The Clockwork Mansion

Underground Warehouse => Abandoned Mine => Topic started by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 18, 2010, 12:05:10 PM

Title: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 18, 2010, 12:05:10 PM
Folks.

Those of you in the know (that's us moderators) and those of you who aren't (that's the rest of you lot, and the moderators who aren't paying attention, like Darkmoon) should be enlightened to upcoming moves.

We're planning on moving the forum from it's current residence to a new server, because, frankly, the current hosting is a bit shit. The new server will give us more access and more ability to do clever things, like automated maintenance, auto-locking of threads (rather than whenever I get around to running the script) and, hopefully, a more stable and responsive experience for the general populace.

The outage should be something on the order of a day or so; if you get here and find the forum locked and a note saying "we're moving", you'll know why. If the note says "we've moved", then everything is set up and moved, and we're just waiting on the various DNS caches clearing, and there's nothing we can do about that but wait.

This is due to happen at some point before the end of the month. We are not sure, precisely, just when that's going to be, however, since it depends on the current hosters letting us have the domain name - they've told Darkmoon it's easy, just click here, but we've heard that before, and are taking it with a grain of salt. We'll keep you posted here as things change.


You have been enlightened. Now go in peace, and not in pieces. Yet.
 -- llearch, Code Monkey for the Stars.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Anker Steadfast on September 18, 2010, 09:12:23 PM
I'm guessing the members accounts move with the ... well, the forums.
But just to be sure, will we have to re-register ?
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 19, 2010, 01:53:54 PM
No. If we can get it going how we want it to, everything will move, lock, stock, and two smoking barrels.

If we can't, then there will be a new forum that is empty, and some sad-faced server gnomes.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 27, 2010, 02:03:10 PM
Okay, this is likely to happent his evening, if I can get the time free from looking after my son.


Give it an hour or so, and the forum will be locked for pre-moval. You have been warned.


... We expect it to be down for most of 24 hours or so, because the DNS is mostly outside our control, but it will work for some people anyway during that time. We will do our best, but there are limits.

I can be reached in all the usual places and ways, and I'll leave a list in the closure message anyway - not while I'm shifting things, but after the move is complete. Anyone with problems after that will be welcome to contact me and we'll sort things out.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Gabi on September 27, 2010, 02:54:37 PM
Good luck with the move. I hope it all goes smoothly.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: bradypodidae on September 27, 2010, 04:14:02 PM
Quote from: Gabi on September 27, 2010, 02:54:37 PM
Good luck with the move. I hope it all goes smoothly.

Quite...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 27, 2010, 05:41:56 PM
Yay, welcome to the new server.

Well, that was fairly painless. Other than the DNS changes...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: RobbieThe1st on September 27, 2010, 11:06:49 PM
I am happy to say that the dns is working fine for me - No issues whatsoever.
(Google's DNS at 8.8.8.8 has the new info, as does 4.2.2.1)

In other news, whats up with the new "header" box? The one with your avatar, total time logged in etc - Is there any way to disable it?
Thanks a lot,

-Rob
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Attic Rat on September 28, 2010, 12:04:30 AM
It went like clockwork! OK, puns aside, the move was almost completely transparent. Kudos and congratulations to the IT guys.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: techmaster-glitch on September 28, 2010, 12:14:05 AM
Looks like it was already moved, though the forum layout is very much different, and it looks like there are a lot of formatting errors and broken image boxes around. Though, am I incorrect in presuming this is normal and going to be fixed in time?
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Turnsky on September 28, 2010, 02:46:16 AM
i dare suspect there'll be a few teething problems for a while until the dust settles. i mean it's a server move after all, it takes time before everything's fully ready to go.

maybe folks should start making a "fix it now" remote control, it's like the cat remote in how it's powered by wishful thinking >:3
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: RobbieThe1st on September 28, 2010, 02:47:57 AM
Well, as best I can determine, at least one CSS file isn't referenced in the HTML. Its not missing... its just not asked for.
Llearch is, of course, doing his best... But he's only one person.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Tapewolf on September 28, 2010, 03:00:59 AM
Impressive.  The only difference I can see so far is that the server clock seems to be 10 minutes slow.  I was wondering if the move had been aborted or something...

EDIT:

Quote from: RobbieThe1st on September 27, 2010, 11:06:49 PM
In other news, whats up with the new "header" box? The one with your avatar, total time logged in etc - Is there any way to disable it?

Looks like the default theme has been changed?  I've been using DMFA V2 for a while now so I'm used to seeing those.  You might be able to force the old DMFA theme if you prefer that or something.

Also, looks like the 'Insert Quote' may not be working.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 04:27:07 AM
Given we bodily picked up the forum from one box and put it on another, nothing should have changed. However, there may or may not be some hard-coded paths included, in which case it's bloody stupid, and we'll find and fix them RSN.

Feel free to provide actual useful debug info, like which images, what the path to them is, and which theme you're using, since on the SMF default theme, everything just works.

... barring the insert quote thing, which I'll look into nowish...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 04:38:41 AM
Quote from: RobbieThe1st on September 27, 2010, 11:06:49 PM
In other news, whats up with the new "header" box? The one with your avatar, total time logged in etc - Is there any way to disable it?

What new header box? It's been there for years, if it's the one I think it is. You can hit the minus image in the top right corner, as per standard, to get it to fold up, and the forum will save a cookie for that...


BTW, the quote button now works.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Tapewolf on September 28, 2010, 05:07:30 AM
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 04:38:41 AM
BTW, the quote button now works.

Cool.  What was the problem there?  Another path issue?
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 06:31:19 AM
Yeah. Seems strange to me to set it up so that the usual themes directory is not the only place on the server that you can put themes, but they seem to have done that.

Heck, I think some of the other code _requires_ that the themes be in the themes directory, but changing the path to the webroot (which you have to list somewhere) doesn't change the path to each theme. Which is just poor coding, to my mind... No way would I put themes in, say, the local bin directory, but the forum code appears to allow precisely that (assuming that the server admin didn't find out and lynch me, of course. Which I'd damn well deserve, if I did something so stupid...) for reasons that are unclear.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: RobbieThe1st on September 28, 2010, 07:34:52 AM
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 04:38:41 AM
What new header box? It's been there for years, if it's the one I think it is. You can hit the minus image in the top right corner, as per standard, to get it to fold up, and the forum will save a cookie for that...


BTW, the quote button now works.
To be honest, I've never seen it before this move(on any computer, logged in or out). But, I haven't changed from the default theme, either.
Also, whatever you did just now "solved" this - Its back to the way it was before, and no more header.

I'm guessing its as Tape said, and was/is from the DMFA V2 skin, and somehow showed up.
Anyway, everything seems to be good now, so Thanks, Llearch.

Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Bjalf on September 28, 2010, 08:36:49 AM
Quote from: Tapewolf on September 28, 2010, 03:00:59 AM
The only difference I can see so far is that the server clock seems to be 10 minutes slow.

Heh. More like 50 minutes fast ...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 09:08:34 AM
I will investigate, and resolve, that, later. I'll need access to the server, which I don't have from here...

... and is probably related to the different timezones on the server side...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 28, 2010, 04:42:49 PM
Hokay. The server was ten minutes slow, and has been corrected. Or, at least, a process has been started which will correct that time over a period of a few hours to a day.

So things should settle down for that.

I believe I've resolved any other problems already; if there is anything else showing up now, please feel free to step forward and let me know.
Title: Question, where is the spell check button?
Post by: That_wolf on September 28, 2010, 09:34:59 PM
Today, while posting on the DMFA fourm, I noticed a major thing. My little spell check button is gone. Insted of being [Post] [Spell Check] [Preview] thefourm now just says [Post] [Preview]. I relied on the spell checker because I SUCK at spelling. Any help?

Note:Due to spell checker being gone, my spelling here is terrible.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 29, 2010, 12:00:06 AM
I see. You mean, like, the usual spellcheck in Firefox isn't good enough for you?
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Darkmoon on September 29, 2010, 12:05:13 AM
Apparently he uses some other (less awesome) browser.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 29, 2010, 03:16:30 AM
Mmm. Hokay, I'll see if I can figure out which browser, which theme, and where the button has gone. Since I don't use it myself, I didn't notice the lack...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: hapless on September 29, 2010, 03:33:20 AM
Not a matter of theme.
To have the spellcheck you need to enable it at Admin -> Posts and Topics, and have the php5-pspell module installed and enabled; that one needs libaspell and appropriate dictionary, obviously.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 29, 2010, 09:57:56 AM
Ah, thank-you hapless. I knew there was a reason we let you stick around.


That_wolf, it's enabled, but the packages aren't installed. I'll co-ordinate with the server admin and see if we can get that installed and working. No promises, though.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 08:30:05 AM
Co-ordination resulted in effects. Effects mean I'm not making the change (yet) due to it impacting everything else on the server that uses MySQL and PHP.

And then some.

So I'm waiting to talk to the server admin and co-ordinate an update.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: hapless on September 30, 2010, 09:46:44 AM
Of course, I don't know CMF's requirements and budget... but honestly, a VPS at a good company (not an overselling one using OpenVZ containers and calling them VPSes, *cough*) gives you guaranteed chunk of resources and a full freedom to configure the OS and services inside it. When I need another module, I can just install it. I have root, I know everything that is running on my server, there's no one to work against me. And it's actually not even too much work to administrate once you set up cronapt, logcheck, and such.

If you're interested at all, check out Linode (http://www.linode.com/).
>.>
<.<
And urm, if you'd be willing to try it, my referral code is d8373e95376e415a24b4e9288c799e94cbcf5258 ;)
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 10:28:03 AM
I already have a referral code, since I administer a server there already, and the issue is that the requirements in terms of overhead are more than the owners of the forum are willing to spend.

I did suggest it, but they've gone another way. *shrug*
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: hapless on September 30, 2010, 12:20:54 PM
Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 10:28:03 AM
I administer a server there already
/me grins, "So we're neighbors, then?"

Quote from: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 10:28:03 AM
I did suggest it, but they've gone another way. *shrug*
Oh well... happens...

PS. Seems the pspell module has been installed. The popup's unreadable in Inverted Dungeon theme, but that's another matter... and I don't use it anyway.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 12:24:55 PM
Heh. I dropped the admin an email, but since I'm on a course this week, I haven't been able to access my emails.

So he probably looked at it and said "oh, well, I know what my users are using, and that'll be fine."

... which is fine, because it's his server, and if he breaks it, he gets to clean it up. Me breaking it for him is not so good. ;-]
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Darkmoon on September 30, 2010, 01:15:55 PM
It's a better deal, darn it!
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on September 30, 2010, 03:08:33 PM
I was right. He said "Installed it." ;-]
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Anker Steadfast on October 01, 2010, 02:31:10 AM
On a sidenote - Who's responsible for the "news" line in the header ?
Because it's often pretty darn funny.

:)
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on October 01, 2010, 03:16:14 AM
We all put our finger into that one. There's a list in the administration section, and the code picks a random one from the list every time the page refreshes.

Since nobody actually pays any attention to it, we try to keep them amusing. Glad someone noticed the effort (other than the other admins, who tend to notice and edit them...)
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Anker Steadfast on October 02, 2010, 03:35:51 PM
Ah, I figured it would be something like that.

I've seen several newslines mentioning boxes and supposed calamities regarding it ... even one about a newsreader claiming that the box is *not* holding a gun to the back of his head.

:D


Right now I have the one about goats being sucked dry in and about the CMF area.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on October 02, 2010, 03:53:15 PM
The Jewpacabra story. Yes, that one is important to watch for.
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Anker Steadfast on October 02, 2010, 06:40:10 PM
what ?... the Jewpacabra or the story ?
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Inumo on October 02, 2010, 09:49:28 PM
At the moment, I've got the newsflash about Damaris and Bill. :P
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: llearch n'n'daCorna on October 03, 2010, 05:46:47 AM
Quote from: Anker Steadfast on October 02, 2010, 06:40:10 PM
what ?... the Jewpacabra or the story ?

A little of column A, a little of column B...
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Inumo on October 03, 2010, 11:48:15 AM
QuoteNews: In a new report, "Ritualistic Goat Killings: Fact or Fiction", this station's own J. P. Cabra went into the field to find out the truth. What he finds out may surprise you...

Never seen that one before. :)
Title: Re: Upcoming Server Move
Post by: Anker Steadfast on October 04, 2010, 07:35:22 PM
I've heard rumors that sometimes, very rarely, new news appears!
This is old news however, so I would not put too much stock in them.

:D