Odd Layout issue

[Slaine]

All of a sudden things appear to have become somewhat foobared.

See attached image.

I was fine until a few moments ago - any ideas?

[mendhak]

My eyes hurt.

[mendhak]

And it seems to be on the index page, still...

[MartinLiss]

Are either of you still experiencing that problem? I'm not.

[Hack]

I have seen that before, but it always adjusted itself (sometimes slowly).

Is it just staying that way?

BTW: I'm not having the issue either.

[mendhak]

Very intermittent. At first, just each forum's listing page had the problem, then that went away but it started showing up in each thread's page.

Right now, as I type this reply on the thread page, it's displaying fine. I am guessing that when I post this reply, it will be in an odd layout.

[mendhak]

As per prediction.

[Slaine]

Still getting the problem, but like the frog, it's very random.

[Hack]

Slaine: Is that IE7 you are using?

[Slaine]

It certainly is Hack.

[Hack]

And mendhak appears to be using FireFox.

I'm using IE6 and am not having any problems.

Martin: What browser are you using?

[MartinLiss]

Good old IE6. I tried using IE7 but had non-VBF problems.

[Slaine]

The random aspect got me to thinking that it may be something to do with the random rotation of the adverts.

I bypassed my proxy which blocks the adverts (I know! but I have no choice, that's the way my proxy works ) and the problem went away.

So I am guessing it is something to do with the way the page layout is altered when the advert is blocked. So probably something you're unlikely to be sympathetic about.

Hope this helps.

[Hack]

Well, perhaps Joe can shed some light when he pops round, but on the surface, I would have to say it sounds browser related.

[mendhak]

But I haven't blocked any ads.

[Slaine]

Hmmm and now it is happening even with my Proxy off.

This is really annoying.

[Hack]

Do you have IE6 available for test purposes? I would like to see, with your proxy on, if using that would make a difference.

[mendhak]

I took the source of a page, broken. Stored it in notepad.
Took the source of a page, unbroken, stored in notepad, and did a compare.

It is ad related, it appears.

Here is the 'culprit' according to the difference viewer:

        <table border="0" style="border:1px #198B67 solid;background-color:#FFFFFF;" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="350">
<tr><td colspan="3" style="font: 14px Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;border-bottom:1px #198B67  solid; background-color:#D5D9DD;" align="center">

<span style="color:#115CA1;font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?MSOptimization/Door/34067" style="color:#115CA1;font-weight:bold;">Get FREE Infrastructure Optimization and Security Center Resources!</a><br/>

</span>
</td></tr>

<tr>
<td style="font: normal 11px Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top">

ARTICLE:
<br/>  
<a href="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?MSOptimization/Article/34111" style="color:#000000;">
<b>Managing Your Windows Infrastructure with Microsoft System Center </b><br/></a>
<span style="color:#115CA1;"></span>
<br>


WHITEPAPER:
<br/>  

<a href="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?MSOptimization/Article/34101" style="color:#000000;">
<b>Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI) Overview </b><br/></a>
<span style="color:#115CA1;"></span>
<br>

DOWNLOAD:
<br/>  
<a href="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?MSOptimization/Link/34132" style="color:#000000;">
<b>System Center Essentials Release Candidate 1</b><br/></a>
<span style="color:#115CA1;"></span>
<br>

OVERVIEW:
<br/>  
<a href="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?MSOptimization/Link/34102" style="color:#000000;">

<b>Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007</b><br/></a>
<span style="color:#115CA1;"></span>




</td>
</tr><IMG SRC="http://www.vbforums.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_lx.cgi/intm/win/VBForums.com/880392141/336x280/OasDefault/MS_SystemCenter_GEMS_UK_1i/MS_UK_BOB.html/63326339313931363433653731333730?_RM_EMPTY_" WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=1>

I see an unclosed table tag.

[Slaine]

Unfortunately I don't Hack. All machines here have been upgraded.

As can be seen here - the problem occurs in Opera (v9.02), Firefox (2.0.0.3) and IE7.

Only IE7 uses the proxy.

[mendhak]

Brad/JpNyc can pass this on to the developers.

[Slaine]

I've not been around for a while, so am out of the loop a little - but who is this 'Joe' Hack speaks of?

I saw mention of him in another feedback thread and thought - who, what, where, now?

[mendhak]

JpNyc is Joe and he is from New York City. He works in JupiterMedia and is in charge of something something.

Brad Jones is... administrator of the forums and works for JupiterMedia and is also in charge of something something.

[Slaine]

So, a sort of Forum Jedi?

Or is that Dark lord of the Script?

[wossname]

Mozilla doesn't like it.
Konqueror doesn't like it.
Firefox doesn't like it.

Who cares about IE. It's opinion is of negligible value.

[mendhak]

Perhaps this is happening to UK users only? Is that ad something that only UK visitors see?

[Hack]

Which ad is that?

[mendhak]

Get FREE Infrastructure Optimization and Security Center Resources!
ARTICLE:
Managing Your Windows Infrastructure with Microsoft System Center

WHITEPAPER:
Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI) Overview

DOWNLOAD:
System Center Essentials Release Candidate 1

OVERVIEW:
Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007

[si_the_geek]

Yep, same issues with the same ad here (note that there is a decent screenshot in post #2).. it could be UK only.

As I don't have a super-duper hi-res monitor (only 1280x1024), I often can't actually see threads until I refresh them 5 or 6 times, or get bored and log off.

Here is one of the few posts which was readable, and turned out to be just 1.5 lines of text when it was eventually displayed properly:

[MartinLiss]

I've notified Brad and Joe.

[dclamp]

it looks to me (as a web developer) to be a table issue.

[Valleysboy1978]

Also getting the problem, and it also seems to be when that advert appears, most odd.

[RudiVisser]

Definately, refreshing the page so that the advert goes away works for me.

I've found it in IE7 (Vista/XP), Firefox (Vista/XP). I thought maybe they were working on something as it only started yesterday and was gone by time I got home.. Until I read more of the forums and it happened again.

[DeadEyes]

It happens to me when the ad is not there. It looks like the table is trying to fit in beside the newswire table in place of the ad.
Running IE6

[Anjow]

Happening to me too, it only happens when that advert is there.

FF2, XP Pro SP2.

[brad jones]

I'm reporting this now.

Sorry - I was on a plane all day yesterday or I would have sooner.


To answer another question --

Joe is Jupitermedia's Forums Manager. He manages the operations of the forums.

I'm an Executive Editor - I'm responsible for content and focus of sites and forums related to developers for Jupitermedia.

So if the forum is broken, odds are Joe will see that it is taken care of. If something is not being covered or shouldn't be covered as far as a topic, then I'm going to take care of it. If you want a new forum feature, then chances are it will involve both of us as I'm responsible for VBForums, but he is responsible for "forums in general".

From another perspective -- he is Darth Vader and I'm the Emporer.

Brad!

[brad jones]

Joe had reported the ad earlier. My understanding is that it is now off the site until it is fixed.

Brad!

[Slaine]

From another perspective -- he is Darth Vader and I'm the Emporer.

Brad!

This made me chuckle