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garrigus
New Member
53 Posts |
 Posted - 09 May 2006 : 15:43:44
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When using the Active Topics list to browse all the active topics since the last visit, it would be nice to have visited topics automatically removed when the list is refreshed.
For example, I visit the active list, click on a topic to read it. Then I go back to the list and that topic should no longer be on the list because I've already read it, but I haven't left the forum yet so the other topics I haven't visited since my last visit should still be on the list.
Is there a feature option for this? Or can it be done by adding code that uses cookies to track topic views? Maybe something like that.
Thanks for any help!
Scott
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Edited by - garrigus on 09 May 2006 15:44:53 |
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muzishun
Senior Member
United States
1079 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2006 : 15:55:10
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I don't think this has been done, or at least hasn't been done in the couple years I've been around that I know of.
The way I see it happening, you'd need to set a cookie (or alter the current cookies) to list evey topic that you've visited. Then, the active.asp page loops through the topics like normal, but if the topic number of the active topic matches anything in your cookie, it's not displayed.
You'd need to put code into topic.asp to set the cookie, then a bit in active.asp to check it. Shouldn't be too difficult. |
Bill Parrott
Senior Web Programmer, University of Kansas
Co-Owner and Code Monkey, Eternal Second Designs (www.eternalsecond.com)
Personal Website (www.chimericdream.com) |
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laser
Advanced Member
Australia
3859 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2006 : 18:08:55
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You're right, probably doable just not attempted (or maybe just not published) at all.
Would be a great feature though. |
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ruirib
Snitz Forums Admin
Portugal
26364 Posts |
Posted - 09 May 2006 : 18:20:30
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A simple way to do it would be to record all the topics read during a given session for a given user and the active topics would be those changed after the last visit date not on the read topics list for the session. Any updating to a topic or reply would remove the topic from the read topics list for all the users.
A periodic cleaning of the table would be needed as well, in order to keep its size from growing too much. A big forum, with a lot of visits, could have a table with many records, with most of them useless if the periodic cleaning was not done...
This would require a table to record posts read in a session by a given user.
Frankly, I don't think cookies are that good an option. |
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i011877
Junior Member
Denmark
169 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 04:03:01
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This feature is also requested by my users. (and myself  ), so if anyone would give it a go it would be much appreciated.
I have seen this feature on some BB-forums, but it worked in a different way.
All new topics were shown, but those read where marked with a 'read' icon.
Could also be done the other way around, so that all new (unread) was marked NEW, or UNREAD, and when returning to active topics from reading, the NEW-icon/text was gone. If that make sense?
Sum up: All new topics are still shown, but a marker tells if it was read in the current session. |
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Shaggy
Support Moderator
Ireland
6780 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 06:55:23
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What Scott wants to achieve though, would not be possible as hitting the "Back" button does not reload the page so, whatever he does, he's still going to see the topics he's already read until he refreshes active.asp.
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“I was having a mildly paranoid day, mostly due to the
fact that the mad priest lady from over the river had
taken to nailing weasels to my front door again.” |
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ajhvdb
Junior Member
Netherlands
392 Posts |
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AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 08:33:37
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quote:
Originally posted by Shaggy
hitting the "Back" button does not reload the page so, whatever he does, he's still going to see the topics he's already read until he refreshes active.asp.
I've seen similar issues with a forum that lists all topics, but marks the read ones as read... provided you don't hit the back button.
I learned early on to practically count on people using the back button. I watched someone taking their online tests go through 15 tests, and then when they wanted to go back to the main page they didn't hit one of the 5 different links back (all labeled either "Home" or "Main Listing" or some variation) - they hit the "Back" button 30 times! (each test has a corresponding presentation - 15 pages of presentations, 15 pages tests).
It highlighted an error in that beta of my program that only occurred if you backed through the application like that. 
I said all that to say this: you can do it, and some people will love you for it. Just be prepared to explain that it doesn't work if you go nuts with the back button. |
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laser
Advanced Member
Australia
3859 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 09:18:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Shaggy
What Scott wants to achieve though, would not be possible as hitting the "Back" button does not reload the page so, whatever he does, he's still going to see the topics he's already read until he refreshes active.asp.
So maybe he should have said ... "Then I return to the list and that topic should no longer be on the list because I've already read it"
I didn't read it as using the back button at all, but I agree that if he meant it that way it won't work that way. |
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AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 10:54:22
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| I think its reasonable to believe that that wasn't what he meant (using the back button), but its also reasonable to assume that a large percentage of the users will use the back button. The usability tests that I do at the hospital are probably skewed a little given the nature of the population I'm working with... but its not an unreasonable assumption. |
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Shaggy
Support Moderator
Ireland
6780 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 11:07:53
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Also, members with tabbed browsers have to be taken into account - many of them will simply open topics in a new tab, keeping active.asp open the whole time.
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Search is your friend
“I was having a mildly paranoid day, mostly due to the
fact that the mad priest lady from over the river had
taken to nailing weasels to my front door again.” |
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modifichicci
Average Member
Italy
787 Posts |
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AnonJr
Moderator
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 14:44:46
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quote:
Originally posted by modifichicci
I don't know if it helps, but in Image portal the feature is on...
It uses cookie set to forum or to topic, and when you read a topic it's deleted from active.
I didn't know that.
I bet if you were to brows the AT list by opening each topic in a new tab or use the back button to go back to the AT it will look like it didn't work since the AT page didn't get refreshed.
That has been the thrust of the comments here - It can be done, but the effects won't be seen except when the page gets refreshed. Not trying to say it can't be done. |
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garrigus
New Member
53 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 18:14:01
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Hi Everyone...
Wow! Didn't know there would be so much discussion about this, but that's great.
I appreciate all the info and suggestions. I might check out the mod that ajhvdb made. ajhvdb do I need to install the Who Read MOD in addition to your MOD? Or does your MOD work on its own?
I'm also interested in what modifichicci said about Image portal? But I'm not sure what he means by that? Is this some feature that's already built-in?
As for the back button... no I didn't mead to have people using that. I meant they would browse the list, go to a topic, come back to the list (which would refresh it), and see the updated topics.
Some people may use it that way and some may do it the other way where they open each topic in a new tab or window, but then they won't get an updated list. I'd like to have both methods available though.
I used cookies in the old forum I had on my site, which I had built myself, and they worked well. But it wasn't even near as sophisticated at Snitz.
Thanks for all the info!
Scott
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Edited by - garrigus on 10 May 2006 18:15:24 |
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muzishun
Senior Member
United States
1079 Posts |
Posted - 10 May 2006 : 21:15:18
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quote:
Originally posted by garrigus
Hi Everyone...
I'm also interested in what modifichicci said about Image portal? But I'm not sure what he means by that? Is this some feature that's already built-in?
Image's Portal is a fully modded version of Snitz. It's not supported here (because of the extensive code changes), but many people use it as an alternative to modding their own. It is one of several pre-modded forums you can get. |
Bill Parrott
Senior Web Programmer, University of Kansas
Co-Owner and Code Monkey, Eternal Second Designs (www.eternalsecond.com)
Personal Website (www.chimericdream.com) |
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Shaggy
Support Moderator
Ireland
6780 Posts |
Posted - 11 May 2006 : 05:22:01
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quote:
Originally posted by garrigus
As for the back button... no I didn't mead to have people using that. I meant they would browse the list, go to a topic, come back to the list (which would refresh it), and see the updated topics.
Unfortunately, though, the vast majority of people will simply use their back button and it's only the few who will click the "Active Topics" link after reading a topic that will benefit from a mod like this. A quick straw poll on your forums would determine whether or not this would be worth the effort and, more importantly, the overhead.
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Search is your friend
“I was having a mildly paranoid day, mostly due to the
fact that the mad priest lady from over the river had
taken to nailing weasels to my front door again.” |
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