Hi, I just installed Icyphoenix on my site http://www.posetteforever.com , I tried it because yesterday I made an error overwriting some files of XS so I prefered to begin from scratch, however I'll come back to 058b very soon.

Generally the forum look almost the same as XS, obviously I can't see the security patches if not the ctracker upgrade, some old errors still persist like when you put the recent and random topic together in the portal, and about the portal I just don't like the new way it can be edited, the old (classic) one was more and more powerful, before I could edit myself blocks like a customized welcome message or some codes I wanted to put in the front page, now all is fixed and have to be hard coded in the block itself, I don't think it's an improvement from the IM portal.
There are better SEO optimization method that make a difference when an user is logged or not and show an .html url only if the user is a guest.  Same for the bot detection that is hard coded when there are customizable mod that can be easily edited in the ACP. I don't see the point in moving the album classic files scheme under the /files directory, it's a way to complicate an easy and consolidated thing. There are the usual files of the portal that simply don't work (for example the chat). I don't talk about the templates, you said that in the final version the old (and lighter) template will come back. The customization of the header, expecially the logo is hard coded in the files plus there are two versions of the templates files for the overall header. For the height of the header one have to write changes in two (three for the christmas version and I've not seen the lofi yet) files, the tpl and the css. I can't see that you are trying to make a "simpler" version of XS with less options in the ACP but what you cut was very good for the customization of the site. I'm judging it after having tried the phpBBXS but watching it as a different package, yes it's not bad but please think at your decision about the portal ... Actually I'll switch back to 58b in few days

Did you explore the cms.php ? it's more powerfull than 058's.
I don't agree with you in that part

____________
? Zuker - EDDB - LPM - Sharefields

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

Hi, I just installed Icyphoenix on my site http://www.posetteforever.com , I tried it because yesterday I made an error overwriting some files of XS so I prefered to begin from scratch, however I'll come back to 058b very soon.

Generally the forum look almost the same as XS, obviously I can't see the security patches if not the ctracker upgrade, some old errors still persist like when you put the recent and random topic together in the portal, and about the portal I just don't like the new way it can be edited, the old (classic) one was more and more powerful, before I could edit myself blocks like a customized welcome message or some codes I wanted to put in the front page, now all is fixed and have to be hard coded in the block itself, I don't think it's an improvement from the IM portal.
There are better SEO optimization method that make a difference when an user is logged or not and show an .html url only if the user is a guest.  Same for the bot detection that is hard coded when there are customizable mod that can be easily edited in the ACP. I don't see the point in moving the album classic files scheme under the /files directory, it's a way to complicate an easy and consolidated thing. There are the usual files of the portal that simply don't work (for example the chat). I don't talk about the templates, you said that in the final version the old (and lighter) template will come back. The customization of the header, expecially the logo is hard coded in the files plus there are two versions of the templates files for the overall header. For the height of the header one have to write changes in two (three for the christmas version and I've not seen the lofi yet) files, the tpl and the css. I can't see that you are trying to make a "simpler" version of XS with less options in the ACP but what you cut was very good for the customization of the site. I'm judging it after having tried the phpbbxs but watching it as a different package, yes it's not bad but please think at your decision about the portal ... Actually I'll switch back to 58b in few days

Hi tormentor,
it seems like you did an in-depth analysis, but after all not so deep to find that some of the things you are writing are notin the way you have seen them... but let me go through point by point.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

Generally the forum look almost the same as XS, obviously I can't see the security patches if not the ctracker upgrade.

Icy Phoenix forum looks almost the same as phpBB XS because it is based on phpBB XS.

Mighty Gorgon wrote: [View Post]

• What is Icy Phoenix?
  
• Icy Phoenix is a CMS based on phpBB (an highly scalable PHP based Bulletin Board) plus many modifications and code integrations which add flexibility to the whole package. Icy Phoenix is a derivation of phpBB XS founded by Bicet and then developed by both Bicet and Mighty Gorgon.

Regarding security patches... not only CT has been upgraded (which has been tough indeed, because it is not just a open and edit installation, if you have tried to install CT5 on XS I think you may agree)... you should compare file after file to find all the modifications, and if you try to compare XS 058 with Icy Phoenix files you will find many adjustments to some vars check-in, SQL fixing and small tricks both on HTACCESS and other common files to prevent Remote Files Inclusions and SQL injection. If you want I may point you to some examples. Just one of the latest example you may find here: http://www.icyphoenix.com/viewtopic...ght=kbconstants.

The security issue was fixed on Icy Phoenix before the security-focusing sites were able to address the problem... so I don't see the point in what you are saying and what you were expecting in Icy Phoenix.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

some old errors still persist like when you put the recent and random topic together in the portal

Can you please be more specific? Can you post here what blocks did you add and what error you get?
I've added even several copy of the same block without errors... but I didn't try with this 2 you are mentioning... if you can tell us what the error is, I will be more than happy to have a try and report back to you.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

I just don't like the new way it can be edited, the old (classic) one was more and more powerful, before I could edit myself blocks like a customized welcome message or some codes I wanted to put in the front page, now all is fixed and have to be hard coded in the block itself, I don't think it's an improvement from the IM portal.

As Zuker, me too I don't agree at all with this... it seems like you didn't try the new CMS.

• Regarding adding BBCode or HTML text in a block, it is still possible... it is enough not choosing any block and step forward to insert text... and for what I could try, HTML code is now parsed better than IM Portal... but I may be wrong with this... I just tested some easy HTML blocks. You don't have to "hardcode" anything... in IM Portal BBCode and HTML text box may be filled even if you choose a block file, but in this case the text it is not used... I think this is misleading, because if you want the text being shown you have to choose NO BLOCK FILE.
  
• In IM Portal you can assign only a set of variable for all the blocks with the same name... so if you want to have 2 blocks with the same function you have to phisically duplicate them... block, lang, vars, tpl... In Icy Phoenix you don't need it: each block on each page has a different ID and the vars for the block are assigned per ID... so you can have for example 2 album blocks in the same page with different settings. Try this...
  
• In IM Portal global blocks only affects left and right columns in all site pages... in Icy Phoenix you have 6 different global positions: top, left, center-top, center-bottom, right and bottom... plus all the global settings are in dedicated pages so you don't have to look for them in the general configuration options page where you may not find what you are looking for if you have added several blocks. And what is important is that global blocks are not assigned to the DEFAULT page only... plus you can set view permissions for global blocks for most of the pages in ACP: in this way you may choose if some pages should display global blocks or not.
  
• If your server does allow it you can even create pages from scratch with a chosen physical name... I don't think IM Portal allow this... even if this feature is not fully tested yet.
  
• The CMS system in Icy Phoenix is also having a permission system for allowing some users to edit pages and blocks (per page and block settings) even if they are not admin... I've had a quick try to this system and it is not fully working yet, but it should be a great addon in my opinion... try CMS Permission in ACP... anyway Icy Phoenix is still in beta and this does mean that some features may not be fully working, so I would await the final release for this working. And by the way this is the main reason why CMS administration has been moved out from the ACP: if you want a normal user being able to edit some blocks, then in this way you don't have to let him go in ACP with Junior Admin or something else...

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

There are better SEO optimization method that make a difference when an user is logged or not and show an .html url only if the user is a guest.  Same for the bot detection that is hard coded when there are customizable mod that can be easily edited in the ACP.

I may partially agree on this... Yes, there are better SEO optimization methods, but I don't like URL rewrite even if only for guests, and I don't think that the name of the URL makes the difference. But it is just my little opinion... and I may be wrong on this. For sure I can say that I don't like URL rewrite even if only for guests... maybe a compromise enabling it only for bots may be a good idea.

In Icy Phoenix I can see that some of the SEO options are now editable in your lang_main.php file... of course ACP panel would be best, but editing a lang file is easy and straightforward...

If you can point to a good SEO mod we may consider installing it... but please be specific and not just generic: "There are better SEO optimization method" is generic and does not help anyone.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

I don't see the point in moving the album classic files scheme under the /files directory, it's a way to complicate an easy and consolidated thing.

The point is that some normal users are having problems when moving sites if they have files spreaded among many dirs... plus if you want to give to a package its own identity and logic you need to make some modifications. I personally find really useful the possibility to have all user uploaded files in the same folder... all the inclusion files in the same folder... all the lang files in the same folder... you don't agree on that? Easy... open your config.php and edit the album files path... you are just one edit away from what you need.

I think that following this logic is a PLUS for Icy Phoenix respect to other PREMODDED not a negative point... but it is again just my little and humble opinion.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

There are the usual files of the portal that simply don't work (for example the chat).

Again... generic phrase and probably not correct... ther is NO chat block in Icy Phoenix since it has been removed... there is only the AJAX CHAT which is a differnt thing and I've tried it personally... it works.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

I don't talk about the templates, you said that in the final version the old (and lighter) template will come back. The customization of the header, expecially the logo is hard coded in the files plus there are two versions of the templates files for the overall header. For the height of the header one have to write changes in two (three for the christmas version and I've not seen the lofi yet) files, the tpl and the css.

This is the funniest part... you haven't tested the package.
Aphrodite is running here and even the LoFi is running for the new templates here... just add ?lofi=1 at the end of the address and have a try. If you don't find a link, remember that it's not that something has been removed... may be it is just under testing... since the release is a BETA this should be taken into consideration.

Again the LOGO issue you are pointing is meaningless: you can still edit the logo name and path in your TPL, while having a var assigned to a logo it allows you to have more than one template variation each one with its own logo... with one line of code you can have for example 9 different Aprhodite variations with their own logos.

Again regarding the template systems and the duplication of header and footer part: have you wondered why this? I think not.

In standard phpBB or premodded you usually have each template in its own folder and that's it... you may even not have a color variation if you are not modifying some extra code. In this way you have only two templates folders (the ACP has now its own template folder and style so you don't have to care about those template files) and almost 15 different themes... ok, most of theme are just colors variations and the main themes are just three... but if you want to edit just one variation you need only to modify the CSS while all the TPLs are valid for all other variations... in standard phpBB you would have to modify the same file for each template folder. I think this is another point in favor of Icy Phoenix... correct me if I'm wrong.

Finally if you would like to have only one template, all that you need is just to adjust that theme files... like in standard phpBB... you don't have to take care for the Christmas theme and so on...

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

I can't see that you are trying to make a "simpler" version of XS with less options in the ACP but what you cut was very good for the customization of the site. I'm judging it after having tried the phpbbxs but watching it as a different package, yes it's not bad but please think at your decision about the portal ... Actually I'll switch back to 58b in few days

On this point I agree partially... as you have read I don't agree about the CMS part... but I do agree that the ACP is too big... we should find a better and clever way to organize it... suggestions are welcome.


Finally I would like to remind you once again that Icy Phoenix is under beta testing... this means that many things may be changed before the final release... this is not so trivial...

Quote:

Icy Phoenix is a CMS based on phpBB (an highly scalable PHP based Bulletin Board) plus many modifications and code integrations which add flexibility to the whole package. Icy Phoenix is a derivation of phpBB XS founded by Bicet and then developed by both Bicet and Mighty Gorgon.

...and ?

Quote:

The security issue was fixed on Icy Phoenix before the security-focusing sites were able to address the problem... so I don't see the point in what you are saying and what you were expecting in Icy Phoenix.

I've not criticized this aspect, I simply said that I can't have an opinion because I've not seen that part (I can't note any difference if I don't try to hack my forum, I simply said that it's a good think but I can't have an opinion about it)

Quote:

Regarding adding BBCode or HTML text in a block, it is still possible... it is enough not choosing any block and step forward to insert text... and for what I could try, HTML code is now parsed better than IM Portal... but I may be wrong with this... I just tested some easy HTML blocks. You don't have to "hardcode" anything... in IM Portal BBCode and HTML text box may be filled even if you choose a block file, but in this case the text it is not used... I think this is misleading, because if you want the text being shown you have to choose NO BLOCK FILE.

Thank you I've not found the tutorial about it anywhere, however I don't change my opinion, the classic importal command were clearer at first glance, all in one page. IMHO what has been done is the reverse of the Occam razor.

Quote:

[*]In IM Portal you can assign only a set of variable for all the blocks with the same name... so if you want to have 2 blocks with the same function you have to phisically duplicate them... block, lang, vars, tpl... In Icy Phoenix you don't need it: each block on each page has a different ID and the vars for the block are assigned per ID... so you can have for example 2 album blocks in the same page with different settings. Try this...

Already did, if you put two album blocks in the same page, one with recent pics and one with random pic the mess reach the fan. Same if you try with a recent topic block and a random topic block in the same page, they are known bugs. About the rest it could have been done leaving the classic interface, but however it's my taste. It's easy to replace the CMS portal with the old one so it's not that important for me.

Quote:

If you can point to a good SEO mod we may consider installing it... but please be specific and not just generic: "There are better SEO optimization method" is generic and does not help anyone.

I simply avoided to repeat what I've already said in another topic, links included.

Quote:

I think that following this logic is a PLUS for Icy Phoenix respect to other PREMODDED not a negative point... but it is again just my little and humble opinion.

I think that one can even find comfortable and a plus  if the someone would have put the gear shift bar of a car in the middle of the driver seat, not me

Quote:

Again... generic phrase and probably not correct... ther is NO chat block in Icy Phoenix since it has been removed... there is only the AJAX CHAT which is a differnt thing and I've tried it personally... it works.

>sigh< there is a chat block that doesn't work.

Quote:

This is the funniest part... you haven't tested the package.
Aphrodite is running here and even the LoFi is running for the new templates here... just add ?lofi=1 at the end of the address and have a try. If you don't find a link, remember that it's not that something has been removed... may be it is just under testing... since the release is a BETA this should be taken into consideration.
Again the LOGO issue you are pointing is meaningless: you can still edit the logo name and path in your TPL, while having a var assigned to a logo it allows you to have more than one template variation each one with its own logo... with one line of code you can have for example 9 different Aprhodite variations with their own logos.

You have not understood what I mean. I use a 64 pixel height logo, the forum doesn't permit to change the height of the logo area that is fixed to 150 pixels if you don't change the value in the css and the template file. The variations of the logo were also in the old version, each logo had to be put in the subfolder of the specific variation of aphrodite. I use a single PNG logo that is good for all these variations.

Quote:

In standard phpBB or premodded you usually have each template in its own folder and that's it... you may even not have a color variation if you are not modifying some extra code. In this way you have only two templates folders (the ACP has now its own template folder and style so you don't have to care about those template files) and almost 15 different themes... ok, most of theme are just colors variations and the main themes are just three... but if you want to edit just one variation you need only to modify the CSS while all the TPLs are valid for all other variations... in standard phpBB you would have to modify the same file for each template folder. I think this is another point in favor of Icy Phoenix... correct me if I'm wrong.

I simply passed a funny half hour trying to understand why changing the overall header template (for the logo affair...) nothing happened till I realized that there was another overall header template with a different name and the classic original one was useless, but ... ehy... This is a PLUS etc. etc.

Quote:

Finally I would like to remind you once again that Icy Phoenix is under beta testing... this means that many things may be changed before the final release... this is not so trivial...

I expressed my opinion on what I've seen, I think that the software is good but some decision IMHO are going in the wrong direction.

tormentor wrote: [View Post]

Quote:

Icy Phoenix is a CMS based on phpBB (an highly scalable PHP based Bulletin Board) plus many modifications and code integrations which add flexibility to the whole package. Icy Phoenix is a derivation of phpBB XS founded by Bicet and then developed by both Bicet and Mighty Gorgon.

...and ?

Quote:

The security issue was fixed on Icy Phoenix before the security-focusing sites were able to address the problem... so I don't see the point in what you are saying and what you were expecting in Icy Phoenix.

I've not criticized this aspect, I simply said that I can't have an opinion because I've not seen that part (I can't note any difference if I don't try to hack my forum, I simply said that it's a good think but I can't have an opinion about it)

Quote:

Regarding adding BBCode or HTML text in a block, it is still possible... it is enough not choosing any block and step forward to insert text... and for what I could try, HTML code is now parsed better than IM Portal... but I may be wrong with this... I just tested some easy HTML blocks. You don't have to "hardcode" anything... in IM Portal BBCode and HTML text box may be filled even if you choose a block file, but in this case the text it is not used... I think this is misleading, because if you want the text being shown you have to choose NO BLOCK FILE.

Thank you I've not found the tutorial about it anywhere, however I don't change my opinion, the classic importal command were clearer at first glance, all in one page. IMHO what has been done is the reverse of the Occam razor.

Quote:

[*]In IM Portal you can assign only a set of variable for all the blocks with the same name... so if you want to have 2 blocks with the same function you have to phisically duplicate them... block, lang, vars, tpl... In Icy Phoenix you don't need it: each block on each page has a different ID and the vars for the block are assigned per ID... so you can have for example 2 album blocks in the same page with different settings. Try this...

Already did, if you put two album blocks in the same page, one with recent pics and one with random pic the mess reach the fan. Same if you try with a recent topic block and a random topic block in the same page, they are known bugs. About the rest it could have been done leaving the classic interface, but however it's my taste. It's easy to replace the CMS portal with the old one so it's not that important for me.

Quote:

If you can point to a good SEO mod we may consider installing it... but please be specific and not just generic: "There are better SEO optimization method" is generic and does not help anyone.

I simply avoided to repeat what I've already said in another topic, links included.

Quote:

I think that following this logic is a PLUS for Icy Phoenix respect to other PREMODDED not a negative point... but it is again just my little and humble opinion.

I think that one can even find comfortable and a plus  if the someone would have put the gear shift bar of a car in the middle of the driver seat, not me

Quote:

Again... generic phrase and probably not correct... ther is NO chat block in Icy Phoenix since it has been removed... there is only the AJAX CHAT which is a differnt thing and I've tried it personally... it works.

>sigh< there is a chat block that doesn't work.

Quote:

This is the funniest part... you haven't tested the package.
Aphrodite is running here and even the LoFi is running for the new templates here... just add ?lofi=1 at the end of the address and have a try. If you don't find a link, remember that it's not that something has been removed... may be it is just under testing... since the release is a BETA this should be taken into consideration.
Again the LOGO issue you are pointing is meaningless: you can still edit the logo name and path in your TPL, while having a var assigned to a logo it allows you to have more than one template variation each one with its own logo... with one line of code you can have for example 9 different Aprhodite variations with their own logos.

You have not understood what I mean. I use a 64 pixel height logo, the forum doesn't permit to change the height of the logo area that is fixed to 150 pixels if you don't change the value in the css and the template file. The variations of the logo were also in the old version, each logo had to be put in the subfolder of the specific variation of aphrodite. I use a single PNG logo that is good for all these variations.

Quote:

In standard phpBB or premodded you usually have each template in its own folder and that's it... you may even not have a color variation if you are not modifying some extra code. In this way you have only two templates folders (the ACP has now its own template folder and style so you don't have to care about those template files) and almost 15 different themes... ok, most of theme are just colors variations and the main themes are just three... but if you want to edit just one variation you need only to modify the CSS while all the TPLs are valid for all other variations... in standard phpBB you would have to modify the same file for each template folder. I think this is another point in favor of Icy Phoenix... correct me if I'm wrong.

I simply passed a funny half hour trying to understand why changing the overall header template (for the logo affair...) nothing happened till I realized that there was another overall header template with a different name and the classic original one was useless, but ... ehy... This is a PLUS etc. etc.

Quote:

Finally I would like to remind you once again that Icy Phoenix is under beta testing... this means that many things may be changed before the final release... this is not so trivial...

I expressed my opinion on what I've seen, I think that the software is good but some decision IMHO are going in the wrong direction.

Your answer denotes that you are offended by my post... instead of positively bringing on a discussion and answer you are just trying to hurt me. Without success of course.

I won't go in answering you further... this is just the kind of attitude I don't like.

Good luck.