Deleting System..

[Dragosvr92]

Hello,

When you delete a topic, post, user, it deletes an id which is lost.
Here is what i thought on fixing that a bit..

When you delete a user (1081), phpbb should check if there are any users registered after it (1082).
If there hasnt been any registered user, it should go in the autoincreament and lower the number which was just deleted.

So to be more explicit, if you are trying to delete the latest user, it should decrease the autoincreament number, as it was the last user and other users can register on that id.

After i delete the latest topics,posts,users i have to manually go in the database and run something like this:

Code: Select all

ALTER TABLE phpbb_topics AUTO_INCREMENT =2021;
ALTER TABLE phpbb_posts AUTO_INCREMENT =4165;
ALTER TABLE phpbb_users AUTO_INCREMENT =1082;
 

Yes, i know someone, probably nox might rant at me again..

[ameeck]

Why would you do this? Are you running out of IDs? You've got at least a few billions of them, so I see no pressure there...

[callumacrae]

Hello,

When you delete a topic, post, user, it deletes an id which is lost.
Here is what i thought on fixing that a bit..

When you delete a user (1081), phpbb should check if there are any users registered after it (1082).
If there hasnt been any registered user, it should go in the autoincreament and lower the number which was just deleted.

So to be more explicit, if you are trying to delete the latest user, it should decrease the autoincreament number, as it was the last user and other users can register on that id.

After i delete the latest topics,posts,users i have to manually go in the database and run something like this:

Code: Select all

ALTER TABLE phpbb_topics AUTO_INCREMENT =2021;
ALTER TABLE phpbb_posts AUTO_INCREMENT =4165;
ALTER TABLE phpbb_users AUTO_INCREMENT =1082;
 

Yes, i know someone, probably nox might rant at me again..

So every time a new user is deleted, every link to a user dies?

I can think of a few very obvious disadvantages of this, and no advantages.

[imkingdavid]

So every time a new user is deleted, every link to a user dies?

I can think of a few very obvious disadvantages of this, and no advantages.

No, because it doesn't change any of the user ID's in the database. All it does is updates the autoincrement to act as if the most recent user (which is now deleted) had never registered.

One issue I see is what if someone new registers at the exact same time as the user is being deleted, but before the auto increment is changed. They will have the ID after the latest user but the auto increment will move back a step, resulting in a duplicate user ID.

Anyway, I don't see any real benefit to this, tbh. Since when does the average user care what their user ID is, or if it is not consecutive to the previously registered/activated user's ID?

[A_Jelly_Doughnut]

This request comes up every so often... apparently some people really do care that their IDs have no empty spots

[Dragosvr92]

No, because it doesn't change any of the user ID's in the database. All it does is updates the autoincrement to act as if the most recent user (which is now deleted) had never registered.

One issue I see is what if someone new registers at the exact same time as the user is being deleted, but before the auto increment is changed. They will have the ID after the latest user but the auto increment will move back a step, resulting in a duplicate user ID.

Anyway, I don't see any real benefit to this, tbh. Since when does the average user care what their user ID is, or if it is not consecutive to the previously registered/activated user's ID?

That is Exactly What i've meant, Thank you for making it clearer !

I knew that might have been an issue, and i thought about it. What if, while it deletes the user and updates the autoincreament, it puts an stop on the registration ? Just make it load more till it does the changse, and after that thing is done it submits the registration? This will also fix this suggestion/improvement

As the user is probably a spammer and didnt stay registered for much time, why no just set the increament back as if he has never registered on your board.... I will leave a "mark" on his registration forever by leting that empty number

[Oleg]

First, you are opening yourself to all kinds of race conditions by trying to implement auto increment logic in an application. Short version is no.

Second, if the user was deleted but before that happened did something naughty, the user id in question might be associated with the naughtiness. Even if the board wiped all traces of said user there may be external links/bookmarks to this user's profile, etc. By reusing ids like you suggest the next user registering will appear to be said naughty user.

[Dr. Deejay]

I agree with Oleg, I don't see any reason for changing it as most people just don't care about IDs. Perhaps it would fit into a mod, no?

[DavidIQ]

Why would you even suggest such a change for 3.0?

[Danielx64]

First, you are opening yourself to all kinds of race conditions by trying to implement auto increment logic in an application. Short version is no.

Second, if the user was deleted but before that happened did something naughty, the user id in question might be associated with the naughtiness. Even if the board wiped all traces of said user there may be external links/bookmarks to this user's profile, etc. By reusing ids like you suggest the next user registering will appear to be said naughty user.

+1 to what Oleg said -1 for the idea of changing the deleting system.

I agree with Oleg, I don't see any reason for changing it as most people just don't care about IDs. Perhaps it would fit into a mod, no?

No, it shouldn't even be a mod at all