New Forum Theme...

BB.
BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
Everyone,

Our hosts at Northern Arizona Wind & Sun (Rick and David), have updated the forum theme to follow the new NAWS Store Theme.

http://solar-electric.com/ (our host's web store with new theme).

Please let us know how this is working out for your (reading/posting/etc.) by replying to this discussion (aka "thread").

-Bill
Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset

Comments

  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    When I go to "new discussions", the the unread and the read look all the same... actually, unread is bold, but not very bold... hard to distinguish on my laptop computer.  Before this new theme, the unreads were a different color.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2016 #3
    Ditto what vtMaps said.  The unread threads do not stand out, and I was about to lambast the web weenie on the SW thread, but I can do it here just as well.  
     They should have changed the store to match the forums, instead of alienating all the forum users and making us look up how to re-adjust the colors to something usable.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    edited July 2016 #4
    They want our feedback. I have the same problems with my laptop, but others with desk top computers have plenty of contrast.

    There are, at least, three of us with poor contrast issues.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • DLwindsun
    DLwindsun Administrators Posts: 34 admin
    We will have the developers read this thread so they can get your feedback.  Our goal is to ultimately make the forum as user friendly as possible. It does not need to mimic the store website. We just needed a place to start.  We will take all your feedback and suggestions seriously.  Thank you very much.
  • Mountain Don
    Mountain Don Solar Expert Posts: 494 ✭✭✭
    At first I thought it was broken or something... but then I noticed the "new" icon on any newly replied to topic. Maybe just a matter of getting used to it, though most forums do have a noticeable color change for the newest replies.

    A little more contrast of the area outlining the leave a comment field would be nice. Depending on the tilt of the display it can be very difficult to find the field when I want to leave a comment. 

    I do like the store appearance. 
    Northern NM, 624 watts PV, The Kid CC, GC-2 batteries @ 24 VDC, Outback VFX3524M
  • littleharbor2
    littleharbor2 Solar Expert Posts: 2,095 ✭✭✭✭✭
    As Mountain Don said, tilt your screen, contrast should get better. At least laptop screens ARE tiltable.  Seems like all your favorite internet sites make changes/updates on an ongoing basis which require us to get used to. No fun readjusting.

    2.1 Kw Suntech 175 mono, Classic 200, Trace SW 4024 ( 15 years old  but brand new out of sealed factory box Jan. 2015), Bogart Tri-metric,  460 Ah. 24 volt LiFePo4 battery bank. Plenty of Baja Sea of Cortez sunshine.

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    edited July 2016 #8
    For me, there is the "darker background" (above example of "framed" posts) and the below example of "framed edit box". The framed posts are the "minimum" dark/contrast that I would suggest. The below framed text box is too light (on my LCD laptop monitor).



    I would suggest "darkening" the white space background for the forum... (or under-lay a nice Flagstaff bluffs image as base background--That would be very nice--Bluffs background "fixed", let rest of forum scroll as normal over background).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    Note: I have put in as a "Bug Fix" that "NEW X" does not show on discussions (threads) that have not been opened before (however, any new comment to an existing discussion does show "NEW X").

    See what happens.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    Got the answer from Vanilla,... This is a "feature" (intended function), not a bug...

    For now, I will focus on the theme colors to better highlight the "new" discussions.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    BILL,  notice that after ''mark all read'' is used the background of all threads goes light gray making one think they have not been read, Ii think the old version went to white...??
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    Need to make the background contrast higher... As I recall, the "Not Read" discussions (threads) are "white background".

    The Read Discussions are (supposed to be) darker background (presently, too light of background for some of use using LCD laptop displays to see).

    Monday, I will ask NAWS (David and Rick) to darken the minimum contrast for the whole forum.

    Any other formatting problems/suggestions?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    There was some confusion between two different groups making updates to the forum (theme color adjusted, but then appeared to be overwritten by post numbering fix).

    If anyone still has problems with the new theme (background colors should be darker now--No light gray backgrounds that fade to white on some laptop screens), please let me know here. Add a link to the page that you have questions about.

    For example, the very light gray around this edit window is still too light color for me and looks almost white (like back ground).

    http://forum.solar-electric.com/discussion/350923/new-forum-theme#latest (this thread)

    Anyone else have comments?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭

    Hi Bill,

    Thanks for getting the Post numbering addition.

    The border around the Leave a Comment box is still quite light  --  very low contrast between the white background.  It the contrast ration may well have been increased,  but still a bit light.  YES,  am using a Laptop,  and laying the screen flatter does help,  as does placing one's chin on the keyboard.

    The color scheme looks better,    sharper,  perhaps.

    Thanks Bill,  and WInd-Sun (and others),   for making all the improvements !  Vic

    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    They will be darkening the input box boarder soon.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    How about the recent discussions page....  The unread discussions (in bold) don't jump out at me as much as I might like.

    Also, how's the bug fix, mentioned in comment #9, coming along?

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    I asked about that... Vanilla said that is a feature, not a bug.

    I will see if we can get bigger font or make it blue green or something (avoid red/green color blindness).

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Bill, it looks like the 'sticky's ' are not 'stuck' at the top of the list... See the huge 'best generator thread'
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    Hi Eric,

    Looking here, it still seems to be in the Announcement section of the off grid forum at/near the top:

    http://forum.solar-electric.com/categories/off-grid-solar-battery-systems

    -Bill

    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • vtmaps
    vtmaps Solar Expert Posts: 3,741 ✭✭✭✭
    Bill, it looks like the 'sticky's ' are not 'stuck' at the top of the list... See the huge 'best generator thread'
    BB. said:
    Looking here, it still seems to be in the Announcement section of the off grid forum at/near the top:
    Depends on what list you look at.  If you look at "Recent Discussions", it's just another thread.  If you look at the Off Grid Forum, it's a sticky.

    --vtMaps
    4 X 235watt Samsung, Midnite ePanel, Outback VFX3524 FM60 & mate, 4 Interstate L16, trimetric, Honda eu2000i
  • westbranch
    westbranch Solar Expert Posts: 5,183 ✭✭✭✭
    Gotcha, thanks.. just surprised me when I saw it dropping in the Recent list...since there were 2 at the top of Recent... the ones about the Forum
     
    KID #51B  4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM
    CL#29032 FW 2126/ 2073/ 2133 175A E-Panel WBjr, 3 x 4s 140W to 24V 900Ah C&D AGM 
    Cotek ST1500W 24V Inverter,OmniCharge 3024,
    2 x Cisco WRT54GL i/c DD-WRT Rtr & Bridge,
    Eu3/2/1000i Gens, 1680W & E-Panel/WBjr to come, CL #647 asleep
    West Chilcotin, BC, Canada
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    "Announcements" are sticky (stay at top) for individual forums and/or the recent posts (new posts) listings.

    It depends on how I (moderators) have marked the discussion (thread).

    I try not to do sticky discussions very often for the recent posts listing...

    -Bill


    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • ILFE
    ILFE Solar Expert Posts: 364 ✭✭
    I just miss the old software - and the old theme. 
    Paul
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    The old software was turning into a support nightmare. We had to change. And this was one company that would save our years of posting history.

    The theme change got sidetracked because of work on NAW's web store. Hopefully they will be back soon.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Aguarancher
    Aguarancher Solar Expert Posts: 315 ✭✭✭
    I see the kids found the box of crayons again. We need to hide those better. :'(
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,599 admin
    Going to close this for now... What we have is what we are going to get for the present time.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset