Probably bug, missing skin menu for guests - v.4.7.15 and 4.7.16

[Adlago]

Quite often in my work I use a menu skin for guests - ie. enable new theme and guest permission to monitor and analyze changes I make.
Already in version 4.7.15 I noticed it, but even now in 4.7.16 it exists.
Now I have enabled guest permission on old theme.
Here's what I get - I've purposely included an original IPS theme:

For all other groups of users - no issue.

Is this just in my installation or...?

[Jim M]

You will need to ensure that you accept cookies as the theme selection is handled by a cookie.

[Adlago]

2 minutes ago, Jim M said:

You will need to ensure that you accept cookies as the theme selection is handled by a cookie.

[Jim M]

2 minutes ago, Adlago said:

On your website, not in your browser. As seen in your screenshot in your original post, you have not:

[Adlago]

8 minutes ago, Jim M said:

On your website, not in your browser. As seen in your screenshot in your original post, you have not:

Yes, by accepting cookies, it works...
But I always test without accepting cookies...until previous version 4.7.15 - and it didn't have this issue. Many times as a guest I have parsed the css of a guest post - about the cookies…
Now there is no way to do this, except in dev mode of the browser to delete hidden in code. - then it becomes visible - but it is very inconvenient for any analysis of this message..

[Jim M]

5 minutes ago, Adlago said:

Yes, by accepting cookies, it works...
But I always test without accepting cookies...until previous version 4.7.15 - and it didn't have this issue. Many times as a guest I have parsed the css of a guest post - about the cookies…
Now there is no way to do this, except in dev mode of the browser to delete hidden in code. - then it becomes visible - but it is very inconvenient for any analysis of this message..

Simply because you have done something in the past, does not mean that it will change, I'm afraid. The user will have to accept unnecessary cookies before we can put an unnecessary cookie on their device.

[Adlago]

2 minutes ago, Jim M said:

Simply because you have done something in the past, does not mean that it will change, I'm afraid. The user will have to accept unnecessary cookies before we can put an unnecessary cookie on their device.

I agree with that, but please explain how an admin can change, for example, the css of this message for different devices, since as a guest he won't see it in a newly developed theme. And if it accepts cookies, it won't see a message…
I understand the reasoning behind for guest cookies - but what does the administrator do in this case? Does he have to constantly search for code and remove "hidden" ones so he can prepare a new theme for his users?

[Jim M]

2 minutes ago, Adlago said:

I agree with that, but please explain how an admin can change, for example, the css of this message for different devices, since as a guest he won't see it in a newly developed theme. And if it accepts cookies, it won't see a message…
I understand the reasoning behind for guest cookies - but what does the administrator do in this case? Does he have to constantly search for code and remove "hidden" ones so he can prepare a new theme for his users?

You would need to set your theme as the default theme. Theme'ing should not be done on a production installation so that you can set things like this as needed to style your theme.

[Adlago]

Ok, another situation - a working site with many active users - and issues with this message.
You work as an administrator invited to the service - and you are looking for an issue. You should include an original ips theme for comparison - looking for the error in the client's theme.
Well, what would you do - since this menu does not work with an active message?

[Jim M]

10 minutes ago, Adlago said:

Ok, another situation - a working site with many active users - and issues with this message.
You work as an administrator invited to the service - and you are looking for an issue. You should include an original ips theme for comparison - looking for the error in the client's theme.
Well, what would you do - since this menu does not work with an active message?

Just like anything in our software, we cannot provide a solution for every individual or edge-case scenario one will encounter. We can only do what's right for our customers, in this case, not apply an unnecessary cookie until a user accepts that.

As a theme author, it is your responsibility to work with your client to get the theme in an environment that you can review the issue. Whether that's duplicating the environment to a test, exporting the theme, setting up a window to test, etc.. etc... 

[Adlago]

1 minute ago, Jim M said:

Just like anything in our software, we cannot provide a solution for every individual or edge-case scenario one will encounter. We can only do what's right for our customers, in this case, not apply an unnecessary cookie until a user accepts that.

As a theme author, it is your responsibility to work with your client to get the theme in an environment that you can review the issue. Whether that's duplicating the environment to a test, exporting the theme, setting up a window to test, etc.. etc... 

Ever since 4.0.0 - this up to 4.7.14 (for the latter I'm guessing, but I think it worked) - no one has had an issue with this cookie...
And that's 9 years...
Which made it necessary to remove it in the latest versions?
In fact, in the old versions, cookies are the same as the ones I took a picture of above and sent you... But in the old versions, this guest skin menu worked perfectly...

[Jim M]

Necessary vs. Unnecessary cookies are a compliance change in how the world is handling them now. Features will not stay the same over the span of our product line 😉 .

We have strayed far away from the support side of the topic now so I will close it. If you would like to see a change, please create a topic in the Feedback forum.