If you refer to message numbers, I'd like to see that also. I like the display of the sender's name of the message a response is to, but the message number in addition would be great.
That's not too difficult, I'm doing it on the one I'm setting up.. go to where it prints the subject in showflat and showthreaded, then add something like this.. ( Post#: $Number / re: $Parent ) I believe both variables are pulled in with the query, but I can't remember... I didn't give you line numbers in the code to go to because my code is so far off now it probably wouldn't even come close to matching. Make sure to look for it in both top and side post formats... Also, I have 5.0.8, so I can't vouch for anything higher than that.
¿huh? What for? Not very user friendly... I can see you might see some use to it, but your users just might go "what? What is that number for? Just takes space...".
Unless there was a global "jump to message number" search box, I agree that it would take up space without a really useful function... (hmm wasn't I just crying about losing the post numbers like 4 days ago? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> )
Muhammad Chishti Creative dIRECTOR <font color=white><A HREF="http://www.imcuniverse.com" target="_new">http://www.imcuniverse.com</A></font color=white>
Well, what for ... the message numbers are useful in long threads (in flat mode) where a small group of people contribute. In threaded mode it is easy to see to which message someone responds, but in flat mode it is impossible if the only information provided is a name. My W3T forums are not very old yet, but the community using them now is a few years old -- we have threads that go over 60 default pages (sigh, this is in only three days) ... most of those users prefer flat mode, and they asked about the missing message numbers.
I'd be happy if this was made an option. If you don't need it for your boards, you won't have to use it -- but there are communities that would benefit from it (personally I find message numbers more useful than the new user list, but it's all about preference).
You have threads with 600 posts to them? Wow! Sounds like you need all the help you can get reading that in flat mode. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="images/icons/wink.gif" />
What happens when, on the latest page of the thread you read post #67439 re: #58294 and #58294 happens to be 40 pages ahead? You click around on previous pages looking for it?
Heh, yes, that particular thread is <A HREF="http://www.vcommunities.net/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=vzconnections&Number=271&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5" target="_new">here</A>. These people are chat boxes ... they almost use some of these threads like "real time chat", meaning they refresh every few minutes and add comments to it. (Each to their own!) So they normally do not have to go back to the first few pages.
I feel message numbers would help in other situations too -- but like I said, it is really only useful in flat mode, I can't think of a useful purpose in threaded mode. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />
As I mentioned earlier, I use these and link the parent post number back to the parent post, which doesn't work right now if the posts spread over multiple pages... I think I have an idea on how to make it work so that you can jump to that post, but I'm not 100% sure.. And it might be cool to add in the name too. The user can expand the number of posts to show per page so that it would generally always work, but obviously that slows down the page loading. I'm hoping to look at this in the next couple of days. I think they are very useful in flat mode, if you can use them in this manner... I'll keep you posted if I get it working, I just need to get my forums soft launched with a small mailing list I have to get some feedback from visitors before I make them live..
If you can get the links working to other pages in the same thread that would be brilliant.
The name, I haven't been convinced otherwise yet, you need. As I said before, it's nice to be able to tell who a reply is to without having to move elsewhere to find out. But showing the number(s) also which links back to the exact post would be cool too.
Hum... I see your point... maybe instead of a number (that would be awful!) we could have a link surrounding the "Re:". Something like this: <A HREF="http://#126547" target="_new">Re:</A>display of Serial Number before subjects
The number would still be there, but much more intuitive and hidden in the link.
I think this is the best, cleanest idea proposed for finding the original proposed yet. Don't know why we didn't think of it before! I guess it's too late for 5.1, but perhaps a hack for it Eileen? eh? *nudge nudge* <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />
In order to give a link back to the original message in flat mode, we have to know what page that message is going to be on. And since each user can be different, without doing some heavy calculations this couldn't be done.
Now, if maybe if the links opened in a new window and pointed to showthreaded, it could be done.
I like the opening to showthreaded...it's good to use showthreaded in that one tiny situation where it may possibly maybe be needed. [img] /w3timages/icons/images/icons/tongue.gif [/img]
Of course you could always take 'em to it in threaded mode - where they *should* have been all along... <img src="http://amdragon.com/images/icons/devil.gif" alt=" - " />
No... I think opening new windows should only be for external links. No exception I can think of. Cause anyway, half the users dont know how to see the other window (bottom taskbar! Alt-Tab!) when they are maximized. If you dont believe me just sit for 10 minutes with anyone who has had a computer for less than 6 months and see...
I hate the numbers...I love the popup....works beautifully...I can see the exact text of the original (WITH ONLY ONE CLICK) and close that and get back to my reading!
Well, it didnt open maximized in IE. Does it in Netscape? Anyway, it is better than not having it. But Eileen! I hate that threaded mode, sorry. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" />
Hum... in Netscape 4.7 if you have the window maximized it will open another one in the same state.
What I´ve noticed is that in Netscape it is that the threaded mode is showing correctly, with the correct tabs. In IE5 I am getting all replies straight in a row, with no tabs... no wonder I was so upset with the threaded mode a while ago...
Yes, imprefections like the number of posts you have to click on in threaded mode to find the one you were looking for! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />
BTW does anybody else wish we could go back to the standard purple for visited links here? I find it difficult to distinguish between the navy and the black for active post.
Ah! So the truth is revealed! I FOUND IT! I'm starting a new thread called "Eileen uses flat mode"! No, wait! I'm going to create a whole new board on my boards called "Eileen uses flat mode!" Sing it from the hills! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />
I can't even read that gif...way too small.... but what I do see happening is that clicking on a gif attachment in a post opens it in the same window...shouldn't that be a popup as well???
