1 Topic by JMelhuish (edited by JMelhuish 2004-10-01 13:52)

  • From: Boston, USA
  • Registered: 2004-09-20
  • Posts: 27

Topic: A request from my forum users...

One thing my forum users really really want is the ability to view all topics and all replies on the same page.  A single line for topic and a single line for each reply under that topic, then the next topic (chronologically), etc. 

Why?

They want to see immediately the un-viewed replies, and the topic associated with those replies.  This happens by the positioning of the replies and the link color (visited/unvisited).  They don't want to have to open each topic, and they don't want to get a list of unviewed posts (such as from "Show new posts since last visit").  You can tell activity by looking at the colors (links) and patterns (placement) of posts.

See for example the forums at audioasylum: http://www.audioasylum.com/audio/digital/bbs.html

This "feature" was common in the CGI bulletin boards, but seems to be lost from most of the PHP forums. Note that I do not want (or need) threading of replies, i.e. replies to replies, I am happy with only replies to the original topic.

I would want this to be a user-selectable viewing feature, so the "normal" forum behavior is retained by default, but those who wish to see a long list of posts can view it that way.

So...  what are your thoughts on this feature?  Definitely a "forum" feature and not a CMS issue ;-)
Thanks all!

James

p.s. you can see my current test site of PunBB 1.2 dev. (using the forum as a "mini-CMS") at http://melhuish.org/pbb12B2/index.php

James Melhuish

JMelhuish's Website

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
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  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: A request from my forum users...

well, thats not really possible on punbb....
that forum is threaded and every post (new topics and replys) have a subject which means it can be displayed, how could posts be displayed in that format on punbb


also how is that site a miniCMS? it just looks like a forum to me :S

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

3 Reply by Paul

  • Paul
  • Senior Member
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  • From: Wales, UK.
  • Registered: 2003-08-13
  • Posts: 3,089

Re: A request from my forum users...

I would have thought if somebody wanted to write a php file to do this it should be possible provided you only want replies to topics (which is what PunBB does). Isn't it just a case of looping through the topics and then nesting a loop through the posts inside it,  skipping the first post in each topic.. I say this with the usual proviso that I have the coding ability of an intellectually challenged Wombat.

BTW: When I saw a site call Fullrangedriver I assumed it was a golfing site.

  • From: Boston, USA
  • Registered: 2004-09-20
  • Posts: 27

Re: A request from my forum users...

Connorhd wrote:

well, thats not really possible on punbb....
that forum is threaded and every post (new topics and replys) have a subject which means it can be displayed, how could posts be displayed in that format on punbb

I said above that I didn't want the threaded feature.  All I want is what Paul wrote, a simple display on one page of clickable links for all topics and their replies. (Up to some maximum number, perhaps 200, after which it writes to another page).

Connorhd wrote:

also how is that site a miniCMS? it just looks like a forum to me :S

Yup, it really is only a forum at the moment, though I am using it to hold articles, classified ads, etc. in forum format.  The category name separates the Forum from the Articles, etc.  I had been asking Rickard about a couple of features that would allow it to operate more like a CMS; I think the user permissions might happen, not sure about the "single topic, no reply" feature though. 

See http://punbb.org/forums/viewtopic.php?id=4712

James

James Melhuish

JMelhuish's Website

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
  • Former PunBB Developer
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  • From: Leeds, UK
  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: A request from my forum users...

yes but do you mean like

# Topic 1
    # Post 1
    # Post 2

# Topic 2
    # Post 1
    # Post 2
    # Post 3
    # Post 4

etc?
with each line being a linK or the actual content?

FluxBB.
Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

6 Reply by JMelhuish (edited by JMelhuish 2004-10-02 11:49)

  • From: Boston, USA
  • Registered: 2004-09-20
  • Posts: 27

Re: A request from my forum users...

Just like you have, with LINKS only.  When clicking on a link, the content is displayed "as normal" in another page with the Topic at the top and Replies underneath.  The user then either clicks the back button, or the forum name at the top of the page to go back to the "list".  The link needs to change colour (e.g. visited) after a user has clicked it once, which then gives a direct visual reference to what posts have already been viewed.  It would also be nice if the links to the posts took you to the actual post instead of just to the topic.

It is only the "main page" of a particular forum that has this view option.  But of course this main forum page needs the option of the current style too.  The user would choose their viewing option under their Profile.

Am I making sense?

James

James Melhuish

JMelhuish's Website