Well, they're finally here. We now have a new style and user blogs, both of which have been long awaited.

The Style

Many of you have requested a new style for quite some time, so I hope this does it justice. If you'd prefer the older theme, that can still be accessed through your usercp.

The general design of the site has changed drastically, particularly in the area of the logo, navigation, icons and the sidebar. The navigation is basically the same, but it is more clean and easier to navigate. One major addition regarding the look of the side is the sidebar. This feature is currently only visible on the homepage. It's located to the right when you view the homepage. On this sidebar you'll find lots of important information, included important links, recent reviews, recent replies, recent blog posts, current open contests, a "featured" book, as well as more things to come.

In the important links section of this you'll find links to posts within our site that detail the rules of the site, reviewing guides, contact information, and more. The recent reviews section lists the stories and poetry that have most recently received a review or comment. Like the recent reviews, recent replies and recent blog posts are pretty self-explanatory. The recent replies display the threads that were replied to most recent, and the recent blog posts display the most recent blog posts. On the open contest section you'll find links to all our major open contests, as well as our weekly writing ones. Any "featured" book you find listed there will simply be recommended reading.

User Blogs

All users will now have a free blog on writingforums.org. The use and topic of these Blogs are completely optional; if you choose not to use it, that's perfectly fine. However, if you do decide to use this new feature, you can write about any topic you'd like, or multiple topics. However, it is suggested that the majority of blog posts be writing-related - though it is, by no means, mandatory.

To view the blog portal, click here (http://www.writingforums.org/blog.php). On that page you will find the most recent blogs, as well as a link to your own blogging control panel.

On the left you will see a link to your blog control panel. If you select that you can change your settings, add categories, and more. In the next day or two I'll write a brief tutorial explaining many of the features.

Also, I'm bound to have made mistakes in setting up these features. If you find anything please let me know.

Wow, this looks pretty snazzy. I'm liking the first impression. I'll let you know if I find any problems around the place. And I'll take a look at the blogs now :)

ermm, mine hasn't changed :(

ermm, mine hasn't changed :(

It should have changed automatically.

If yours hasn't, go to your user cp and select "edit options." At the bottom you'll find the style settings. If it's on the default it should have changed. If not, change it to the default. If it still hasn't changed, select "Writing Forums v2" in the drop-down menu.

okii dokii, I'll try, thanks

is it meant ot be like a blue and white colours?? if it is it looks good, i am gunna try it out for a few days. :)
Heather

sorry, being stupid again but the defualt and the v2 are different from each other. i prefer the default me thinks, lol. both good though :)

I'm not sure if this is your end or mine, Daniel, but I have an unsightly rectangular block in the top right corner, which says "internet explorer cannot display the page" or some other such rubbish, and it's obstructing some of the navigation buttons...

And also, above the quick reply box, the links for previous and next thread are almost the exact same colour as the background. I don't use them, but others might, and it might be a problem.

yea, on it i had the same with the V2 one. i am using the other now though so it don't bother me, lol

Erm...this is gonna sound dumb... How do I comment on blogs? :redface:

ermm, is there somewhere that says underneath "comment on this blog"?

ii just looked, it should have a comment box underneath the blog that you are reading, like your normal post box.

Erm... Nope :redface: (For the record, heather, it's yours I'm trying to comment on).

I am getting the same rectangular white block, obscuring my PM notifications area. The is a scripting error indicated, and when I click on it, I see:

Line: 5
Char: 328
Error: 'undefined' is null or not an object
Code: 0
URL: http://www.writingforums.org/showthread.php?t=5523

Note, it's only on the forum index page. I think it's a flaoting banner for the new writing contest - I see the text beginning with "Hey you!" in the header area, but then that text vanishes and the white rectagle appears.

Hopefully this will help you debug the problem.

Erm... Nope (For the record, heather, it's yours I'm trying to comment on). well, go on the default one, or the greeny one 'cos when you do it shows a post box underneath the blog entry. you click read more then it should be there. and cool, i might have a comment :p

I've tried in all of the display modes. Still no comment box:(

well then i cannot help ya chick, sorry. you'll have to ask Daniel when he's next online.

Yeah, I guess :( I feel deprived :p

The Comments title bar in the Blog View More display is dark letters on a dark background, very hard to see on my monitor.

Curiously enough, the box seems to be there for me to comment on my own blog, but not on anyone elses... The plot thickens...

The image over the Comment button appears to be broken (in the Blogs - View More screen for a user who is not yourself) If you hover over it, the Comment label appears, but without the hover it is nigh invisible

To be precise, I am referring to the dark blue title bar at the bottom of the list of comments, at the leftmost end. I see a sunken button outline there containig th edreaded white box with a red X, and if I hover the mouse cursor inside the button frame, I can see the Comments label as it turns red from the hover action.

Can't say I have that problem.

i'm sort of having the same problem

Which one, Rachel?

i can't seem to find a comment box on the blogs

Ah, good. Well, not good that you're having the problem, but good that I'm not the only one...


Damnit, I know what I mean! :p

Haha, i see you wish ill will upon me...:p

:eek: Would I?


Oh, and as an interesting sidenote: despite the comments feature not working for me, the "remember me" bit on signing in now works. Huzzah!

I am getting the same rectangular white block, obscuring my PM notifications area. The is a scripting error indicated, and when I click on it, I see:

Line: 5
Char: 328
Error: 'undefined' is null or not an object
Code: 0
URL: New Style and Blogs - Writing Forums (http://www.writingforums.org/showthread.php?t=5523)

Note, it's only on the forum index page. I think it's a flaoting banner for the new writing contest - I see the text beginning with "Hey you!" in the header area, but then that text vanishes and the white rectagle appears.

Hopefully this will help you debug the problem.

Yes I am get this exact same problem Cogito. I am sure that it will get sorted out though.

Just glad that I am not the only one experiencing this problem though.

The new look is amazing by the way, I really like it. But I miss the old style. Guess some thing you just get really attached too....:D:p:)

Torana

Wow! I just logged on, and for a second I thought I must have gone to the wrong site.

It looks great!

Ah, good. Well, not good that you're having the problem, but good that I'm not the only one...


Damnit, I know what I mean! :p

You can feel even better, I have the same problem. I'm messing around with preferences and things now to see what happens.

Umm didn't know what to think when i first came into wf today i thought i was in the wrong place but it looks great i like it

shadow tiger x

Thanks for all the comments.

I believe I've fixed most of the errors. Still working on the the blog commenting. If you're logged in you should see a comment entry box sort of like the quick reply though.

Lol...I didn't realize this had changed until now :S

HOLY CRAP!

Feels like I'm on an acid trip! :(

Anyways, latest posts come twice on the page, you would want to change that.

HOLY CRAP!

Feels like I'm on an acid trip!

It's looks GREAT.

Thank you, Lpspider. :)

If you're logged in you should see a comment entry box sort of like the quick reply though.

That's exactly what I'm not getting though :confused:

I can comment on my own blog but no one elses.

Yup, exactly the problem I'm having.

Okay.. Firstly, new look is cool but it would be cooler if it stayed in the same style whenever I changed pages.

I can't comment on other blogs.

Just a tad wierd! I think it's a little bugged!

Not wanting to complain about it but yeah, it's annoying. I change the style in the main screen but if I go to another section of the forum, it changes back to the other one. The one I was just getting used to! :p

Anyways, I hope there can be a little sorting out because I know this is new and everything!

~Doz

I've created a thread in the Suggestions and Feedback forum to report problems (bugs) related to the upgradem so we can keep the discussion here focused on the new features themselves. Also, there are recommendations in the other thread regarding the kinds of details that will facilitate finding and fixing defexts.

Thanks

my baby blue one had gone!! :eek: i am sad now. :( this one is too dark, i think I'm gunna end up using the grey/green one still now, lol. i like bright :D:D