XF 1.2 Documentation / How To - Soft Delete vs. Hard Deletes

[ProCom]

I'm still VERY new to xF so please be patient with me <hide>

Today in our testing sandbox a moderator deleted their own post. In our current system there is only hard-delete. Her post shows for me as:

This message by moderator has been removed from public view. Deleted by moderator, Today

My questions:

1. Is there any documentation about "soft" vs. "hard" / permanant deletes?
2. Is there a way to "restore" a soft-deleted post? I'm surprised I didn't see a "restore" or "undelete" option on the post.
3. How are soft deleted posts hard deleted? I don't even see that as an option on the soft-deleted post. I assume that if there is a restore option then it would just need to be "permanently" deleted after it was restored from soft-delete?

Thanks in advance for entertaining my dummy question!

 

[Paul B]

Soft is removed from view.
Hard is removed from the database.

The message above relates to a soft deleted post.

Soft deleted posts can be undeleted or hard deleted.
Both are moderator permissions.

 

[Liam W]

Also, you access the undelete/delete option by checking the checkbox next to the post and using the box that pops up

 

[ProCom]

Thanks Brogan!

I'm the admin of the site and I don't see any way to "undelete" the soft deleted post. I looked in the Admin group permission settings and see "Undelete threads / posts:" is selected as "allow" for my group, but I can't see where / how to restore a post.

I see a "show" option, but no other options to "restore" or "undelete". I bet I'm missing something SUPER simple and right in front of me, but I can't find it.

 

[Liam W]

Did you see my post?






The same checkbox system is in use for posts as well as threads

 

[ProCom]

Sorry, I didn't see your post, but thank you SO MUCH for all that.

I knew I was a dummy and I totally missed that "undelete" post option in the pulldown.

Thank you a TON!

 

[SuchMuch]

Soft is removed from view.
Hard is removed from the database.

How long soft deleted messages/posts are stored in database?

 

[Paul B]

Permanently.

 

[SuchMuch]

Permanently.

May be it's a good idea to make an option to have them deleted automatically after 6 month/ 1year?

 

[Divvens]

My be it's a good idea to make an option to have them deleted automatically after 6 month/ 1year?

The point of soft delete is retention, adding an option to this to delete after x time is in my opinion fluff, if you want it gone eventually better hard delete it, no?

 

[SuchMuch]

The point of soft delete is retention, adding an option to this to delete after x time is in my opinion fluff, if you want it gone eventually better hard delete it, no?

I would rather soft delete all the message just in case they could be needed in future. But if they were not restored x time after soft delete, they are subject to hard delete, it will help to keep forum data base clean and tidy. 1-2-3 years later nobody will need to restore soft deleted messages/threads, so what is the point to keep them in data base?