"recent topics" in SMF style

[ZarPrime]

zapiy,

I gotta tell you.  I'm having trouble figuring out why this code is working properly on my site but not on yours.  It shows 20 topics when you aren't logged in but right now, as I am logged in on your site I only see 6 topics.  It really doesn't make any sense.

I'm going to have to take a break on this and look at the code a little closer and see if I can figure it out.  I'll try to get back to this tonight, but it may not be until tomorrow before I can get back on there.  Please keep the account you created active so that I can go back on there if I need to.

ZarPrime

[zapiy]

Thanks for all you help on this one. Account still open ..

Cheers

[ZarPrime]

zapiy,

I've been through your site with a very fine toothed comb and I can't come up with a reason why this code is not showing 20 topics.  There is a setting in "current theme" that, if it has a number other than zero, will override the setting in the code in this block.  However, it is set to zero in your "current theme" area so it should not be affecting this.

I have a feeling that something else that you have installed is interfering with the ability of this code to work properly..  The next thing I'm going to do is try turning off some of the blocks above this one, one at a time, to see if another block might be causing this.  However, I have stuff to do today and tomorrow that will probably prevent me from getting back into this until either late Sunday night or sometime Monday.

In the meantime, I want to let you know that there is something about your Forum that bothers me, and it could very well be not only affecting this block, but could affect other things in the future.  When viewing your Forum with the default SMF core theme (http://www.maturevideogamer.co.uk/index.php?theme=1) , you have multiple instances of several tabs in your menu (Forum, Gallery, Arcade, Donations).  Have a look at the pic that I have attached below.  This makes it look like you have installed several of your Mods more than once without uninstalling previous versions, and this could be causing conflicts.

If I can't find a reason why this block is not working properly when I get back into it, it may be that your best course of action at some future time is going to be to reinstall SMF without touching the database, thus wiping out all of your Mods, and reinstalling each of the Mods that you are using one at a time.  It might just come down to that, especially given that your error log shows nearly 1000 pages of errors at this time.

If any other Team Members want to take a look at zapiy's site and have a comment about anything I've written here, feel free to take a look.  The theme number currently in use is #6.

ZarPrime

[zapiy]

Thanks for your time on this mate...Much appreciated

As for those errors, i am at a loss with it, how simple to reinstall everything? Does the database not have the mods installed in to it aswell?

[zapiy]

Wondered if this is simple to rectify? Can i do a clean install and wipe all the mods from the database.

[ZarPrime]

zapiy,

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, been kinda busy.  I still have plans to look at your site again to see if any of your blocks or articles might be causing that one article to not function properly.

I asked the questions we discussed earlier on the team board about the database.  Here's what I found out.

JPDeni said ...

Usually when the mods create tables the installer first determines if there is a table already in existence. If there is, it skips over the creation of the table. If the installer tries to create a table that already exists, you'll get an error.

Quote from me
"Does the database not have the mods installed in to it aswell?"

Well... The mods are not installed in the database, exactly. Only if there are special tables that are required. But even then most of the mod is in the Source and Themes files, rather than the database.

So the answer to that question would be "Mostly, no." The duplication is in the files and not in the database.

and Ichbin said ...

Also, when removing a mod the tables do not get removed

So, in essense, generally, what's in the database won't be affected at all if you start over with a fresh install of SMF and then reinstall your Mods.  I would install TP first though because it's probably the largest one.

ZarPrime

[zapiy]

Thanks zarprime, i am looking at completely changing the design on my site and when i do can i guarantee the 20 recent posts will work properly?

Dont want to do a lot of work if it fails to work again.

Cheers

[ZarPrime]

zapiy,

Well, it's hard to guarantee anything.  I can tell you one thing.  This block code does not work with TP 1.0 beta 5 on SMF RC1.2 because I've tried it.  It works fine for me on both beta 1 and beta 4 with SMF 1.x.  Before you get into a complete site reset, you might want to setup a test site just to be sure.  I still haven't had a chance to go in and look at your site again to see if one of your other blocks might be causing the problem.  It could be one of your Mods causing the problem because, if I recall correctly, I checked it on your site with the default theme and it was doing the same thing.

I think I might have time this weekend to go into your site and start turning off blocks one at a time to check it.  Do you still have my Admin account active?

The one thing that really has me confused about this is that for Guests, 20 topics are showing, so it's just got to be one of your blocks that is set to not show to guests that has to be causing this.

ZarPrime

[zapiy]

ZarPrime,

You certainly do still have access..again thanks for helping..It does seem strange that the guests see 20 topics all the time.

[zapiy]

Zarprime...

This is proper strange, after reinstalling the whole site the other day i added TP1.0 beta 4 then 2 themes and no other mods..

Then i activated the Recent posts block that comes with TP and the posts just keep repeating themselves ie all the same.. If i hit the 'Mark ALL messages as read' link then go back to the frontpage its all good but soon as i read one of them it all goes whacko again..

Tried this on a m8's site and his works fine.

Cheers