New Auction software - Please post comments / questions / problems here

[Tan]

Have just had 2 PMs saying Dawn has outbid me and Tan has bid on me babies .......... I've already forgotten how it used to work 

working ok for me now, will be nice to keep track of things that I've bid on, my post it note always fails me! 

I used to have me own spreadsheet of items I was bidding on and had to keep updating it.  This seems far more straightforward 

Yeh I can live with this new fangled howsyourfather, no bother 

 
New fings do take a little getting used to I know

Hopefully changes we are testing already will makes things better

[Tan]

working ok for me now, will be nice to keep track of things that I've bid on, my post it note always fails me!

Brill hun 😃
Ya like the my bids page then 😃

[Tan]

Tan, as ever, you and ChapTan are doing an amazing job of making things simpler for all of us.  New things always take a bit of getting used to, but We'll get there in the end.  Without you and your hubby, we'd be totally lost!!!!

 

Ya a star xxxxxxxx

[Tan]

Items are listed in number of bids order  so new items that have no bids yet and lowest bid items are at the top and will be seen 1st

I will be shuffling the order throughout the auction every night or so so that things get swapped about a bit
I can do this very easily with controls in admin .

As the end of the auction approaches I've always relied on the master list as a means of tracking items I'm bidding on.  On the old system the latest item to be bid on always came in at the top of the list so this was relatively easy to do.  If it's now sorted by total number of bids (or alphabetically) I'm not going to be able to do that am I.  There could be items that have had loads of bids over the 2 weeks but don't attract any last minute rush and others that have not had as much interest but go berserk in the final minutes so everything will be mixed up.  HELP. What am I going to do?    Please don't advise me to keep open tabs on all my items because I'm useless at that and the one time I tried it I lost out on everything. LOL.   Will I be able to work from the My Bids list?  Does it update instantly like the main list or is there a delay.

I can see if we can put the main list in last bid order for the end 2 days so it will be the same as the old thread system

If ya after certain items in last part of auction best to go by your bids tab page , that will list all the items you have bided on. So you can concentrate on just those
That page is in winning items at the top but maybe it's better to have this list without bided items at top so easy to quickly click into those items ?
What ya fink?
Xxx

[Tan]

Well I've given it a whirl and think I'll get the hang of it OK.  I've popped a cuppla bids on and I've entered summat in test auction too. 

Got a bit tricky attaching the pic to my auction item    I got a bit excited that the software resizes pics  so I thought I'd test it out and tried to load original pic which is just under a whopping 5MB    Didn't work and software used the Purrs logo instead of pic.

Then I loaded smaller size pic 301KB and took me a while to figure out that I needed to make that pic the "main" pic to ensure the Purrs logo was replaced by the pic

Other than that, seemed to work OK for me   I use Chrome.

Good point about the "resize" pictures - it will size the pics to go in auction so all the pics look same size but we still need to limit the megabyte size cause of space on our host server. So will add this to the instruction

Thanks hun x

[Rosella moggy]

Have just had 2 PMs saying Dawn has outbid me and Tan has bid on me babies .......... I've already forgotten how it used to work 

working ok for me now, will be nice to keep track of things that I've bid on, my post it note always fails me! 

I used to have me own spreadsheet of items I was bidding on and had to keep updating it.  This seems far more straightforward 

Yeh I can live with this new fangled howsyourfather, no bother   

[Dawn F]

working ok for me now, will be nice to keep track of things that I've bid on, my post it note always fails me!

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Tan, as ever, you and ChapTan are doing an amazing job of making things simpler for all of us.  New things always take a bit of getting used to, but We'll get there in the end.  Without you and your hubby, we'd be totally lost!!!!

 

[Tan]

No picture  - one comment
Box of Black Magic - three comments ( was testing to see if you needed a certain amount of characters to be able to have the comment show)

Hmm seems ok

Did you do a bid then type in comments box then click quick bid button or place bid and comment button

The comments will only be posted /saved if you click the place bid & comment button

If you click the quick bid button only your bid will be saved

We did the extra quick bid button option so at the end of the auction it's quicker to get a bid in

I used the & comment button - can't see my comments in either Chrome or Waterfox, not so important in the greater scheme, but does detract from the fun element the auction usually has.

Hi hun
yes it is important to us if comments are not being posted.

Please could ya try again for me on that same Black magic item to bid and then pop text or a smiley in the comments box then click the "place bid and comment" button.  and then let me know what happens ie nothing-page stays the same no reload?, does it reload with your bid and no comment.?, does the page relaod with no bid, any error messages etc

Thanks so much 

[Tan]

ok so when are we going back to the old way? 

Mary

  
 lol, it's why we are having a test to see if this works and easy to use, We have things to adjust and can change things to make it better to use.
What things don't ya like hun? Love to hear ya opinion. 

With using the threads the old way, of course we can still use that system but it really is alot of work and needs about 8 staff to work on it throughout the 2 weeks. One main reason is because we can't see the amount bided without going into each thread and copying and pasting all the info into a spreadsheet.  If we have about 200plus auction items (threads) it takes a long time to go through each one every couple of days.  At the end of the auction is also alot of work with at least 5/6 staff needed to update the spreadsheet, post on each thread wining bidder and final bid amount, then do the list so members know what to be paying etc. 

what we are trying to do is have most of this all taken care of with new software, while trying to get it as close to doing the auction on the forum like pre years as possible.  One thing we need to do is split the amount bided from any text and we can't do that in the forum posts as it is all written as a text box.

For bidders on our old forum system, to bid we used to
1- Go into Auction section
2- Find & Click on the auction item to go into the thread.
3- Click the reply button
4- Type the bid amount
5- Type any comments or smileys
6 - click the post button

With this software
1- Go into the Auction via the button on top menu
2- Find and Click on the auction item
3- Click the "Enter Bid" Button
4- Type the bid amount in the amount box
5- Click the "Quick Bid Button"
or
5- Type in a comment or smiley
6 - click the place bid & comment button

so no more "work" to bid than the old system.

We are looking to change the layout of the bid page to make to simpler with other wonderful suggestions posted here.
It's why we wanted to test it all first to get your suggestions so we can change it to suit us. We don't have to get "put up with" set software as Steve knows how to code the software to change things php programming

If we are not happy with this new software, yes  we always have the option of going back to the thread system but with so much work,(  and Gilly will tell ya how much work it is )  so what we are trying to do is design a system that helps with the work.
It's why we need to here what peeps fink and if they can use it easily, to have it tested on different browsers and versions to make sure it works for everybody, what they liked form the prev auctions the way we used to bid etc that the new doesn't have , etc  so we can hopefully add/change things to suit

 

[Tan]

Hi Tan

Am using Chrome - not sure what the version is, but will see if I can find out when I get home.  Fanks yoo 

thanks hun  will try and test in different versions of crome
xx

[Tan]

On another point though Tan, any idea where the spell checker button has gone  Perhaps it's just me but I can't see it this morning?

that was us    its back 
Spell checker button in auction section may not work yet though.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Hi Tan

Am using Chrome - not sure what the version is, but will see if I can find out when I get home.  Fanks yoo 

[Tan]

Tan thanks - I can see the blue button, and the auction items, but when I try to click on it to bid, nothing happens.  I'll give it a whirl on my Kindle and see if that fares any better.   Otherwise I'll just bid by Proxy 

Hi hun thanks 

Nothing happens when you click the blue "enter bid" button.  What should happen is the amount box and comments box etc should appear underneath.  What browsers ya using hun and the version. 

[Jiji]

No picture  - one comment
Box of Black Magic - three comments ( was testing to see if you needed a certain amount of characters to be able to have the comment show)

Hmm seems ok

Did you do a bid then type in comments box then click quick bid button or place bid and comment button

The comments will only be posted /saved if you click the place bid & comment button

If you click the quick bid button only your bid will be saved

We did the extra quick bid button option so at the end of the auction it's quicker to get a bid in

I used the & comment button - can't see my comments in either Chrome or Waterfox, not so important in the greater scheme, but does detract from the fun element the auction usually has.

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

Rosella when I put pics on it took it a while for the pic to appear in the main box even though I had clicked on  to make it the main pic.  I thought it wasn't going to happen but then suddenly, Bingo, there it was. 

[Rosella moggy]

On another point though Tan, any idea where the spell checker button has gone  Perhaps it's just me but I can't see it this morning?

[Rosella moggy]

Well I've given it a whirl and think I'll get the hang of it OK.  I've popped a cuppla bids on and I've entered summat in test auction too. 

Got a bit tricky attaching the pic to my auction item    I got a bit excited that the software resizes pics  so I thought I'd test it out and tried to load original pic which is just under a whopping 5MB    Didn't work and software used the Purrs logo instead of pic.

Then I loaded smaller size pic 301KB and took me a while to figure out that I needed to make that pic the "main" pic to ensure the Purrs logo was replaced by the pic

Other than that, seemed to work OK for me   I use Chrome.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Tan thanks - I can see the blue button, and the auction items, but when I try to click on it to bid, nothing happens.  I'll give it a whirl on my Kindle and see if that fares any better.   Otherwise I'll just bid by Proxy 

[maryas]

ok so when are we going back to the old way? 

Mary

[CarolM (Wendolene)]

Items are listed in number of bids order  so new items that have no bids yet and lowest bid items are at the top and will be seen 1st

I will be shuffling the order throughout the auction every night or so so that things get swapped about a bit
I can do this very easily with controls in admin .

As the end of the auction approaches I've always relied on the master list as a means of tracking items I'm bidding on.  On the old system the latest item to be bid on always came in at the top of the list so this was relatively easy to do.  If it's now sorted by total number of bids (or alphabetically) I'm not going to be able to do that am I.  There could be items that have had loads of bids over the 2 weeks but don't attract any last minute rush and others that have not had as much interest but go berserk in the final minutes so everything will be mixed up.  HELP. What am I going to do?    Please don't advise me to keep open tabs on all my items because I'm useless at that and the one time I tried it I lost out on everything. LOL.   Will I be able to work from the My Bids list?  Does it update instantly like the main list or is there a delay. 

[Tan]

No picture  - one comment
Box of Black Magic - three comments ( was testing to see if you needed a certain amount of characters to be able to have the comment show)

Hmm seems ok

Did you do a bid then type in comments box then click quick bid button or place bid and comment button

The comments will only be posted /saved if you click the place bid & comment button

If you click the quick bid button only your bid will be saved

We did the extra quick bid button option so at the end of the auction it's quicker to get a bid in

[Tan]

I've noticed there's an edit button but I've just clicked on it and a message comes up saying an edit can not be made because item has bids on it.

Mary

yes at the mo you can't edit your item once bids have started.
This is so the item that people have bided on stays the same.
I will see if I as admin can edit it for peeps if they need to change some details
 

Yes I can edit after bids have been made so if there is any changes needed to an auction item after bids have been made just pm me
If there is a significant change I will contact all bidders to see if they are still happy with the changed details  and their bid on it.

[Jiji]

No picture  - one comment
Box of Black Magic - three comments ( was testing to see if you needed a certain amount of characters to be able to have the comment show)

[Tan]

I can't see the comments I made when bidding, is this right? I mean when I go back into the auction, I can only see comments by others.

Hmmm nope all comments posted with a bid should be in the comments section at bottom

Which item can't ya see your comments hun?

[Tan]

The list is also sortable in column titles  So anyone can view it in a duffernt sort order

Ie

If you wanted to look  at all the items in item name order -just click on the column title text ie "listing title"
This can be in assending or descending order just click the title again to switch between accending or decending

[Jiji]

I can't see the comments I made when bidding, is this right? I mean when I go back into the auction, I can only see comments by others.

[Tan]

Items are listed in number of bids order  so new items that have no bids yet and lowest bid items are at the top and will be seen 1st

I will be shuffling the order throughout the auction every night or so so that things get swapped about a bit
I can do this very easily with controls in admin .

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I am sure I rread somewhere that items would be listed in a certain order, cant remember what it is?

[Tan]

Hi sue hun

Did ya click the enter bid blue button so the amount bis shows underneath then click the same button again? If so nothing will happen.
we are getting rid of the "Enter Bid" blue button  once the amnount box appears cause if you enter an amount and then click that button above, it does nothing but take you back to the item page. so we will get rid of that so it's not there to confuse.

To do a quick bid (bid only no comment )
-Click Enter bid button on the item page ( the amount box appears underneath)
-Enter an amount In decimal format
-click Quick bid button

To add a bid and a comment
Click Enter bid button on the item page ( the amount box appears underneath)
-Enter an amount In decimal format
-scroll down and enter comment
-click place bid & comment button


So the two buttons that save your bid are
Quick bid
Or
Place bid & comment

You use one or other depending if you want leave a comment as well as bid

Xxxxx

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Hmmmm     I clicking the blue button "Add Bid" but nuffink happens.  Nuffink.   

[Tan]

I'm finding having the comments separated from the bids a bit strange because the last bid and the last comment are not necessarily from the same person so if somebody has posted just a smiley it doesn't always make sense now that you can only see the last bid and not any that went before it.  My feeling is this might take a bit of the fun out of handbag exchanges  but I'll just have to get into one and see what happens.    I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Yer I thought that too Carol when I looked at some today.  We need the fun fights 

Mary

seeing if we can add the bid amount in the comments section so you know what their bid was as well

[/color]

Hi yes sadly cause we need the amount as an separate part to register the bid and not just in a text box like we used to post all in one post box, so we have to separate the amount box from the text comments box.

But    we should be able to add into the comments section the amount that was bided with that comment   so when you look at the comments section below it will actually look like our old posted threads with bids in them like last year in the normal forum  ie will have amount bided and the comment by each members post.

Great idea and  gone on the to do list 


keep em coming 

[maryas]

I'm finding having the comments separated from the bids a bit strange because the last bid and the last comment are not necessarily from the same person so if somebody has posted just a smiley it doesn't always make sense now that you can only see the last bid and not any that went before it.  My feeling is this might take a bit of the fun out of handbag exchanges  but I'll just have to get into one and see what happens.    I'm sure I'll get used to it.

Yer I thought that too Carol when I looked at some today.  We need the fun fights 

Mary

seeing if we can add the bid amount in the comments section so you know what their bid was as well

[/color]

[Tan]

We could make thousand of pounds doing that Tan

Mary

   now would that be nice for the needy babes    Prob is we would have to part with our gorgeous new won furkids back to their rightful slaves. 

[Tan]

I'm finding having the comments separated from the bids a bit strange because the last bid and the last comment are not necessarily from the same person so if somebody has posted just a smiley it doesn't always make sense now that you can only see the last bid and not any that went before it.  My feeling is this might take a bit of the fun out of handbag exchanges  but I'll just have to get into one and see what happens.    I'm sure I'll get used to it.

seeing if we can add the bid amount in the comments section so you know what their bid was as well

[maryas]

We could make thousand of pounds doing that Tan

Mary

[Tan]

Soooo many stunning furbabes in the auction test page.  can i bid and hav em all pwease 

[Tan]

  knew ya knew but added for newbie that maybe didn't   

[maryas]

Thanks Tan.

I knew about the rule of not bumping your own stuff up 

Mary

[Tan]

Help, I'm new to auctions here. I have a hand crafted new silver pendant with three gemstones. I have just taken a photo. How do I put it in the auction.
Julie.

Pendant below.

Hi Julie

That's a wonderful item and purrfect for the auction

Our auction actually starts on 16th November  and all this at the mo is us testing a new auction system to be ready for when the auction actually starts next month.
So if you hang on to it and pop it in the auction when it starts on the 16th Nov, I am sure it will be a popular item bided on 

There is a guide at the mo how to add items and bid that we are using to practice on the new system-  http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,45221.0.html
if you wanted to have a test run to add your item please feel free to have a go

any probs or if you need any assistance , post ere

very happy to hear what you think of the auction system as this is a new one and we can change things to suit