Freegle Tech Report 18-11-30

Freegle Tech Report November 2018
Messages 26377-26498
Members 115
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General

Most of the month has been taken up with Edward trying to clear clutter and so speed up everything for those mods who cover for many groups, doing fixes for some minor problems and answering questions. Servers are working well and we seem to be getting in member donations which are in line with our targets.

Direct

If you have a member using Outlook 2010 32bit? who says he sometimes sees Outlook crash on emails and they are willing to do team viewer with Edward please contact him.
We had many group owner addresses spammed by someone regarding conveyancing. Unfortunately it seems the scammer is not a member on any group with that email address and one mod felt maybe the real owner of the domain has been hacked? It could have been, but all we can do if we have no record of the address is report it as spam, in due course it will be checked and removed for all groups. If already showing as reported, just do nothing.

Q & A
Q. how to repost something and b) how to post something to a neighbouring group. I posted from scratch, to my own group then to a neighbouring group but I didn't feel it was straightforward. I am now wanting to post it locally again and afterwards to another different neighbouring group. But it is not obvious how. I wonder if there could be an option to repost on another group that I belong to?
A If you click the link in a repost reminder, or when it appears on' My Posts' you have the option to change it or repost. If you want to put it on a different group at the same time, you are best selected Give and posting to it. Just copy and paste the original.
Q. As the title says I thought Admins were going to go into pending first so we can double check them before they go out, same as we did on Yahoo.
A..Still in the pipeline.
Q.There was a map showing where people were posting from when there is no group..... is it still about please?
A. https://www.ilovefreegle.org/stats/heatmap
Q Just curious I sent an admin out and got a couple of mailer daemon replies . When I searched our membership list I could not find the email visual_kt2@... I was going to remove it
A. I would guess this is someone who has forwarding set up from the account that is a member, to an address which is no longer valid. Do you see the full copy of the message at the bottom? If so then the very bottom of it might show the email it was actually sent to?
Q. I’m getting the email notifications of chat, which is good..What isn’t good is they don’t include the rest of the thread/conversation in the most recent notification so, I either have to keep every single reply which piles up in my inbox and then gets confusion, or go to chat which I don’t want to do.
A. I will have a think about it.
Q I had a post with replies and had promised to someone who hasn't shown up, I unpromised and messaged a second person who hasn't replied as yet so I wanted to repost. When I clicked to repost I was taken to a screen which said I was part way through a draft and would I like to carry on - which was fine (the last time this happened I was able to edit the post to say something had gone and remove one of the photos, which was handy). I carried on with the post and sent it (then approved) but the post is still showing as a draft as well as the live post which is really confusing.
A.Ok, I can see some confusing nonsense here. I've made some fixes - please let me know how it behaves now?
Q. I always add photos when listing an item so looking at the My Posts tab on the Freegle app gives me the option to delete a photo and not add one. A member has just asked if he can add a photo to an approved post that is just text. Is it possible to do this?
A.Not yet! Edward is hoping to add message editing (which includes this) before the end of the year. It's a bit fiddly because of moderation.
Q Why are there so many members using the bounces+id? I had a complaint about a member/no show using this id, but support tools brings up lots of them. Surely we shouldn't be repeating userids for different people.
A. There were 56 of these, the most recent created in May 2017. So it doesn't seem to be a widespread or ongoing thing. I've now given them all random names.
Q. I find the auto suggestions are a complete pain... Every time I post using the app and several suggestions cover the description box which I just can't get round to fill in the body.
A. I will try a scroll bar option for your phone.
Q I'd like text to be filled in automatically in the area where I put more details as I almost always say "See pic. Collection Goldington, thanks and I've seen quite a lot of posts where people have the same boilerplate text.
A. It's possible that would cause some confusion and problems where people put the wrong thing into it, or left it there when they should have deleted it, but I think it's worth a try.
Q. I have just been on the phone to a member who tells me he is has been struggling to post. The issue was that he put in the title large quantity of bubblewrap. He felt that described his item well enough, so didn't need to describe it in the main box Once I suggested adding a couple of words to the description, the next box then appeared.
Either the form needs a pop up to inform them to put something in or allow it to be empty.
A. I'll look at making that more obvious. Thanks.

Mobile APP.

I've updated the code for the Freegle app (1.4.6) and ModTools app (0.2.6) and just released those for Android. The iOS versions have been submitted for approval.
Chris
Apps hat

Mod Tools

Q. I just noticed "add group" when setting up some groups but it's now showing on the settings for every group and I'm confused. Is it new or have I missed it previously?
A It's how you add a Yahoo group to ModTools which it isn't currently aware of. It's not to do with creating a group.
Hide all Groups is if you want to set yourself as a backup mod on all groups. I think I added it for those who were getting set as an active mod and then had to go through loads of groups to reset it..

Server changes.

Client code changes Can't withdraw an item. Make Add Photos button more prominent. Remove donation by text as JustGiving Text is being retired.

Speed-ups: when we have very long lists of chats, it can hang the browser for a few seconds. 
My Posts not expanding messages correctly when few of them.
Promise info not showing correctly on My Posts .
Change link to mark all notifications as read into a small button to make it easier to click.
Volunteering sidebar doesn't update correctly .
Allow adding of photos in about me and alert replies, fix responsive view.
Photo in My Posts wrong size on mobile * Promote Giving Tuesday* Promote Giving Tuesday. 
Add ability to see stories for a particular group.
Reposting messages leads to confusing drafts .
When marking all notifications as read, close the notification drop-down as you're clearly not interested in seeing it any more. 
Some posts on My Posts won't expand properly 

On mobile, when you click to expand a message it's not obvious that it's expanded. Scroll to make this more obvious.
'...and here are the ones which are minor, or only affect volunteers in ModTools, or are internal changes that you wouldn't notice:' Speed-ups: rework use of session to fetch what we need rather than everything
Speed-ups: checking for work on MT
Speed-ups: only return ModConfigs which are in use on session API call except for Settings page.
Fix id for purged user
Webpack changes
Back out MT change to hide buttons for held messages/members
Remove console log Fix to webpack upgrade
Minor template fix
Speed-ups: Yahoo is dragging down performance
In MT, add placeholder for edit to show that the location must be the full postcode
Wait popup hanging around - speculative fix
Getting logged out
Volunteering sidebar doubles up
Speed-ups: list groups
Permission check errors if not fetched me object
Teams page broken by speedups
Speed-ups: setting of select dropdown thrashes DOM.
Being logged out more often than expected
Add setting for whether a group is being mentored
Speed-ups: fixes to explore
Speed-ups: newsfeed fix
Speed-ups: fixes and chat
Don't allow adding of new group in MT without mandatory fields
Fix console error
Not showing count for spam members
Retire client-side fetch cache, which was largely unused now that the server is faster
Need to set title to 0
Bug in last chat count fix
Remove Giving Tuesday promotion
Rework chat counts to improve performance and remove phantom counts for chats on groups you're a backup mod on
In MY, don't set window title to include group chats. This will also affect the notification count displayed by the app.
Change label for mentored groups

Group selection needs to change a bit for workplace groups
For workplace groups, allow group to have a default location which skips asking for location when posting
Add link to donate to bank account Add link to set up monthly donations Server Code Changes Here are ones which affect members' Strip emoji in newsfeed digest to avoid weirdo stuff showing

Promise info not showing correctly on My Posts

Promise info not showing 

Having to log in too often 

...and here are the ones which are minor, or only affect volunteers in ModTools, or are internal changes that you wouldn't notice: UT fixes
Speed-ups: allow fetching of individual components in session API call
Remove session storage of configs now it's faster
Speed-ups: only fetch modconfigs which are in use most of the time
Log type mismatch
Delete test story created in UT
Possibly fix intermittent UT problem with
Speed-ups: fetching of mod configs, especially for people on many groups Speed-ups: fetching of chat messages (6 days ago) Speed-up: dashboard page, especially for people on many groups.
Add test for slow dashboard
Facebook post sharing oddly not working
Speed-ups: getting plugin work, especially for many groups
Remove warning
MT Dashboard profile warnings wrong
Not showing autoapproved count
Not showing pending spammer count
Speed-up: list groups in Support Tools Authority map broken Strip TN signatures from replies Some users have names like bounce+ Update schema Change "these mails" to say which mails they are, to clarify a bit that when you turn them off you're only turning that type off. Add "mentored" field to group Drop any auto posts from Yahoo which are sent to groups which are no longer on Yahoo. Speed-ups: fetching of chat messages, particularly the "interested in" ones Remove records of Yahoo group memberships for Freegle groups, now that Yahoo is no longer supported. This shrinks the database and speeds things up Delete all FBUser email addresses, which aren't needed now that we don't support Yahoo, and slow down ModTools Speed-ups: more minor speedups to fetching chat messages Fix warning Speed-ups: disable SQL logging as no longer often used, add ability to disable DB query cache Speed-ups: Community Event and Volunteering Op listings Not showing count for spam members Always return myid in session

Tech Chat.

• I've still had to sign in just now on iPad & android phone. It's not a full sign in with entering username/password, just the sign in screen and clicking the way e.g. yahoo. It only happens when I close the Windows properly on these
• I had to sign in first thing this morning but I have just closed the ModTools tab and reopened it without having to sign in again.
• Maggie S i had to sign in first thing this morning
• little_web_wizard If we are talking about sign on in modtools, I didn't have to sign in on PC this morning, but I had left the browser open and the PC on. If that's relevant and helpful.

A. Edward Hibbert It might happen once first thing, so I'm interested in whether you keep having to do it. If you do, then the change I've made hasn't worked.

• I now have an ordinary member having a similar problem she is seeing login page on Canterbury Freegle her email is sl4flowers @ yahoo.com I've attached screenshot she sent me

A.Edward Hibbert Another change applied. Let me know, please. Ray Yes that's worked for me thank you

*Claire Trying to logout of modtools app on iPad as taking it in for repair. I’ve logged out of yahoo in browser, then logged out in modtools, but clicking login still gets me into my account directly without a password. Can someone advise on how to log out completely? Not a huge problem, as they are unlikely to want to mod posts, but lots of email type info here that should be protected

A. The log out should work but if you can't just uninstall it while it's in for repair and reinstall when you have got it back or log out of the email account you use then see if it asks you to log in at that point. :) A. Edward Hibbert You can try going to https://login.yahoo.com/account/security and see if you see any reference to the ModTools app on there. If you do (I don't) then there may be a remove button.

• I have had a request to unsubscribe a gmail member. I notice on modtools it lists an extra yahoo.com email address but can not see any trace in the membership list or activity log. I know yahoo gives a yahoomembership by default when giving someone an ID. Any ideas? Not sure what is going on.

A. Wanda @Peter One of the reasons we moved off Yahoo, if the Yahoo account was removed form the Yahoo group it didn't always let Mod Tools know on member synch so they remained. . A. SarahJane @Peter, there are a few like that on the Aberdeen group - including my own! Yahoo! does automatically give people an ID, but when they sign up for groups they can choose a different email address as their primary (delivery) address. The Yahoo! group logs only show activity for the primary address, but ModTools pulls in the email address linked to the ID. For example, my Yahoo! ID is loadingbay so my account on ModTools shows the email address attached to it. (which I haven't checked in years).

• Peter I am trying to find where to turn trashnothing posts off.#Peter

A. Edward Hibbert It isn't on MT - you need to go to TN to do it. I don't know how, personally. A. I don't think you can prevent TN posts unless you disallow members with with TN email addresses to join your group - see attached image for that setting on TN site - not sure though that that will prevent those who are already members via TN from remaining as members, so you wouldn't stop all TN messages A. To access your groups TN settings you need to go to this link https://trashnothing.com/moderator/yahoo-settings?id=***********Freegle replacing asterisks with your group name this will prompt TN to send you a message with a login link, note: that will arrive in MT Chat first

• Peter Re Trashnothing: I find that odd. When this Freegle was launched I was offered the choice of a feed from TN which I declined. #Peter

A. Edward Hibbert If nothing else, I'm sure you could just mail Andrew and ask him to remove the group

• Maggie S is modtools on a go slow, or is it just me, does it need a kick?
• Wanda it needs a huge kick... taken me 10 minutes to try and check the chats. Driving me mad not loading or taking forever to load and loading chats of groups I am just back up on, but that's an old ongoing problem. Usually they disappear within seconds but not today.. Ed's at his day job tho so I doubt he can do anything . .I'm on dev maybe normal is better?Chat is the worst at loading any chat, taking forever and also including chats it shouldn't do at first which eventually go but annoying as it shows a number for them and when I open chats it goes and there aren't any left that I need to check but can't catch it quickly enough to do a TV with Ed to fix that one. Also noticed late yesterday when loading pending messages the buttons weren't loading and had to refresh to get them to show. Just happened again now altho was ok first thing.

A. Edward Hibbert It's loading fine for me on the app. I'll have a look in an hour or so. Did a quick check, looks ok but fixed one possible. If you restart your browser how is it now?

• Maggie S JUST TURNED ON LAPTop and chat loaded ok, i see how it goes :)
• Claire A member has reported that the message sent when promising an item is confusing. I'll post the image below, but it says the promise is cancelled in the text. I've checked the item and it's marked as promised. Not sure if the text is wrong, or he's doing something wrong to promise this He also said old promises that he didn't think had the cancelled bit, now include it

A.Edward Hibbert I'll have a look at that tonight. (br)

• Maggie S ive mentioned this before about ModConfigs added to my list of ModConfigs, its getting longer with odd ModConfigs added, with testconfig and now UT Test on my list, i know edward mentioned it was his test ModConfig but what about the other one? its very annoying when i keep a nice tidy list and now have these ModConfig on the list too.

A. Wanda I'd say the other one is also Ed's by the looks of it... You die if you saw my list, it's massive lol However since they've all been put in alphabetical order now it's easy to find what I am looking for... ;) A.David Maggie re tidy config list I agree and have marked some of my old modconfigs as old remove and will ask Edward to remove as I cant seem to remove on my own...If you see any other old ones I have added just ask me to remove as I cant see what you see as it were (br) A.Wanda Please NEVER remove a config unless you created it! it will probably belong to another mod on whose group you may have been working on as a mod or owner and you will delete it from their list too... if some odd ones have appeared do as Maggie is doing and ask who the new one belongs to before deleting. Jean. (br) Freegle Tech (br) November 2018

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