Tech help needed - hands up

[gash bash]

The one we use does allow access. I can get to a command line prompt via putty. Indeed, I used this to install webmin and then used webmin to install phpmyadmin.

I also have direct access to the source code so we should be good.

Oh, i thought it was already installed before you took over.  Well it makes sense that you get 404 error on "www.ukpunting.com/phpmyadmin" as the box is probably nailed down pretty tight to protect from malicious attacks.

You will therefore have to configure nginx to allow access and my earlier two posts give you an idea of what you need to setup.

[Up The Manor]

Oh, i thought it was already installed before you took over.  Well it makes sense that you get 404 error on "www.ukpunting.com/phpmyadmin" as the box is probably nailed down pretty tight to protect from malicious attacks.

You will therefore have to configure nginx to allow access and my earlier two posts give you an idea of what you need to setup.

The site was physically moved, and OldAdmin gave us the server passwords, which I’ve since changed.

[gash bash]

The site was physically moved, and OldAdmin gave us the server passwords, which I’ve since changed.

digitalocean have pretty useful guides on setting up services on servers. Take a look here, and you should be ale to get phpmyadmin running on your server.

External Link/Members Only

[Liamant]

I can’t pm you but there are two fairly easy things to check that could explain at least some of these problems and if more keep coming up as you progress ..

[Liamant]

I can’t pm you but there are two fairly easy things to check that could explain at least some of these problems and if more keep coming up as you progress ..

Can you please change my settings so I can send you some details I can message unless I’ve already been messaged by that user

[CoolTiger]

Can you please change my settings so I can send you some details I can message unless I’ve already been messaged by that user

As someone with a low number of posts, that is how all accounts are set up. These accounts do not have PM access by default.

Thanks for your offer. Should Admin want these details from you, no doubt he will send you a message.

[Cuntminion]

I have more time to dedicate to ukp if you need a general dogsbody

I know it's not been requested but have experience on databasing on various software

Good luck either way to new staff

[bbwandy72]

- php
- SQL
- html
- networking stuff

I'm a bit late to this thread, but if you still need help, I have experience of all of the above.

[dubs]

I hope these offers of help are properly vetted to ensure that no one gets access to databases  containing email addresses, IP addresses, pm contents etc.

This hand over would be an ideal time for a malicious attack by a ukp hater

[myothernameis]

Can you please change my settings so I can send you some details I can message unless I’ve already been messaged by that user

If you want to contact admin, I believe you would be best to make a report, and maybe explain how you can help, like whats your background with software development

[CoolTiger]

I hope these offers of help are properly vetted to ensure that no one gets access to databases  containing email addresses, IP addresses, pm contents etc.

This hand over would be an ideal time for a malicious attack by a ukp hater

Yees, Owner/Admin are fully aware of offers for help, and am sure will vet the members before even replying to their offers, let alone discuss any further with them.

[darkknightrises]

I have more time to dedicate to ukp if you need a general dogsbody

I know it's not been requested but have experience on databasing on various software

Good luck either way to new staff

Why's that then .... 

[Liamant]

Look at your error log and see what’s throwing up the vast majority of what’s on there,  if it’s overwhelmingly one thing then I can give you a very educated guess as to what the issue is and what it’s related to.

Had the same on a motoring forum I help moderate last year I won’t say more on here because it may move created a vulnerability issue or rather the fixes your being suggested might because they did for us.

Good luck   

[yorkshirepunter3333]

Cheers. Yep, bizarrely, we’re actually running the latest code cut, which is 2.0.15. We have run a code diff too; but none of the changes are commented. We can’t go to the standard cut, because all the stuff which makes the site useful would go. OldAdmin must have been pretty damned good, because all of his code changes have survived numerous SMF core updates. Props to the man.

Did the OldAdmin not just use GIT? so, when the base code is updated its just merged into the main branch for UKPs codebase?

or, did OldAdmin not just use the mod feature of SMF?

Would it be possible to just start over, same DB but fresh cut of code and then just use the mod feature to extend, you may also find that some of the mod packages meet the needs of the site and less custom code maybe required.

[Up The Manor]

Did the OldAdmin not just use GIT? so, when the base code is updated its just merged into the main branch for UKPs codebase?

or, did OldAdmin not just use the mod feature of SMF?

Would it be possible to just start over, same DB but fresh cut of code and then just use the mod feature to extend, you may also find that some of the mod packages meet the needs of the site and less custom code maybe required.

That sounds like a huge undertaking. One of the major customisations on here is the review system. Even if there was a standard SMF mod for that, we would lose all existing reviews. And no - everything is custom. Not a single standard SMF mod! When I tried to install a very simple one it errored out on me…

[yorkshirepunter3333]

That sounds like a huge undertaking. One of the major customisations on here is the review system. Even if there was a standard SMF mod for that, we would lose all existing reviews. And no - everything is custom. Not a single standard SMF mod! When I tried to install a very simple one it errored out on me…

It looks like SMF does have a git repo, is UKP not just a fork of this repo?

Yes, I agree going back to the start would be huge given that reviews are a customisation

[Liamant]

That sounds like a huge undertaking. One of the major customisations on here is the review system. Even if there was a standard SMF mod for that, we would lose all existing reviews. And no - everything is custom. Not a single standard SMF mod! When I tried to install a very simple one it errored out on me…

The server move might be responsible for quite a lot especially if the old admin had his own private server set to his preferences so it wouldn’t automatically update so his coding could be as individual as he wanted without any issues if your now on a shared server that automatically updates his coding will continue to throw up errors on each update as it doesn’t look from their website SMF are going to upgrade to PHP 7.3 if your on a server that does then you could have serious issues with the personalised coding just something to be aware of.  You really need the old admin back to standardise everything if that’s not possible and nobody can tell what’s his individual coding then any updates will be a hope and pray job.

Eventually we had to restart ours after the guy who started it and ran it for years died it just kept crashing on either a server or forum update and we only had a few hundred members

[gash bash]

It looks like SMF does have a git repo, is UKP not just a fork of this repo?

Yes, I agree going back to the start would be huge given that reviews are a customisation

Admin already said they are on the latest version of SMF.

I think they have to bit the bullet and dive in and start tackling the issues. Hopefully they have tech backgrounds otherwise its going to be a long wait for fixes to get implemented.

[Mister_ant_]

As you've probably all figured out by now, we're having a few issues with the transfer of the site over from @OldAdmin to the new Admins and mod team.

(Please don't reply to this thread unless you think you can help - "amusing" replies will be met with a 7 day ban, cheers)

So here is the situation. This site is based on standard SMF code. But it was highly customised by the previous owner. To our knowledge, those customisations include:

- the entire Review system
- Banning
- Access rights
- The SA thread
- Stuff to do with TS providers
- Links to other sites
- Stuff around attachments, etc.

We'd like to relax a lot of stuff and tighten other things, but we can't do anything right now, because there is so much written in code that bypasses standard SMF.

So...

Please contact me on this thread if you have any of the below skills. Don't PM me, that shit is fucked up too - I can't PM anyone at all

- php
- SQL
- html
- networking stuff

The post pays no money whatsoever, and has very few benefits. The hours are long, but you will be helping to maintain an important public service.

I thank you. And so does @Head1

UTM

I’m happy to help with html

[Andy-ShyGuy]

I’ve got a pretty technical background, especially with databases and SQL.   Please let me know if I can be of any help in these areas

[Liamant]

I made a copy of our motoring forum that just runs brand new complete standard SMF with justvSMF upgrades and add ons and just as a trial copied half a dozen posts and it immediately crashed it.

General chat seems compatible but reports definitely not instant issues so running against a standard new forum it just won’t work. I know why with chat now because of the errors it throws up I’m guessing you know but if not I can tell you if you pm me

The biggest problem you possibly could encounter especially from a site like AW is if they change their way of coding links and they do after problems it could vey well screw your reporting system completely. Looks like your old admin was a wiz at spotting this and what they’d done then rewriting the code to work that’s why you had to odd 24hr crash it wasn’t here it’s all the work he’s put in to improve it from just SMF.

We pay a foreign admin just to sort this stuff for us and he’s pretty cheap at $20 ph and has never taken longer than an hour. I asked him to look at what I’d set up .. that is a new SMF copied all our stuff then added some of yours and he instantly spotted why stuff from here crashes SMF especially reports and if your making backups it’s something you should know. If SMF or AW change their coding and they do in little ways all the time then if it effects you it could be a real problem so he advised making at least one backup in a different way so you can at least get back online quickly. Want more info just ask

[yorkshirepunter3333]

At some point you sometimes just have to change tech..

The content on UKP is awesome, but the site just feels a little old school.

Have you explored the idea of just starting again? find a decent backend Framework, or make one on top of a modern platform.

JavaScript Single Page App
Micro Service API backend
And HTML templates

Yes, this would be a big job, but you may get more people able to help as it would be using new tech.

UKP is more of a brand so it would still exist if a new site under the same url came out..

[90125]

At some point you sometimes just have to change tech..

The content on UKP is awesome, but the site just feels a little old school.

Have you explored the idea of just starting again? find a decent backend Framework, or make one on top of a modern platform.

JavaScript Single Page App
Micro Service API backend
And HTML templates

Yes, this would be a big job, but you may get more people able to help as it would be using new tech.

UKP is more of a brand so it would still exist if a new site under the same url came out..

We would then lose all the FRs and it would then be like a new forum. There might be some annoying bugs but the core functionality is working. We will just slowly get to grips and strip out anything unnecessary that can be covered by the standard SMF platform and Modifications.

[scutty brown]

There's something all you guys suggesting getting external support forget: it means giving third parties back end access to the system, i.e. total access including e-mail addresses, IP address, passwords............
Given the nature of what we discuss here do you really want that data accessible by an unknown engineer? The risks to us all if the user database was leaked is just too high.
The new Admin team rightly appear to be being damn careful about who they're letting have access to the system: security has to take precedence over everything else. If that means running with glitches then so be it.

[90125]

............ The risks to us all if the user database was leaked is just too high........

You've just given us an idea how to monetise the site   

[scutty brown]

You've just given us an idea how to monetise the site   

Oh god........please no wine tonight, you know what happened last time

[Liamant]

We would then lose all the FRs and it would then be like a new forum. There might be some annoying bugs but the core functionality is working. We will just slowly get to grips and strip out anything unnecessary that can be covered by the standard SMF platform and Modifications.

No if there’s a change in aw reporting structure or coding and that happens relatively often or an SMF update and you update it it it could seriously crash the whole system big style. I was shown why on the copy of our system from what he showed me this forum would crash any SMF system as it is and it’s the stuff that makes it so much better than standard that’ll do it.

It’s a really simple main problem but fixing it to work standard is a huge undertaking unless there’s a way of doing it on masse via the database. I wouldn’t know how to start but I do know how to get individual reports not to crash a standard SMF board but it’s seriously time consuming , you really need the old admin for suggestions or someone that good because the guy we use says it’s whey beyond what he’s ever done and says the problems on the forum on its new server will get worse every time anything is updated anywhere linked

[Marmalade]

You've just given us an idea how to monetise the site   

Seriously, you could un-ban high-security email domains. The only ones it seems that get accepted are the ones that leak like sieves.

[bbwandy72]

find a decent backend Framework, or make one on top of a modern platform.

JavaScript Single Page App

What are you hoping to achieve here? Single page apps are a disaster, particularly on mobile devices. What don't you like about the current site? Can you not access the content you want? Is there some device you have on which it doesn't work? Or are you just saying that you subjectively dislike it because it doesn't use your chosen techology architecture?

[yorkshirepunter3333]

What are you hoping to achieve here? Single page apps are a disaster, particularly on mobile devices. What don't you like about the current site? Can you not access the content you want? Is there some device you have on which it doesn't work? Or are you just saying that you subjectively dislike it because it doesn't use your chosen techology architecture?

These are just a some ideas, I have worked with and delivered a fair few SPA websites without issue. well... without too many issues .

Maybe not a SPA site, I am just thinking maybe a new version built with tech that more people develop with which *may* generate more support in terms of having coders with free time who use this site and are willing to give up some free time.

That would be my goal in choice of tech. If SMF meets the criteria then go with it, if it does not then go with something. But I guess at the same time, it needs to be inline with the Admins skill set.

Ofc, I dont know enough about the current project to know, but I felt it was worth putting the idea out there.

My angle is purely from a get more help with the code even if that means changing the tech rather than saying change tech for the sake of changing it. Maybe even have a backlog? that punters who contribute the most can add items to.

UKP is awesome, yes it does feel dated and somethings could be improved but it does the job well enough.

I probably have over estimated the amount of devs on this site with free time I know I have very little free time and I find it hard to contribute. I don't think it would look good on my time-sheet. "Doing dev work for UK Punting" my boss would be asking some awkward questions.

[Cuntminion]

I don't think ukp is dated

It serves it's purpose functionality wise also

Could it be aesthetically tarted up? Yes but there really is no need

[Sinz]

Just came across this post, I can certainly help with below. Do let me know how I can help. Cheers

- SQL
- html
- networking stuff

[Up The Manor]

Admin already said they are on the latest version of SMF.

I think they have to bit the bullet and dive in and start tackling the issues. Hopefully they have tech backgrounds otherwise its going to be a long wait for fixes to get implemented.

I do. I just have no bandwidth. I now have full access to the site code and the database. Which is a good start.

[Sinz]

I do. I just have no bandwidth. I now have full access to the site code and the database. Which is a good start.

That's great news 

[hunkyjunk]

i.e. total access including e-mail addresses, IP address, passwords............

I hope you guys are using a punting email address and a unique password for this site! Not your work email address!

[Marmalade]

I hope you guys are using a punting email address and a unique password for this site! Not your work email address!

My thoughts exactly. Unique password is easy enough to arrange. Unfortunately the system only seems to accept bog standard domains for email addresses. I don’t mean trash email addresses, just tech ones that have rather better security, which I used for instance to contact OldAdmin. Easy enough to keep a separate address if you haven’t yet used up google, outlook, Apple etc (none of which would appear to be that secure and even if Apple is slightly better anyone using Macs or iPhone’s will possibly be using that for other things already. 

[Trapstar1]

Hi, I changed my email address and I never got the verification email... now I can’t log into my account or even request password reset!!

Please help, finally started being more of an active member with some reviews and posts. Ideally I would like to retain my account.

I have had to set this account up just to contact an admin.

FYI my old and new email was a Gmail account.

Thanks!

[CoolTiger]

Hi, I changed my email address and I never got the verification email... now I can’t log into my account or even request password reset!!

Please help, finally started being more of an active member with some reviews and posts. Ideally I would like to retain my account.

I have had to set this account up just to contact an admin.

FYI my old and new email was a Gmail account.

Thanks!

Admin has been made aware of this and will be in touch.

[Okiedokie]

Hi

I’m trying to send a private message but it says I can only respond to members who contact me, can this be changed if possible so I can contact members too without having to reply?

Thanks

[Up The Manor]

Hi

I’m trying to send a private message but it says I can only respond to members who contact me, can this be changed if possible so I can contact members too without having to reply?

Thanks

No

[Beamer]

Hi

I’m trying to send a private message but it says I can only respond to members who contact me, can this be changed if possible so I can contact members too without having to reply?

Thanks

I think it might be due to the small number of posts you have made.
Am sure a moderator will confirm if this is accurate

Edit
Answer already given in previous post.

[CoolTiger]

I think it might be due to the small number of posts you have made.
Am sure a moderator will confirm if this is accurate

Edit
Answer already given in previous post.

Correct. This rule stems from OldAdmin where new members are expected to contribute on here, whether by posting their experiences or by posting reviews on here.

ONLY THEN is PM Access granted.

[disco]

I can help from a Sysadmin perspective - though, not coding...

[jimmyha]

i can help if you still need it

[Fourtyfive]

Please help!
I have had couple of messages from other members but for some reason I cannot respond. In order to send messages to anyone or answer to a message I have to answer the question
Who is president of the United States.
No matter what I answer it tells me it is a wrong answer.
Am I just being daft. Or there is a glitch somewhere.
Please help.

[Fourtyfive]

Guys,
I can’t send messages to other members. I have been asked couple of questions and can not send answers. It asked me to confirm America’s presidents name. And no matter what I write gives me message that I have given wrong answer.

[scutty brown]

Guys,
I can’t send messages to other members. I have been asked couple of questions and can not send answers. It asked me to confirm America’s presidents name. And no matter what I write gives me message that I have given wrong answer.

read posts #88 onwards