Spam plugin blocks everything?

[hgoor]

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I did it here...

Here's the problem: I have the spam blocking plugin set to not use captchas for authors etc.

But now even when I am logged in and want to post a comment I get this message:

You did not specify the field!
Your comment could not be added, because comments for this entry have either been disabled, you entered invalid data, or your comment was caught by anti-spam measurements.

Also when I am not logged in and post something using the right captchas I get this message. Very annoying!

What is wrong here? I specified a valid e-mail (my own!) and filled out everything that needs to be filled out?

Besides the Spam Protector version: 1.51 I have also installed:

Spam Protector (SURBL) version: 1.0 and Spam Protector (RBL) version: 1.0.

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

Can you please post a screenshot or post all your spamblock configuration options?

It seems you have filled the setting for "make sure additional fields are not empty" and filled it with some variable.

Best regards,
Garvin

[hgoor]

Ok, these are my settings:

Disable spamblock for Authors: all authors

Do not allow duplicate comments: yes

Do not allow users to submit a comment which contains the same body as an already submitted comment: yes

Reject comments which only contain the entry title: no

IP block interval: 1

Enable Captchas: yes

Scrambled Captchas: no

Force captchas after how many days: 0

Background color of the captcha: 255,255,255

Force comment moderation after how many days: 0

How to treat comments made via APIs: moderate

Check Trackback URLs: yes

How many links before a comment gets moderated: 0

How many links before a comment gets rejected: 13

Activate wordfilter: moderate

Wordfilter for URLs Regular Expressions allowed, separate strings by semicolons (;).
8gold\.com;911easymoney\.com;canadianlabels\.net;condodream\.com;
crepesuzette\.com;debt-help-bill-consolidation-elimination\.com;
fidelityfunding\.net;flafeber\.com;gb\.com;houseofsevengables\.com;
instant-quick-money-cash-advance-personal-loans-until-pay-day\.com;
mediavisor\.com;newtruths\.com;oiline\.com;onlinegamingassociation\.com;
online\-+poker\.com;popwow\.com;royalmailhotel\.com;spoodles\.com;
sportsparent\.com;stmaryonline\.org;thatwhichis\.com;tmsathai\.org;
uaeecommerce\.com;learnhowtoplay\.com

Wordfilter for author names Regular Expressions allowed, separate strings by semicolons (;).
casino;phentermine;credit;loans;poker

Wordfilter for comment body Regular Expressions allowed, separate strings by semicolons (;).
very good site!;Real good stuff!

Activate URL filtering by blogg.de Blacklist: moderate

Akismet API Key: (empty)

How to treat Akismet-reported spam: moderate

Hide E-Mail addresses of commenting users: yes

Check e-mail addresses? no

Required comment fields: name,

Choose logging method: No Logging

Logfile location

Hope that helps?

[judebert]

I just posted a comment to your blog. I wasn't logged in, of course, and I used (I hope) the correct captcha. No error; it says the comment has been added, and I expect that it would be, if you moderated it that way.

I filled in the name and website, but not the email. Your settings seem to indicate that the name needs to be filled in. Have you already fixed the problem, or am I just an anomaly?

[hgoor]

I just posted a comment to your blog. I wasn't logged in, of course, and I used (I hope) the correct captcha. No error; it says the comment has been added, and I expect that it would be, if you moderated it that way.

I filled in the name and website, but not the email. Your settings seem to indicate that the name needs to be filled in. Have you already fixed the problem, or am I just an anomaly?

After Garvin's post I figured: let's remove the "name," requirement. I didn't test what it whould do, but I guess that must have been the problem, because for the frist time I got an e-mail to moderate your comment.

So it seems that it was a problem that I wanted people to comment with their name? Actually I would like name and e-mail to be mandatory...

[hgoor]

Ok, I think I have it figured out:

If you do: "name," it doesn't work (I accidentally left the ","). Just "name" works. Also: "name, email," has the same problem: it does not ignore the fact there is nothing after the ",". I think this is a bug? (documentation?)

I just tested a few different things and I must say it's not really handy that when you fill out the comment fields, its not visible to the visitor what fields are manadatory! Normally when there is a form you see a * somewhere, indicating what fields are required.

Now when you're a non-suspecting visitor, you just get an error and are left to find out yourself what went wrong: that's not user-friendly!

In fact: I made "name" and "e-mail" mandatory and just didn't fill either one to test what happens:

First error message: "You did not specify the name field! Your comment could not be added, because comments for this entry have either been disabled, you entered invalid data, or your comment was caught by anti-spam measurements."

Ok, so I fill out my name and submit again:

Second error: "You did not specify the email field!
Your comment could not be added, because comments for this entry have either been disabled, you entered invalid data, or your comment was caught by anti-spam measurements."

Why not show: a) what fields are required? b) and if something does go wrong: show WHAT went wrong? (i.e.: "you didn't fill out name and e-mail or wrong captchas)

Also: what exactly does "check e-mail addresses" do? I turned it on and just made a comment with the e-mail adres "email" (no @ or anything) and it just worked?

[hgoor]

Oh and 1 other thing: in the administration suite it would be great to be able to set a default view within the comment administration.

What I mean by that is, that I would like to be able to set the default view to "show pending approval" only!

In fact, I think that should be the default view anyway? Why bother me with ALL the comments?

And while I am at the subject of user-friendlyness: why not repeat all the buttons at the TOP and BOTTOM of all forms?

I.e.: "invert selections" and "delete selected comment" (btw: it should be "invert selection" not "selections").

Now I have to scroll all the way to the bottom for my actions.

The same applies to plugin page: just put "delete" and "save" on top as well! As well as actions like "next" ("next page" maybe?).

The reverse applies to the media gallery (in 1.0): put NEXT on the bottom as well! If I now choose to show 100 images, I scroll all the way down, and I want to go to the next page, I have to scroll all the way up again to do so!!

Fixing this saves a lot of scrolling

ps: is there a demo install of the new 1.1 version somewhere? I would like to try out the admin module without having to install the 1.1 beta myself. I'm sure I will find lots of usability things that I think can be fixed

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

About the mandatory fields, as it curerntly stands it would assume that you mark required fields on your own via the style.css or commentform.tpl templating files to indicate required fields to your visitor. I do agree that it would be nice if serendipity could do that automatically for you.

As for checking the mail, it should actually check that there's a "@" in the email address. No further specific mail check is contained there.

What I mean by that is, that I would like to be able to set the default view to "show pending approval" only!

I'm not exactly sure, but doesn't the comment panel remember the state of the last selection in a cookie? If not, I agree, this should be made so.

The reverse applies to the media gallery (in 1.0): put NEXT on the bottom as well! If I now choose to show 100 images, I scroll all the way down, and I want to go to the next page, I have to scroll all the way up again to do so!!

ps: is there a demo install of the new 1.1 version somewhere?

supersized.org should run 1.1 versions.

I added your feature requests to http://sourceforge.net/tracker/index.ph ... tid=542825 -- if you find other thinks, it would be nice if you could add those there.

Best regards,
Garvin

[hgoor]

Hey thanks for the quick reply: I appreciate it!

Let's assume most of the serendipity users are not that technical (like me): editing things like css files and things like that are just way out of my reach.

I just checked the "check email" feature: I have this turned on, but I could submit my comment anyway without using the "@" (another bug?). I was logged in though (although before it would tell me that I didn't fill out a name, even when logged in)...

The comments panel does not remember its state (at least: mine doesn't).

Great: now I now where to add my findings.

Talking about supersized: do I need to register or anything? I would just like to play around without actually having to run another blog.

Also: how save do you reckon it is to upgrade my 1.0 to a 1.1 beta? I would like to make a contribution to the upcoming Serendipity version...

ps: my comments are not meant to be negative; I like serendipity and hope that my input leads to an even better blog cms...

[hgoor]

I just checked the "check email" feature: I have this turned on, but I could submit my comment anyway without using the "@" (another bug?). I was logged in though (although before it would tell me that I didn't fill out a name, even when logged in)...

Just confirmed: this was due to me being logged in. After I logged out it told me: invalid e-mail address.

Weird though that when I am logged in it tells me that I have no name or no e-mail, but doesn't check the actual e-mail address for the '@'...

[hgoor]

Uhm, how do I sign up for the feature request tool at SourceForge? I tried the "create and account" but it seemed not to work????

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

Supersized.org does require you to setup a blog, but it's quite easy and straightforward.

I really appreciate your comments! Constructive criticism is always very welcome! Upgrading to the 1.1 alpha version should be a snap. It's quite stable currently, so you shouldn't really expect any heavy problems there.

You can login to Sf.Net here:

http://sourceforge.net/account/newuser_emailverify.php

HTH,
Garvin

[hgoor]

Upgrading to the 1.1 alpha version should be a snap. It's quite stable currently, so you shouldn't really expect any heavy problems there.

Ok, I guess I'll try that then

You can login to Sf.Net here:

http://sourceforge.net/account/newuser_emailverify.php

HTH,
Garvin

Hmm tried that like 4 times now: it doesn seem to e-mail me anything?

[hgoor]

Sorry: somehow I can't seem to create a account at Sourceforge...

Anyway: here is another suggestion regarding the plugin section.

Some plugins can be installed multiple times. It would be nice to have some kind of visual key that shows you (when going to the add a plugin section) which are already in use and can be added once more!

The once that can only be added one time have this already, but I would like to see also which ones I have added already but are still able to be added once more (if this makes any sense)...

This is once again a good usability thing..

[garvinhicking]

Hi!

Sf.Net sometimes takes it's time, so you might just need to wait a bit.

About installing plugins multiple times: Actually all plugins can be installed multiple times. Those that can't be are listed with "Already installed". I am not that sure if it would be needed to highlight the plugins that can be installed multiple times. I'd like some feedback of others users on that, anyone here care to comment?

Best regards,
Garvin