HAIF-HD Upgrade

[Pumapayam]

New Feature: Mobile HAIF

If you have an iPhone, iPod Touch, or Blackberry you can simply point your browser to the regular HAIF address to get a version of the web site specially formatted for your device. No special URL. And threads you click in HAIF:Now on your mobile device will automagically open in the mobile version.

This is more powerful than the former Diet HAIF. That was a read-only experience. With HAIF Mobile you can log in, start threads, post replies, and many other functions you'd expect from your computer. And yes, the bandwidth has been reduced for people on EDGE and GPRS connections.

I want the icon!

How do I get it?

[redant]

ok maybe the functionality is good but the UI is way all over the place (user interface). It seems you got a developer to create the site w/o the help of a designer. Disappointed with the usability.

[editor]

Well, I obviously did not know all of that.

Why do you think companies put ads on their web sites? To dress them up? To give them more color and make them pretty?

I generally hate seeing ads, which is why I downloaded it. Is there a way that I can make an exception for HAIF with my AdBlocker, I do I have to take down the whole thing?

I couldn't tell you. I don't use an ad blocker.

The easiest thing to do would be to become a subscriber.

I wish it was that simple. But in the software upgrade, the function to become a subscriber has been removed. It's supposed to be released as a separate module next week. What a mess!

I'm probably late to the party with this, but is there a way (under New Content) to add back the topic originator/starter? There are a few on here whose posts I enjoy reading, and it is nice to know when they start new topics.

I think someone else mentioned this. It's already on my list.

[editor]

How come I can't rate UpUp's post here? Is it because it's mostly picures and not text?

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/index.php?showtopic=13128&view=findpost&p=331814

Not sure. I was able to rate it up (gotta find better language for that). Are you able to rate other posts?

[editor]

I'm getting settled in more...

Would be nice to have the old "mark forums read" style where the "new" results list is cleared out. Also, someone mentioned this earlier I believe, but having thread subtitles shown in the results would also be neat.

Added to the big list of complaints I'm going to forward to the developer.

The "Back to Top" button acts like I clicked on a link becuase it loads, and then it goes to the top of the page. It's not instant like the old one. Once again, just me or everyone else too?

It's instant for me. But what you describe can happen if the page hasn't fully loaded when you click it.

[editor]

Any chance we can get the page numbers next to the thread title on the main page?

Thread titles aren't displayed on the main page. Do you mean the View New Content page? If so, it's already on the list.

[editor]

Hey Wayne, I have been poking around my profile, and can't seem to find this feature to link the accounts.

Please help when you get the chance.

Thanks!

My Settings > Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

or

My Profile > Edit My Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

[editor]

I like the "new" tab so much that I un-bookmarked HAIF-NOW and I'm using the new tab instead. Nice feature, IMO.

Mildly curious about the Facebook link, but I think I'm more interested in preserving my anonymity. Don't want the paparazzi all over me.

There are about five or six items in there you can turn on or off depending on your level of comfort.

And, of course, once you link your HAIF and Facebook accounts, de-linking them is as easy as clicking a deactivate button.

[Pumapayam]

My Settings > Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

or

My Profile > Edit My Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

Thanks, is there an option to comment on status updates, like facebook, or am I pushing it?

[editor]

What happened to the google map for each topic?

As mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the map function was a pretty major modification (OK, probably not for a professional coder, but it was a big deal for me).

I'm going to wait until everything settles down a little before I add it back in.

[lockmat]

Not sure. I was able to rate it up (gotta find better language for that). Are you able to rate other posts?

It was just that one post. Maybe some others too but I can't remember. So yes, I can pretty much rate everyone else, except for you.

Edit: you know what, after clicking around and highlighting that area, it appeared right in front of my eyes. I guess the photos were hiding it somehow or something?

Edited July 8, 2009 by lockmat

[Pumapayam]

My Settings > Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

or

My Profile > Edit My Profile > Manage Facebook Connect

Okay, I did both routes, and I am not having any luck finding it Wayne.

Has anyone else linked their fb profiles successfully?

I just don't see the options anywhere.

[editor]

I want the icon!

How do I get it?

Visit HAIF:Now on your iDevice. Click the [+] button at the bottom of your browser. Select "Add to Home Screen."

There's a separate icon for HAIF Mobile. For that, just visit HAIF and do the same thing.

And if you're into collecting, the HAIF iPhone Weather thingy has its own icon, as well.

[editor]

Thanks, is there an option to comment on status updates, like facebook, or am I pushing it?

You'd have to be on Facebook to post a comment into the Facebook system. I don't think the Facebook API supports pushing unapproved data from outside into someone's account. Even the official photo uploaders require you to manually visit your account to approve the new content.

[editor]

Okay, I did both routes, and I am not having any luck finding it Wayne.

Has anyone else linked their fb profiles successfully?

I just don't see the options anywhere.

Step one:

Step two:

Step three:

[Highway6]

Two things.

In my profile settings I have the following Unchecked:

"Notify me by

e-mail

when I get a new personal message

Enabling this option will send an email notification of any new personal messages sent to you."

Yet, I'm still receiving emails to my personal account to notify me when people have added me as HAIF friends.

Haif friends = good. Cluttering my personal inbox = not good. Any other setting I'm overlooking ??

2nd, the Post rating points are kinda neat, but would be even neater is if when I look at all my recent posts, the ratings score is included where applicable. I have rating points that i don't know where they came from and i shouldn't have to revisit every comment I've made to see what people like or hate. Any way to include this or is it beyond the software capabilities ?

Thanks

[Pumapayam]

Step one:

Step two:

Step three:

Your Step three looks much more robust than mine does.

I think non-mods are missing features that you mention.

Can anyone else verify.

Here is a copy of my window.

[Highway6]

I'm seeing the facebook settings.

I'm most certainly not seeing the "Change Underwear" Option that you have on yours. What the heck OS are you running over there ?

[Pumapayam]

I'm seeing the facebook settings.

I'm most certainly not seeing the "Change Underwear" Option that you have on yours. What the heck OS are you running over there ?

LOL, okay that last one was just a quick photoshop joke. I was wondering how long it would be before someone caught that! Pretty quick I guess.

But I am on XP at work, using Google Chrome.

Let me try Safari or Internet Explorer instead.

It seems you and Wayne are on Safari.

UPDATE:

Okay, I have attached an actual side by side shot of Google Chrome and Apple Safari viewing HAIF, and the facebook icon is missing on the Google Chrome browser.

Is that possible?

Edited July 8, 2009 by Pumapayam

[Highway6]

I'm on Firefox.. no problems.

I tried it out on Chrome, and you're right.. not seeing the facebook option under Chrome.

I also tried it on IE.. and no problems there either.

But I am on XP at work, using Google Chrome.

Let me try Safari or Internet Explorer instead.

It seems you and Wayne are on Safari.

UPDATE:

Okay, I have attached an actual side by side shot of Google Chrome and Apple Safari viewing HAIF, and the facebook icon is missing on the Google Chrome browser.

Is that possible?

[Highway6]

Another item...

Sometime when i view new posts, it may only show 2-3... this used to occasionally happen under the old system as well.

Can you bring back the option to "View post within las Hr, 12 hrs, day, week" etc. so that when this happens, we can bring back the current topics even if nothing new is going on ?

[editor]

Two things.

In my profile settings I have the following Unchecked:

"Notify me by

e-mail

when I get a new personal message

Enabling this option will send an email notification of any new personal messages sent to you."

Yet, I'm still receiving emails to my personal account to notify me when people have added me as HAIF friends.

Haif friends = good. Cluttering my personal inbox = not good. Any other setting I'm overlooking ??

Notification that someone added you as a friend isn't a Personal Message, it's a system message. It's not sent by a person, but by the system.

You might try de-selecting "Send me any updates sent by the board administrator." I don't know if that will do the trick or not, but it's worth a try.

2nd, the Post rating points are kinda neat, but would be even neater is if when I look at all my recent posts, the ratings score is included where applicable. I have rating points that i don't know where they came from and i shouldn't have to revisit every comment I've made to see what people like or hate. Any way to include this or is it beyond the software capabilities ?

I think that sort of thing might involve some privacy issues. The ratings systems are intended to be anonymous. Being able to track backwards would make some people understandably queasy because it would be necessary for the system to track each individual rating and who made it.

[Highway6]

I think that sort of thing might involve some privacy issues. The ratings systems are intended to be anonymous. Being able to track backwards would make some people understandably queasy because it would be necessary for the system to track each individual rating and who made it.

I didn't mean backwards tracking.

I just want to be able to look at all my posts and see which ones have been rated... same information that i am able to see as part of the post in its thread.

[editor]

Okay, I have attached an actual side by side shot of Google Chrome and Apple Safari viewing HAIF, and the facebook icon is missing on the Google Chrome browser.

Is that possible?

Here's a shot in the dark...

Have you used Chrome recently to log in to your Facebook account? if the Facebook API system relies on Facebook cookies and you only go to Facebook from Safari, then they'd only exist in Safari. Thus, the forum would only present you the option if you were using Safari, or whatever browser you use to visit Facebook.

Try logging in to your Facebook account from Chrome, then returning to HAIF and see if the Facebook option appears in your profile settings.

[editor]

I didn't mean backwards tracking.

I just want to be able to look at all my posts and see which ones have been rated... same information that i am able to see as part of the post in its thread.

It's beyond my capabilities, but I'll submit it to the software company.

[Pumapayam]

Here's a shot in the dark...

Have you used Chrome recently to log in to your Facebook account? if the Facebook API system relies on Facebook cookies and you only go to Facebook from Safari, then they'd only exist in Safari. Thus, the forum would only present you the option if you were using Safari, or whatever browser you use to visit Facebook.

Try logging in to your Facebook account from Chrome, then returning to HAIF and see if the Facebook option appears in your profile settings.

My Safari was cookie free when I did that. I don't use Safari at work, only Chrome. Using Safari, I logged into HAIF first and the facebook connect option was instantly there.

Whereas on Chrome, I have facebook open within the browsers tabs.

I think it is just a Chrome issue.

[editor]

My Safari was cookie free when I did that. I don't use Safari at work, only Chrome. Using Safari, I logged into HAIF first and the facebook connect option was instantly there.

Whereas on Chrome, I have facebook open within the browsers tabs.

I think it is just a Chrome issue.

I don't think so. Chrome and Safari are built around the same engine. I'll submit it as a bug.

[editor]

So... here's the deal.

I've been told that a new version of the forum software will be released real soon now. One person says next week. Another says when they feel like it.

It's my understanding that a number of the issues raised by HAIF members will be addressed in the upgrade to the upgrade. Especially things like pagination boxes in search results and last-page jumps and things like that which were in the previous version, but mysteriously disappeared.

[Pumapayam]

So... here's the deal.

I've been told that a new version of the forum software will be released real soon now. One person says next week. Another says when they feel like it.

It's my understanding that a number of the issues raised by HAIF members will be addressed in the upgrade to the upgrade. Especially things like pagination boxes in search results and last-page jumps and things like that which were in the previous version, but mysteriously disappeared.

Thanks for the update.

The forum upgrades are like night and day since this weekend.

It feels much more familiar now, but with more features.

[editor]

It turns out the Facebook/Chrome thing is a Facebook thing. The Facebook API doesn't support Chrome.

[Pumapayam]

It turns out the Facebook/Chrome thing is a Facebook thing. The Facebook API doesn't support Chrome.

Makes sense, when I pay my electricity bill on Reliant, it locks up using Chrome.

I have to use FF or IE instead.

[citizen4rmptown]

What happened to the google map for each topic?

the removal of that is probably a good and a bad thing...

Good, because it took up a lot of space, which HAIF'ers tend to complain about, and a lot of them weren't updated it to the correct location.

Bad, for the threads that did have the correct location. A lot of people post info on a building, and then other people ask for its location, so anyone can put its address on it, and save us the hassle.

I'd preferably want it back, but just in the Going Up section. How about 'yall?

[editor]

the removal of that is probably a good and a bad thing...

Good, because it took up a lot of space, which HAIF'ers tend to complain about, and a lot of them weren't updated it to the correct location.

Bad, for the threads that did have the correct location. A lot of people post info on a building, and then other people ask for its location, so anyone can put its address on it, and save us the hassle.

I'd preferably want it back, but just in the Going Up section. How about 'yall?

With the way people lost their minds over an extra 21 pixels for the HAIF-HD logo, I'm not sure what to do about the maps now.

[citykid09]

editor, is it possible for me to send you a private message?

[20thStDad]

It works from home on IE8 and Firefox 3.5, but from either of those at work I get a content compression error or something like that. I am guessing it is a simple fix but I'm not thinking of it right now.

[Fringe]

Another item...

Sometime when i view new posts, it may only show 2-3...   this used to occasionally happen under the old system as well.

Can you bring back the option to "View post within las Hr, 12 hrs, day, week"  etc. so that when this happens, we can bring back the current topics even if nothing new is going on ?

+1

New posts only go back so far. Since I frequently go 12 hours or more without viewing this web site I'm not able to see all the posts since I last logged on.  

[lockmat]

Hey Ed, I tried PMing you this problem, but like someone else said, it wouldn't let me.

I tried replying to a PM discussion this morning and the reply button was grayed out and said I Could Not Reply. Am I doing something wrong?

??

Thanks

[Highway6]

Hey Ed, I tried PMing you this problem, but like someone else said, it wouldn't let me.

I tried replying to a PM discussion this morning and the reply button was grayed out and said I Could Not Reply. Am I doing something wrong?

??

Thanks

editor.. i pm'd you a week ago.. and my messenger says you havent even read it yet. i know you busy and all.. but on top of the few other's issues concerning messaging you..... i figure the likelihood that I'm being shunned isnt quite as great as the liklihood that something wonky is going on with messaging.

lockmat.. just sent you a test message.

Edited July 9, 2009 by Highway6

[HarrisCountyEx]

I'm sorry, I just can't find my way around (old dog, new tricks thing). I don't have a "view recent posts" or "view latest content" button that I can find. I'm trying really I am. It's just that that is what I always linked to when I came to this site.

[Pumapayam]

I'm sorry, I just can't find my way around (old dog, new tricks thing). I don't have a "view recent posts" or "view latest content" button that I can find. I'm trying really I am. It's just that that is what I always linked to when I came to this site.

It's been replaced with "New", to the right of "Traffic" on the menu bar.

[silverartfox]

I'm sorry, I just can't find my way around (old dog, new tricks thing). I don't have a "view recent posts" or "view latest content" button that I can find. I'm trying really I am. It's just that that is what I always linked to when I came to this site.

I'm having a similar or perhaps related problem. When I hit "New", it does take me to the list of new posts. However, the only way I can see a new post is to click on its title and then, when the number of the last page appears, click on that, and finally the last post comes up! Before the changeover, I would simply click on the "last posted" time line in the far right column and the last post would appear - that handy feature doesn't work any more.

Frankly, I don't care for the fancy new design. The old one was cleaner, simpler and quicker to navigate. Also, the new upgrade has some areas where small size type doesn't have enough contrast from its background for easy reading.

[lockmat]

I'm having a similar or perhaps related problem. When I hit "New", it does take me to the list of new posts. However, the only way I can see a new post is to click on its title and then, when the number of the last page appears, click on that, and finally the last post comes up! Before the changeover, I would simply click on the "last posted" time line in the far right column and the last post would appear - that handy feature doesn't work any more.

Frankly, I don't care for the fancy new design. The old one was cleaner, simpler and quicker to navigate. Also, the new upgrade has some areas where small size type doesn't have enough contrast from its background for easy reading.

I believe because of the changeover that every post you click on will take you to the first post the first time. Every time after that when there's a new message, it will take you to the newest post as normal.

[Highway6]

Can the mobile version of haif include a "Browse standard website" link. Iphones don't need mobile versions.. I can't see my message inbox through the mobile version right now.

[HarrisCountyEx]

It's been replaced with "New", to the right of "Traffic" on the menu bar.

Thank you so much. I swear this is the first time I've seen that button. Makes life so much easier now.

[20thStDad]

"Content encryption error" is what it is saying. Could be a firewall thing since it's only from work network. Really it's not all bad, I don't have time to check from work, or I shouldn't take the time.

[editor]

Another item...

Sometime when i view new posts, it may only show 2-3... this used to occasionally happen under the old system as well.

Can you bring back the option to "View post within las Hr, 12 hrs, day, week" etc. so that when this happens, we can bring back the current topics even if nothing new is going on ?

I'm told this may be a possibility with the next software version, due Real Soon Now™.

[editor]

editor, is it possible for me to send you a private message?

It should be possible. There are no restrictions on your PM access. What error are you getting when you try to send me a message?

[editor]

Hey Ed, I tried PMing you this problem, but like someone else said, it wouldn't let me.

You've got to be more specific than that if you want me to track down the bug. What error message are you getting, if any at all?

If anyone is not able to PM me through HAIF, you can still e-mail me directly: editor@houstonarchitecture.com.

[editor]

editor.. i pm'd you a week ago.. and my messenger says you havent even read it yet. i know you busy and all.. but on top of the few other's issues concerning messaging you..... i figure the likelihood that I'm being shunned isnt quite as great as the liklihood that something wonky is going on with messaging.

I see it now. You sent it before the upgrade, and after the upgrade it was no longer marked "new" so I didn't notice it.

[editor]

I'm having a similar or perhaps related problem. When I hit "New", it does take me to the list of new posts. However, the only way I can see a new post is to click on its title and then, when the number of the last page appears, click on that, and finally the last post comes up! Before the changeover, I would simply click on the "last posted" time line in the far right column and the last post would appear - that handy feature doesn't work any more.

Clicking on the thread title takes you to the first new post in that thread. If you haven't viewed a thread since the upgrade it's possible that the system doesn't know where you left off in that thread anymore and sends you to the beginning.

Frankly, I don't care for the fancy new design.

Frankly, I don't care.

The old one was cleaner, simpler and quicker to navigate.

The old one looked like Playskool blocks. It was the same design for seven years. Time for something new. The old one was boring.

Also, the new upgrade has some areas where small size type doesn't have enough contrast from its background for easy reading.

Please be specific and I can address these.