phpBB 3.0.6 Will break older Styles (updated)

[Derky]

Edit >> 21 nov 2009
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If you use a style for phpBB 3.0.5 or lower on phpBB 3.0.6, then you can only use the GD and non-GD default CAPTCHA's. Using an other Captcha Plugin will make it impossible to register due to the style changes since phpBB 3.0.6.
You will also miss the Quick Reply, Feeds, and more.. so updating to a 3.0.6 style is strongly recommended.
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Orignal topic content: (may be outdated now)


Let's take a look at some of the SVN code first. (It's Revision 9524)

So what's changed in prosilver's ucp_register.html in the latest SVN version?
The

<!-- IF S_CONFIRM_CODE -->

is replaced with

<!-- IF S_CAPTCHA -->

And the CONFIRM_CODE:

Code: Select all

         <dl>
            <dt><label for="confirm_code">{L_CONFIRM_CODE}:</label></dt>
            <dd>{CONFIRM_IMG}</dd>
            <dd><input type="text" name="confirm_code" id="confirm_code" size="8" maxlength="8" class="inputbox narrow" title="{L_CONFIRM_CODE}" /></dd>
            <dd>{L_CONFIRM_CODE_EXPLAIN}<!-- IF S_CONFIRM_REFRESH --> {L_VC_REFRESH_EXPLAIN}<!-- ENDIF --></dd>
            <!-- IF S_CONFIRM_REFRESH --><dd><input type="submit" value="{L_VC_REFRESH}" class="button2" /></dd> <!-- ENDIF -->
         </dl>

Is replaced with S_CAPTCHA:

Code: Select all

         {S_CAPTCHA}

We'll add dynamic template includes later, as well as documentation on how to use this.

So they will change more about it, but with this change already, will cause the CAPTCHA to be hidden from styles for 3.0.5 and older because

S_CONFIRM_CODE

will not be set anymore and will therefore output FALSE on the

<!-- IF S_CONFIRM_CODE -->

switch.

A preview of the new CAPTCHA options
But the good thing about this is, that there will be more options (and spammers cannot focus on 1 CAPTCHA for phpBB3 anymore)

Screenshot of SVN version 6 June 2009

What do think about this, good method to keep spammers longer away?

[billstur]

If I'm reading this right,....

It's going to create a lot more problems than solutions for quite a while. If an admin upgrades to 3.0.6, then the CAPTCHA is disabled. The result will be a lot more spammers, until the author of his style(s), upgrades the style. And some authors never upgrade their styles.

I really think that phpBB3 should abandon this change, if that's the case. Most admins will not know about the change, a lot of the people using my styles are newbies. You should see some of my PMs . If they upgrade to 3.0.6, all they'll see is a dramatic increase in spammers, and think the upgrade has a bug.

I admin 5 forums, and got about 10 spammers a day in total. I added a small enhanced CAPTCHA mod, and stopped ALL spammers on ALL forums. I think this is the best way to go. Not rewriting it in a new version of phpBB3, and blowing up every style that's out there.

[Derky]

You're reading it almost right.

The CAPTCHA isn't disabled, it's hidden (because the name is changed).
So people will get the error "The confirmation code you entered was incorrect." while they don't see the confirmation code.

The same thing happened with version 3.0.RC6 because of the introduction of the

{S_FORM_TOKEN}

, read more about this.
(RC6 was full of problems so RC7 whas released quickly after that, but this wasn't about the broken MODs & Styles.)

I admin 5 forums, and got about 10 spammers a day in total. I added a small enhanced CAPTCHA mod, and stopped ALL spammers on ALL forums. I think this is the best way to go. Not rewriting it in a new version of phpBB3, and blowing up every style that's out there.

I do think they needed to do something about the major spammers problem, this is not good for the reputation of phpBB3. This will require people to really look good at the phpBB version of styles.

In 3.0.4 I've added a custom profile field and that worked for me, I've now removed it because I've upgraded to 3.0.5 and had not have any spammers yet with this new default CAPTCHA with 3D-noise objects in it.

[HardStyle]

I just updated the SVN, and tried this out.
Personally, I think its a good idea, merely for the fact that they are introducing new methods of the CAPTCHA, making it more difficult for bots to target in on one specific tool.

As for style authors updating their styles.. .... I dont think it would be that much of a problem, because the problem is only one block of code. Whilst the author updates their styles, users can just be given the code to replace themselves shouldnt be so hard

[billstur]

As for style authors updating their styles.. .... I dont think it would be that much of a problem, because the problem is only one block of code. Whilst the author updates their styles, users can just be given the code to replace themselves shouldnt be so hard

You're right. If installation of the update announced that a modification was needed to the styles, and included a modx for the code change, that would be pretty easy. Maybe my panic attack wasn't in order.

[Derky]

A lot of people will abandon the old styles and will use the new ones instead, thats good too. And adding a new captcha plugin will be less (template) work in the future by this change.

[Derky]

Un-sticked because the code has changed now, so that it won't break older styles.

[Afr0man]

i upgrade emuza style and using this captcha code ...

Code: Select all

<!-- IF CAPTCHA_TEMPLATE -->
   <!-- DEFINE $CAPTCHA_TAB_INDEX = 8 -->
   <!-- INCLUDE {CAPTCHA_TEMPLATE} -->
   <!-- IF S_CAPTCHA -->

but ca-ptcha not working corectly...

GD captcha working fine but recaptcha...
this is my problem http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... &t=1865735
so anyone can help me?

[Derky]

Are you only experiencing this problem with recaptcha and that style? (not on default prosilver?)

[Afr0man]

with the prosilver theme is also the same