Timed out at around GMT 2:08 with a post search for "ads1115".

At 11:11 Atlantic time, 5:11 GMT time, another timeout--searching for "grainbench".

Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 30 seconds exceeded in C:\inetpub\wwwroot2\TheBackShed\forum\SearchForum.php on line 35

Hi Gizmo
i've seen that the forum is also available on .net, but the browser complains about a wrong SSL certificate.

Since your certificate is expiring on 31.12.2021 I' suggest that when you renew it you include as "subject alternative name" also 'thebackshed.net' and 'www.thebackshed.net'
.... or remove the latter domains pointers and replace them with a forwarder to the .com

  Gizmo said  

The code looks for any character over 127 ascii.

Finding a balance between a forum where users can post code, and a forum that wont let someone post code that breaks the forum, isn't easy.

I just spent almost half an hour trying to track down the source of a ">127 char" in a post I was attempting to make (with my non-existent Javascript skills).
I think the source of a lot of frustration is that in the MessageForm.js the error message "Only ASCII characters allowed in Message, no special characters ( emojis, etc )!" does not indicate where the problem lies. isASCII(PostMessageTxt) only returns true/false so the dialog does not know where the problem was.

Recommend fixing so that points the user in the right direction, maybe showing the last 16 chars before the problem one?

Or, what about simply replacing the problem chars (> 127) with a ~ (126 decimal) to allow easier fixing by the user (isASCII could replace them with ~, warn the user about invalid chars, then abort posting so user could return to textbox to examine/fix).

What also causes me problems is that sometimes I compose in a word processor then copy and paste into browser, which doesn't result in ASCII chars.
Edited 2021-12-12 13:41 by flasherror

Can you not right-click and "Paste as plain text"?
Both Windoze and Linux support doing that.  Not sure about MAC.
"Paste as plain text" removes any and all formatting and hidden special characters.
All you get is plain old ASCII text and no bells and whistles.
I use that form of pasting all the time for the same reasons as you - to strip out all the extra gunk, and only have the text by itself.

  Quote  

I just spent almost half an hour trying to track down the source of a ">127 char"

I offered a small utility to clean text files for posting but there has been little interest.


ClipClean.zip

Copy your text to the clipboard,
run ClipClean,
paste from the clipboard.

Jim

ClipClean  is very handy and would save a few clicks if not for Defender requiring permission to run it.
The method I have been using is to paste into Notepad then copy that to TBS.

While ClipClean sounds like a possible solution (I was thinking of coding something similar before I knew this existed), the real issue is that TBS "bad char" check code should be enhanced to notify where the bad chars and/or replace bad chars so make posting as easy as possible for the user (as mentioned in my post above).

Also, with Firefox there is no "paste as text" right click option.
Edited 2021-12-12 22:33 by flasherror

I'm going to see if I can fix this over the christmass break. The problem is allowing users to post code, while not letting them post code that may break the forum code.

Glenn

Glenn--while you're working on non-printable ascii, could you do two things for searching: 1) provide some indication that a search is ongoing after you click <Search>, and 2) increase the timeout time. I am again/still getting timeouts (10:32 EST searching for "fileview"--plus other recent searches).

One thing that is kind of an annoyance:
If I'm browsing a thread and then login, I should return to the thread I was viewing. Logging in and having to navigate to where you were is not ideal.

Also searching has been hit or miss for me, sometimes with keywords that should return results but don't.
Edited 2021-12-18 02:19 by flasherror

I don't want to seem like I'm complaining but I think this is a bug?

Try to attach the following link in a message, then attempt to open it:
https://www.thebackshed.com/docregister/Files/18/HC-12%20v2.3C.pdf

i.e. Hyperlinked below:

https://www.thebackshed.com/docregister/Files/18/HC-12%20v2.3C.pdf

Does the above work? (does the PDF open?)

Works for me.

Opens the HC12 datasheet in another window.

Ditto - in Opera

Yes worked fine for me, I use Linux Ubuntu 18.04 and Firefox browser.
Opened straight away
Pete

Hi Gizmo Glenn,

Small point. Noticed that the Forum local time is 5 mins slow.

Brian

Is it possible you can allow an exception to allow the symbols
UK pound symbol 163
Euro Symbol 128 (Can't remember if this is allowed already
apostrophe 146

as there are often so many problems when trying to write posts and these seem to be the 3 most common ones that the forum doesn't allow, not even in messages

I will email Gizmo about this and see what he says.

I've been looking into these non-standard characters and the fix involves telling the database to use UTF8mb4 encoding. Tried that, but the database server is a older version and doesn't support UTF8mb4, so I'll have to upgrade the server.

I'll get there.

Glenn

This is a test. £ “ ” ? ?
Edited 2022-03-30 18:25 by Gizmo