1 Topic by Mart

  • Mart
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  • From: Houston, TX (originally UK)
  • Registered: 2004-10-02
  • Posts: 19

Topic: Time-limited post editing

I'm not really sure whether this is a feature request, or a mod request, so I'll post it in the PunBB discussions forum instead. :)

What I'm wondering is if it would be possible to implement a time-limit on users being able to edit their own posts? I'm thinking something like 15 minutes, and then the post can only be edited by a moderator/admin.

The reason for the request is simply a desire to see history not being changed on a forum. When a discussion occurs and one member throws his/her toys out of the pram, I've seen it happen that that user will purposefully delete his/her own posts (before leaving, swearing they'll "never return") in every thread they've ever contributed to, therefore making the thread far more difficult to decipher for every subsequent visitor.

(I should point out this has never happened on my forum - I just want to prevent it from occurring at all!)

My wife and I are starting out with an expat/repat forum that will contain useful and important information - information that we'd like to be available for all subsequent visitors, for the life of the site. I'm all for users editing their posts, but I think putting a time limit on it is a reasonable way of maintaining a thread's coherency.

I'm no PHP wizard, so any baby-steps anyone could provide would be great (I'm an XHTML/CSS guy).

Thanks for a great forum product! I stumbled across it when out looking for something less bloated than The Usual Suspects (vB, phpBB, and IPB) and won't be looking back anytime soon!

Mart's Website

  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: Time-limited post editing

I've got

- Allow edit subject within a certain time frame

on the todo list already. I guess it could be extended to include actual posts as well. I'm not promising anything, but I'll take a look at it.

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

3 Reply by Mart

  • Mart
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Rickard, thanks. I assume the edit subject is slated for the 1.2 release, so if you were to extend it to posts, it would also be in that release? In the meantime (assuming 1.2 won't be out tomorrow...it won't right?) is there an easy way to hack this functionality somehow?

Not that I'm impatient, I just want my users to know exactly what they can and cannot do right off the bat, so to speak.

Many thanks

Mart's Website

4 Reply by zaher

  • zaher
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  • From: Syria, Damascus
  • Registered: 2004-02-16
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Allow edit subject if the post is last post in a topic

Reason:

Someone post somthing
i post the answer
he edit  his post
i seem as stupid, because my answer not for his edited ask!

that situation really happen to me smile

If your people come crazy, you will not need to your mind any more.
  • From: 127.0.0.1
  • Registered: 2001-11-02
  • Posts: 9,167

Re: Time-limited post editing

Mart wrote:

Rickard, thanks. I assume the edit subject is slated for the 1.2 release, so if you were to extend it to posts, it would also be in that release? In the meantime (assuming 1.2 won't be out tomorrow...it won't right?) is there an easy way to hack this functionality somehow?

The answer to the first question is yes. If anything, it will be in 1.2.

In order to do this in 1.1, you would have to edit the script edit.php and at the top, check if the post was made more then X minutes ago and in that case, just display a no permission message (or something).

"Programming is like sex: one mistake and you have to support it for the rest of your life."

Rickard's Website

6 Reply by Mart

  • Mart
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  • Registered: 2004-10-02
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Rickard wrote:

you would have to edit the script edit.php and at the top, check if the post was made more then X minutes ago and in that case, just display a no permission message (or something)

OK, you're talking to a PHP idiot. Before I go off and lose myself in a million PHP websites and FAQs, could I just ask, "How?" smile Sorry to be annoying...

Mart's Website

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

Re: Time-limited post editing

this sounds like a bad idea to me but nvm

if you do add it i would aks that you can edit your post instantly if another post has not yet been made, most of my edits are because i typed something wrong wink

FluxBB.
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8 Reply by Paul

  • Paul
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  • Registered: 2003-08-13
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Same here, most of my edits are because of typo's.

One instance where it is useful to be able to edit even if there have been replies is when you have posted a large chunk of code with a mistake in it. It is easier to change the code and post a short message saying it was changed than post it again.

9 Reply by Mart

  • Mart
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Connorhd wrote:

if you do add it i would aks that you can edit your post instantly if another post has not yet been made, most of my edits are because i typed something wrong

If my understanding is correct (and it may very well not be), nothing would change for someone who wanted to edit their post because of a typo, as long as that edit was made within 15 minutes (for example), regardless of whether or not replies have been posted. Once 15 minutes are up, the post becomes uneditable to any ordinary user, and only a moderator/admin can edit it.

That's what I'd like to see, not stopping "typo edit", but stopping "history changing".

Paul's example of posting code and then editing is is valid - so I suppose the question becomes, could the time-limited option be just that - an option within the control panel, as below:

Users can edit their own posts? Yes/No
Time limit for editing (Zero for unlimited)

Mart's Website

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
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Re: Time-limited post editing

hmm i messed it up i thought you meant people couldn't edit for 15min (but that doesn't make sense now lol) anyway, i definatly don't like this but an option in the admin panel is fine wink

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Connorhd.co.uk.

Connorhd's Website

11 Reply by Mart

  • Mart
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Re: Time-limited post editing

Connorhd wrote:

i definatly don't like this

I realise this isn't something that appeals to - or is required by - everyone. In fact, in plenty of cases it might very well be detrimental to the forum. However, for our forum it could be detrimental not to have a feature/mod like this.

The information that will be posted on our forum is invaluable to everyone, and that info should be there for as long as the site is available, benefiting everyone - old and new visitors. I could justify my request all day, but you probably see my point, even if for your own forum(s) it's an unnecessary addition.

Mart's Website

  • Connorhd
  • Connorhd
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  • Registered: 2004-06-13
  • Posts: 4,195

Re: Time-limited post editing

i said its ok, if you don't like it you can just turn it off so everyone is happy wink

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Connorhd.co.uk.

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