Playing with a forum chat counter, BUT ...

[Robin Garr]

The new feature near the top of the page that reads "Number of members chatting: ( number)" is a cool concept, and I hope we can make it work. It's a great way for someone to pop into chat, hope others notice that there's someone in the room, and an impromptu session forms.

But we MAY have a problem. It requires Java, and I'm finding that in one combination on one computer - Firefox 2 and Java Standard Eidtion 6, Version 1.6.0, build 1.6.0_01-b06), it makes the forum painfully slow while it waits for Java to load. Curiously, no other combination of browser and java around here has a similar effect.

Anyway, we're in beta/troubleshooting mode, and if it makes too many problems for too many people, we'll have to deep-six it. But I'd like to make it work, so if you have either trouble reports or suggestions, please let me know.

But if I am in there chatting all by myself, won't people think I am weird and cross the street just to get away from me!!??

Unsure if its related,but twice late this afternoon when trying to access forum page, I was at office on the backup computer (I often run two at once) and was accessing through AOL (yes, I have AOL, just a free account that I use for one mail account, and generally access wine stuiff from that computer). Twice the program (AOL embedded version of IE) shut down. Never happened before here (did for a while a few months ago with some MSN group sites). Haven't noticed a problem using regular IE

[Robin Garr]

Unsure if its related,but twice late this afternoon when trying to access forum page, ... Twice the program (AOL embedded version of IE) shut down.

Keep us posted, Dale. As I told you in E-mail, we'll regretfully deep-six it if it causes problems. I did find that my own problem vanished after I rebooted, so probably either my instance of Firefox or (more likely) Java became corrupted while I was fooling around with installation. It's operating normally now.

Some browser setups do require privacy settings be tweaked to work well with Java, so that might be an issue, although if you don't have it implemented, you should simply get a "you need java" message rather than anything as uncivilized as a shutdown.

[Robin Garr]

But if I am in there chatting all by myself, won't people think I am weird and cross the street just to get away from me!!??

Probably.

But if the thing works well, we're hoping that you won't be by yourself for long. Anyone who sees the "1" can click the link and join you. And if the number reads "5" or "12", it means there's a Virtual Party going on!

Sorry, where is this counter you are referring to??

Sorry, where is this counter you are referring to??

I see it on my screen, just below the line with "You have no new messages" and "Log Out."

I do not see any number below the line with now new messages and log out. I am using SubSilver if that makes a difference.

[James Roscoe]

I'm in the chatroom and the number hasn't changed. What's up? (It's 9:20EDT on 6-15-07)

You actually have to start chatting before the number pops up. Interesting.

[Robin Garr]

I'm in the chatroom and the number hasn't changed. What's up? (It's 9:20EDT on 6-15-07)

I think the system "checks" every few minutes, James, so there's some lag after a person arrives and also after a person leaves.

I see (1) up there now, so I guess it's you. I'll join you for a second ...

[Robin Garr]

I do not see any number below the line with now new messages and log out. I am using SubSilver if that makes a difference.

Bob, at this point, the counter is only in the default "skin," Softmetal. I hadn't really planned to put it anywhere but the default, but if it works out and proves to be popular, I'll probably get around to installing it on a couple of the others.

The way the forum software works, any kind of customization at all, small or large, has to be done separately for each "skin," and frankly, we don't always have the time to do that, particularly since records show that over 90 percent of forumites are using the default.

Robin,

I'll volunteer to take a look at the script if you tell me what you'd like me to look for / do to it.


Jeff

[Robin Garr]

I'll volunteer to take a look at the script if you tell me what you'd like me to look for / do to it.

Jeff, thanks, but I think all's well now. It turned out that a black-box java applet was available, and while it's minimally tweakable, there's no real challenge there.

You can look at it if you wish, by simply hitting "View Source" on any forum page and having a look at the script between the comment lines "Counter Code." As you'll see, though, there's not that much to it.

It would be a bit time-consuming to paste it into all the alternative "skins," but I expect I'll get around to it sooner or later.

Just FYI- still can't access through AOL. And periodically crashes IE 7 (Java 1.6, XP). I posted my notes, but when I hit reply button to Jenise's chard notes -bam! The AOL things is no big deal for me, but rest is a pain (and yes I've rebooted)

[Robin Garr]

Just FYI- still can't access through AOL. And periodically crashes IE 7 (Java 1.6, XP). I posted my notes, but when I hit reply button to Jenise's chard notes -bam! The AOL things is no big deal for me, but rest is a pain (and yes I've rebooted)

Ugh ... I was hoping this thing would be problem-free.

Dale, can you go to Internet Options in IE, click Security and then "Trusted Sites" and set http://www.wineloverspage.com as a trusted site? That may calm IE's jangled nerves ...

The counter is a bit slow. I went there a little while ago and the counter still displayed 0 for about 3 minutes until it went to 1, so I posted a reply to Jenise and saw it went to 2, but when I went there, Gary had come and gone already.

I even popped in for a minute

I shouted at you Ed, but you must have been napping.

[Robin Garr]

The counter is a bit slow. I went there a little while ago and the counter still displayed 0 for about 3 minutes until it went to 1, so I posted a reply to Jenise and saw it went to 2, but when I went there, Gary had come and gone already.

Howie, unfortunately there's no practical way around a little "latency." The counter checks the chat room frequently - seems like as often as once a minute or maybe two. But yes, it can be a few minutes before it catches up with the last person coming or going. Instant-read would require having it poll for data every few seconds, and unfortunately that would just be a huge resource hog.

This really works best to signal when a cluster of folks gather in chat, or if one person is sitting there with the chat room open, hoping others will notice and join in. It's less effective for quick meetings, unless you're in forum or E-mail contact with someone else and both agree to sign on.