Discussion about bugs and backups :)

blackdid

Thx Tim for your complementary try and mgr for your final explanations.

Off-Topic:
Great song with warm lyrics, thx Tim making me discover it, I love it :ajoy:

Apologizes in advance to raphjd for violating, "Please keep chat to a minimum so it's easier for Tom to see what needs to be fixed." Using edit to keep new posts to a minimum in this chatty thread.

Feel free to delete all posts once resolved without a need to move our friendly exchange elsewhere.

[off-topic]
Blackdid,
A decade ago when I went to karaoke bars a lot more often – and had enough liquid encouragement –
Exile -- Kiss You All Over -- hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-sh8V9Pzok was my signature song (and is directly in my voice range)
My other two back-ups or encores were:
10cc – I'm Not In Love -- hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgepWg4rzw
Bread -- The Guitar Man -- hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3YWVeT15qg
Get me drunk enough and I might even stretch myself further. For instance...
Frank Sinatra -- Impossible Dream -- cannot find Sinatra version but words at hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gIztqPlJ3w
Tim
[/off-topic]

blackdid

Hi all
I'll relate a bug I discovered a few days ago (then Uwe confirmed me it was a bug), it has to be written here so Mgr & Tom can read this too :

I have a question concerning the "privacy settings" allowed only to "power users"
Could you please explain me what follows :

Mgr writes this :
"The privacy setting is an option only for power users. To change your setting you have to become a power user"
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=4839.0
FAQ say this :
"This step [becoming a power user] is automated as well and even more easy if you have managed to reach the following three conditions:

You have to be a member on our site for at least four weeks
You must have an upload greater than 40 GB
You must have reached a ratio of at least 1.05 (read better = greater)

User Alienx posted something a few days ago in the Forum, here :
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=6325

In the left column of his post, under his name, there's written "Uploaded: 36.28 GB"

But his profile can't be seen : "alienx's security settings doesn't allow to show you the Profile!"
http://tracker.gaytorrent.ru/userdetails.php?id=299948

Same for other users, for instance JakeC here :
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=12401 (Uploaded: 29.33 GB)
http://tracker.gaytorrent.ru/userdetails.php?id=259170
raphjd writes : "There are 3 groups that can hide their profiles; staff, donors and power users."

Question : Why are those users profile hidden if they didn't upload 40Gb as stated in FAQ ?
Is it possible they are donors (but no star attached to their nicknames) or is it a bug that is too hard to repair ?

Uwe (hello !) answered me this : "[Alienx] account got effected by a bug, setting the account privacy already at creation to strong (he even can't change, because he isn't Power User)"

Will Tom and/or mgr be able to repair this bug ?
Sometimes we would like to know what a specific user has already uploaded, in case we find one of his upload is very interesting in the torrent Search window.

[off-topic]Hi Tim
I'm sure we should continue this karaoke in PM so we don't bother them :sorry: raphjd
Bread and 10cc, great choices you have.
Just for my pleasure (and before audition became a more important health problem), I recorded 3 years ago at home a few karaokes, 11 exactly (you sure know the mp3+ CDG's files)
One of them being… Bread - Diary !
It's a wonderful song you sure know it, I found a link here :
hxxp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24IfD-0VUu4

Shame on me, how could I miss that great song in 1978 (I was 27 then) Exile - Kiss you all over ?
Im gonna use the "Leatherbear's icon" when he asked a similar question after having missed the post where you were showing your face :spank2:[/off-topic]

mgr

@blackdid:

…

Mgr writes this :
"The privacy setting is an option only for power users. To change your setting you have to become a power user"
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=4839.0

...

...

...

raphjd writes : "There are 3 groups that can hide their profiles; staff, donors and power users."

Uwe (hello !) answered me this : "[Alienx] account got effected by a bug, setting the account privacy already at creation to strong (he even can't change, because he isn't Power User)"

Will Tom and/or mgr be able to repair this bug ?

As a first thing: thanks for your observance (although this topic is in fact not a forum bug but a bug in the site scripts ) But as well:

In fact that is a bug, which was already fixed in January this year. Due to our server crash (in February) we had to reinstall all site scripts and a lot of bug fixes were lost because we only had an older complete backup (except our database backups)

[off-topic]What is even worse: Currently Tom is rather sick and at this time not able to re-do all of the lost bug fixes :([/off-topic]

So we are doomed to live with those former fixed but lost bug fixes until Tom is better again.

I hope you can understand our situation and have patience with us. I try to "compensate" this by working a bit more in our forum instead (see downloads and some more or less hidden other features).

BTW: Donation does not allow to hide the profile, profile security is a power user (and above) only feature!

Kinsey6

Manager (mgr) [inside joke],

Please slap me around for a while.

Earlier in this calendar year when we had a server crash (before I was a GloMod), I quickly became aware of the problem. Now many months later, we are finishing up the last many pieces of this fall-out.

We are soon to downgrade torrent ADD PICS from 5 SBP to 1 SBP (I think that is appropriate).

We are still working towards "missing torrents" being replaced. Members have helped SO MUCH and a few Staff members are keeping this wonderfully moving forward.

My QUESTION is – ...

A major crash like this is dependent upon back-ups. I know that Tom remains ill and often unavailable.

At this time, are site back-ups being accomplished to avoid this in the future.

Those back-ups are VERY PLURAL:

the MySQL database
the server directory for torrents
the server directory for torrent pictures
the server area for other locations that escape me now
a detail of mods and detailed site-changes that are available to re-install as needed

I am just concerned that after our recent crash being resolved many months later without clarity about back-up procedures being done -- maybe they are, but not acknowledged.

Even NEW options (forum downloads, forum "save drafts") are being added WITHOUT US (as members) knowing if these add-ons are being backed up.

Sorry for posting this publicly, but I am TRULY concerned.

{{{{{ mgr }}}}}

blackdid

@mgr:

As a first thing: thanks for your observance (although this topic is in fact not a forum bug but a bug in the site scripts ) But as well:

Hi mgr
Thx for your explanation, these little bugs are not urgent to fix, Tom's health is THE priority.
I guessed it wasn't a Forum bug, that's why I PM raphjd and asked him before, where I had to post it.

This is what I asked raphjd :
…
"I would like to inform mgr about this annoying situation, but i'm not sure how to do it :

Should i post a reply in your thread named "Please report any forum bugs and missing features here" (even if the bug doesn't concern the Forum ?)
Or PM mgr directly ?
Or maybe create a new topic somewhere ?
Before I do this, please tell me if there is a problem if I reply in your topic named "Please report any forum bugs and missing features here"

This is what raphjd answered me :
"There are 3 groups that can hide their profiles; staff, donors and power users. If they are not part of what you are talking about, then make post in the forum bug thread."

That's why you see this question in the Forum's bug thread
This brings a new question : should we create (or does it exist) a thread concerning non-Forum bugs ?

mgr

Now you got me, two topics in one thread to answer (Ok, ok ok - I could have made two threads instead of one when splitting off this part, but another split??? )

@blackdid:

just short: I'm not at all annoyed or angry or whatever emotions you fear for an arguable topic selection - moderators and above have the split and merge option And I split the topic with the first reason that it can survive some thread-cleaning from raphjd

@blackdid:

…
Thx for your explanation, these little bugs are not urgent to fix, Tom's health is THE priority.

Thanks for your wishes for Tom. I agree completely that his health is in fact THE priority. I had a phone talk with him this evening and of course told him also about your good wishes for his health. He also told me to say thank you for him. :hug:

@blackdid:

This brings a new question : should we create (or does it exist) a thread concerning non-Forum bugs ?

IIRC here is a sticky thread about site feature requests - IMHO bug fixing can also be regarded as a feature

@Kinsey6:

…
Please slap me around for a while.

Don't force me to split this topic again and move your request to our (still to revive) Spanking SIG

But now to your more serious parts:

@Kinsey6:

My QUESTION is – ...

A major crash like this is dependent upon back-ups. I know that Tom remains ill and often unavailable.

At this time, are site back-ups being accomplished to avoid this in the future.

Those back-ups are VERY PLURAL:

the MySQL database

the server directory for torrents

the server directory for torrent pictures

the server area for other locations that escape me now

a detail of mods and detailed site-changes that are available to re-install as needed

I am just concerned that after our recent crash being resolved many months later without clarity about back-up procedures being done -- maybe they are, but not acknowledged.

Even NEW options (forum downloads, forum "save drafts") are being added WITHOUT US (as members) knowing if these add-ons are being backed up.

Sorry for a LOL - but of course we do regular backups!

Database: is completely backed up twice a day with the backup files themselves not remaining on the server but on several computers not only in our data-center but also on private computers (Tom's and mine). (These backups also include the separate forum databases.)

2-4) We backup the other server directories also regularly - alas the Server crashed while the transfer from the server to our private computers was currently running - that brought the result that we did not have a recent backup available but only an older one Keep in mind, that just the backup from the site (scripts, torrents and pictures) has a compressed size of > 5 GB ) and incremental backups need a real good strategy if you want to have lesser backup sizes and not too many incremental backup media.

forum backups: (change log) is done by me - I don't alter directly on our server but only at home. So each and every change in the forum is automatically saved on my computer at home (besides the above mentioned regular backups).

Besides: that crash in January brought us to thinking about a better strategy to make and divert backups - behind the scenes there is a lot happening just in this direction - the only problem is to change a lot of our current backup procedures (without losing backups though) and get an even better emergency management in the future.
Another additional problem in January was that the complete file system on our main server was defective - we had to set-up the rented server completely with drive partitioning and formatting, a new operating system and all applications, sites … I'm still astonished that we managed to get that done in just a few days (many thanks to Tom who worked his a** off in that time which was not really good for his health ).

I think that our current backup strategy is working (although there will always be place to improving). That does not mean we are really secured against all and every crash that can and will happen with computers - but (let me bring a lighter tone in this posting now :)) I think we are better secured than all those members who complain on our help desk about "having lost all their torrent and video files" after a crash (without any backup and of course directly after their download rights were taken away) Even in thirty years as a programmer/system operator/customer support member/manager - I never experienced so many crashes/formatted hard drives like in around 6 months on our help desk

Kinsey6

Thank you, mgr, for a well-explained response.

I had only asked this once in private … now in public. Your response is extremely thorough and I hope that each and every member gives respect to this arduous task.

blackdid

@Kinsey6:

Thank you, mgr, for a well-explained response.
I had only asked this once in private … now in public. Your response is extremely thorough and I hope that each and every member gives respect to this arduous task.

Yes mgr, great respect to your arduous backup task (among other daily tasks) :clap2:
In french we'd say "Chapeau bas"
In english I dont know how to translate it, maybe "Hats off" ? (like Led Zeppelin's song "Hats off to Roy Harper"…maybe)

blackdid

@uwsguy102:

blackdid…Your security settings don't allow me to see what videos you have....

[Thx to raphjd who created this topic concerning bugs unrelated to the Forum]

Hi all
A few days ago, uwsguy102 wrote something very important in the above quoted line, when he said "he couldn't access my profile due to my security settings"

As I didn't have any security settings at the time (I just became Power User a few hours ago), it showed the well-know bug, confirmed by Uwe then Mgr, when a new account can be created "hidden" to all other users (only the staff members can see it) and this is a real issue.

Now that I am power user, here is what i notice : you'll find in the attached pic a "Privacy level" that just appeared at the very end end of my "Profile settings"
(btw, Uwe, I confirm you this "Privacy level" just appeared right now, because you PM me on September 4th, writing "You should see that option already: Profile > Profile Settings > at the very bottom" : no, it doesn't appear until you're Power User, I confirm it)

The question is : why does this privacy level appear unchecked in the pic ?
Shouldn't it be checked on "Normal" or "Low" or "Strong" ?

It's the 1st time that I see this kind of "radio button" unchecked in a form : usually, a radio button must have one of its options checked (on the contrary, it's normal for a "check button" like the new "DVD-R" button to appear normally unchecked when it's shown for the 1st time)

Couldn't this unchecked button ("Privacy Level") be related to the known bug of new account created and hidden because they are mysteriously created with a checked "Strong Privacy Level" (3rd option in the pic), according to Uwe's words in PM : " As said, Alien X account got affected by a bug, setting the account privacy already at creation to strong (he even can't change, because he isn't Power User)."

uwsguy102, in case you read this, I've forced my unchecked "Privacy Level" to Normal : could you please confirm that my Profile is visible now ?
tia

privacy level default power user.jpg

uwsguy102

@blackdid:

uwsguy102, in case you read this, I've forced my unchecked "Privacy Level" to Normal : could you please confirm that my Profile is visible now ?
tia

I just checked your profile, and it was completely….................. VISIBLE!!!!!!!

Cheers!

blackdid

@uwsguy102, thx a lot for your prompt answer

I got another question for the staff : is the following a bug or not ?
The Search torrent window returns sometimes non expected results.
Before uploading a new torrent, I search the following, including dead torrents :
Alex Slater menover30

It returns one result, but there is not a single "Alex" in the result, in fact there are 4 "Alexander" (including the opened 66 files list) :
http://tracker.gaytorrent.ru/details.php?id=52684

If the search is based on whole words only (and not on prefix, or words within words), then this torrent shouldn't appear in results, do we agree ?

mgr

@blackdid:

The question is : why does this privacy level appear unchecked in the pic ?
Shouldn't it be checked on "Normal" or "Low" or "Strong" ?

There you see the visual part of our security bug

@blackdid:

Couldn't this unchecked button ("Privacy Level") be related to the known bug of new account created and hidden because they are mysteriously created with a checked "Strong Privacy Level" (3rd option in the pic), according to Uwe's words in PM : " As said, Alien X account got affected by a bug, setting the account privacy already at creation to strong (he even can't change, because he isn't Power User)."

In fact if (and how) this bug shows up depends on the way you interrogate this setting in different contexts:

f.x. if ($user['privacy'] >= 1)
or if ($user['privacy'] <= 2)
or whatever the best and easiest method it is to interrogate this value in different places.

So to fix this bug (= not defined value for the radio box) is either to interrogate this value "fool proof" in every query or to rely on the correct setting (which looks easy at first because we set it ourselves and only have to check the values in a user's profile script). And there it is where the bug has to be hit: when a new profile is created to set that value to a correct state (= Normal). A repair run over the database is not really difficult for existing accounts, but doing so without the correct setting when creating a new account dos not make any sense :(.

alienx

Anybody called my name?!? >:D :cool2:

User Alienx posted something a few days ago in the Forum, here :
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=6325

In the left column of his post, under his name, there's written "Uploaded: 36.28 GB"

But his profile can't be seen : "alienx's security settings doesn't allow to show you the Profile!"

In explanatation by "mgr" is this declared as a bug. So, thanks to a bug, I have reached security intended for Power user without being a PU actually. My question is: Why should any user get better security than other, just because he is a beginner? There should be set maximal security by default for all users without an exception, and if somebody sees no need for this better security, then he might be able to set it to lower level.

ax

PS. Sorry for my english, it's not my native language. I hope my opinion is nevertheless understandable.

blackdid

Hi Mgr
Do you have any idea why the 3 links in the attached pic look so dark (black link on dark grey background, then greyed when hovering the link)

In case you need to see the original description, it's here :
http://tracker.gaytorrent.ru/details.php?id=86845

It's very different on the Forum where :

black link on light grey background is much more visible
hovering turns the link to yellow
tia

why are links so dark.jpg

mgr

Thanks for pointing this out!

As a reason for different styles between the site and the forum: the two have completely different style sheets (.css files) located in different places so it may happen that some style definitions are different (although I tried to make the forum stylesheet definition similar to the site ones).

As to the noted links in torrent definitions: It looks like there is a typo in the class definition for those links so the correct hover definition is not applied but another one

Sadly we are currently (due to Tom's sickness) not really able to change this typo immediately.

Remarkably though: you are the first one to note that case after 4 years Thanks again (honestly) to make my to-do lists for the site longer :lovp:

blackdid

@mgr:

Thanks again (honestly) to make my to-do lists for the site longer :lovp:

hahaha i like that, thx Mgr !
If I make your to-do list longer, they'll never fire you from the site because you'll always be busy

Unfortunately I guess I just found another little problem, described at the very end of this post :
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=1818.msg53573#msg53573

To make it short, there were 7 pics attached at the end of the message (I saw them clearly after I posted the message 1st time, and opened them) . But as soon as I edited the message to correct some typos, pics 6 & 7 disappeared and I couldn't attach them again, no matter how many times I tried (I hope it's not because there are small pics that are "hidden" by the sentence "« Last Edit: Today at 05:47:46 pm by blackdid »)

Kinsey6

@blackdid:

… there were 7 pics attached at the end of the message (I saw them clearly after I posted the message 1st time, and opened them) . But as soon as I edited the message to correct some typos, pics 6 & 7 disappeared and I couldn't attach them again, no matter how many times I tried

This is a known-to-Staff bug in the SMF forum software and has been reported to SMF technical gurus. We are still awaiting action on their end.

blackdid

Thx Tim

alienx

So so :cool2:

still no response? http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=12409.msg52360#msg52360 ::)

ax

blackdid

@alienx:

Anybody called my name?!? >:D :cool2:
In explanatation by "mgr" is this declared as a bug. So, thanks to a bug, I have reached security intended for Power user without being a PU actually. My question is: Why should any user get better security than other, just because he is a beginner? There should be set maximal security by default for all users without an exception, and if somebody sees no need for this better security, then he might be able to set it to lower level.
ax

Hey alienx is back
Well…it's certainly not me who may bring a good answer, especially after what I wrote here :
http://forum.gaytorrent.ru/index.php?topic=1818.msg53621#msg53621

Imho, there's absolutely nothing important to hide in a profile, for people who choosed the "low privacy level"
It hides your uploaded torrents (is it so important that others don't see what you uploaded ?), your ratio and other minor things.

In fact it brings a major problem concerning the PM button, which isn't reachable easily, compared to the "normal privacy level" . I'm just losing time now trying to thank people who gave me major SBP for my posts (new and old), browsing endlessly through dozens of "snatched pages" at the end of my posts, trying to find their user names and PM button in the snatched display, just because they have a "low privacy level" but no PM button under the message found in the attached pic

Gladly I just found one of them and he accepted PM (or I would have lost time for nothing), though he selected "low privacy level". Now I'm still searching for another one, because it's important for me to thank people (also THEY may find you impolite not sending them a little word, we all see things differently)

There's a big contradiction in the site : how can someone select "low privacy level" and at same time be able to "accept all PM" when there is no PM button under the message "user xxx security settings doesn't allow you to show the profile", as shown in the attached pic ?

Imho, that's a bug : selecting "low privacy level" should have been programmed this way :

Either you allow the user to select "accept all PM", then you add him a PM button under the attached pic
Either GT deactivates the option "accept all PM" for this type of users ("low privacy level") and no need of PM button to contact them.

In fact, there's no need to have 3 categories of "privacy level" when 2 would have been enough :

Normal one : with PM button everywhere and your profile shown
Maximum security : all is hidden, no PM button anywhere

Which means no "low security level" at all, this level I just don't understand its use, except it brings a lot of complications with its missing PM button !

Well, it's just my opinion...which is certainly not shared by the majority lol

=====
PS: of course, what worked with user #1 didn't work with user #2

user #1 : I finally PM him and the message sent normally
user #2 : I finally PM him and it ended with "This user does not accept PMs" : just another waste of time with this "low privacy level" :crazy2:

hidden profile message.jpg