How to get more out of WebBoard version 6.x with Rog's Topics Compatibility System (version 1.0)

This describes freeware that I wrote which allows WebBoard 6 customers to return their boards' topics pages to "WebBoard 5 and below functionality."

Akiva's Webboard 6 introduced a number of new features, and some of these concerned the behavior of the links on the topics page (AKA the "left frame").

Under WebBoard versions 5 and lower, if the user clicked on an "expandable" conference name, then the posts in the conference would be displayed, underneath the conference name.  (By "expandable", I mean a conference that contains discussion threads.)  WebBoard 6 is similar, however the "conference introduction" page will load in the messages frame as well.  (Or, in the window, if the user is a "no frames user.)  This system will return WebBoard 6 to the functionality of previous WebBoard versions, by blocking the loading of the conference introduction page in the messages frame  (or in the window, if the user is a "no frames user.)

Under WebBoard versions 5 and lower, if the user clicked on an "empty" conference name, then the posting page for that conference would appear in the messages frame  (or, in the only window, if the user was a "no frames" user).  By an "empty" conference, I refer to one that has no posts.  In this case, WebBoard 6 will instead load the "conference introduction" page in the messages frame, or in the window, if the user is a "no frames user.)  This system will return WebBoard 6 to the functionality of previous WebBoard versions, by loading the posting page in the messages frame (or in the only window, for "no frames users).

Under WebBoard versions 5 and lower, if the user clicked on a "collapseable" conference name, then the conference would "collapse," i.e. the posts within the conference would no longer be shown.  By a "collapseable" conference, I mean one that contains posts which are currently being displayed.  Under WebBoard 6, the "conference introduction" page will appear instead: in order to "collapse" a conference, the user must actually click on the minus sign GIF to the left of the conference name, which is a much smaller "mouse target."  This system will return WebBoard 6 to the functionality of previous WebBoard versions, by "collapsing" the conference when the user clicks on the conference name.

This code is freeware.  You use it at your own risk.  No warrany of fitness for use or any other form of guarantee inheres.

You may use it and/or the source code in whole or in part for any otherwise legal purpose that you deem fit; however you may not claim legal ownership of same for legal purposes against anyone who's obtained it from an "independent source" (such as this web page).

1:  Install (1): Complete Install Zips

2:  Install (2): Standard Install

3:  Install (3): Rebuilding the source files, and/or making modifications

4:  Bug reports, comments, and change requests, etc.

5:  Other freeware products

6:  Version history information

7:  Acknowledgements

1:  Install (1): Complete Install Zips

If you want this documentation, as well as all the included zip files, you should download w46.zip.

Once you download the complete zip file, you'll still have to follow the rest of the install instructions.

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2:  Install (2): Standard Install

The standard install file is w4_rel6.zip.

These files should be placed on the board's folder.

If you've customized any of the WebBoard pages that are in my install, you'll have to either propagate your customizations to my pages, or propagate my alterations to your customized pages.

Here's a list of each file, along with the role it plays in the various operations:

WebBoard name or name on server: Purpose:
topics.html This is the topics page, for the "classic" layout.
topics2.html This is the topics page, for the "modern" layout.

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3:  Install (3): Rebuilding the source files, and/or making modifications

If you want to modify the system, you'll need to download the source code.  This is in: w4_src6.zip.

Note that these zip files are contained within the "complete" install download, as described in section 1.

You'll need to unzip these files into a new folder on your hard drive.

After you do so, you'll have to install my "JavaScript MakeFile" system onto that same folder: http://www.rs-freeware.org/jsm.

Within the JavaScript MakeFile system, I offer specific instructions for WebBoard users, at: http://www.rs-freeware.org/jsm/jsmdoc.htm#WebBoard_Regenerate.

In a nutshell: after installing the "JavaScript MakeFile" system, you'll have to modify the "make" file: w4.mak.

This is the line that you'll have to change: 


DEST=f:\\w\\html\\w4

DEST should have the folder name of the board from which you wish to run the thread sequencing system.  If you wish to use multiple boards, please be sure to read (?install_mult)section (#?install_mult).

Note that double backslashes are required to separate folder names.

For more information about folder names, please see my DOS primer.

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4:  Bug reports, comments, and change requests, etc.

You can e-mail me at rog@NOSPAM_rs-freeware.org if you encounter problems, or think that you've found a bug.

I can also be reached by telephone in the U.S. from about 9 AM U.S. central time to 5 PM U.S. central time at: 765-742-6705.  If you don't get an answer, you can use my numeric pager at: 765-417-0664 ... I'll try to call you back, if you're in the U.S, Canada, or Mexico.

Please supply me with as much information as you can about your server, your version of WebBoard, any browser or Operating System that was involved, including the WebBoard Server's Operating System  (9x, NT, 2K, XP?).  Also, please provide any configuration files, or customized WebBoard files that you were using.  Keep in mind that I might actually have to have the opportunity to try what you were doing, in order to diagnose the problem.

BTW, I don't gaurantee to answer all e-mail or fix all bugs, etc.  Please remember that this is freeware, and that my time and resources are limited.

That said, I've put a lot of work into designing, coding, testing, and documenting this product, and I'm probably going to be fairly interested in any comments anyone has, fixing any bugs, and/or extending the scope to applications that strike me as being potentially valuable to a large number of users.

Naturally, if you're willing to hire me to make changes for your special-purpose application, I'm certainly willing to consider your offer.  My standard rate is $75/hr., but I may charge less if the work is to be done for a small business (less than 25 employees), or a nonprofit organization (in the latter case, I might even do it on a gratis basis  :-)  I may also consider charging you nothing if you're suggesting an improvement that I feel is of value to a large number of other users.

You can find out more about me, including references, and a list of clients/projects at: http://www.rs-freeware.org/rog.

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5:  Other freeware products

WebBoard users will find lots of WebBoard freeware at: http://www.rs-freeware.org/freeware.htm.

Anyone who writes JavaScript  (regardless of whether this is written on the client or server side),  deals with SQL, or who happens to be interested in obtaining the full power available from DOS may wish to check out http://www.rs-freeware.org/free2.htm

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6:  Version history information

This is version 1.0, released on Nov. 1, 2002.

This documentation was generated by Rog's FAQHack: a DOS/Windows-based freeware program that handles simple macro preprocessing with special support for FAQs and other structured HTML documents.

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7:  Acknowledgements

I'd like to thank Bonnie Golian, a systems analyst at the Montgomery County (MD) Police Department, for the encouragement needed to write this system.

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