forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

[Deviant Ollam]

so i've noticed something in my use of the forums... a tiny change that could make for a faster and more efficient reading/posting experience for many of us.

i often go directly to the "new posts" link when visiting the DefCon forums. in fact, it's reached the point with me that i don't even type the URL into my browser anymore... i just have a mozilla toolbar link that shoots directly to https://forum.defcon.org/search.php?do=getnew

this generates a results page (if there have been posts since i last checked in) showing a variety of threads from all sub-forum areas. i invariably choose to middle-click all of them right away, popping open an array of new browser tabs. i wait for them all to load (which can lag a bit if i'm on a modem connection and pulling 10 or more HTML pages simultaneously)... then my immediate reaction is to bounce down the list of tabs, clicking the "View First Unread" link on all of them.

i then have to wait again for sometimes as many as 10 pages to load at the same time. i could potentially make more sense if the results page for the "new posts" search automatically linked to the "first unread" code of all the given threads instead of their first page & first post. i mean, after all... if someone is using the "view new posts" feature they've clearly been here before and have likely already followed the conversation up to that point.

i think this is how the code already works on the main front page of the forums, where each sub-forum's "last post" is mentioned... the link format is:

https://forum.defcon.org/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=XXXX

that little extra detail could be added in quite easily, i'd imagine. is anyone else a veteran user of the "New Posts" link? would this make life easier for you, too?

[converge]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

... then my immediate reaction is to bounce down the list of tabs, clicking the "View First Unread" link on all of them.

you know, this was a default action of previous vB instances of these forums. Somewhere along the line this has changed.. I've noticed it recently myself, but never quite quantified it.

It used to be that when clicking on the link in new posts, it would begin by loading the last page of the thread (since last login if multiple pages are 'new'); it could be interrupted by the browser scrollbar but when the page is 100% loaded would otherwise shoot you directly to the last post in the thread (since last login if multiple posts are 'new') and allow you to continue from there.

This is no longer so?

[TheCotMan]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

Try this:

When you are viewing the list of threads with unread messages, please note the different links.

1) There is a link to the name of the thread (the title of the thread is a link)
This will take you to the first post in the thread.

2) Before the thread that contains posts you have not read, there is a little square, blue/white image, that is right next to the thread title, that is probably about 8x8 pixels.
This is actually a different link that will take you to the last unread post in the thread.
This is what you want to click instead of the thread title

3) There is a name of the last poster which is a link,
This will take you to information about that user.

4) There is another, smaller blue/white square next to the name of the last person that posted.
This will take you to the absolute last post (not the last unread post in the thread.)

Try "middle clicking" option 2.

Good luck!

[Voltage Spike]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

is anyone else a veteran user of the "New Posts" link? would this make life easier for you, too?

I work in the exact same manner as you, but you are clicking the "wrong" link. The title link simply takes you to the thread, but the icon link to the left of the title (assuming you have images enabled) will take you to the first unread post as you wish.

Edit: As usual, TheCotMan beat me in posting ... and provided much more information than was asked for. At least you know now.

[TheCotMan]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

Edit: As usual, TheCotMan beat me in posting ... and provided much more information than was asked for.

Shotgun answers. Mmmmmmmmmm.

At least you know now.

Kids: But now we know!
Soldier: And knowing is half the battle!

Geeeee Eyeeee Jooooooooeeeeeee
(G.I. Joe)

[converge]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

1) There is a link to the name of the thread (the title of the thread is a link)
This will take you to the first post in the thread.

This used to not be the case though.. it would be nice to have the link react this way as a default since most people utilizing that search will be privy to the thread or will be seeing it for the first time and starting at the beginning anyways. This might also help curtail some of the recent 'no value' 'dead horse' threads that have resolution at the end of them.

Understood that it could be a kludge and a half.. but, pointing out it would be nice.

[TheCotMan]

Re: forum feature request... "new posts" results linking directly to "first unread"

This used to not be the case though.. it would be nice to have the link react this way as a default since most people utilizing that search will be privy to the thread or will be seeing it for the first time and starting at the beginning anyways. This might also help curtail some of the recent 'no value' 'dead horse' threads that have resolution at the end of them.

Understood that it could be a kludge and a half.. but, pointing out it would be nice.

This may have been an earlly release "feature" and when the new icon feature was introduced, became unavailable.

Viewing the "New Posts" does not just list threads that have had activity since a member last visted, but also, with the little icon to the left of the thread name, which threads have had unread activity.

Two different items are being examined right now:
* Threads with new posts
* Unread posts.

Changing the thread name to also bring a user to the first unread post in a thread would eliminate the need for a display of other threads.

As it exists right now, when the system clock gets skewed, fails to do the DST thing, there are weird cookie problems, or the yet-to-be-diagnosed-bug that sometimes shows a thread as unread no matter how many times you visit it, or the other bug that sometimes clears the list of threads with unread posts (which seems to be related to moderator control login) there is the backup of "new posts" that includes posts that may show up as "read" even though they have not really been read.


Clear as mud?

Converge, if you still want to change it, feel free to search for the option in the CP and change it so we can test drive it as a new default.