HeliTown' FORUM Suggestion Box [Archive]

08-13-2006, 05:35 PM

We want to build the forum the way you all want it build so that we can call it home here at HeliTown for your RC helicopter hobby. So if you have any suggestion or comments on how to make this forum better, please drop us a line. We will read each suggestion and comment carefully.

channel82

07-22-2007, 02:49 PM

One suggestion I have is for an online chat option if the forum is able to host it ? and has anyone else suggested the idea.

Iain

The Broker

07-22-2007, 11:03 PM

This has been suggested before Ian and it was decided that since most members have MSN and chat via that it was not thought to be of practical use. Do you use MSN Ian.

G-MRM

07-23-2007, 04:36 AM

Iain uses MSN as I chat to him on it !!

Martin

The Broker

07-23-2007, 05:12 AM

Ian pm me your MSN will you.......I find it an invalueable way of leaving messages in fact my friend Sue and I leave messages quite a lot cos I don't have time in the evening to go online much as I get home very late, although we sometimes are chatting at gone midnight lol lol

DarkHorse

07-23-2007, 10:12 AM

When using view 'New Posts', can we have previously visited posts change colour instead of disappearing from the list. Or am I missing a trick somewhere?

admin

07-23-2007, 08:20 PM

Hi DarkHorse,
From "New Post", once you visited it, it is gone as it is no longer a new post. However, it still shows in "Latest Post" box at the bottom of the forum if you want to find it again.

DarkHorse

07-24-2007, 12:58 AM

Ah right, I would prefer different read post handling but I can live with that ;). thanks.

basic

07-28-2007, 02:13 PM

i had suggested the chat thing before, it would be nice. i have MSN and Y! but i don't know any other forum members info. if anyone wants to chat, my info is on profile.

swatson144

07-29-2007, 11:52 AM

When using view 'New Posts', can we have previously visited posts change colour instead of disappearing from the list. Or am I missing a trick somewhere?

I just right click and open in new window, deal with the message and close it. Right back to the new messes and r click the next. To the end.

I'm trying to find away to "catchup" on the forum. My reading is up to date but the forum assumes I haven't read any of the migrated messages so the nifty status icons are meaningless. Unless I'm missing something.

Steve

eddiemoth

07-29-2007, 01:16 PM

Hi Steve, there is a Mark Forums Read at the bottom of the forun index. I used to clear all the unread threads from the old forum and started. They don't show up for my New Posts any more.

swatson144

07-29-2007, 02:15 PM

Nor mine now so the status Icons means something instead of telling me that all topics have unread posts. Thanks! much better.

Steve

swatson144

09-28-2007, 04:25 AM

Is there any way we can get the minimum characters in the search set from 4 to 3. IE go search for CP2, BPE, CX2, BCP, R50, 22E, etc and you are told "not enough characters" > 4 letters would be a good default for most forums but 3 letters can describe a whole heli around here.

It might slow down all searches but by how much? If it's not terribly bad I think it'd be worth it, so people can find info.

Steve

Eagle513

09-28-2007, 07:05 AM

Just a thought some of the other forums I have been on have the view first unread link next to the link into the thread, it takes out one more click to get to it and although it may sound like a lot of work to add it in to a new spot it really speeds up those days when you have been gone for a few and want to catch up.

Just a helpful suggestion I hope.

-Dyami

admin

09-29-2007, 11:14 AM

admin

09-29-2007, 11:17 AM

eddiemoth

09-30-2007, 04:33 PM

Hi Steve, the search criteria has been changed form 4 characters to 3 now. I did the test and it seems to be working fine. Going to smaller than three may cause server overload as our forum database now is bigger than when we were at the old forum. Great suggestion!

swatson144

09-30-2007, 04:44 PM

Way cool! that will make it sooo much easier to find threads I know were posted earlier and would answer a Q perfectly.

I see no reason to go to lower letter count as I cant think of many 2 letter heli designations except H2. If 3 becomes a problem we could probably put them in parens "cp2" ??

Steve

BTW if you go to latest posts and click on the subject it does take you to the last unread.

Eagle513

10-02-2007, 06:16 AM

The forum that I had seen with the view first unread where I was talking about reformatted and is no longer there, so I am using a picture of the screen with an arrow to show where I was talking about.

I hope this helps be a little more clear :)

There is an arrow that says "here" it is with the page number links. By putting the "View First Unread" link with those it is faster to go the the first unread by a full page of loading. For people with slower connections it means they can get to the link a page earlier. That should save a little loading time.

Eagle513

10-02-2007, 06:29 AM

One more suggestion for saving time in navigation of the site would be to copy the forum links (Highlighted in red) to the bottom of the page.

If they were copied to just below "quick reply" link at the bottom of the thread then you don't have to scroll all the way back to the top of the page to go back one thread or use the back button. This allows you to go back one page and allow the page to reload showing any new posts to it.

There are two blocks highlighted in red really the smaller box would be all that is needed but the entire thing would be handy at the bottom of the page as well.

eddiemoth

10-02-2007, 08:16 PM

Thanks agle513 for the great suggestions. Both of the suggestions require php code changes to the forum template. Since modifying original codes or templates may cause incompatibility issues later when we need to upgrade the forum software with a new version, I'll pass your suggestions on to the developer. So they can either include them in the new version or someone can program the codes and get them approved by the developer so the mods will be taken into consideration when they program future version. I'll also keep looking. There might be approved mods out there that can serve the purposes.

Eagle513

10-03-2007, 05:28 AM

Sounds good to me. I think they would make it a bit faster for navigation. I know not everyone has blazing fast internet and it may help. Good luck with getting developers to change though. I hope they take it into consideration.

mtpenguin

12-18-2007, 02:04 PM

I don't know if it has been suggested before, but instead of having the popup from acronyms provide a link to a new page with the definition, have the definition right there.

If it has been suggested before, take this as my seconding the motion....

You already have everything you need, just eliminate some code. The same query that finds the proper link could return the links contents instead.

Please. It is annoying to have to go (and wait) for a separate page to load to get the definition of a word in a paragraph your reading, and then have to go back to the page that your were at to begin with, and find your place.

Thanks

B-)

cmktech

12-31-2007, 06:33 PM

I agree with the acronym idea.

When I first started browsing this forum (not too long ago) I found it a bit tedious to have to click it and view the definition in another window.

Also, maybe make a link on the side with a reference page to all the acronyms.

swatson144

12-31-2007, 07:15 PM

I also think it would be neat to pass the courser over a glossary link and see a balloon with the definition. Alas we are a bunch of heli flying people and not a coder amongst us. Thus we tend to tread lightly lest it adversely affects anyone's air time.

OTOH it soon becomes moot as one starts to hablo the vernacular. In fact it's pretty rare that anything even gets added to the Glossary (linked at the top of page). Pretty quick you know that the KV of the BL motor affects the HS of the CP and even FP helis...etc

Admin is quick to implement changes and hopefully the developer will add the changes to the templates. We can't be the only folks wise enough to see the need.

Steve

cmktech

12-31-2007, 10:56 PM

I am definitely a noob because that post had some 'foreign' language in it.

mtpenguin

01-01-2008, 01:12 PM

I'd be happy to help with the coding. Seems it would be pretty straight forward. I've seen the forum format on other sites.... I'd assume it is an open source forum template?

Anyway, happy to help if needed.

B-)

admin

01-01-2008, 02:02 PM

I just want to make sure I understand what you are suggesting. When you said "acronyms" do you mean our glossary like the one we have here (http://www.rchelicoptertown.com/forum/glossary.php?do=listglossary&c=1)?

The suggestion is great. I'll check the VB site to see if there is a mod already. If not, we'll see if we can work with you to get the glossy php/my sql codes change to return the definition instead of the link. These changes are not done in the template but php programming and mysql query codes. The glossary is a mod done by someone and it was approved by VB to use. I'll check to see if the owner is willing to allow us change his codes. We have a test forum which we can do the testing if we have the expertise. I'll keep you all posted.

I don't know if it has been suggested before, but instead of having the popup from acronyms provide a link to a new page with the definition, have the definition right there.

If it has been suggested before, take this as my seconding the motion....

You already have everything you need, just eliminate some code. The same query that finds the proper link could return the links contents instead.

Please. It is annoying to have to go (and wait) for a separate page to load to get the definition of a word in a paragraph your reading, and then have to go back to the page that your were at to begin with, and find your place.

Thanks

B-)

admin

01-01-2008, 02:04 PM

...
Also, maybe make a link on the side with a reference page to all the acronyms.

Did you mean adding a link to the glossy in the Site Navigation block? Let me know. That is easy to do.

cmktech

01-01-2008, 04:55 PM

Did you mean adding a link to the glossy in the Site Navigation block? Let me know. That is easy to do.

Yes that is what I meant. It would be VERY helpful and useful for beginners like me. :D

admin

01-01-2008, 06:04 PM

Glossary has been added to the Site Navigation block. Thanks cmktech for your suggestion.
Thanks

admin

01-01-2008, 08:36 PM

There are some hopes for pop-up glossary definition window. The glossary mod developer has created this function in his new version but the version is not yet stable. People using it are having problems and he has been putting this mod on hold for another mod. So I'll test and install the new version which include the pop-up glossary windows for term definition when the new version is stabilized. I am now watching this mod (http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=132632).

mtpenguin

02-27-2008, 03:41 PM

I'd like to see a new topic dedicated to autonomous flight. I was going to start a thread, but I think it is worth a topic. I am starting to investigate autonomous flight and auto-pilot for model helicopters. Like the professor that is using coaxials and gumstix for an autonomous swarm. Pretty neat stuff. I'm looking into PIC chips and accelerometers and gps boards. I'd like to know if anyone has done any research to date, or is interested in development. There are open-source Flight Simulators that have auto-pilots for the helicopters. The first thing is to find out what information the heli needs to provide the auto-pilot aside from position. Anyway, with out getting too much into it in this request, what do you think?

B=)

admin

02-27-2008, 07:46 PM

mtpenguin, great idea!
Would you see it fit in the Other Hobby or Other Non-RC Hobby forum (in Other Hobby Center)? If yes, please feel free to create threads in there. Once there are discussions, we can always create a forum it. Let me know if that is OK.

mtpenguin

03-18-2008, 02:02 PM

Can we add the Blade 400 3D yet to the forum description list for 450 size electrics???

huh, huh, can we? huh, huh?

LOL

And since I started the Raptor V2 owners thread, and now find out I have a Titan, and it is *NOT* the same thing as the V2, could / should you edit that threads title?

B-)

Razor_Racer

03-19-2008, 12:04 PM

I would like to see less stickys in some forum. It gets kind of annoying having to scroll down a page of stickys to see the real posts. I dont really see a need to sticky all the owners threads :?

ranger306ci

03-19-2008, 12:39 PM

Could we have more stickys please? :)

estarter

03-19-2008, 12:59 PM

The admin should consolidate some of the stickies specially the empty one.

Firadiz

03-19-2008, 04:20 PM

Is the Gallery for thumbnails that we had posted in our posts? If so, is that updated regularly? The reason I ask is that I have seen a post a couple of months ago with Pics and can't remember the post, but remember the Pic and who posted it, but can't find the post because I did not post a response.

swatson144

03-19-2008, 04:53 PM

The stickies serve the purpose of keeping the heli owners threads up top. Some of them don't receive any posts for a while and would be burried. I don't see any place that there is a over abundance. Most are about 1/2 page. It is a good point on the MT ones though. In essence the stickies keep you from having to scroll through many more posts asking Qs about helis you have no interest in.

Firadiz, use the search function man. Go to advanced and you can choose the user name, and add the text to search on (be sure to search bodies).

Steve

admin

03-19-2008, 08:55 PM

I have great confidence in and trust our Tech Support Team and Steve. So I'll let them decide on the sticky matter. Steve is the lead of Tech Support team and he is also a moderator so he has all the security level to stick and unstick any thread on the forums.
Thanks

swatson144

03-20-2008, 04:16 AM

It sounds like Admin gave me the knod so I'll start running down the list and unsticking the 0 reply stickies. Anyone turns up with a different heli and makes a significant thread we'll just sticky it later. In the mean time they'll be out of the way.

Steve

Firadiz

04-13-2008, 03:37 AM

Hey Admin,

Swatson came up with this word and was wondering if we can add it to the Helitown Glossary. The word is "Chipping" meaning "jonesing to fly" It applies to when you haven't flown in a couple of days and you're having withdraws and are craving a flight. I think it is a great word in context especially since this hobby is very addicting.lol
Great Job, Steve:D.