Hi,

I know a mod is being developed to something along these lines, and I myself will probably install said mod or create my own to this affect, however, I think it should be a default feature included in 3.0.

I think there should be a way to see all previous versions of a post, every time a post is editted, a log should be made storing the previous post - or, to be really cool (for want of a better word) a similar function to the skin differences report, which shows the exact changed text.

There are several situations where this is useful (or necassary):

• Often, I find my mods warning a member because of something they have posted and editting the offending text out (rightly so) but if I have a problem with that member later, or the member complains that their post was not against the rules, I want to see their original post
• If a member reports a post that breaks the rules, and the staff then go to look at the post, and the post has nothing wrong with it, but we see the "editted by" line - then it is clear that the member has broken the rules, then editted their post. I don't know about other admins, but I would still like to see what the post said and deal with it accordingly. Currently, we have no way of knowing what that post said.
• If you have a pinned topic with rules, as many forums do, you might want to see all revisions that have been made to the rules. Especially when rule-breaking members say that the rule was not present when they broke it.

I'm sure you can think of more examples.

I would like to see this useful, and in some cases, needed feature, added in the next major upgrade.

Thanks :thumbsup:

I would really like this, for the reasons you stated.

+1 in my book.

I think there should be a way to see all previous versions of a post, every time a post is editted, a log should be made storing the previous post - or, to be really cool (for want of a better word) a similar function to the skin differences report, which shows the exact changed text.

This would indeed be nice, but I would like to extend that suggestion to have it keep a version only if a set number of changes are made. Such as one spelling fix might not save, but an word, sentence, or paragraph removal are. Else, the database would grow pretty quickly I would think.

This would consume massive amounts of storage - I know a site that has a 4 GB posts table. Imagine if every copy of every edited post was saved? It could easily be 20GB just for posts.

While it would be neat, I'm not so sure it's practical in 90% of situations.

This would consume massive amounts of storage - I know a site that has a 4 GB posts table. Imagine if every copy of every edited post was saved? It could easily be 20GB just for posts.

While it would be neat, I'm not so sure it's practical in 90% of situations.

You could always prune the logs.

But surely, if you don't allow editting and make users make one more post - it will consume the same space?
In fact, this could save space, as you wouldn't need all the other columns in the post table - you'd just need 5: id, date/time, before, after, edited by - or even cut it down to 4 - id, date/time, diff report, edited by

Besides, as stobbo said, edit logs are something you'd probably clear out every few months if you have that many people editting posts. Obviously, smaller boards would keep them for ages - but a simple task to clean them up for larger boards should overcome that problem.

Often, I find my mods warning a member because of something they have posted and editting the offending text out (rightly so) but if I have a problem with that member later, or the member complains that their post was not against the rules, I want to see their original post

You've probably promoted that moderator because you trusted him though, haven't you?

But surely, if you don't allow editting and make users make one more post - it will consume the same space?

In fact, this could save space, as you wouldn't need all the other columns in the post table - you'd just need 5: id, date/time, before, after, edited by - or even cut it down to 4 - id, date/time, diff report, edited by

Most of the space would be the text itself I imagine. Should all copies of the post be stored, or just the most recent one before the final post? If we're just talking about two copies, then once the member understands how the system works he'd edit twice to cover his tracks, or if it's more then it's practically a CVS.

Besides, as stobbo said, edit logs are something you'd probably clear out every few months if you have that many people editting posts. Obviously, smaller boards would keep them for ages - but a simple task to clean them up for larger boards should overcome that problem.

Perhaps it would create more problems than it solved. This sounds like a minimal problem, how much an admin trusts his mods in disputes with certain members, and could end up requiring much more database storage, more backup time, database sizes too big to restore in phpmyadmin and so on. Sounds like complete overkill to me.

I think you misunderstood me, it's not I don't trust my mods at all. The fact is that it is impossible to remember exactly what a post says unless you have a record of it. If another mod sees them breaking rules, they might want to see rules they've broken in past - all we have now is warn logs, which doesn't tell you exact info

Its a good suggestion, maybe the data can then be stored in a different sql altogether. So that if the admin want he can just delete info
without the actual forum getting affected.

I understand this could work if this was set this way or that way, and this condition was met.

The problem is from a development perspective you have to try to take all situations into account. Large customers wouldn't want to hear "it's ideal to prune it every week, and you shouldn't let members edit posts, and you should only retain one copy of each edited post, and...." - it would need to be configurable and expandable.

While it's a neat idea, I do think this would cause MUCH more support/technical problems than the solution itself is worth implemented on a global availability basis.

Make the Edit Logs have a turn off switch. Maybe a option for logging of certain usergroups only?

Brandon, with all due respect, it seems like you're trying to find reasons to not include features. Aren't developers suppose to add features? Of course this is a feature that would have an off swicth and be pruned - I have a 1 large forum and 1 very small - but even on the small one I wouldn't want to keep the logs forever.

I am looking at the 'security and privacy' setting group in the ACP - in which I see these settings which are there for use under specific conidtions:

• Allow dynamic images? - Obviously won't be enabled on large forums
• Allow flash movies in posts and avatars? - same as above
• Enable X_FORWARDED_FOR IP matching? - Only really used in intranet installations
• Match user's IP Address during session validation - Only really turned off in intranet installations
• Member's log in key: Expiration - depends on way server handles cookies
• Get notified when a new user registers via email? - obviously this is really only used on small boards
• Remove chr(0xCA) from input? - For forums with non-western character sets

There are loads more examples in other sets that will only "work if this was set this way or that way, and this condition was met."
That is basically what the 'Tools & Settings' section of the ACP is for!

The only technical problem you have produced is disk space. And other features have that problem in the software - sessions, search keys, the icons changing if a topic has been posted in (that's a big one) and loads more - they have been overcome with tasks, and I don't see why this, or any feature suggestion should be any different.

That mod, the one I made, I actually forgot to upgrade it to 2.2, its been on 2.1 for yonks, will upgrade tomorrow for you guys.

I could see it being useful as a feature, but yes it does top up very quickly. But for a weekly task, it should be fine. +1 :)

Bah, I decided not to even respond. :whistle:

^ 'cos you know I'm right :thumbsup:

Perhaps this is better suited for a mod. Useful for those with a particular interest in the feature, but something IPB can wash their hands off if it ends up creating problems they don't want to be bothered about fixing.

Perhaps this is better suited for a mod. Useful for those with a particular interest in the feature, but something IPB can wash their hands off if it ends up creating problems they don't want to be bothered about fixing.

:thumbsup:

I do not cherish adding features that the technicians are going to later scream at me for having to support - eventually those tickets get escalated to me, increasing my (ever-so-weighted already) work load as well.

Neat mod, I'd say, something I'd probably even use on a personal site. But from a business perspective, I smell disaster waiting to happen if we have to support something like this officially...

not to rehash whats already been said but if you implimented a system that:

off by default
store for X days option
prune functions (x days, latest X for size Y etc)
store diff() info, not the full post

that alone would eliminate a lot of issues. No reason not to officially support it.


better idea/annother option would be a special "trash bin" called the "mod bin"

this would be visable to only mods and admins, and would automatically store
1. posts where a member was warned
2. posts where the post was reported

as those are the two main issues. Options in CP just like for trash, with option to delete automatically after 0->infinite days
most edits are not issues. Reported posts get changed (confusingly so some times) and warn logs refer too vaguely often times.
This deals with both issues.

i had more to say but i forget.. its 2 am

not to rehash whats already been said but if you implimented a system that:

off by default

store for X days option

prune functions (x days, latest X for size Y etc)

store diff() info, not the full post

that alone would eliminate a lot of issues. No reason not to officially support it.

better idea/annother option would be a special "trash bin" called the "mod bin"

this would be visable to only mods and admins, and would automatically store

1. posts where a member was warned

2. posts where the post was reported

as those are the two main issues. Options in CP just like for trash, with option to delete automatically after 0->infinite days

most edits are not issues. Reported posts get changed (confusingly so some times) and warn logs refer too vaguely often times.

This deals with both issues.

i had more to say but i forget.. its 2 am

Yes, and those options properly configured would work fine on most sites I'd bet.

But as soon as one of our lovely 3 million post sites enables the feature, sets it to not prune the logs at all, and allows all their members to edit posts indefinitely - a week or two and the table will grow exponentially.

Brandon, while I appreciate you probably do know what you're talking about better than anyone else - I think holding off a feature which you yourself said would be good, and you yourself would use just for the minority of sites is a bit silly, especially as admins of said sites would probably have some knowledge of how databases work and would not have the idiocy to "enables the feature, sets it to not prune the logs at all, and allows all their members to edit posts indefinitely" - honestyly, how many of your clients have 3 million posts and that level of techinical knowledge?
And even if so, how long does it take tech support to say "disable edit logs." ?

Hi,

I know a mod is being developed to something along these lines, and I myself will probably install said mod or create my own to this affect, however, I think it should be a default feature included in 3.0.

I think there should be a way to see all previous versions of a post, every time a post is editted, a log should be made storing the previous post - or, to be really cool (for want of a better word) a similar function to the skin differences report, which shows the exact changed text.

There are several situations where this is useful (or necassary):

• Often, I find my mods warning a member because of something they have posted and editting the offending text out (rightly so) but if I have a problem with that member later, or the member complains that their post was not against the rules, I want to see their original post
• If a member reports a post that breaks the rules, and the staff then go to look at the post, and the post has nothing wrong with it, but we see the "editted by" line - then it is clear that the member has broken the rules, then editted their post. I don't know about other admins, but I would still like to see what the post said and deal with it accordingly. Currently, we have no way of knowing what that post said.
• If you have a pinned topic with rules, as many forums do, you might want to see all revisions that have been made to the rules. Especially when rule-breaking members say that the rule was not present when they broke it.

I'm sure you can think of more examples.

I would like to see this useful, and in some cases, needed feature, added in the next major upgrade.

Thanks :thumbsup:

This would consume massive amounts of storage. Indeed, I think that it won't help us (the customers) ,by the way there is another option. To create this modification for:

1. User(s) they have more than 4 GB storage. (---)
2. User(s) they have under 4 GB storage. (---)

Notification: I'm not sure if my opinion would be create something further.

P.S.

Inessential ummmm... not absolutely necessary

This would consume massive amounts of storage - I know a site that has a 4 GB posts table. Imagine if every copy of every edited post was saved? It could easily be 20GB just for posts.

While it would be neat, I'm not so sure it's practical in 90% of situations.

Right !

you could agrue that the trash can shouldnt exist for those same idiot customers who cant manage their 3 million post forums because they dont realize it isnt deleted. Its the exact same argument.


Slightly off topic

professor, i believe you said "Aren't developers suppose to add features?" I would say no. Just like some one making a movie, the developers are chosen because they know what not to add, and what to remove so that the finished product can shine.

Ironic maybe i would argue that point, given my stance on the topic at hand.

Well to some extent the statement is true, if they didn't add any features each release would be the same. But I agree with and understand what you're saying

Well to some extent the statement is true, if they didn't add any features each release would be the same. But I agree with and understand what you're saying

I don't know if this was said, but what about having the option to enable it? EX:

Enable Edit Logs: Yes No Simple as that. :)

I would use it greatly. It would be nice to be able to restore the original post too.

It's nice that 3.0 is going to include like no new features being as every feature is shot down and should "be a mod" which is a horrible idea unless mods work like components in the future (NO edits!)