Endowing hawkdawg?

[Hawk]

I'm guessing that you do realize that taking over the forum also includes taking over the website as well.

[Gumboots]

Yep. I suppose I should have a look around the back end of the custom stuff. Is there anything particularly nasty I should know about?

[Hawk]

No. Nothing I can think of. Just mainly html and css, with a miniscule bit of php thrown in; just php include snippets, along with the upload script and contact form.

[Gumboots]

Doesn't sound too scary. Will it all run on PHP 7.0+ and MySQL 5.7+ ?

I know the forum itself is ok on those specs, or at least will be once updated. I'm just wondering if you know of any possible problems with the custom scripts.

Edit: Also, what are you thinking would be a good timeframe to get this all wrapped up? I'm happy to work with whatever suits you, but I should probably start planning things.

[Hawk]

The forum currently runs under PHP 7.1.12 and MySQL 5.6.38

The Green Beast Contact Form - V v3 | Build: B3.20081118.01 works fine, and it appears there's a new version available for it v3 | Build: B3.20090130.01. I chose it for it's security implementations.
The Simplicity of Upload script also works fine, but it does appear that there is some security issues and here with it, I just found out, and it looks like the developer no longer offers that script at his website. Eliminating that should be no problem.
The Lightbox script by Lokesh Dhakar also works fine in this environment, but it's JavaScript. I believe you said you don't like that anyway but there might be a newer version available. Keep in mind though, to eliminate that script on the website would involve editing over 1,000 links.

Other than that, I've already mentioned; using a php include snippet in a few places. Mainly to display the header, footer, navigation, and a couple of other things that show up on every page so that if I want to make any changes to those things I do it in one place instead of on every page. That's the only php code used in the site.
I've attached a zip file with the index.html file in it so you can see how I used the php include. Obviously don't open the html file in a browser. You'll want to view the raw code. Notepad, Notepad++, ConTEXT, or any such type program would work. Course, I didn't need to tell you that.

As for time frame; I have to pay the server fees by Nov. 1. I'm due to pay for 7 GB of storage and 700 GB of bandwidth. If this website were not included in that, it would shave off about 4 GB of storage and 20 GB of bandwidth; or in other words I would be paying for about 3 GB of storage and 300 GB of bandwidth.
As it is it would be $70. USD for the next year. If this website were not in the equation it would be $30. USD.
The domain renewal just took place in Aug, which was about $13. for a year.

Either way is fine for me. If you feel comfortable moving the site within the next 2 or 3 of weeks, that's fine. If not, no problem. I'm in no rush. I've just lost a lot of interest in this site and RT3.

As I've mentioned, if you want log in stuff to have a look around, just let me know. I don't have a problem giving you full access and then me just hang around for a bit to help with any questions you might have, although I know I won't actually be needed.

[Gumboots]

The Green Beast Contact Form - V v3 | Build: B3.20081118.01 works fine, and it appears there's a new version available for it v3 | Build: B3.20090130.01. I chose it for it's security implementations.

The Simplicity of Upload script also works fine, but it does appear that there is some security issues and here with it, I just found out, and it looks like the developer no longer offers that script at his website. Eliminating that should be no problem.

Yeah, shouldn't be hard to find an alternative or a workaround. Given that there has been no action on it for five years, it's not surprising there are some issues.

Lightbox I can work with. If I did want to change things, I'd just run a MySQL query on the db table and sort them all at once. I took at look at the source code for one of my posts, and there's a heck of a lot of inline CSS for each inline attachment (inline CSS is one of my pet hates). But it's workable for now and I'm not worried. I can always run copies on a test site to test any proposed changes.

I've attached a zip file with the index.html file in it so you can see how I used the php include.

There's no PHP in that file. It appears to be Stu Nicholls' original menu example file. Haven't seen one of his for ages. I've coded more drop menus than I really care to remember since I last looked at Stu's sites. He does get some good ideas though.

Either way is fine for me. If you feel comfortable moving the site within the next 2 or 3 of weeks, that's fine. If not, no problem. I'm in no rush. I've just lost a lot of interest in this site and RT3.

Ah. I didn't expect to do it within 2 or 3 weeks. I was getting the impression that 2 or 3 months might be more what you were thinking. 2 or 3 weeks would be pushing it for me.

Ok, if you wouldn't mind sending the the login details I should probably take a look.

[Hawk]

Lightbox I can work with. If I did want to change things, I'd just run a MySQL query on the db table and sort them all at once. I took at look at the source code for one of my posts, and there's a heck of a lot of inline CSS for each inline attachment (inline CSS is one of my pet hates). But it's workable for now and I'm not worried. I can always run copies on a test site to test any proposed changes.

I was talking about the Lightbox used on the website. Not the forums. The website doesn't use a database for anything. It used to back when I was running the login script for downloads, but when the server got updated to the newer version of PHP it broke that script. That's why I had to move the 1,000+ files to MediaFire and change the 1,000+ links.
That did cut bandwidth usage down from about 100 GB a month to about 30 GB and storage down from a little over 8 GB to a little less than 4 GB, which in turn cut my costs down.

There's no PHP in that file. It appears to be Stu Nicholls' original menu example file. Haven't seen one of his for ages. I've coded more drop menus than I really care to remember since I last looked at Stu's sites. He does get some good ideas though.

Yea, I like Stu's work.

It sounds like you opened it in a browser and viewed the source code as opposed to opening it in Notepad. You won't see the php stuff in the source code.This is what I was talking about.

Code: Select all

<body>
<div id="wrapper">
   <a id="Top"></a>
<div id="header">
	<?php include("cs/files/header.html"); ?>
</div>
<div id="navigation">
	<?php include("cs/files/menu.html"); ?>
</div>

Then at the bottom

Code: Select all

<br>
	<?php include("cs/files/bottom.html"); ?>
<br>
</div>
<div id="footer"><?php include("cs/files/copyright.html"); ?></div>
</div>

Ah. I didn't expect to do it within 2 or 3 weeks. I was getting the impression that 2 or 3 months might be more what you were thinking. 2 or 3 weeks would be pushing it for me.

As I said, there's no rush. I don't have a problem paying for another year. Tale your time.

Ok, if you wouldn't mind sending the the login details I should probably take a look.

Let me gather it all up and I'll PM you.

[Gumboots]

I was talking about the Lightbox used on the website. Not the forums. The website doesn't use a database for anything. It used to back when I was running the login script for downloads, but when the server got updated to the newer version of PHP it broke that script. That's why I had to move the 1,000+ files to MediaFire and change the 1,000+ links.

Ah, that one. I know what you mean now. Well, same deal applies, except I'd run a find/replace on the html files instead of running a database query. Or figure out some other way if, for some reason, that wasn't feasible. It's not an issue at the moment anyway.

Yea, I like Stu's work.

It sounds like you opened it in a browser and viewed the source code as opposed to opening it in Notepad. You won't see the php stuff in the source code.This is what I was talking about.

Code: Select all

<body>
<div id="wrapper">
   <a id="Top"></a>
<div id="header">
	<?php include("cs/files/header.html"); ?>
</div>
<div id="navigation">
	<?php include("cs/files/menu.html"); ?>
</div>

Yes, that is a PHP include. However, the HTML file in that zip has this code instead:

Code: Select all

</head>
<body>
  <div id="backgroundHolder">
	<ul class="nav">
		<li class="drop"><a class="main" href="#url"><b>Home</b></a></li>
		<li class="drop"><a class="main down" href="#url"><b>Equipment</b></a>
			<ul>
				<li class="fly"><a class="main" href="#url"><b>Cameras</b></a>

					<ul>
						<li><a href="#url"><b>Film Type</b></a></li>
						<li><a href="#url"><b>Compact</b></a></li>
						<li><a href="#url"><b>Polaroid</b></a></li>
						<li><a href="#url"><b>Digital</b></a></li>
						<li class="fly"><a class="main" href="#url"><b>Digital SLR</b></a>

							<ul>
								<li><a href="#url"><b>Canon</b></a></li>
								<li><a href="#url"><b>Nikon</b></a></li>
								<li><a href="#url"><b>Panasonic</b></a></li>
								<li><a href="#url"><b>Kodak</b></a></li>
							</ul>
						</li>

						<li><a href="#url"><b>Second Hand</b></a></li>
					</ul>
				</li>

Which I vaguely remember from Stu's examples many years ago. He used fake camera shops in some of his examples. Apart from which, the fact that it doesn't mention trains is a bit of a giveaway. It's the original example file you downloaded from his site.

But it's not a problem anyway. I can take a look at the real thing later.
It's getting on for midnight here. I'll check things out a bit more tomorrow.

[Hawk]

Oops!
I zipped up and attached the wrong file. Here's the right one.

index.7z

That was actually one of Stu's scripts I used, with paid permission, for the drop-down navigation I used on the website, heavily edited of course.

---

Edit 1: You have a PM.

---

Edit 2:

Ah. I didn't expect to do it within 2 or 3 weeks. I was getting the impression that 2 or 3 months might be more what you were thinking. 2 or 3 weeks would be pushing it for me.

Now that I think about it a little more, it might be better to wait for 2 or 3 months before you do anything. That would benefit me as well, for reasons I won't bother you with.

[Silverback]

If serious about keeping this site going without Hawk, then there preferably needs to be more than one person able to take over the site should the main owner be unable to continue for any reason and for the ability for the designated new owner to take over the domain registration and hosting and code without the presence of whoever the current owner would be. It can get very messy legally speaking.There are cases where the registrant of a domain name has died and it was very difficult to take over registrations and sites. In the case of businesses they have often been unable to continue without access to the owners email boxes and other legal documentation. A digital will would be useful as would a way of getting all the account details and passwords of the deceased. This would apply to anyone - make sure your heirs have access to a list of all your accounts and passwords.

Unfortunately death and disability can strike unexpectedly and at any time of life so age is not the only indicator. 67 is not old but I just had a friend of that age die unexpectedly but their 92 year old mother is still in very good health for her age.

Apart from the technical ability to run a site such as this If a new owner cannot get the domain registration and hosting transferred to them after the death or disability of the original owner the the site would effectively be dead after the registration or hosting pre-payment runs out.

searching for cases where an owner has died for some of the difficulties on the internet could be helpful.

PS EVERYONE should make a will and keep it up to date. without one there can be unexpected outcomes.