Modified Classic ASP Release

Snitz™ Forums 2000
https://forum.snitz.com/forumTopic/Posts/71269?pagenum=1
04 November 2025, 10:20

Topic


Carefree
Modified Classic ASP Release
04 June 2018, 00:27


Well, think we're finally about bug free; so I'm going to release this to anyone who wants the most versatile and complete forum on the internet. Among other things, it has:

225+ Radio button-controlled modules
100 + Themes
150,000 + database entries
~ 20,000 files (~ 1000 ASP pages)
165 MB programs and images
3.87 GB extras (avatars, audio files, tools, etc.)

The only part that you HAVE to get is "forum.rar". If you decide not to get and use the extras, the forum will detect the missing files and disable those modules.

The tools include database conversion utilities (from Access to MySql or MSSQL).
The nt/ot files are King James Bible (in English) audio files. There are forum interfaces, searches, etc.; which support them.
Thanks to MaGraham (for hosting and bug searching) and Philip Saunders for helping identify bugs.

You will need to change either the database name or config.asp (or both) to protect your forum.

 

Replies ...


philsbbs
04 June 2018, 07:26


thumbsUp
golfmann
04 June 2018, 16:20


Wow... You've been busy!
I'd like to check this out more.
Carefree
21 June 2018, 23:19


Help yourself :)

Once upon a time (several years ago) ... no really, it was only once bigsmile, I thought I was done with developing the modular version of Snitz forums. Originally, my idea was simply to incorporate the mods found on SnitzBitz.com - and to make them controlled by an administrative page. This was intended to eliminate most, if not all, of the programming required from new admins.
Since then, it's become something a bit more complex and complete. Anti-spam? Of course. Several methods exist. Banning members, email or IP addresses, even entire countries? You can do it. Other security features include password salting (unique to every user and which changes every visit), content detection, 2-factor security for logins, COPPA and EU privacy compliance, and much more. A custom 401 page can capture many basic hacking attempts and lock out the user or IP address after a set number. If a user attempts to access a page of any disabled module, he/she will be redirected to the default page. If the forum admin does the same, he/she will be redirected to the mod management page.
Want a unique appearance? You can change the look (what and where things are displayed in margins or top/bottom frames), color themes (for forums and/or individual pages) which include national holiday themes and personal birthday themes, buttons, rounded/flat corners of tables, standard/drop menus, default page contents, etc. all from admin pages. You can even edit themes' color schemes (which also modify drop menu CSS colors to match) dynamically from an admin page. Themes may also include background sounds (e.g., for birthdays or national holiday themes), which are configured to only play once per occasion, resetting on the member's next visit after that date.
Want to accept advertising on your forum? It's supported. Place ads in top (banner style), or on either/both left and right frames. Have other content in the frames? You can choose to put ads above or below such content. A number of modules have been configured to display in the side frames, the admin_site_includes page allows you to enable/disable them, and/or to specify which side and in which order each appears. If the modules are disabled in the admin mod management page, they are also disabled here. Have multiple banner ads to display? You can choose whether to display them in a marquee (rolling ads), or by timer. The timer displays them for fractions of a day, based upon the quantity of ads to include, in the order specified from the admin page.
Need special access groups? Maybe the teenagers want a private forum that adults couldn't view - or someplace to talk about sexual concerns where their younger siblings couldn't see. It's here. Built-in groups include adults, minors, teenagers, males/females, normal members, staff, and prisoners. Prisoners? Yep. Not every forum has them, but many do ... the user(s) who apparently refuse to follow the rules. Warnings don't always have an effect - but locking them into a single place sometimes will do the trick. It's supported. Maybe you're political at heart (want to be a governor or president), and then you could approve a pardon for any criminals. An amnesty function exists also.
While you can use the user groups and deny access to forums if members are minors, using the adult content module, you can designate forums in which adult language is not censored - and lock the minors out. Automatically restricting minors, converting them to the teenagers group, and/or converting teenagers to adults, is only effective if (in the members' detail page) you require date-of-birth and if you also choose to disable changing year of birth following registration.

Two different chat programs are provided, each with its own features. One is entirely driven by ASP and Javascript, the other by Flash. Both use the forum's user names. The ASP version supports a few smileys, a few text formatting options, and all HTML5 default colors. The flash version supports skinning, chat transcripts, multiple rooms (password protected if desired) and multiple moderators; but has no smileys nor text formatting.
Want online games? If you get the additional content files, there are over 1250 flash games, and several asp/javascript games (cryptograms, anagrams, crossword puzzles, and Sudoku). The anagrams game is not yet complete, but it can be played as is. There are a LOT of word combinations to add. Trying to resolve a javascript issue with a word search application ... if I do, I will add it.
Feel like hosting a web-based radio? You can. Need a louder alarm clock? Many of us are "hard sleepers" and find it difficult to wake with clock radios and the typical desk clocks. The forum has an alarm option which each member can use and schedule as many alarms as he/she would like. If you are hosting the streaming media (radio) and the member uses Internet Explorer (for the playlist capability), then the alarm can play random music from their selection. Otherwise, alarm media can be any mp3 audio, or mp4 video, anywhere on the web.
As far as I know, all beta testers spoke only English, so other than a few modules which were already translated, languages other than English are currently only supported through the web-based, machine dynamic translator option. If someone has a lot of time and speaks at least one language in addition to English, please feel free to translate any/all text, menus, buttons, etc. I will modify the programs to incorporate translations if they are provided.
There's a migration page which is intended to help move forums from standard/stock Snitz forums to the modular forum. I could write code to migrate all known tables (from the 275 mods), but then I would have to compare all the original mod coding to ensure fields did not get titles or definitions changed, etc.

The default user/password is "admin/admin". You will want to change that. From the mod management page, enable the name changer and password reset for forum admin. After changing either, you'll have to login again.
As you may imagine, all of this software has potential bugs (errors) beyond those already identified. There is a bug reporter application which also allows forum administrators to send a copy to me automatically upon verification of bug(s).
bobby131313
22 June 2018, 12:34


Anti-spam? Of course. Several methods exist.

Carefree, Months ago I woke up to about 5,000 spam posts and decided to do something as soon as I cleaned them up.
I subscribed to both the StopForumSpam and Cleantalk APIs. Spam is basically non-existent now. I have it send me an email with all the info on the blocked attempt for review, have not seen a single false positive. Example email.... City says NY, IP says India.....

The only spam I get is the occasional dufus that wants to spam his eBay listings or some crap like that.
Carefree
27 June 2018, 23:59


It would be very simple to do an IP verification during registration, that feature is already built in. Enable the IP-to-Country module and it will not let someone enter the wrong country. If you also use the anti-spam function to block heavy spam countries like Nigeria, Ivory Coast, etc.; you can prevent a lot of garbage. Of course, he/she could use a proxy server to spoof that. Will have to write a proxy detection routine and block anyone using such. The drawback to that approach is it will block entire countries (e.g., China) which censor web access.
bobby131313
30 June 2018, 09:04


These services are not just IP/Country verification. They have DBs of known spammer IPs, IDs, and email addresses. CleanTalk's seems pretty massive.
Carefree
02 July 2018, 04:25


Yeah, there are a number of those on the web. Not sure how they could possibly remain current, since Nigeria alone spawns thousands of fake email addresses every month. Blocking iP ranges (not addresses) of known spammer/scammer groups works wonders. I remember when the 409 code was first assigned to internet scamming, about 15-17 years ago. In those days, the scammers often used the same email accounts and it was much simpler to spot them.
richfed
02 August 2018, 19:10


I see no link anywhere to download this. I have a small, access-driven, forum that is pretty much defunct. I would like to implement this over there & tinker with it to see if I could/should use it on my main Mohicans forum. Need something to do in my retirement!!! Show me the way.
bobby131313
02 August 2018, 21:29


Not sure how they could possibly remain current

They have plugins for all the popular platforms that feeds back to them when accounts are locked. I have not had one robot spammer since implementing the 2.
Carefree
09 August 2018, 23:26


Originally posted by richfed I see no link anywhere to download this. I have a small, access-driven, forum that is pretty much defunct. I would like to implement this over there & tinker with it to see if I could/should use it on my main Mohicans forum. Need something to do in my retirement!!! Show me the way.

Well I had links in the first topic, don't know what happened to them. Here you go:

Google Drive Link
richfed
10 August 2018, 20:37


Thank you. I downloaded forum.rar. tools.rar & avatars.rar. Is that all I need for a fully functioning Snitz Forum? What exactly are the nt.rar & ot.rar files. I get the rest are games, correct? Where would I find the migration page?
Carefree
11 August 2018, 07:51


Yes, it will work without the other files. NT/OT are Bible audio files, flash are games. I will write you a migration program based on the mods you are using.
richfed
11 August 2018, 18:49


You're the man. Thank you!
Carefree
24 August 2018, 23:35


Done. See your mail.
Etymon
25 August 2018, 17:08


Thank you! smile
pierretopping
05 September 2018, 18:56


Top man :-)

Will download and play, will it work with my existing Snitz Verizon, or will it only with with vanilla installs ?
Thanks agin,
Carefree
17 September 2018, 00:24


There's a file titled "admin_migrate.asp" which will extract the majority of tables/records from your current database and copy them into the modular one. I wrote it for Access databases, may need a SQL expert to change it for those using MS SQL. Download the newest version, though. Have another 30-40 people testing and we have found and fixed a few more bugs.
Carefree
26 November 2018, 00:50


Among other new things, I got the crossword puzzles and word search games fixed. If you get the puzzles, modify your "web.config" file (under the system.webServer group, add the following):
Code:

        <staticContent> 
<mimeMap fileExtension=".crossword" mimeType="application/octet-stream" />
<mimeMap fileExtension=".wordsearch" mimeType="application/octet-stream" />
</staticContent>

Altogether, there are some 200,000 + lines of code in 800 + programs. The required forum.rar file has been reduced to appx 135 MB. The bug finders haven't found anything new for a while now, so here's my fingers crossed hoping they're done. I'm getting old, people, my vision is failing and my memory is already a thing of history; so I'm not sure I'll be able to continue development much longer (even if I don't have any more strokes). I hope some of you download this and (if nothing else) play with it. Maybe there will be some who appreciate the effort put into it.
richfed
26 November 2018, 19:06


I do appreciate ALL of your fine work, I just don't have the courage to try this out. The main thing, though, is I hope that you start feeling better. God bless you.
Carefree
29 November 2018, 23:52


Thanks. I have children around me every day, so at least I get to FEEL younger; even if my body doesn't fall for it. LOL
Carefree
04 February 2019, 00:48


I'll have to find a new hosting site for these files soon, Google Plus is going the way of the buffalo.
richfed
04 February 2019, 17:25


Heard about that.
Carefree
08 March 2019, 23:53


Well, the hosting sites are mostly very slow and/or very confusing. Even those with "premium" memberships seem designed to frustrate users. So I ended up using Microsoft's "OneDrive". Here's a link to get the current release. Again, only the "forum.rar" file is absolutely necessary to run it. The rest pertain to optional modules.
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