18 replies to this topic

[Mastermind]

I'm considering as part of the migration to IPB 2.1 spending some time condensing the database a bit. Essentially, what I'd be doing is compacting all of the forum id's so they are all sequential again, so we aren't at forum #850 with only 400 or so forums. There are some issues, as it would break links to existing forums, but I want to see what people think of the idea. Something else that MAY be possible is creating aliases for forums, so rather than linking to some number you link to a name such as gendev, or whatever you'd prefer for your forum. If people are interested in that, I can look into creating the mod for it. If you think that changing the database is a bad idea, please also let me know.

[Beowulf]

Wouldn't it be more trouble than it's worth?

It's a nice idea but it doesn't seem like it'd be all that useful. Compacting I mean, aliases would be a great idea.

Edited by Fenring, 22 October 2005 - 09:50 PM.

[Mastermind]

Well, either way, the entire news system has to be redone. The question is whether it's worth the pain to get nice low numbered forums again to go through the effort. There may be a few other things I'd be doing with the database at the same time, so this would be tacked on at the end to speak.

[Detail]

considering

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You have not told us any advantages to doing this?
Maybe if you told us a reason for doing this. Else everyone will say:

Wouldn't it be more trouble than it's worth?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Mastermind]

The only real advantage is that all of the forums will be in a nice contiguous block starting at 1 going to whatever the current number is, rather than having a bunch missing that have been deleted over time. There is not much real advantage to it other than neatness and orderliness (MySQL doesn't care). It's just something that can be done when we convert because we'll be redoing a lot of stuff either way.

[Detail]

If there is no advantage and it would just make loads of "Sorry but the link which brought you here is out of date", it may be best un-condensed.

[Tree]

I think the cons outweigh the pros on this one. Just having sequential numbers for the sake of sequintilality (word?) doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Since MySQL doesn't care where or what the data is, leave it as is. Plus, something could go wrong, then you don't have a DB at all...

Bottom line: Leave it.

Edited by Tree, 23 October 2005 - 12:11 AM.

[Mastermind]

I would only be working on a copy of the database. I almost never work directly on the database. I'm not that stupid.

That said, you are probably right about it not really being worth the hassle to condense the forum id's. It's just something that would be nice, as I think we'll be breaking into 4 digit forum numbers pretty soon, yet we have less than 400 actual forums.

[Banshee]

MM, it's not worth the problem. Better having 4 digit forums with about 500 forums than having a bunch of broken links around most of the network sites because forums and posts changed their address.

[Tom]

It really isn't worth it, it would take alot of updating and too much effort just for something that isn't going to make a real physical change anyway. All the links would be broken on peoples sites and bookmarks, so it would be extremely irritating.

[Detail]

Lots of echos in here. Too many people saying what the person before said.

Moving on..

Something else that MAY be possible is creating aliases for forums, so rather than linking to some number you link to a name such as gendev, or whatever you'd prefer for your forum. If people are interested in that, I can look into creating the mod for it.

Would it be like http://forums.revora.net/acidvat ?
Could be handy. Make links look better.

I think ArmEnt had something like that.

[Banshee]

Yea, aliases for forums are a nice idea.

[Blodo]

Aliases for forums will cause broken links anyway...

[Mastermind]

Why's that? The old links would still work. The aliasing would just be a redirect, or something similar to that.

[Tom]

I agree with the aliasing, if it masks the member number it would be better imo.

[Tree]

Aliasing would be cool, not sure how much work that would be...

[GiantTalos]

Is an upgrade to 2.1 really necessary? I mean, only a few changes are made because it is still version 2. I never knew that converting from 2.0 to 2.1 was so much trouble. I once converted my database from 1.3 to 2.1 and it went all good, I lost nothing. So what is exactly the problem?

[dancam]

We are implementing our hostee news script into the programming of the forum. We currently have this installed on the current forum, and we're waiting for Mastermind to finalise testing before we install 2.1. 2.1 is integral because of the sub-category mod we intend on installing, which will enable us to far effectively organise the forums, in particular, those of our network hubs.

[TankBuster]

Is an upgrade to 2.1 really necessary? I mean, only a few changes are made because it is still version 2. I never knew that converting from 2.0 to 2.1 was so much trouble. I once converted my database from 1.3 to 2.1 and it went all good, I lost nothing. So what is exactly the problem?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's ALOT of changes in 2.1.x than 2.0.x.

I have a 2.1.x board and I have worked with a 2.0.x, Big differences. Converting isnt a trouble, MM just wants to tidy it up in a way and have it so on some forums instead of the link being a number to be a word like "acidvat".