a user is tagged they also receive an alert that they have been tagged by another user
  
• When you report a post you are now notified via the Alert System to the progress and updates on your report
  
• While you are typing a message, every 60 seconds, a draft of your message will be saved. If you reload the page later, your message will be automatically re-shown. Drafts will be automatically pruned over time.
  
• Tied into the auto-saving, when you're writing a reply to a thread, the site will check to see if any new posts have been made in that thread and display a note if there are. You can then display those new posts without reloading the page.
  
• A new permission has been added for you to edit the titles of your own threads. This is automatically tied into the post editing time limit permission
  
• and even much much more...so many things to mention but I am sure you will find them as you go.
  

 

Please, if you think something doesn't seem right then please let me know by posting in this thread...I will address any concern you have and if need be take action to improve things even more...thanks for your time.

[old man emu]

Ahh, Ian.

 

1. How do we navigate to the web site's home page?

 

2. How do we log out?

 

OME

 

 

[Admin]

Ahh, Ian.1. How do we navigate to the web site's home page?

2. How do we log out?

 

OME

The home page is currently turned off until it is updated

Currently to Log Out click your user name on the right of the menu and at the bottom of the drop down is the log out...but generally it is not needed unless you are on a public PC

 

 

[old man emu]

Thanks

 

 

[Admin]

Two more Recreational Flying site features have now been updated, turned on and working with the site for you to use:

 

1. The Friend Inviter (accessed in your site settings or by clicking your user name on the right of the main menu)

 

- Invite your friends to join you here on Recreational Flying by either direct email or by linking in to Google, Yahoo, Facebook or Twitter

 

 

2. Social Connect (accessed in your site settings or by clicking your user name on the right of the main menu)

 

Social Connect allows you to connect your forum account to Facebook and/or Twitter. By doing this, when you post a new thread, update your status or get awarded a trophy, a Tweet and/or Post can be automatically created on your Facebook timeline or Twitter feed.

 

 

 

[Admin]

The next section to have been reworked and is now integrated with the updated software is the Recreational Flying Aviation News Section.

 

The News Section, accessed by clicking "News" on the main menu, displays our own unique News Reader where you can view an aviation news item from (currently):

 

• Australian Transport Safety Bureau
   
   
  
• AVweb
   
   
  
• GA News
   
   
  
• Flight Global
   
   
  
• and Google "Light Aircraft"
   
   
  

 

 

 

You can ALL news items as they come in in the News Reader or just the news items from one of the specific sources. You click a title in the news item list and the complete news story is displayed in the reader below the list...all without leaving the Recreational Flying web site.

 

There is also "News List" in the section sub menu which you can click to view the news stories like threads in a forum with each story taking up the full width of the post as the user details block that is normally displayed on the left of a post has been removed.

 

If you would like to see any other sources of aviation news stories included then please, just let me know

 

 

 

 

[Admin]

The next section that has been completed for the update is the Aviation Events Section, accessed by clicking Events on the main menu.

 

The Events section displays a calendar of events that are happening plus also the birthdays of site members. Events are displayed using a Google Map plus you can also RSVP events so other site users can see who may also be attending an event and perhaps organise to catch up whilst there. When you add an event you can select to have a thread automatically created for the event in the Trips/Events/Spare Seats Forum so discussions can be held prior, during and after the event.

 

Across the top of the Trips/Events/Spare Seats Forum, events that are happening over the next 21 days are displayed as a reminder to all site users, registered and guests, that the event is happening and a clickable link for more details...hopefully this helps to promote any event you may be having.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[planesmaker]

How do I get rid of the annoying 'top of page' icon? Tom

 

 

[Admin]

How do I get rid of the annoying 'top of page ' icon?Also what happened to 'go to first unread post' ? Tom

The Top of Page icon has been there for a long time...since April 17th and was announced for comment back then:

http://www.recreationalflying.com/threads/go-to-top-of-page.62510/

 

The First Unread Post link is still there the same as always

 

 

[planesmaker]

Sorry to disagree but it only appeared yesterday. Gets in the way of reading posts. If I want top of page I tap at top. Yes I realised the go to unread post was only missing because I was not logged in, silly me.

 

 

[Admin]

Sorry to disagree but it only appeared yesterday. Gets in the way of reading posts. If I want top of page I tap at top. Yes I realised the go to unread post was only missing because I was not logged in, silly me.

You must have only been using a small mobile device to view the site over the last 4 and a bit months...it helps to give more detail so I know what you may be talking about...but the "Go To Top" button HAS been on the site since April, just over 4 months ago, however on small mobile devices (i.e. not ipad) then you were seeing a non-responsive cut down version of the site with a lot of features removed, but now small mobile devices use the new industry standard of "Responsive Design" which the site is now developed in so you can access everything the site has to offer on a small mobile device but in an easy compact way

 

 

[planesmaker]

Yes using iPhone. If it was in the corner ok but it sits part way up the page. Just very annoying. Tom

 

You must have only been using a small mobile device to view the site over the last 4 and a bit months...it helps to give more detail so I know what you may be talking about...but the "Go To Top" button HAS been on the site since April, just over 4 months ago, however on small mobile devices (i.e. not ipad) then you were seeing a non-responsive cut down version of the site with a lot of features removed, but now small mobile devices use the new industry standard of "Responsive Design" which the site is now developed in so you can access everything the site has to offer on a small mobile device but in an easy compact way

s

 

 

[Admin]

Yes using iPhone. If it was in the corner ok but it sits part way up the page. Just very annoying. Toms

I can't promise anything but I will see what I can do...the only thing that to me was a little annoying on my Samsung Galaxy phone was that it is displayed when composing a post otherwise I find it very helpful when browsing everywhere else on the site...but, as I said I use a Samsung Galaxy and not a little iPhone thingy

 

 

[Admin]

I have moved the Back To Top button to the very bottom right corner (10 pixels from the right side and 5 pixels up from the bottom)...that's the best I can do however if anyone prefers it back to where it was then please advise...it was higher before as it interfered with the Instant Chat bar which has been removed now

 

 

[Admin]

The next component that has been updated and integrated with the site is the Recreational Flying Chat Rooms.

 

The Chat Rooms provide a great opportunity to talk to each other, friends, other like minded individuals etc in a real LIVE environment just like the club rooms...if you have a web cam and/or microphone you can also use these as well as chatting with text. There are loads of features for you to use in there like sending animated emoticons, use an interactive Whiteboard between yourselves, share images, videos, play games, listen to music and much more and it's all live.

 

There are many different rooms that you can use and to access the chat rooms, simply click the "Chat" on the main menu.

 

As soon as one person enters the chat rooms, a red balloon pops up and is displayed next to the Chat link on the menu to all users that there is someone in the chat rooms waiting for a chat. The number in the red balloon increases as more and more users pop in there for live chats with other like minded users.

 

 

 

 

[old man emu]

I like the "Top of Page" icon, even if it is displayed at the bottom of the page.

 

OME

 

 

[planesmaker]

Hey thanks that is so much better :) Tom

 

I have moved the Back To Top button to the very bottom right corner (10 pixels from the right side and 5 pixels up from the bottom)...that's the best I can do however if anyone prefers it back to where it was then please advise...it was higher before as it interfered with the Instant Chat bar which has been removed now

Needy

 

 

[Admin]

The Photo Albums Section has now also been updated and turned back on.

 

In the Photo Section, accessed by clicking "Photos" on the main menu, you can create Photo Albums of your aircraft, events that you attend, building projects...complete photo albums on anything to do with aviation. On the Photo Albums main page, if you move your mouse over one of the cover images that are displayed per album, you see a slide show of the pictures contained in the album.

 

There is a full comment and like system for each photo and links that you can click to full size view of each image...the while Photo Album Section has now been optimised for "Responsive Design" viewing on small mobile devices right up to large screen PCs

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Admin]

The next section that has been updated, optimised for "Responsive Design", integrated with the forums and turned back on is the Video Library Section.

 

You can watch videos on just about everything to do with aviation right here in the Recreational Flying Video Library. You can add videos from YouTube or Vimeo and when you add a video to the Video Library, a thread for your video is automatically created for it in the "Aviation Videos" forum. You can like a video in the library and also add any comments about it, you can add it to another post by simply copied the link code and using that in your post plus you can even create a "Playlist" of your favourite videos in the library.

 

Completely reworked and optimised for viewing on small mobile devices right up to large screen PCs

 

 

 

 

[Riley]

I hate unnecessary change! Being in my mid seventies I don't want, need, nor am I the least bit interested in all the bells and whistles commensurate with 'change for the sake of change'. Could not all these new format upgrades been initiated without making things confusing for the 'non-geek' portion of Rec Flying members? Sadly I can forsee my forums participation diminishing.

 

 

[Admin]

I hate unnecessary change! Being in my mid seventies I don't want, need, nor am I the least bit interested in all the bells and whistles commensurate with 'change for the sake of change'. Could not all these new format upgrades been initiated without making things confusing for the 'non-geek' portion of Rec Flying members? Sadly I can forsee my forums participation diminishing.

Riley, can you advise what changes have been done that was as you put it "unnecessary" or 'change for the sake of change' and thus worthy of making your post?

 

 

[Riley]

Riley, can you advise what changes have been done that was as you put it "unnecessary" or 'change for the sake of change' and thus worthy of making your post?

Allow me (as a non-tech, average, every day recreational pilot) to modify my post to include "unecessary to me". I come to this site to keep abreast of what's taking place in the recreational sphere and to interact with fellow aviation enthusiasts. About 18 of the stated new or revised facilities offered in your new format are (viewed from my position) totally irrelevant and non-applicable to my past use of the forums. So, sorry Mr B your continuing efforts are appreciated but I remain un-impressed with the latest. 'Nuff said. Cheers

 

 

[Admin]

About 18 of the stated new or revised facilities offered in your new format are (viewed from my position) totally irrelevant and non-applicable to my past use of the forums. So, sorry Mr B your continuing efforts are appreciated but I remain un-impressed with the latest. 'Nuff said. Cheers

Exactly you said...irrelevant to you and therefor of no impact to you...nothing has changed from your basic use of the site except for the new post editor...all the changes to make small mobile devices better don't concern or impact you, you wouldn't even see them unless you are using a new advanced technology smart phone, the auto save, the edit history etc etc etc are there but you don't even touch them unless you want to use them...Posts still display the same, what's new is still the same, the forum lists are still the same, the menu is still the same (once the update is completed), everything is still the same and the changes are all extras "IF" you want to use them, you never used them before so why would you use them now if you don't want to? So can you tell me ALL the things, apart from the new post editor, that has changed your basic use of the site from before???

 

 

[Riley]

Exactly you said...irrelevant to you and therefor of no impact to you...nothing has changed from your basic use of the site except for the new post editor...all the changes to make small mobile devices better don't concern or impact you, you wouldn't even see them unless you are using a new advanced technology smart phone, the auto save, the edit history etc etc etc are there but you don't even touch them unless you want to use them...Posts still display the same, what's new is still the same, the forum lists are still the same, the menu is still the same (once the update is completed), everything is still the same and the changes are all extras "IF" you want to use them, you never used them before so why would you use them now if you don't want to? So can you tell me ALL the things, apart from the new post editor, that has changed your basic use of the site from before???

'Nuff said' cheers

 

 

[frank marriott]

Ian

 

Question.........I thought the user could select what came up with "What's New"......... I went to update my setting and can't find it........ please tell me this has changed and I am not dreaming....