NationStates Jolt Archive

I accidentally deleted the original merged thread with all the repeated complaints, so here's a summary.

On 11 October 2005, Jolt forum admins decided to do an upgrade to the vBulletin software that drives the forums. While the intent was to provide new features and fix some security holes, one side effect was that the link from the www.nationstates.net page no longer works.

1) We're working on it.
2) NS mods do not have Jolt forum admin powers. Nothing we can do will fix it.
3) We're working on it.
4) No, there is nobody you can complain to. Our admins have contacted their admins.
5) We're working on it.
6) Some nations show up as banned, for a reason of "none", for a duration of infinity. We haven't come up with a workaround for that one yet.
7) We're working on it.


If anyone in your region or offsite forums is complaining about being unjustly and inexplicably banned, pass this along to them.
If you are receiving a "banned" notice from the forums, chances are extremely high that this is an error. Try this link: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/login.php?do=logout

If the logout works, you should be able to view the forums at http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1235.

Whether you can log in or not depends on a number of factors, but try entering your nationname and *original* nation password in the logon boxes at the top. Notice that if you've changed your game password, you almost certainly can't use the newer one. Chances are good that a new or existing puppet (with validated email) can successfully log on, even if your main nation remains banned.

Good luck, and be patient. We're still trying to find a fix.

So does that mean you already know? Humbly waits for his due thwapping ^_^".

So are you working on it, or.... :D

[Thanks for posting this, maybe we should either make it sticky until it's fixed or just keep bumping it so people will see it. Alternately, ask Max or Salusa to post an update on the news page.]

One suspects Max is rather busy at the minute. The Tech forum never sees that much activity anyway, so I wouldn't have thought excessive bumping would be a good idea (nor, given the number of identical threads that were created, an especially useful one).

Anyway, thank you to the mods for reassuring us.

Alternately, ask Max or Salusa to post an update on the news page.]
http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=problems

http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/page=problems
W00t, it's been done already.

/me thanks mods

iHope that'll put an end to these annoying threads...

Is it wrong to cheer for a long rambling thread being deleted? :p

Should there be a list of the changes to the forums and the things that still don't work? Either under this one or with a nice obvious (hopefully) title like "What doesn't work currently". Euro had a list of things he'd noticed in that thread I think.

Hmm, but there were lots of other things too. I'd have thought for the most part people could figure it out for themselves. Still:

new buttons in post editor, including 'remove formatting'. 'undo/redo' and remove link;
new menu style for fonts: can now see size/style of font;
new menu style for colours;
new menu style for smilies;
decrease/increase style buttons in different place;
spell check option for IE;
lines separating posts gone;
lines separating posts and poster info gone;
new numbering system in longer threads makes navigation easier;
the profiles work.


Can't think of anything else, but I'm sure there is stuff.

Fris -

Thank you very much for posting this clear and concise explanation.

:)

Well, I know one person who is going to be happy once he finds this out - Hogsweat had to make a new puppet for posting here :) I told him how to get around here
Thanks for the info. I found this problem so I just went through the direct link

Have the Jolt Admins given us an estimated timeline for the repairs to be complete - I realize that it's ASAP, but I'm just wondering if they have a guesstimate as to when that might be?

Thanks for the summry post though.

Have the Jolt Admins given us an estimated timeline for the repairs to be complete?
There is a conspiracy of timezones preventing us from having direct communications. Salusa and the Jolt guys are active at entirely different times, so comms have been via email. Makes for a tough collaborative effort.

If there is an estimate, it hasn't percolated down into ModSpace.

If anyone in your region or offsite forums is complaining about being unjustly and inexplicably banned, pass this along to them.
If you are receiving a "banned" notice from the forums, chances are extremely high that this is an error. Try this link: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/login.php?do=logout

If the logout works, you should be able to view the forums at http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1235.

Whether you can log in or not depends on a number of factors, but try entering your nationname and *original* nation password in the logon boxes at the top. Notice that if you've changed your game password, you almost certainly can't use the newer one. Chances are good that a new or existing puppet (with validated email) can successfully log on, even if your main nation remains banned.

Good luck, and be patient. We're still trying to find a fix.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showpost.php?p=972250&postcount=4
Here's a list of all of the updates. I found it in the General Discussion board.

The following is a rough summary of what has changed between vBulletin 3.0.x and 3.5.0
Product/Plugin system with over 550 'hook' locations strategically placed in the code. Allows modification and extension of vBulletin without physical alteration of the vBulletin PHP scripts.
Inline moderation allows multiple threads or posts to be have moderation actions performed without a visit to the admin or moderator control panels
Completely rewritten message editor with ability to instantly switch between standard and WYSIWYG modes
Thread title editing on forumdisplay via AJAX
Thread opening and closing on forumdisplay via AJAX
Super-Quick Reply on showthread via AJAX
Inline post edit on showthread via AJAX
Username suggestion for PM recipients and search by user via AJAX
Data manipulation APIs (Data Manager) for centralized data saving
Template History & Comparison for easy tracking of changes
Database-based thread and forum read marking
MySQL Full Text Search
Additional Datastore Storage Methods
SMTP Mail Wrapper
MySQLi Wrapper
PHPDoc'd Source Code
Moderator log language abstraction
Webkit support for style manager color picker
ImageMagick 6 Support (alternative to GD)
Calendar events support start/end times
Custom avatar and profile picture resizing
Profile pictures can be saved to filesystem
Statistics ordering
Each attachment image type can be individually set to generate thumbnails or not
Each attachment image type can be individually set to open in a new window or not
Moderated posts and threads do not contribute to post count until approved
Language chooser in footer
New bbcode parser now corrects invalid tag nesting to ensure valid HTML
New [attach] bbcode tag for placing attachments inline with messages
New [noparse] bbcode tag for disabling bbcode parsing within
Word wrap excludes contents of PHP/CODE/HTML blocks
Search engine spider configuration via XML file
New 'Can View Thread Content' permission
New 'Can Upload Animated GIF' permission
Attachment upload via URL in addition to local upload
New (hopefully foolproof) method for setting cookiepath/cookiedomain
Forum description field no longer limited to 250 characters
Completely rewritten Paid Subscriptions system - now known as Payment APIs. New support for 2checkout, Worldpay and Authorize.net
'Always Moderate Group Posts' permission replaced with more logical 'Follow Forum Moderation Rules' permission
Threads containing posts awaiting moderation have indicator icon on forumdisplay for moderators
Right-to-left language support improved
Additional 'Execute SQL' auto-queries added
Image verification for sendmessage to avoid spam issues
Improved registration image verification to out-fox those pesky bots
Control panel navigation controlled by XML for easier addition of links
Upgrade system now imports styles/languages/options only after upgrade complete rather than after each script
Ability to preview signature edits
Calendar event email reminders
And of course, numerous bugs and annoyances resolved.

...yeah, I think that pretty much pwns my list. Thanks Euro. I rather like the final one.

Euro... could you make that a little less technical for those of us that have no clue what almost anything on that list would actually *do*? :p

I think some of that is stuff we'll never see in action as normal users, unless I really really don't get it.

Euro... could you make that a little less technical for those of us that have no clue what almost anything on that list would actually *do*? :p

I think some of that is stuff we'll never see in action as normal users, unless I really really don't get it.
Just copy the entire post into a Word document, print it out on cardstock or a sheet of transparency plastic, and fold it into a little hat. Cover the entire thing in tinfoil and wear it continuously for three weeks. Be sure not to take it off when at school / work / shopping / church / jail / sleep / sex, or it won't work. At the end of the third week, all of the technobabble will have been absorbed into your brain by osmosis, and you'll be a codemonkey too!



What? You say it didn't work that way for you other code geeks? LIARS!

All I know is I still can't access the forum unless I go in through a thread I had bookmarked.

Just copy the entire post into a Word document, print it out on cardstock or a sheet of transparency plastic, and fold it into a little hat. Cover the entire thing in tinfoil and wear it continuously for three weeks. Be sure not to take it off when at school / work / shopping / church / jail / sleep / sex, or it won't work. At the end of the third week, all of the technobabble will have been absorbed into your brain by osmosis, and you'll be a codemonkey too!
What? You say it didn't work that way for you other code geeks? LIARS!

ROFL :D

Thanks for the reply to my earlier post as well.

Just copy the entire post into a Word document, print it out on cardstock or a sheet of transparency plastic, and fold it into a little hat. Cover the entire thing in tinfoil and wear it continuously for three weeks. Be sure not to take it off when at school / work / shopping / church / jail / sleep / sex, or it won't work. At the end of the third week, all of the technobabble will have been absorbed into your brain by osmosis, and you'll be a codemonkey too!
It would almost be worth it to see the looks on my kids faces when I wore such a hat in front of them. I've worn my cyclohexane crown, why not a tinfoil hat. :D

Out of curiousity, are we actually going to have a calendar feature? And would it be a personal calendar or a forum one?

If you're not logged in you can enter through the sidebar link.

If you're not logged in you can enter through the sidebar link.

You're right. I hadn't noticed that. I wonder whether it helps nations having log in problems?

My comments in bold:

Salusa - Can we do anything about & put on the "we're working on it" thread...(Bold Italics)

Hmm, but there were lots of other things too. I'd have thought for the most part people could figure it out for themselves. Still:

new buttons in post editor, including 'remove formatting'. 'undo/redo' and remove link;
new menu style for fonts: can now see size/style of font;
new menu style for colours;
new menu style for smilies;
decrease/increase style buttons in different place; button IMG is bad.
spell check option for IE; button IMG is bad.
lines separating posts gone;
lines separating posts and poster info gone;
new numbering system in longer threads makes navigation easier;
the profiles work. Yaay!
Can't think of anything else, but I'm sure there is stuff.

IMO Many of the new icons just don't work well with the dark grey colour scheme of the Message input frame. Also, Reply with Quote button IMG is bad and Manage Attachments button IMG is bad.

Well, now I know why things look a little wierd. Thanks for the updates Frisb and Euro.

I keep getting this message everytime I click on a link from a nationstates site to get into the forum: VB_AREA or THIS_SCRIPT must be defined to continue. I got here now from a Yahoo! search. Can anyone help? This is a time-consuming thing...

There is already a thread about this.

Bookmark this: http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1235
Go into the forums through that link, or another thing I've seen is that people can get into the forums without logging in, so then you can just log into the forums, rather than at the NS page.

I got, by mistake, logged in as this new puppet of Whattofakia. I'm in several RP's as Madnestan, my usual country, but I cannot log in in forum as it.

I have plenty of bookmarks to different threads, so this "You must define Blaablaa" didn't affect me until now. As I cannot hit Forum when I log in as Madnestan, and using those bookmarks automatically logs me in as Whatofakia, I'm quite damn confused and have no clue what to do.

Is there a way to change to country after logging in, in the forum? Without going to the starting place and hitting Logout?

I got, by mistake, logged in as this new puppet of Whattofakia. I'm in several RP's as Madnestan, my usual country, but I cannot log in in forum as it.

I have plenty of bookmarks to different threads, so this "You must define Blaablaa" didn't affect me until now. As I cannot hit Forum when I log in as Madnestan, and using those bookmarks automatically logs me in as Whatofakia, I'm quite damn confused and have no clue what to do.

Is there a way to change to country after logging in, in the forum? Without going to the starting place and hitting Logout?

Go here: http://forums2.jolt.co.uk/index.php?
Then scroll to the bottom of the page, and on the right, you'll see a "Log Out" option. Hit that, and then find that NS page in the list of forums, which is under "Massive Multiplayer Online Games". Go there, then log in as your other nation.

Hello, I've been getting some TGs from Canuckheaven, who reports that he (and apparently a few others from Canada) cannot log in to the forums - either through www.nationstates.net, or through www.jolt.co.uk. I can't log into the forums via nationstates, but I can via Jolt (and I am also a Canadian). I have noticed a number of graphical glitches on the forum pages, however. These don't interfere with my ability to read or to post, but I mention them nonetheless. I have no idea what browser CH or his pals are using, but I'm using IE.

I thought I'd try bringing this someone's attention (and if I've picked the wrong forum to do so, my humble apologies, please shunt this thread to the appropriate forum with all due thanks given in advance) as CH, who is a longtime contributor, is mulling over whether to continue on NS or go elsewhere, given his difficulties.

Thing is, I like CH's moxy, as well as his style, and I think it'd be an awful shame not to see him around here. So, is there some technical issue that I'm blithely unaware of?

Any info you might have (or suggestions) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

So, is there some technical issue that I'm blithely unaware of?
You mean, apart from this big ol' sticky I just merged yourt question into, or the post on the Known Problems page, or the fact that I've been posting solutions on the RMBs of the feeders and assorted large regions every 12 hours or so?

News to us.

You mean, apart from this big ol' sticky I just merged yourt question into, or the post on the Known Problems page, or the fact that I've been posting solutions on the RMBs of the feeders and assorted large regions every 12 hours or so?

News to us.
And to think I once got officially taken to task for being snide. Sheesh. Sorry I asked.

Good luck with fixing this guys. Knootian East Indies beginning to piss me off. OF course I have the bad luck that the original password does not work. Oh well. >_<

Right now the link seems to be randomly working. I was able to get into the "Original UN Flag" thread in Technical with the link on NS, but then it stoped working again.

And you're waiting for 1 of what, 2 or 3 people? All of whom I assume work daily and have some sort of a life? They do this for free and because for some odd reason they find dealing with admin hassles rewarding.

You've obviously made it to the forums, so what real complaint do you have? :p Just continue what you've been doing and enjoy the forums as they are.

Also, at the beginning of this a lot of the problems *were* Jolt's. Almost none of the buttons were working. They've gotten that fixed for the most part I hope.

In short, the NS coders need to get off the pot and fix the NS code. Claiming Jolt is responsible is an attempt to "pass the buck." Shame on you, NS. Stop casting blame, and fix this, please.
Gee, did you happen to look at the URL on that page?

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/nsredir.php?CHK=mySID&AUTH=myNationID&forum=1235 (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/nsredir.php?&forum=1235)

Looks a lot like a Jolt URL to me. I'm betting that "nsredir.php" is a Jolt-coded NationStates redirector of some sort, followed by the transferred password hash and nation ID information, and then a link to the forum ID for our section of the Jolt site. Of course, I'm not a NS coder, and I have spent quite a bit of time on the pot today, so I'm sure it's really my fault.

Crap, this is weird. My Office PC stopped letting me into any jolt forums at all this afternoon was working this AM), but my Laptop - which shares a WiFi DSL router - CAN log in with my "http://forums.jolt.xxxxxxx" shortcut. :confused:

I haven't heard back from Jolt yet, but here's my error:

vBulletin datastore error caused by one of the following:

1. Stuff I didn't/can't do
2. More stuff I can't have done

Fatal error: vBulletin datastore casche incomplete or corrupt in /includes/init.php on line 170

Any clues? Bad Cookie?

I have spent quite a bit of time on the pot today, so I'm sure it's really my fault.
Well, at least that answers the question in the topic title.:p

I get VB scribt or this must be defined or somethiing like that.

Here's what I got trying to use the link:VB_AREA or THIS_SCRIPT must be defined to continue

Hey Jolt/NS Mods...do you think this forum link problem will be fixed by...oh...say, November?

Hey Jolt/NS Mods...do you think this forum link problem will be fixed by...oh...say, November?

Considering it took jolt two seasons to fix the broken profiles, and doing so gave us all kinds of other problems, we'll be lucky if this is fixed by New Year's.:rolleyes:

Considering it took jolt two seasons to fix the broken profiles
THIS was the fix for the broken profiles. Whadda ya want? Perfection?

THIS was the fix for the broken profiles. Whadda ya want? Perfection?

and doing so gave us all kinds of other problems

Some fix. I'd rather have the broken profiles.:rolleyes:

The cure was far worse than the problem...Jolt reminds me of Micro$oft.

I am having a terrible time getting on to the forums. Thought I'd post while I could.

I still have friends getting the error:

vBulletin Message



You have been banned for the following reason:
None

Date the ban will be lifted: Never

I understand that you guys are working on it, and am trying to keep "banned" people that I know updated on your progress...

Have them file a Getting Help Page request. If the ban is in error, and there's something we can do, that's the best way to let us know. In theory we can lift bans from the Mod Centre, so if it's a glitch, we should be able to fix it. If it's Jolt-on-crack... well... at least we'd be able to let them know.

If Jolt has had some kind of a nervious breakdown due to NS how can you guys unban people who were banned for no reason without unbanning people who were banned for a GOOD reason?

From what I see everyone whos banned due to the glitch have their reason for a ban stating "none". Any way the mods could unban everyone with the reason "None"?

Anyway, one user I know has this problem is "Marturia Centrale".

If Jolt has had some kind of a nervious breakdown due to NS how can you guys unban people who were banned for no reason without unbanning people who were banned for a GOOD reason?Because there isn't some kind of "unban all" button. It's nation by nation, which is why I said to file a request.

Any way the mods could unban everyone with the reason "None"?No.

Anyway, one user I know has this problem is "Marturia Centrale".He was listed as "awaiting validation". A new email should have been sent.

Usually I'm not one to bitch about using a puppet for a couple of days, but its a sustained error. Is there really no way for me to be able to login or get my password reset manually or something?

I'd really like to be able to post with my main nation again. I'm missing my subscription folders and I already got strange "who are you" telegrams from people who should know me and such. :(

I tried logging in with old passwords but it basically just... ignores... these logins. It logs in perfectly well with the east indies, which I only validated later and which never got a different password.

I can imagine this is just a small problem that is the result of a bigger problem for you, but it really sucks a lot from my vantage point. Everyone around me *is* capable of posting with their main nations but for some reason I am not. :(

It's nation by nation, which is why I said to file a request.
Just did some experimentation with Knootoss over IRC, and revalidating emails didn't cut it. In fact, I've tried every trick I could think of with our tools, and have had no luck with any of them.

I'm speculating that there is a whole bank of names somewhere in the Jolt system with their permissions (NOT passwords) screwed up. Another speculation is that this is affecting only nations that were forum-validated prior to the move to Jolt. (If anyone is banned and using the sneak-arounds I published above that doesn't meet these criteria, please let us know.) If I'm right, nothing can be done until the Jolt guys find the errant section / directory / table / whatever, and reset the permissions on the whole table.

Wish I had good news to report, but that's it for the moment.

Uh, Fris, what's to become of the broken Thread Tools/tagging question? You remember, the person who said s/he can't subscribe to threads? I've been having the same problem and would like this question answered, please?

I'm having trouble getting in, and I wasn't here before the move. If I've been forumbanned, it's news to me. I received no notification of it.

Uh, Fris, what's to become of the broken Thread Tools/tagging question? I've been having the same problem and would like this question answered, please?
The answer is, "we don't have an answer." It's a Jolt thing, and totally outside of NationStates control. Once they fix it, it will be fixed. We can't do a thing.
I'm having trouble getting in
"Trouble getting in" isn't enough information to help us locate the problem. If you're referring to the broken link from the nationpage, that affects everyone. What I was talking about with Knootoss was the fact that he is Forumbanned with an expiration of Never. I've only heard of that happening to old nations (or the few we've genuinely forumbanned since the upgrade). Feel free to clarify if you're having other problems than the nationpage link.

The answer is, "we don't have an answer." It's a Jolt thing, and totally outside of NationStates control. Once they fix it, it will be fixed. We can't do a thing.

I believe you misinterpreted my question, so please let me rephrase: Will the anti-tagging policies enacted by t3h m0dz0rz of d00m be relaxed at all to account for this problem?

The answer is, "we don't have an answer." It's a Jolt thing, and totally outside of NationStates control. Once they fix it, it will be fixed. We can't do a thing.

"Trouble getting in" isn't enough information to help us locate the problem. If you're referring to the broken link from the nationpage, that affects everyone. What I was talking about with Knootoss was the fact that he is Forumbanned with an expiration of Never. I've only heard of that happening to old nations (or the few we've genuinely forumbanned since the upgrade). Feel free to clarify if you're having other problems than the nationpage link.


Nope. That's the problem I'm having. Thanks.

When clicking on ANY of the latest thread links on the left side of my FIREFOX window (either left or middle click) the resulting window goes to the bug page (http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/index.cgi/target=problems)

The links DO display the correct link topic when mouse over.

I followed this link on the bug page to get here:
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=1235

Logged in and posted this message. Even after logging in here, I am still getting the bug page when using the links in another tab window...

The links DO display the correct link topic when mouse over.

That's not exactly the correct link. That's the redirect page, which is broken at Jolt's end. This link http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/forum.cgi
(http://www.nationstates.net/cgi-bin/forum.cgi) used to take you to a script error page, but now redirects you to the only remaining link to the forums.

Admin swapped the forum link page last night to the Known Problems page until we get the forum link issue resolved. Which may take a while.

I'll see about tweaking the links so that they do send you to the right place but with a message that the integration is broken.

Currently, it looks like I'll be telling my grand children about how I remember "When the NS Forum link worked."...

Is it just me or do the links work now? I can get to the forum and to specific threads using the sidebar links from NS.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=9859297&postcount=5

However, it does seem as though if you're logged into Jolt, you'll remain logged in anyway.

I still have friends getting the error:

vBulletin Message



You have been banned for the following reason:
None

Date the ban will be lifted: Never

I understand that you guys are working on it, and am trying to keep "banned" people that I know updated on your progress...

Annoying alert!! I could just smash my head on the monitor once more...:headbang:

That's better.

Did they manage to fix it? I can now enter without trouble. If they did, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STAFF OF NATIONSTATES! I can finally continue my RP with everyone in it.

only auto-login do not work now. I hope they fix that...

Still no posting with Knootoss, or autologin though. So it might as well not work. :/

Great. An upgrade but no posting with Knootoss. :(

(Weekly whine ends here.)

Doesn't look like they fixed it, for me anyways. I can get on the forums, without auto-log in that is, but the Forum Tools and Search buttons don't work for me. Plus whenever I post something, the toolbar at the top is all wierd coloured. It could just be my crappy computer, but then it might not be.

w00t! :fluffle:

Was it fixed??

Was it fixed??

If you'd read the thread, you'd realize he couldn't post as Knootoss, only as Knootian East Indies. He just posted as Knootoss. I'm going to take a wild guess, and say it was fixed.

You guessed correctly.

If you'd read the thread, you'd realize he couldn't post as Knootoss, only as Knootian East Indies. He just posted as Knootoss. I'm going to take a wild guess, and say it was fixed.
I wonder how you drew that conclusion.

*registers all his puppets just to make sure...and notices forum has >3000 new users*

I've been reading this thread daily to keep my spirits up. So it seems only right that my first post should be here, to thank the people who made it possible for me to express opinions instead of having to sit around fuming mutely.

So thank you, Salusa (et al, if any). Your time and effort is really appreciated, the more so because it's unpaid.