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Better Bonk

R_JR_J Ex-FanboyMunich Admin

I think it is far from being intuitive to find the config setting for a more informative bonk replacement:

$Configuration['Garden']['Errors']['MasterView'] = 'deverror.master.php';and
$Configuration['Garden']['Errors']['MasterView'] = 'error.master.php';

Wouldn't it be useful to have deverror.master.php for admins and error.master.php for non-admins?
Does anybody knows how to realize that without having to dig into the source code? Otherwise I will do so when I've time for that. I think it would make a useful plugin for admins and developers (the name alone is a justification for its creation: BetterBonk!)

(btw: does everybody knows about decho($something)? I've stumbled upon it by accident and it has proven to be quite useful. It echos $something nicely formatted only if you are logged in as admin)

Comments

  • Personally I think error logging is better (so long as it is secured). I don't think anything should be on by default, but it shoudl be possible to turn it on an Admins could be given info on Bonk.

    grep is your friend.

  • businessdadbusinessdad Stealth contributor MVP

    @x00 said:
    Personally I think error logging is better (so long as it is secured). I don't think anything should be on by default, but it shoudl be possible to turn it on an Admins could be given info on Bonk.

    I agree. That's why one of my pet projects is the error butler, which will go hand in hand with the Logger. :)

  • R_JR_J Ex-Fanboy Munich Admin
    edited September 2013

    Want to see something strange? => https://github.com/vanillaforums/Garden/search?q=bonk&ref=cmdform

    That shows only this two lines

    echo '< b class="Bonk">Whoops! There was an error.< /b>';
    echo '< div class="BonkError Hidden">';
    

    No sign of "Bonk Something funky happened. Please bear with us while we iron out the kinks."!

    But there is not a single FireEvent in /library/core/functions.error.php and so there will be no BetterBonk plugin :-(

  • the master view is error.master.phpor deverror.master.php

    grep is your friend.

  • x00x00 MVP
    edited September 2013

    @businessdad said:
    I agree. That's why one of my pet projects is the error butler, which will go hand in hand with the Logger. :)

    Lol I like the idea of the error butler. Could it point out personal faults in a polite, but backhanded way?

    grep is your friend.

  • hgtonighthgtonight ∞ · New Moderator

    @R_J said:
    (btw: does everybody knows about decho($something)? I've stumbled upon it by accident and it has proven to be quite useful. It echos $something nicely formatted only if you are logged in as admin)

    I didn't! One of these days I am going to sit down and read the entire framework so I know all about these little convenience functions.

    You could create a plugin that overrides the error master view, no?

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  • businessdadbusinessdad Stealth contributor MVP

    @x00 said:
    Lol I like the idea of the error butler. Could it point out personal faults in a polite, but backhanded way?

    Something like "dear user, it seems that you did something wrong, besides turning on your computer. I wish I could keep track of all errors, but then I would start having mental issues as well".

  • Yep :D

    grep is your friend.

  • R_JR_J Ex-Fanboy Munich Admin

    @hgtonight said:
    You could create a plugin that overrides the error master view, no?

    Örks! - and I haven't even thought of that. So that when error is called and user is admin, deverror is served...

    I've never made plugin that overrides a given view. Will try to do so

  • R_JR_J Ex-Fanboy Munich Admin

    @Lincoln said:
    That logic could itself be causing the Bonk which would reduce you to PHP puking errors to everyone

    That's a very good reason not to have such a plugin.

    I'm very disappointed though, because I fell in love with the name :-/

  • peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited September 2013

    Bonk revisited:

    http://vanillaforums.org/discussion/20604/todd-suggestion-for-bonk-page-replacement

    despite the "dumbness" of bonk - the bonk web page could certainly say something.

    "Forum administrator please check the vanilla documentation for bonk and have a link on how to display errors."

    so people don't keep saying I have a bonk

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • vrijvlindervrijvlinder Papillon-Sauvage MVP

    This looks like a good read ... .. now every time people get Bonked they will think of sex. Making their Bonk a Boing and then go Bonk someone else ;)

    Bonk : The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
    by Mary Roach

    Is this where they got the Bonk who could have known !?

    There can't be a better Bonk than "Bonk" :)

  • R_JR_J Ex-Fanboy Munich Admin

    I'm totally happy with a simple, nice and friendly "Don't panic"-like Bonk site.

    When I'm using a forum (as a user, not an admin), I do not want to see there are serious problems going far beyond layout issues or anything like that. A Bonk error could be caused by severe security issues. If that happen, the admin should be alarmed, but never the user.

    If you have a "What to do in case of emergency" Bonk screen, it would look like the admin does not know what he is doing (that might be true if the life system shows a bonk but the user does not need to know that).

    There will always be the same questions stating just that there was a bonk and now the new born vanilla admin does not know what to do, but as long they are not asking twice or more times the same question that's okay. vanillaforums.org is a support forum and support should be given also to those who haven't read the documentation first. To my opinion, that's what a support forum is all about.

  • LincLinc Detroit Admin

    @R_J said:
    If you have a "What to do in case of emergency" Bonk screen, it would look like the admin does not know what he is doing (that might be true if the life system shows a bonk but the user does not need to know that).

    This is my position as well. If you need your Bonk screen to tell you what to do next, what are you doing running a forum on your own?

  • @R_J said:

    When I'm using a forum (as a user, not an admin), I do not want to see there are serious problems going far beyond layout issues or anything like that. A Bonk error could be caused by severe security issues. If that happen, the admin should be alarmed, but never the user.

    it doesn't have to be alarming - it can be informative. - it is not an either - or conundrum.

    When I'm using a forum (as a user

    I' d rather see the forum up and running, rather than bonk, and if the link expedites the return to "up", I would be happier.

    If you have a "What to do in case of emergency" Bonk screen, it would look like the admin does not know what he is doing (that might be true if the life system shows a bonk but the user does not need to know that).

    if the users see a forum with bonk message for a long time while the admin is asking the question on the forum about "I got a bonk", then waiting for the response, read the documentation on bonk or adjust your config statements. The users will obviously know the forum owner doesn't have a clue.

    It really shouldn't matter about forum owner being concerned about "saving face" because of a simple link pointing out bonk documentation link, it is to expedite the uptime and restoring the forum to running condition.

    @Lincoln

    This is my position as well. If you need your Bonk screen to tell you what to do next, what are you doing running a forum on your own?

    well, from the hundreds of questions asked about bonk - it appears to be a reality.

    but I understand now, due to saving face the Bonk screen with link to bonk documentation will not appear soon, if ever. Perhaps when you rewrite the install and upgrade documentation. You could put it write up front or put a message that appears in install documentation. Or just a box in the dashboard that always appears - link to "What do you do if you get a bonk". They might read it before they get a bonk and actually know how to go about solving problem.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • vrijvlindervrijvlinder Papillon-Sauvage MVP

    "What do you do if you get a bonk".

    Sounds like we need a tutorial no? I will be busy for the next week or so but will try to put something together.

  • peregrineperegrine MVP
    edited September 2013

    Sounds like we need a tutorial no?

    it's in the wiki, in the documentation and in a thousand forum questions.

    maybe - however some people don't read tutorials and don't search the forum for bonk questions and don't read the "what to do if I get a bonk" in numerous signatures. These are the very people who do get bonk errors.

    we need it easier to find re: link on bonk page, or in an info box in dashboard everywhere, and in install documentation and instructions. OK I said it multiple times.

    and a link to the wiki on the vanilla documentation page.

    I may not provide the completed solution you might desire, but I do try to provide honest suggestions to help you solve your issue.

  • @vrijvlinder said:
    Sounds like we need a tutorial no?

    It's in my signature, as p-doc says. Actually, a great place to show that link is on the 'new discussion' page with links to the rules too (does that make sense?)

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • vrijvlindervrijvlinder Papillon-Sauvage MVP

    Yes, The tutorials category is still fairly new and it is my belief that good information is never over posted. The more places it can be found the higher the odds it will be read. Info about Something like Bonk should be everywhere. In triplicate .

    I would say that getting Bonked is the most distressing for most new users. So it should be easy to find and the more about it that is posted the higher the chances for results as in not so many "I got Bonk now what ? "
    questions.

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