XF 1.5 All users "Viewing Forum List"

[cttf]

So yeah, unless someone clicks on certain actions (like adding a reply to a thread) they're just stuck on 'viewing forum list' all the time. Even after replying its only a moment before they revert back to the home page on the Members Online Now list even if they're still in a thread.

I'm having a hard time tracking down where to even find this particular function of the forum.. I know the xf_session_activity is the DB portion, but I'm not sure why nothing is being properly updated in it.

Anyone experienced this? I tried searching the forum but nothing great came up (one thread about updating trophies related to cron jobs, but nothing I did there fixed it). Admittedly, my Google-fu for Xenforo isn't great yet, sorry if I missed something obvious

ETA: More info.

The reason I'm trying to track down the problem is that the [RainDD] User Activity isn't working properly w/o it. It properly displays who has read the thread all-time, but not who is currently on it (since the forum says everyone is on the Index page).

Add ons installed:

******* Live Update
Live Update Alerts
Not Safe For Work (image hiding)
Post Ratings
s9e media pack
VaultWiki
Donation Addon
RainDD User Activity

Styles:
Two custom styles from ******* & their Stylium Framework

Edit 2: Briv is censored? That can't be good

 

[TPerry]

yes, it's censored, and his add-ons have been removed from the RM due to issues involving him.
I'd strongly recommend you look elsewhere for competitive styles.

 

[cttf]

yes, it's censored, and his add-ons have been removed from the RM due to issues involving him.
I'd strongly recommend you look elsewhere for competitive styles.

Well dang.. I wish XF would put this recommendation in on purchase. It kind of sucks to completely ban a major resource/whatever but not say anything to new users. Didn't know I needed to browse through years of forum drama in order to safely navigate the multitude of add-ons for forum software LOL. Their styles are gorgeous and are #1 results on Google Search (well above XF itself IIRC...), if their stuff is banned there really needs to be a notice on purchase or something.. That's so crazy. Its not like they're some hole in the wall add-on provider :/ I'd totally understand if it was

Thanks.. Came by with one problem now I have two, grr! haha

As a kind of update to the OP, does anyone know how to make XenForo update the user session in a theme? It seems like 1 of my themes have no problem updating the user session while the others do. That's the only change I make that immediately fixes the problem, though I'm at a complete and utter loss why styling/themes would have anything to do with that?

 

[Paul B]

The fact that no resources from that author appear in the RM should be an indication of sorts.

There's also this: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/resource-removal.92263/

Although I take the point it's not that discoverable.

If you are having issues with a specific third party style or add-on, you will need to contact the author for support.
We can only provide support for the core code.

 

[cttf]

The fact that no resources from that author appear in the RM should be an indication of sorts.

There's also this: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/resource-removal.92263/

Although I take the point it's not that discoverable.

If you are having issues with a specific third party style or add-on, you will need to contact the author for support.
We can only provide support for the core code.

Haha yeah that thread was my point of "keeping up with years worth of forum drama" - Either way point taken / lesson learned.

On topic:

Can you point me where in the core code of XenForo user session activity gets updated then? If I'm on the default theme, how/where is it updating the xf_session_activity part of the DB when a user visits a page? I understand if a user clicks on the 'add reply' button their session is updated, I assume on page load sometime its updated, but I'm not sure how/where?

I'm okay with javascript/jQuery, but this is my first foray into php/mysql.. actually just found the newbie scripting tips stomping grounds through your signature links.. so thanks for that

 

[Mike]

A style can't directly interfere with the session activity being updated. However, what it can do is insert a broken element somewhere that causes an extra request to be made to the server to a URL that causes a second session activity update to happen.

Realistically, you'll need to look through the network activity in the browser development tools to see if you can identify the erroneous request. I'd keep an eye out for 404 responses, as a 404 shouldn't be a normal part of a page load.

 

[cttf]

A style can't directly interfere with the session activity being updated. However, what it can do is insert a broken element somewhere that causes an extra request to be made to the server to a URL that causes a second session activity update to happen.

Realistically, you'll need to look through the network activity in the browser development tools to see if you can identify the erroneous request. I'd keep an eye out for 404 responses, as a 404 shouldn't be a normal part of a page load.

This seems spot on. Looks like its making a 2nd call back to the forum index. It doesn't 404, seems to go through just fine, but otherwise I assume that is what causes everyone to be stuck on the index page where sessions are concerned.. Kinda neat. I had just started doing this because of this post: https://xenforo.com/community/threa...causes-only-viewing-forum-list-to-show.60670/

Wonder if he ever figured it out because this is definitely far over my head haha. Thanks.

 

[Mike]

Pretty sure it's this CSS that's in the template:

body{
background-image: url();
-webkit-background-size: ;
-moz-background-size: ;
-o-background-size: ;
background-size: ;
background-position: 0px 0px;
background-repeat: repeat;
}

Looks like it's expecting to fill values in. You would have to get help from the style author to know the cause though.

 

[cttf]

Pretty sure it's this CSS that's in the template:

body{
background-image: url();
-webkit-background-size: ;
-moz-background-size: ;
-o-background-size: ;
background-size: ;
background-position: 0px 0px;
background-repeat: repeat;
}

Looks like it's expecting to fill values in. You would have to get help from the style author to know the cause though.

You were 100% correct. And it was something I did that broke it (of course, PEBCAK). Thank you so much, I know this was outside the scope of support requests here but you at least saved one poor fool from losing his mind prematurely. Simply setting the background image to a transparent image fixed the issue until I can undo what I had done.

At least now I can go shopping for shiny new styles.. Oh I mean, oh nooo I have to spend more money on a forum, ughhh, why can't everything in life be free?

 

[TPerry]

Look seriously at some of @Steve F and @Russ's stuff from PixelExit. Some of the best support out there for current styles.
I used to like Audentio, but I'm not a fan of having to install the add-on they require.