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Cookies? the computer kind--Brian?

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  • Cookies? the computer kind--Brian?

    I'm guessing the cookies for the forum are messed up somehow, which is causing some problems like showing a billion people logged on forever, and trouble figuring out what post in the thread you last read.

    Just wondering if there's a plan to try to get it working right eventually? I know there's a lot to do, I don't want to be a pest...but this seems to be the only thing about the forum update that's causing problems for me and a few others.
    My fabulous web page

    "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

  • #2
    We are working on the issue, although we believe that it is not just a cookie issue, but a setting issue that VBulletin has. We're working on it, and will keep you posted. You are not being a pest.

    Questions like this, or bringing issues to our attention is welcomed. Bitching about them, knowing that we are working on them, is annoying. You are not bitching Squirrel, so thank you.
    "A cross thread is better than a lock washer." Earl Lanning...My Grandpa

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    • #3
      Those many supposed 'logged in' peeps are, what I think for the most of them, just "trying-to-be spammers".

      If you look at the memberslist sorted by 'Join date', you'll a lot of 'fake' users which are new user-registrations made by spam-bots, trying to spew their crap on the forum or filling in a spam-site in their profile's 'website'-field. I see a lot this also on my own forums.
      This forum seems to be able to stop them from posting alright, but their registrations (and counted 'online-visits') still come through.



      I think that explains (a part) of the 'many' users online statistics.
      Last edited by BigBlockMopar; April 27, 2011, 01:36 AM.
      www.BigBlockMopar.com

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      • #4
        We've got the bots figured out and are making subtle changes a little at a time to make sure it doesn't screw anything else up.

        It isn't cookies that is the problem. We've also found that the amount of time that you are allowed to stay logged in has a direct link to the number of users it shows online.

        Basically it works like this...

        The number of people logged in is over a period of time we can set, say 1 hour. It will count everyone that has been on in the last hour, regardless of whether they are still on this minute. We can change this, but it is also linked to how long you stay logged in without being "active" in the forum. So if the setting is one hour, you will be logged off after doing nothing for one hour. We can't make it so the two aren't linked.

        So the shorter we make the time that tells the number of folks online, the less time you can go without getting logged off. We are thinking that getting logged off is more annoying to you guys, so we are probably going to err on the side of less annoying rather than accurate numbers. This is a normal Vbulletin thing, not just us. Which is why some other forums you go to seem so big when in fact they are not. Weird I know, but it is what it is.
        "A cross thread is better than a lock washer." Earl Lanning...My Grandpa

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        • #5
          I haven't had any logout issues after checking the "keep me logged in" box. Wouldn't that be cookie related? I guess what I'm getting at, is if the cookie remembers that is checked, it won't make me re-enter my name/password when I come back, even after an hour, so the timer could be kicked back down to 15 minutes Your call though, plus I guess other browsers (IE8&9 here) behave differently.
          Escaped on a technicality.

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          • #6
            We made a change to it this morning really early that set it at 30 minutes. It might log you out if you leave and aren't on the forums for more than 30 minutes. If it does, we'll be changing it back to a longer time period tonight. Just keep us posted. Can't change it until late tonight or early tomorrow, but we will if it is a problem.
            "A cross thread is better than a lock washer." Earl Lanning...My Grandpa

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            • #7
              I think the timer is related to the 'session'-time a user is 'active' on the forum. Not if he's logged in or out.
              After an hour of non-activity, the forum thinks you're gone away and will expire your session.
              On the (phpbb) forums I'm running, this time is set at 5 minutes. So after five minutes of inactivity (no-clicks) your username will be dropped from the 'online-listing'.
              Upon a next visit off the site, the 'cookie' will remember your status (online/offline).
              If the cookie has been corrupted in any way, or the change in forum-software, it might be possible you'll get the issues with being logged out after an hour of inactivity.

              The first thing I did when I noticed the forum-software had been changed, was to delete the BangShift-cookie(s) in my browser, as I've had these issues before with other forums.
              www.BigBlockMopar.com

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              • #8
                BBM, if I'm understanding you, it's possible forum changes, particularly ones that rely on cookie information, might be reading older cookies wrong or might be corrupting older cookies by trying to write new information to them(updating) as opposed to overwriting them? Which would likely create weird behavior.
                Escaped on a technicality.

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                • #9
                  if you use the "keep me loged in " button... it only log you out if you go 30 minutes doing nothing..
                  and then all you do is click bangshift that 99% have in their favorates list.. and it brings you right back.. no type'n in screen name or password.. if you don't use the "keep me logged in" or "remember me"
                  then it be a pain. easy way around that is click something within that 30 minutes..
                  most boards (encluding the old one) it was 15 minutes ..
                  if you're not clicking on something for over 30 minutes, and it bumps you, clicking your favorates button is as easy as clicking the refresh button on your broser
                  cause if you haven't clicked on anything within a 30 minute period, you weren't really here anyways..

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                  • #10
                    With an exception of a quirk of looking at and wanting to comment on a blog then go to the forum logging me out, I never had a "being logged out" issue, especially after time. I often leave the browser open for hours on end with no activity (before AND after the update), and when I click on the "home" or "recent posts" links they work and I'm still logged in. This is on multiple computers even.
                    Escaped on a technicality.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by TheSilverBuick View Post
                      With an exception of a quirk of looking at and wanting to comment on a blog then go to the forum logging me out, I never had a "being logged out" issue, especially after time. I often leave the browser open for hours on end with no activity (before AND after the update), and when I click on the "home" or "recent posts" links they work and I'm still logged in. This is on multiple computers even.
                      x2
                      only computer I had ussie with is the desk top as that one is set for no cookies,
                      as that is used only for bills and taxes..
                      but all the rest, I never get logged off/out

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                      • #12
                        It looks like it's working better. I was gone on a robot trip for most of last week, so I didn't have much of a chance to visit here. But now it looks like the problem I was seeing is fixed....thanks for the info and the hard work Chad!
                        My fabulous web page

                        "If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurk

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