Ajax Attack

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ID:19127
 
Sep 14 2006, 12:01 am
In an effort to stay compliant with the latest buzzwords, I've spent some time converting more of the Members site to use AJAX where appropriate. The following operations will soon use AJAX for added cromulence:
  • Edit posts
  • Edit comments
  • Quoted reply to comments New!
  • Delete posts
  • Delete comments

We also have a new AJAX-like feature that's actually implemented using an IFRAME: attach files when adding a new post. I've noticed that many BYOND Members still use ImageShack or similar sites to post images in their blog entries. Why aren't they using the file hosting they paid for with BYOND? Maybe it's not convenient enough.

Therefore, the Add Post page adds a file attachment section which can also optionally generate image thumbnails. It's basically a shortcut that allows you to easily upload a file when writing a post without going to your Manage Files page. After the file is uploaded, you get some HTML that you can copy and paste anywhere within your new blog post.

Since this is a pretty big change to certain parts of the site, I'd like to test it before going live. Seems to work for me in the major browsers, though last time I tried IE there was a slight display problem with the new post editing. The test site is here:

http://test.byond.com/attack/

Feel free to use it in place of members.byond.com during the test period, and please report any unusual behavior. After the test, the above url will go away.
Sep 14 2006, 12:18 am
Awesome, everything works great on my end nice work! A suggestion for the thumbnail thing, have a dropdown list of your currently uploaded images to select from as well, that way you don't have to reupload or check elsewhere to get the HTML code again.
Sep 14 2006, 1:07 am
Why aren't they using the file hosting they paid for with BYOND?

I suspect that in a few cases (I guess myself included), members don't want to use BYOND resources unless they "have" to... Even though we're given space and bandwidth (well, not given, but rather sold), it sort of feels "wrong" to use it (paid for or not)...

It's a feeling of "I don't want to impose"...lol

So for things like images, it just seems better to load them off on some other poor suckers, rather than put the burden on our beloved BYOND...
Sep 14 2006, 1:09 am
Acronym-y!

Couple of suggestions:

- Currently, when you reply to a message, the AJAX reply box replaces the message you're replying to. This seems a little unintuitive to me; usually when one posts a reply to a message, that message doesn't just disappear, which is what it's effectively doing. (Yeah, I know it gets put into the textarea as a quote, but it's just not the same....)

- When the AJAX reply box loads, could you add a couple of line breaks and position the cursor right at the end of it? It'd be a minor enhancement, but useful.
Sep 14 2006, 1:21 am
Why aren't they using the file hosting they paid for with BYOND? Maybe it's not convenient enough.Why aren't they using the file hosting they paid for with BYOND? Maybe it's not convenient enough.

Bandwidth would've been my first guess.
Sep 14 2006, 4:38 am
The pixel image next to the post title does interfear with my current CSS, it gives it an ugly little square border there.

http://test.byond.com/attack/Tiberath

<.<
Sep 14 2006, 5:27 am
Please add an option to toggle AJAX settings, I *hate* AJAX. Pwease?
Sep 14 2006, 6:05 am
Divine: If you hate AJAX... you are flawed... Seriously, the only downside to AJAX is that some browsers don't support it (Browsers on portable devices, for example).
Sep 14 2006, 8:42 am
Hiead wrote:
Bandwidth would've been my first guess.

Doubtful. As of the middle of September, we have less than 0.3% of Members on track to exceed their bandwidth allowance this month. In general, images in blog posts shouldn't take too much.

Tiberath wrote:
The pixel image next to the post title does interfear with my current CSS, it gives it an ugly little square border there.

.title img {
border: none;
}

DivineO'peanut wrote:
Please add an option to toggle AJAX settings, I *hate* AJAX. Pwease?

Browsers without Javascript should get alternate non-AJAX buttons to use. If this isn't working for a particular configuration, let me know. Otherwise AJAX helps reduce bandwidth, page load time, and server load. What's not to like?

Thanks everyone for all the other suggestions. I'll see what I can do.
Sep 14 2006, 8:44 am
I have enough personal reasons to hate AJAX.
Sep 14 2006, 8:55 am
The thumbnail worked for me (once I realized I needed to copy the generated URL).
Sep 14 2006, 8:56 am
Mike: About the .title img {border: none;} thing. I recommend making a change to the default CSS when this becomes a standard part of the members pages.

As for bandwidth. It is partly my reason, I don't want to use up BYOND bandwidth on files that I can put on my own server. I suppose I don't fit in the "imageshack" crowd though.
Sep 14 2006, 9:12 am
SSGX is right, at least in my case. I just don't like to use BYOND's resources if I can easily upload it to imageshack.

I still feel pretty bad for blowing through a gig in < 24 hours.
Sep 14 2006, 10:45 am
For most images, I just use Picasa, Googles Image Viewer/Web Album program. For example:

http://lh3.google.com/Danial.Beta/RMHNoaeEABI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/ PqTFh1BLcsc/dog4.jpg

The link isn't exactly pretty, but it does the job, and for free noless.
Sep 14 2006, 11:34 am
Good job on the files while posting thing. One big disadvantage to using the BYOND file hosting is how cluttered the list can become. Couldn't we pwease have directories? @.@

(Those are as close as I could get to puppy dog eyes. I don't think they'll be very persuading.)
Sep 14 2006, 12:22 pm
IainPeregrine wrote:
Those are as close as I could get to puppy dog eyes.

Try it with pug dog eyes! ;)
Sep 14 2006, 12:31 pm
When going to my guild forum, the links back to the blog site have /gt2/ instead of /attack/ in them. I'm sure it's irrelevant to the point, but I figured I'd bring it up. :P
Sep 14 2006, 1:29 pm
Quoted comments and easy file attachment? Truly you have embiggened the members site.
Sep 14 2006, 3:15 pm
IainPeregrine wrote:
One big disadvantage to using the BYOND file hosting is how cluttered the list can become.

I don't like how it scrolls vertically :[
Sep 14 2006, 4:53 pm
embiggened

Good word. I'm not quite sure what it means, but good word. =)
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