"too many hyphens" Spandex filter "fix"

[geekmaster]

I just figured out how to get around the "too many hyphens" Spandex filter problem in the MTBS3D forum software. Instead of using a "+" substitution as we showed previously (which only works for some web servers), just split a run of hyphenated words with "%2D", which is the hexadecimal substitution for "-".

Here is a recent URL that got corrupted by a "GodOFSPandex" substitution, and has been "fixed" with this "Spandex bypass" trick:
http://www.tested.com/tech/452817-ces-2 ... ign-games/
Just hover over it or click it to see that this hexadecimal substitution works as advertised.

And here it is again without the fix, to demonstrate the "GodOFSpandex" problem:
http://www.tested.com/tech/452817-ces-2 ... ign-games/
Just hover over it or click it to see the URL corrupted by the forum software.

To see the full "fixed" URL (without the displayed "..."), just click the "Quote" button and view it in the editor. When you click the "fixed" link, you will see the hexadecimal substitution changed back to a "-" in the web browser address bar.

Until Neil fixes this hyperactive Spandex filter problem, just edit your post and use this solution (as shown above) to make your URL clickable when you get a "GodOFSpandex" substitution.

[geekmaster]

I fixed the hexadecimal code above. It should be %2D, but it was previously %45. Oops.... Fixed now! :

[Oneironaut]

Thanks, will do.

[Fredz]

Good candidate for a sticky post I'd say...

[cybereality]

Nice find.

[Dycus]

Not to be a backseat moderator... but does this really belong in the Rift section? I guess there's no meta/suggestions forum, but still...

[geekmaster]

Not to be a backseat moderator... but does this really belong in the Rift section? I guess there's no meta/suggestions forum, but still...

Well, multiple threads in the Rift forum is where this problem has been cropping up repeatedly lately, so it would be of benefit to people here (and may be missed if posted to another forum).

Because the "GodOFSPandex" problem is generic to the entire website, it really should be visible to all of forums (until the problem is fixed in the forum software, at which time this thread can be "unstickied")...

But for now, it seems to me that this forum is where the "action" is, so this seemed a useful place to put this thread for now...

So, in your opinion Dycus where SHOULD this thread have been posted in a way that would be noticed so it can minimize the recent Spandex corruption in this forum?

[twofoe]

test

test

test

test

[Dycus]

So, in your opinion Dycus where SHOULD this thread have been posted in a way that would be noticed so it can minimize the recent Spandex corruption in this forum?

Well see, that's what I was saying, there's really no general discussion forum at all, which is rather silly. I guess I'm complaining more about a lack of a proper place to put things like this rather than the fact it was posted here.

[Fredz]

I guess the FAQ would be the best place then :
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/faq.php

[geekmaster]

I guess the FAQ would be the best place then :
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/faq.php

In that case, it should probably be in the "phpBB 3 Issues" section of that FAQ, following this post:
http://www.mtbs3d.com/phpBB/faq.php#f10r2

But really, that is not the correct solution. This thread in this forum was just published as a temporary workaround until the Spandex (naughty word or too many hyphens) filter gets repaired.

[bobv5]

I think the wrong place (here) is the right place. I know a lot of the VR guys are programmers, but as a non programmer, I only know that php is "internet stuff". I would never look there.

The right solution is to remove the filter, as the guy it was put in place to troll has left.

[PasticheDonkey]

until then might be best to use tinyurl or something like that.

[cybereality]

Next time I talk to Neil, I will see if we can remove the filter or fix it somehow. Its probably not a big deal.

[bobv5]

Get It Done! Or I will put a VR cap in your VR face.

[geekmaster]

until then might be best to use tinyurl or something like that.

Or instead of tinyurl, just replace one or more "-" with "%2D" in the URL (as needed) to get it through the Spandex filter.

Years ago, there was a popular service like tinyurl, which went away during the "dot com bomb" era, leaving tons of broken links scattered across the net with no hint where to find all that recently unlinked content. I would hate to see this site dependent on an external service. And for that matter, tinyurl is banned from some proxies, as I recall, and using it would extend such a ban to portions of this site.

To see what problems are caused by external service dependencies, just look at all the broken images in some of PalmerTech's earlier posts. And with his kickstarter success, it is important to recover that lost history for this website. Tinyurl links could one day cause the same problem. Just sayin'...