Forums in Read Only mode, when closed

From my experience, using the MVC architecture will protect you against sql injections (because you don't feed anything to the objects). You are still responsible not to inject anything unintentional there. :)
 
A tool that logs everyone out.
Turns off the log in system on the front end.
Informs everyone of the maintenance.
Allows admins to log in only through the admin panel.

Resulting in no posting, no messaging, no updating profile, etc...
 
I want the "closed forum" feature that vbulletin employs, so lets make this an option in ACP.
vBulletin turns the forum off completely so that it can't be viewed except for admins.

A tool that logs everyone out.
Turns off the log in system on the front end.
Informs everyone of the maintenance.
Allows admins to log in only through the admin panel.

Resulting in no posting, no messaging, no updating profile, etc...
Indeed, the simplest way to prevent anything being written to the database is to stop the logging of any users (omit admins for obvious reasons).
That's a bit different to what we're talking about here. We're talking about when the forum is offline
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Offline suggests it can't be accessed, we're not talking about that :)
I thought Forum Closed and Forum Offline was the same thing?
I think we need to establish some kind of definition for them both. I myself believe "offline" to be inaccessible, we're talking about having it closed so that it can be read by users but cannot be replied to or logged in (effectively moving everyone to a guest usergroup) so that we can make changes to a forum without stopping posts being viewed.
 
(effectively moving everyone to a guest usergroup) so that we can make changes to a forum without stopping posts being viewed.
Well that's an option for those with just a few usergroups - just remove the posting and pm permissions temporarily.

They'll still be able to log in but that won't affect anything except the session table.
 
Well that's an option for those with just a few usergroups - just remove the posting and pm permissions temporarily.

They'll still be able to log in but that won't affect anything except the session table.
I think forum owners wouldn't want to tinker with permissions just to make a few changes (especially if the changes they're making affect permissions). A one-click to log everyone out and hide the login box would probably suffice for most people.
 
I can't see the problem with adjusting perm's if it achieves the end result.

It's a simple job to remove posting privileges and just as simple to restore them.

Yes, a single check box to shut the forums to all would be preferred but in the absence of one then usergroup perm's can be utilised.
 
You guys making this too complex.
Log everyone out = nobody can write to the db.
You dont have to set the site to "read only", you dont have to change any usergroups or fiddle with permissions.
If folks are logged out they are essentially already in "read only" mode AND they are in essence no longer in their regular usergroups but are now simply part of the guest group.
Simple.
 
Nice to have: Users can read my forum while it's down for maintenance.

Essential: Users don't lose their post when they click Submit while my forum is down for maintenance.

The second one will, I guess, require a bit of Javascript and a Save as Draft feature, hopefully one that doesn't require MySQL. I realize that allowing people to write a post, have it saved to a temporary scratch folder in your public_html folder could be a security nightmare.
 
Essential: Users don't lose their post when they click Submit while my forum is down for maintenance.
.
This is the main problem. The only way(s) to do it are to write to a directory or store as a cookie (or utilise Local Storage)... I think.
 
or it could remove all reply options and essentially treat the member as a guest. So they don't have the option to compose their dissertation before being aware that it isn't business as usual.
 
Maybe replace the reply box with a notice saying that the board is currently under-going maintenance and no user is able to post any replies at the current time, and maybe an option to add an ETA to said notice?
 
or it could remove all reply options and essentially treat the member as a guest. So they don't have the option to compose their dissertation before being aware that it isn't business as usual.
I think what people are referring to is if you start typing your reply before the board is closed.
 
I think what people are referring to is if you start typing your reply before the board is closed.


Ahhhh well perhaps a warning the board is closed for posting and a screen that has your post for you to copy until next time.

IPB does this on some error outs when posting, it rescues the post and offers it to you to save yourself.
 
or it could remove all reply options and essentially treat the member as a guest. So they don't have the option to compose their dissertation before being aware that it isn't business as usual.
I don't know of a way to invalidate Reply buttons on a page that's already loaded unless every page has ajax calls every 60 seconds "Is the board still up?" This would be very chatty and server intensive.

Ahhhh well perhaps a warning the board is closed for posting
This is the part of forum maintenance that drives me nuts. Having to provide a 30 minute or 1 hour notice ahead. I'd like to be able to just upgrade the forum in-place, and any action that is impossible during the maintenance is saved to a folder on the server as a scratch file, or otherwise the user has a way to save their post.

I'd love to see posts saved as a draft if they are over, say, 500 characters, and it's been 5 minutes since they started writing the post.
a screen that has your post for you to copy until next time.

IPB does this on some error outs when posting, it rescues the post and offers it to you to save yourself.
Not a bad alternative. There is nothing more irritating than clicking Back, and the reply box has been wiped clean. Why after 12 years of web browser development, have web browser designers not figured out that users DO NOT WANT FORMS CLEARED unless implicitly told to do so.
 
I really like the idea of a one click "read only" mode for when database maintenance, upgrades, etc. need to be done.

In the case of a forum used as a support archive, it would be much better for users to be able to access the board in read-only to find the tutorial, solution, or discussion they need than have no access at all, even if there are some limitations. (An announcement "the Forum is in Read Only Mode" would be sufficient to alert users to the limitation for me; anything more is icing on the cake.)
 
There is nothing more irritating than clicking Back, and the reply box has been wiped clean. Why after 12 years of web browser development, have web browser designers not figured out that users DO NOT WANT FORMS CLEARED unless implicitly told to do so.
Chrome does not do this. :)
 
I never understood how this would work if you have database maintenance to perform during an update. Leaving the forums in view only mode could still generate errors if there is a change to the database that the code doesn't recognize yet.

Never mind, I saw this:
Offline suggests it can't be accessed, we're not talking about that
 
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