User Vs ...

[Pony99CA]

will that have any effect on the word user when used in a post?

Nope. It only effects the word user found in the language files. It won't change user in posts or anywhere else in the code. Plus as I have stated it isn't just user but in any part of a word user appears like username, users, usergroup, etc.

So you're doing a code MOD which has run-time costs instead of just using a global search and replace in the language files?

The language files are intended to be edited (that's how translators translate phpBB), so why do a code MOD? That just seems backward to me.

Steve

[Sajaki]

You can also use the Word censoring acp to replace "user" with "member". This only works for Forum posts.

[cleverwise]

So you're doing a code MOD which has run-time costs instead of just using a global search and replace in the language files?

It was mentioned that this easy method comes at forcing the server to do a find and replace on the language input on each load. So what is gained in easiness taxes the server a bit more. However, having said that, with modern CPUs this is very quick. The most efficient and optimized method? Nope. A major issue with modern computer power? Nope.

True I have spent some time on this, for fun, but the point was provide some code that would quickly change all the references to user (in any part of any word) without the need to spend a bunch of time on the language files. User, in some form (like username, users, user), appears throughout several of the language files, so one would need to hand process a lot of lines to accomplish what this code is doing in less than a second.

So why not use find and replace in Notepad++ or something may come to mind. This is dangerous when you use a computer to force blind changes. It might work for these files as I haven't vetted every line of code but for example if we look at this line from the main index.php file:

Code: Select all

$user->session_begin();

If we blindly replaced user using a global search in say Notepad++ with member we would get:

Code: Select all

$member->session_begin();

This could easily cause the script to fatal out, display errors, or not work in some way.

I say again it may be safe in the language files but we aren't talking about a Word document but code. A semicolon in the wrong place can cause a fatal crash much less altering a key variable or function. A global search and replace could easily modify unintended code.

What my edit does is ONLY replace text defined in the language array. There is no risk of changing important code, like a variable or function name, that phpBB needs to run. That is the difference.

The language files are intended to be edited (that's how translators translate phpBB), so why do a code MOD? That just seems backward to me.

I agree the point of the language files is to provide a way to alter the text into other languages. Obviously one can still do that. It would be the most efficient server resource wise. However the code provided allows for easier upgrading. Yes the code provided would need to be replaced but what if in the next version a new feature is added or altered that defines a new language entry?

If a translation was done one could easily over look that addition or additions. The above code will automatically alter any new text. Plus the above code can be alter to change user to anything even in other languages like German, French, Spanish, etc.

You can also use the Word censoring acp to replace "user" with "member". This only works for Forum posts.

The point of the thread was to address changing user outside of posts. However I agree a filter works for forum posts.

[Pony99CA]

I say again it may be safe in the language files but we aren't talking about a Word document but code. A semicolon in the wrong place can cause a fatal crash much less altering a key variable or function. A global search and replace could easily modify unintended code.

That's a good point. I haven't looked at the language files in a while, but aren't they basically associative arrays with the index for the language string in all upper case? If so, changing "user" to "member" and "User" to "Member" would be fine as long as the search and replace respected case.

You can also use the Word censoring acp to replace "user" with "member". This only works for Forum posts.

The point of the thread was to address changing user outside of posts. However I agree a filter works for forum posts.

That's more dangerous, though. A phrase like "user interface" would become "member interface" or something like "fuser" (talking about laser printing) would become "fmember").

I personally don't think that it's worth the effort, but it's obviously your board, so if you don't like "user", you're free to change it. (To be fair, when you mentioned the connotations, I first thought of "drug user".)

At least you learned something about the phpBB internals (as did I from your code).

Steve

[RexMundi412]

Great stuff guys!

Wish I wasn't needing to work on other coding for my site, so I could throw in more. Didn't really expect this much on this topic!

[cleverwise]

That's a good point. I haven't looked at the language files in a while, but aren't they basically associative arrays with the index for the language string in all upper case? If so, changing "user" to "member" and "User" to "Member" would be fine as long as the search and replace respected case.

I don't know as I haven't read every line of code. The language system is a lot more than a single language file. It is pretty split up.

That's more dangerous, though. A phrase like "user interface" would become "member interface" or something like "fuser" (talking about laser printing) would become "fmember").

Well that would make for some interesting reading. However it won't make phpBB crash or error out.

Didn't really expect this much on this topic!

Me either.