Leave posts as unread until read!!

matt_m at 00h48

Aug

2009

Currently, there appears to be a time limit on the icon changing to highlight a new post (both on forum index and on topics where a new reply has been added). I am requesting that this is removed or the time limit greatly increased, so that posts/topics ALWAYS show as unread, until read. Smile

When you first log in, everything appears as it should. If a member
stays on the same page instead of logging out, THEN it will mark
everything as read simply because the member has become inactive. And
it's not like it happens within 2 minutes. It takes at least 15 minutes
to happen on my forum.

Why I think this should be changed: To me and many other forum users, this is a basic feature that is vital to user functionality. Many members only come back to a forum to view new posts since last visit, and the icon changing allows easy viewing of unread posts. When this is not showing, it means you have to browse the whole forum for unread posts, and possibly miss loads, thus reducing member post count and interaction. As most forum software already operates in such a way that posts always show as unread until read, which seems logical, most members will be used to this way of browsing.

As you can see here, this is not a problem only some people experience but seems to be universal to Forumotion forums.

Thanks Smile

1 AiKirika, on 17/08/2009 at 00h51

i dont think that forumotion would remove the session time out completely...
but maybean increase this time would be useful

anyway... i know this problem too...
when my mom wants me to do some household while im on my forum...
and when im back... topics are marked as not new...

2 KingOfSports, on 17/08/2009 at 00h55

Firstly you explained it wrong. When you first log in, everything appears as it should. If a member stays on the same page instead of logging out, THEN it will mark everything as read simply because the member has become inactive. And it's not like it happens within 2 minutes. It takes at least 15 minutes to happen on my forum.

I'm not voting til I'm convinced.

3 matt_m, on 17/08/2009 at 00h59

I didn't explain it "wrong" - I just wasn't specific about the length of the time limit. I realize it doesn't happen within two minutes, hence I am requesting the time limit be removed.

However, I have added your comments to my original post to make it more specific and am now requesting either a substantial increase in time limit or removal of time limit. Hope that helps.

Very Happy

4 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 14h13

I've noticed that if you don't read all the new
posts and then log out or close down, thinking you can read them next
time - they all are marked as 'read' when you come back.

Quite
annoying since late last night I quickpeaked in, and thinking I could
read most and the rest today... and if I wanna do that now, it has to
be a manual hunt for the posts.

This is a quote from another of my members. I really do think this needs to be changed because it is making using the forum day to day very difficult. Not everyone comes in and reads all new posts in one go. They may not have the time.

5 dotDavid, on 24/08/2009 at 14h28

Its a common practice in all community boards to have "guests" ie. guests and users not signed in, not being able to see new posts. This is a serious coding job so I vote no.

BTW, there is no time limit, or time gap. Just clean your cache and cookies so you will see it.

6 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 14h41

I undestand that, what i'm suggesting is that registered and logged in members are able to view new posts. Often if they close the page and come back to my forum, the icons change back to normal as though the forum is saying "you have read the new posts here" even though they haven't.

I realize it may be a big coding job but I don't get this issue in standalone clean install of phpbb on my own private hosting. I think it is a worthwhile suggestion - i'm not asking for a cool or fun gadget or addition, i'm asking for a functionality issue to be corrected which I think is of vital importance.

Can someone tell me if the problem exists throughout all versions (phpbb 2/3, punBB, invision) if the others work I could just change my forum version I suppose....

7 dotDavid, on 24/08/2009 at 14h43

Strange. For my forum, I can open the forum up, not look at any topics, close it, go back to it again, and see that there are still new posts. ie. completely opposite to what you said. FYI, I am using phpbb3

8 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 14h53

Ah, that could be a clue....thanks. I wonder if it is just a problem on phpbb2 then (which is what i'm using?)

Are you able to do that over quite a long time - i.e. do you know if you went back the next day would they still show as unread? Or even a few days later? My worry is that I'm thinking about people that do not go on the forum daily but still want to view ALL unread posts since last visit when they do come on.

Smile

9 dotDavid, on 24/08/2009 at 14h59

Mhmm... that could be hard as I check up on every single forum so I wouldn't be one hundred % sure.

---After thinking a bit---
Do you mean the overall forum's icons (New Posts, No New posts, Locked forum)?

10 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 15h22

Do you mean the overall forum's icons (New Posts, No New posts, Locked forum)?

Yep those ones. And also the ones to show a new reply in a thread (although if the ones on main forum index work i'm sure those will too.)

11 dotDavid, on 24/08/2009 at 15h43

See for me, the ones on the main forum will turn to "no New" if you entered the forum, but the forum icons won't change, ie. if its no new then its no new, if its unread, then its unread.

12 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 16h19

dotDavid wrote:See for me, the ones on the main forum will turn to "no New" if you entered the forum, but the forum icons won't change, ie. if its no new then its no new, if its unread, then its unread.

OK - well it doesn't seem that you're getting the problem then!

I have been told that the issues mentioned in my first post, are apparently due to a session timeout. Apparently if you are inactive on the forum for a long time (i.e. have the page minimized) you are automatically logged out & in again without realizing, and so this in effect will change unread to read, even if you haven't read them. Which I think is wrong...

The issue regarding closing the page and coming back is solved I think...I think it is just related to not ticking "remember me" Laughing

13 AiKirika, on 24/08/2009 at 16h29

to enlighten you david...
im using phpbb 3 too...

but just closing the tab and opening it again... wont do anything... posts will still appear as new
if you close down the whole browser... it will happen to you
and the issue discussed here is that if you stay inactive for too long ... even if you have the tab of the forum open
posts/forums that were marked as "new post" before... wont appear as "new post" afterwards

and of course not logged in ppl.. wont see new posts....

and yes... matt got it right...
its the session time out...
you can also experience in the chatbox...
just that this happens on the whole forum if you dont click or refresh the page regularly...
and if you ticked "remember me" you wont even notice the session time out... just that previous unread posts will appear as not new

14 matt_m, on 24/08/2009 at 19h45

Yes Aikirika has explained the problem well Smile

. Thanks.

15 Aggie, on 25/08/2009 at 00h15

dotDavid wrote:Its a common practice in all community boards to have "guests" ie. guests and users not signed in, not being able to see new posts. This is a serious coding job so I vote no.

BTW, there is no time limit, or time gap. Just clean your cache and cookies so you will see it.

Oh you are wrong! I understand this topic completely and I vote yes to it. Because I have that problem too on my forum. Sometimes I don't have the time to read everything but I leave the tab open to come back later, but if I do that.. everything is marked as read.

16 matt_m, on 25/08/2009 at 00h42

Thanks for voting yes! It would make time spent on forumotion forums much nicer and easier.