implemented the rest of the functions on the "posts" page; fixed post links

so they work now; added the HTML Reference (originally from CW); added the
post output filtering to turn the "pseudo-URIs" in the database into real
URIs

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/ConferenceContext.java

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package com.silverwrist.venice.core;
 
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.htmlcheck.HTMLChecker;
 
 public interface ConferenceContext
 {
@@ -114,4 +115,6 @@ public interface ConferenceContext
 
   public abstract TopicMessageContext getMessageByPostID(long postid) throws DataException, AccessError;
 
+  public abstract HTMLChecker getNewTopicPreviewChecker();
+
 } // end interface ConferenceContext

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/IDUtils.java

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
  * language governing rights and limitations under the License.
  * 
- * The Original Code is the Venice Web Community System.
+ * The Original Code is the Venice Web Communities System.
  * 
  * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Eric J. Bowersox <erbo@silcom.com>,
  * for Silverwrist Design Studios.  Portions created by Eric J. Bowersox are
@@ -72,4 +72,30 @@ public class IDUtils
 
   } // end isValidConfirmationNumber
 
+  public static boolean isValidVeniceIDChar(char c)
+  {
+    if ((c>='A') && (c<='Z'))
+      return true;  // upper-case letters are OK
+    if ((c>='a') && (c<='z'))
+      return true;  // lower-case letters are OK
+    if ((c>='0') && (c<='9'))
+      return true;  // digits are OK
+    return (EXTRA_VALID.indexOf(c)>=0);
+
+  } // end isValidVeniceIDChar
+
+  public static boolean isValidPostLinkChar(char c)
+  {
+    if ((c>='A') && (c<='Z'))
+      return true;  // upper-case letters are OK
+    if ((c>='a') && (c<='z'))
+      return true;  // lower-case letters are OK
+    if ((c>='0') && (c<='9'))
+      return true;  // digits are OK
+    if (EXTRA_VALID.indexOf(c)>=0)
+      return true;  // other characters from Venice IDs are OK
+    return ((c=='.') || (c=='!'));  // also dots and bangs
+
+  } // end isValidPostLinkChar
+
 } // end class IDUtils

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/TopicContext.java

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package com.silverwrist.venice.core;
 
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.List;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.htmlcheck.HTMLChecker;
 
 public interface TopicContext
 {
@@ -71,4 +72,11 @@ public interface TopicContext
   public abstract TopicMessageContext postNewMessage(long parent, String pseud, String text)
       throws DataException, AccessError;
 
+  public abstract HTMLChecker getPreviewChecker();
+
+  public abstract boolean canDelete();
+
+  public abstract void delete() throws DataException, AccessError;
+
 } // end interface TopicContext
+

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/VeniceEngine.java

@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ public interface VeniceEngine extends SearchMode
 
   public abstract boolean confAliasExists(String alias);
 
-  public abstract HTMLChecker getPreviewChecker();
-
   public abstract HTMLChecker getEscapingChecker();
 
+  public abstract int getNumPostsPerPage();
+
+  public abstract int getNumOldPostsBeforeNew();
+
 } // end interface VeniceEngine

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/BackgroundTopicPurge.java

@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+/*
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1
+ * (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at <http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/>.
+ * 
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
+ * language governing rights and limitations under the License.
+ * 
+ * The Original Code is the Venice Web Communities System.
+ * 
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Eric J. Bowersox <erbo@silcom.com>,
+ * for Silverwrist Design Studios.  Portions created by Eric J. Bowersox are
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 Eric J. Bowersox/Silverwrist Design Studios.  All Rights Reserved.
+ * 
+ * Contributor(s): 
+ */
+package com.silverwrist.venice.core.impl;
+
+import java.sql.*;
+import org.apache.log4j.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.db.*;
+
+class BackgroundTopicPurge implements Runnable
+{
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Static data members
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private static Category logger = Category.getInstance(BackgroundTopicPurge.class.getName());
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Attributes
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private DataPool datapool;
+  private int topicid;
+  private int num_posts;
+  private long max_postid;
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Constructor
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  BackgroundTopicPurge(DataPool datapool, int topicid, int num_posts, long max_postid)
+  {
+    this.datapool = datapool;
+    this.topicid = topicid;
+    this.num_posts = num_posts;
+    this.max_postid = max_postid;
+
+  } // end constructor
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Implementations from interface Runnable
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  public void run()
+  {
+    if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+      logger.debug("BackgroundTopicPurge running on topic #" + String.valueOf(topicid));
+
+    long[] postids = new long[num_posts];  // stores the post IDs
+    Connection conn = null;  // pooled database connection
+
+    try
+    { // get a database connection from the pool
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
+
+      // look up all the post IDs that are present for this topic
+      StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("SELECT postid FROM posts WHERE topicid = ");
+      sql.append(topicid).append(" AND postid <= ").append(max_postid).append(" ORDER BY postid;");
+      ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
+      int posts = 0;
+      while (rs.next())
+	postids[posts++] = rs.getLong(1);
+
+      for (int i=0; i<posts; i++)
+      { // remove all references to the posts in question
+	stmt.executeUpdate("DELETE FROM posts WHERE postid = " + String.valueOf(postids[i]) + ";");
+	stmt.executeUpdate("DELETE FROM postdata WHERE postid = " + String.valueOf(postids[i]) + ";");
+	stmt.executeUpdate("DELETE FROM postattach WHERE postid = " + String.valueOf(postids[i]) + ";");
+	stmt.executeUpdate("DELETE FROM postdogear WHERE postid = " + String.valueOf(postids[i]) + ";");
+
+      } // end for
+
+      // all done, Bunky!
+      if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+	logger.debug("BackgroundTopicPurge complete for topic #" + String.valueOf(topicid));
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // on an error, just die
+      logger.error("BackgroundTopicPurge FATAL EXCEPTION purging #" + String.valueOf(topicid) + ": "
+		   + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure we release the connection before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+  } // end run
+
+} // end class BackgroundTopicPurge

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceBackend.java

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ package com.silverwrist.venice.core.impl;
 import java.sql.Connection;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.Date;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.db.PostLinkDecoderContext;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.core.DataException;
 
 public interface ConferenceBackend extends SIGBackend
@@ -44,4 +45,6 @@ public interface ConferenceBackend extends SIGBackend
 
   public abstract void touchUpdate(Connection conn, java.util.Date date) throws DataException;
 
+  public abstract PostLinkDecoderContext createDecoderContext(short topicid);
+
 } // end interface ConferenceBackend

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceCoreData.java

@@ -39,23 +39,24 @@ class ConferenceCoreData implements ConferenceData
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    */
 
-  private int refcount = 1;             // object reference count
-  private EngineBackend engine;         // pointer to engine back end
-  private DataPool datapool;            // pointer to data pool
-  private int confid;                   // ID of this conference
-  private java.util.Date create_date;   // creation date of this conference
-  private java.util.Date last_update;   // last update date of conference
-  private int read_level;               // access level required to read conference contents
-  private int post_level;               // access level required to post messages
-  private int create_level;             // access level required to create new topics
-  private int hide_level;               // access level required to hide posts/archive topics
-  private int nuke_level;               // access level required to delete topics/scribble/nuke posts
-  private int change_level;             // access level required to modify conference profile
-  private int delete_level;             // access level required to delete conference
-  private short top_topic;              // the highest topic number in the conference
-  private String name;                  // the name of the conference
-  private String description;           // the conference's description
-  private String cached_alias = null;   // the cached alias (for getAnAlias)
+  private int refcount = 1;                // object reference count
+  private EngineBackend engine;            // pointer to engine back end
+  private DataPool datapool;               // pointer to data pool
+  private int confid;                      // ID of this conference
+  private java.util.Date create_date;      // creation date of this conference
+  private java.util.Date last_update;      // last update date of conference
+  private int read_level;                  // access level required to read conference contents
+  private int post_level;                  // access level required to post messages
+  private int create_level;                // access level required to create new topics
+  private int hide_level;                  // access level required to hide posts/archive topics
+  private int nuke_level;                  // access level required to delete topics/scribble/nuke posts
+  private int change_level;                // access level required to modify conference profile
+  private int delete_level;                // access level required to delete conference
+  private short top_topic;                 // the highest topic number in the conference
+  private String name;                     // the name of the conference
+  private String description;              // the conference's description
+  private String cached_alias = null;      // the cached alias (for getAnAlias)
+  private boolean creating_topic = false;  // is somebody creating a topic?
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Constructors
@@ -817,8 +818,8 @@ class ConferenceCoreData implements ConferenceData
 
   } // end getAnAlias
 
-  public ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud, String body,
-					int body_lines) throws DataException
+  public synchronized ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud,
+						     String body, int body_lines) throws DataException
   {
     Connection conn = null;    // database connection
     AuditRecord ar = null;     // audit record
@@ -963,6 +964,40 @@ class ConferenceCoreData implements ConferenceData
 
   } // end touchUpdate
 
+  public synchronized short enterCreateTopic()
+  {
+    while (creating_topic)
+    { // we're ready to create a topic
+      try
+      { // wait for another thread to relinquish the topic create mechanism
+	wait();
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (InterruptedException e)
+      { // do nothing
+      } // end catch
+
+    } // end while
+
+    creating_topic = true;
+    // new topic number, needed to properly parse post links in new topic's zero post
+    return (short)(top_topic + 1);
+
+  } // end enterCreateTopic
+
+  public synchronized void exitCreateTopic()
+  {
+    creating_topic = false;
+    notify();  // wake somebody up if they were going to create a topic
+
+  } // end exitCreateTopic
+
+  public short getTopTopic()
+  {
+    return top_topic;
+
+  } // end getTopTopic
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * External static operations (usable only from within package)
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceData.java

@@ -86,4 +86,10 @@ public interface ConferenceData extends ReferencedData
 
   public abstract void touchUpdate(Connection conn, Date date) throws DataException;
 
+  public abstract short enterCreateTopic();
+
+  public abstract void exitCreateTopic();
+
+  public abstract short getTopTopic();
+
 } // end interface ConferenceData

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceSIGContext.java

@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ public interface ConferenceSIGContext extends ReferencedData
 
   public abstract String getAnAlias() throws DataException;
 
-  public abstract ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud, String body,
-						 int body_lines) throws DataException;
+  public abstract ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud, String body)
+      throws DataException;
 
   public abstract boolean canScribblePosts(int level);
 
@@ -98,4 +98,6 @@ public interface ConferenceSIGContext extends ReferencedData
 
   public abstract void touchUpdate(Connection conn, Date date) throws DataException;
 
+  public abstract short getTopTopic();
+
 } // end interface ConferenceSIGContext

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceSIGContextImpl.java

@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.sql.*;
 import java.util.*;
 import org.apache.log4j.*;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.db.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.htmlcheck.*;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.security.AuditRecord;
 import com.silverwrist.venice.core.*;
 
@@ -611,10 +612,48 @@ class ConferenceSIGContextImpl implements ConferenceSIGContext
 
   } // end getAnAlias
 
-  public ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud, String body,
-					int body_lines) throws DataException
+  public ReturnTopicInfo createNewTopic(SIGBackend sig, String title, String pseud, String body)
+      throws DataException
   {
-    return getConferenceData().createNewTopic(sig,title,pseud,body,body_lines);
+    ConferenceData d = getConferenceData();
+    String conf_alias = d.getAnAlias();
+    short new_topic = d.enterCreateTopic();
+
+    try
+    { // preprocess the body argument through the HTML checker
+      HTMLChecker text_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_BODY);
+      text_ch.setContextValue("PostLinkDecoderContext",
+			      new PostLinkDecoderContext(sig.realSIGAlias(),conf_alias,new_topic));
+
+      try
+      { // run through the HTML checker
+	text_ch.append(body);
+	text_ch.finish();
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (AlreadyFinishedException e)
+      { // this isn't right...
+	throw new InternalStateError("HTMLChecker erroneously throwing AlreadyFinishedException",e);
+
+      } // end catch
+
+      try
+      { // call down to create the new topic!
+	return d.createNewTopic(sig,title,pseud,text_ch.getValue(),text_ch.getLines());
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (NotYetFinishedException e)
+      { // this isn't right either!
+	throw new InternalStateError("HTMLChecker erroneously throwing NotYetFinishedException",e);
+
+      } // end catch
+
+    } // end try
+    finally
+    { // make sure we relinquish the topic creation no matter what happens
+      d.exitCreateTopic();
+
+    } // end finally
 
   } // end createNewTopic
 
@@ -648,4 +687,14 @@ class ConferenceSIGContextImpl implements ConferenceSIGContext
 
   } // end touchUpdate
 
+  public short getTopTopic()
+  {
+    ConferenceData c = getConferenceDataNE();
+    if (c==null)
+      return -1;
+    else
+      return c.getTopTopic();
+
+  } // end getTopTopic
+
 } // end class ConferenceSIGContextImpl

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/ConferenceUserContextImpl.java

@@ -821,19 +821,16 @@ class ConferenceUserContextImpl implements ConferenceContext, ConferenceBackend
 
     } // end if
 
-    // preprocess the three arguments through HTML checkers
+    // preprocess the pseud and title arguments through HTML checkers
     HTMLChecker title_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_PSEUD);
     HTMLChecker zp_pseud_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_PSEUD);
-    HTMLChecker zp_text_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_BODY);
 
     try
-    { // run all three arguments through the HTML checker
+    { // run arguments through the HTML checker
       title_ch.append(title);
       title_ch.finish();
       zp_pseud_ch.append(zp_pseud);
       zp_pseud_ch.finish();
-      zp_text_ch.append(zp_text);
-      zp_text_ch.finish();
 
     } // end try
     catch (AlreadyFinishedException e)
@@ -848,8 +845,7 @@ class ConferenceUserContextImpl implements ConferenceContext, ConferenceBackend
     try
     { // call down to create the new topic!
       real_title = title_ch.getValue();
-      new_topic_inf = getConferenceData().createNewTopic(sig,real_title,zp_pseud_ch.getValue(),
-							 zp_text_ch.getValue(),zp_text_ch.getLines());
+      new_topic_inf = getConferenceData().createNewTopic(sig,real_title,zp_pseud_ch.getValue(),zp_text);
 
     } // end try
     catch (NotYetFinishedException e)
@@ -898,6 +894,20 @@ class ConferenceUserContextImpl implements ConferenceContext, ConferenceBackend
 
   } // end getMessageByPostID
 
+  public HTMLChecker getNewTopicPreviewChecker()
+  {
+    ConferenceSIGContext c = getConferenceDataNE();
+    short new_topic;
+    if (c==null)
+      new_topic = 0;
+    else
+      new_topic = (short)(c.getTopTopic() + 1);
+    HTMLChecker rc = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_PREVIEW_BODY);
+    rc.setContextValue("PostLinkDecoderContext",createDecoderContext(new_topic));
+    return rc;
+    
+  } // end getNewTopicPreviewChecker
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Implementations from interface UserBackend
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1097,6 +1107,12 @@ class ConferenceUserContextImpl implements ConferenceContext, ConferenceBackend
 
   } // end getConferenceData
 
+  public PostLinkDecoderContext createDecoderContext(short topicid)
+  {
+    return new PostLinkDecoderContext(sig.realSIGAlias(),realConfAlias(),topicid);
+
+  } // end createDecoderContext
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Static functions usable only from within the package
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/EngineBackend.java

@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ public interface EngineBackend
   public static final int HTMLC_PREVIEW_BODY = 2;
   public static final int HTMLC_ESCAPE_BODY_PSEUD = 3;
 
+  public static final int IP_POSTSPERPAGE = 0;
+  public static final int IP_POSTSATTOP = 1;
+
   public abstract SimpleEmailer createEmailer();
 
   public abstract String getStockMessage(String key);
@@ -66,4 +69,8 @@ public interface EngineBackend
 
   public abstract HTMLChecker createCheckerObject(int type);
 
+  public abstract int getParamInt(int selector);
+
+  public abstract void forceParamReload() throws DataException;
+
 } // end interface EngineBackend

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/TopicMessageUserContextImpl.java

@@ -134,9 +134,10 @@ class TopicMessageUserContextImpl implements TopicMessageContext
   private void refresh(Connection conn) throws SQLException
   {
     Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
-    StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("SELECT p.hidden, p.scribble_uid, p.scribble_date, p.pseud, "
-					+ "a.datalen, a.filename, a.mimetype FROM posts p LEFT JOIN "
-					+ "postattach a ON p.postid = a.postid WHERE p.postid = ");
+    StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("SELECT posts.hidden, posts.scribble_uid, posts.scribble_date, "
+					+ "posts.pseud, postattach.datalen, postattach.filename, "
+					+ "postattach.mimetype FROM posts LEFT JOIN postattach ON "
+					+ "posts.postid = postattach.postid WHERE posts.postid = ");
     sql.append(postid).append(';');
     ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
     if (rs.next())

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/TopicUserContextImpl.java

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
  * language governing rights and limitations under the License.
  * 
- * The Original Code is the Venice Web Community System.
+ * The Original Code is the Venice Web Communities System.
  * 
  * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Eric J. Bowersox <erbo@silcom.com>,
  * for Silverwrist Design Studios.  Portions created by Eric J. Bowersox are
@@ -617,6 +617,7 @@ class TopicUserContextImpl implements TopicContext
     // preprocess the two arguments through HTML checkers
     HTMLChecker pseud_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_PSEUD);
     HTMLChecker text_ch = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_POST_BODY);
+    text_ch.setContextValue("PostLinkDecoderContext",conf.createDecoderContext(topicnum));
     try
     { // run both arguments through the HTML checker
       pseud_ch.append(pseud);
@@ -773,6 +774,117 @@ class TopicUserContextImpl implements TopicContext
 
   } // end postMessage
 
+  public HTMLChecker getPreviewChecker()
+  {
+    HTMLChecker rc = engine.createCheckerObject(engine.HTMLC_PREVIEW_BODY);
+    rc.setContextValue("PostLinkDecoderContext",conf.createDecoderContext(topicnum));
+    return rc;
+    
+  } // end getPreviewChecker
+
+  public boolean canDelete()
+  {
+    return conf.userCanNuke();
+
+  } // end canDelete
+
+  public void delete() throws DataException, AccessError
+  {
+    if (!(conf.userCanNuke()))
+    { // we can't delete the topic!
+      logger.error("trying to delete w/o permission!");
+      throw new AccessError("You do not have permission to delete this topic.");
+
+    } // end if
+
+    if (deleted)
+      return;  // an exercise in futility...
+
+    Connection conn = null;
+    AuditRecord ar = null;
+    int post_count;
+    long post_max;
+
+    try
+    { // get a database connection
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
+
+      // lock some tables while we do the critical parts of the delete
+      stmt.executeUpdate("LOCK TABLES confs WRITE, topics WRITE, topicsettings WRITE, posts READ;");
+      try
+      { // first delete the topic record itself
+	StringBuffer sql = new StringBuffer("DELETE FROM topics WHERE topicid = ");
+	sql.append(topicid).append(';');
+	stmt.executeUpdate(sql.toString());
+
+	// now delete all topicsettings records
+	sql.setLength(0);
+	sql.append("DELETE FROM topicsettings WHERE topicid = ").append(topicid).append(';');
+	stmt.executeUpdate(sql.toString());
+
+	// and indicate that we updated the conference
+	conf.touchUpdate(conn,new java.util.Date());
+
+	// determine the number of posts in this topic, and the maximum post ID
+	sql.setLength(0);
+	sql.append("SELECT COUNT(*), MAX(postid) FROM posts WHERE topicid = ").append(topicid).append(';');
+	ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(sql.toString());
+	if (!(rs.next()))
+	  throw new InternalStateError("TopicContext.delete screwup on post SELECT");
+	post_count = rs.getInt(1);
+	post_max = rs.getLong(2);
+	
+	// and record that we're now deleted
+	makeDeleted();
+    
+      } // end try
+      finally
+      { // make sure and unlock before we're done
+	Statement ulk_stmt = conn.createStatement();
+	ulk_stmt.executeUpdate("UNLOCK TABLES;");
+
+      } // end finally
+
+      // record what we did in an audit record
+      ar = new AuditRecord(AuditRecord.DELETE_TOPIC,conf.realUID(),conf.userRemoteAddress(),
+			   conf.realSIGID(),"conf=" + String.valueOf(conf.realConfID()) + ",topic="
+			   + String.valueOf(topicid));
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // turn SQLException into data exception
+      logger.error("DB error deleting topic: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("unable to delete topic: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure we release the connection before we go
+      try
+      { // save off the audit record before we go, though
+	if ((ar!=null) && (conn!=null))
+	  ar.store(conn);
+
+      } // end try
+      catch (SQLException e)
+      { // we couldn't store the audit record!
+	logger.error("DB error saving audit record: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+      } // end catch
+
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+    // Delete the rest of the gunk in the background; spin off another thread to handle it.
+    BackgroundTopicPurge purger = new BackgroundTopicPurge(datapool,topicid,post_count,post_max);
+    Thread thrd = new Thread(purger);
+    thrd.setPriority(Thread.NORM_PRIORITY-1);
+    thrd.start();
+
+  } // end delete
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * External operations usable only from within the package
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

src/com/silverwrist/venice/core/impl/VeniceEngineImpl.java

@@ -213,6 +213,7 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
   private Hashtable feature_syms = new Hashtable();   // hashtable mapping symbols to features
   private Hashtable conf_objects = new Hashtable();   // holder for ConferenceCoreData objects
   private HTMLCheckerConfig[] html_configs;           // holder for HTML checker configurations
+  private int[] gp_ints;                              // global integer parameters
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Constructor
@@ -239,6 +240,19 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end checkInitialized
 
+  private void loadDefaults(Statement stmt) throws SQLException, DataException
+  {
+    final String query = "SELECT posts_per_page, old_posts_at_top FROM globals;";
+    ResultSet rs = stmt.executeQuery(query);
+    if (!(rs.next()))
+      throw new DataException("Globals table does not appear to be loaded!");
+
+    // stash the globals from the database
+    gp_ints[IP_POSTSPERPAGE] = rs.getInt(1);
+    gp_ints[IP_POSTSATTOP] = rs.getInt(2);
+    
+  } // end loadDefaults
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Implementations from interface VeniceEngine
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -378,6 +392,9 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
     } // end catch
 
+    // Allocate the global parameter arrays.
+    gp_ints = new int[2];
+
     // initialize anything that requires us to pull from the database
     Connection conn = null;
     try
@@ -404,6 +421,9 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
       if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
 	logger.debug(String.valueOf(max_value) + " features loaded from database");
 
+      // load the global defaults
+      loadDefaults(stmt);
+
     } // end try
     catch (SQLException e)
     { // convert exceptions to DataException
@@ -1207,18 +1227,24 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end confAliasExists
 
-  public HTMLChecker getPreviewChecker()
-  {
-    return html_configs[HTMLC_PREVIEW_BODY].createHTMLChecker();
-
-  } // end getPreviewChecker
-
   public HTMLChecker getEscapingChecker()
   {
     return html_configs[HTMLC_ESCAPE_BODY_PSEUD].createHTMLChecker();
 
   } // end getEscapingChecker
 
+  public int getNumPostsPerPage()
+  {
+    return gp_ints[IP_POSTSPERPAGE];
+
+  } // end getNumPostsPerPage
+
+  public int getNumOldPostsBeforeNew()
+  {
+    return gp_ints[IP_POSTSATTOP];
+
+  } // end getNumOldPostsBeforeNew
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Implementations from interface EngineBackend
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1557,4 +1583,36 @@ public class VeniceEngineImpl implements VeniceEngine, EngineBackend
 
   } // end createCheckerObject
 
+  public int getParamInt(int selector)
+  {
+    return gp_ints[selector];
+
+  } // end getParamInt
+
+  public void forceParamReload() throws DataException
+  {
+    Connection conn = null;  // data pooled connection
+
+    try
+    { // get a connection and use it to reload
+      conn = datapool.getConnection();
+      Statement stmt = conn.createStatement();
+      loadDefaults(stmt);
+
+    } // end try
+    catch (SQLException e)
+    { // just log an error if we screwed up
+      logger.error("DB error loading parameters: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+      throw new DataException("Database error reloading parameters: " + e.getMessage(),e);
+
+    } // end catch
+    finally
+    { // make sure the connection is released before we go
+      if (conn!=null)
+	datapool.releaseConnection(conn);
+
+    } // end finally
+
+  } // end forceParamReload
+
 } // end class VeniceEngineImpl