Lack of interest Goto next/previous post by user within a thread

[TsuChi]

I really like quote function that directs to that quoted post.

I wish there would be a way to easily move to the next/previous post by specific user within current thread.
I imagine it as 2 links near the Like and Reply - clicking it would reload and positione at the next/previous post by that user.

It would be handy for users that want to read/trace all posts in the thread by specific user without scrolling up/down with a mouse.

What do you think?

 

[Paul B]

I think that the posts would be out of context without reading the preceding ones so I question the value of such a feature.

 

[TsuChi]

I disagree.

Sometimes I return to the thread (that could be very long - 100+ posts) and I want to find posts by specific user fast, to grasp his oppinion and make a post in response
or
While reading a post of other user I find it very intriguing and want to return to previous posts of that user in the thread to read it and recall what he said before in the subject.

 

[Jeremy]

You can search within a thread with no search terms posted by member "X" and it'll find all their posts. Choosing one takes you right to it. I'm in agreement with Paul here, I'm not seeing the real usefulness. The logic to build this may be slightly complicated and not truly worth it.

 

[TsuChi]

@King Kovifor

Yes, it can be done by thread search but
*it requires more actions from user
*it would not take the user to previous/next post but will list all posts
*reading posts found through search means opening posts in separate tab for each of them which is really not user friendly.

If it can be done with search, then it can be done with predefined search that is started with clicking (next/previous link) that returns all messages IDs by the user in a thread (current search function) and then the ID of current post is compared to the list and next/previous post ID is chosen and the page position on that post (current quote function).
It could then keep in memory those ID not to run search again untill user leaves the thread.

 

[Jeremy]

The jump to post in quotes works so well since it knows the post ID. So it can't easily determine if its on the page or if it needs to jump to a different page. The searching method you suggested above would require a search to be performed (form submission), a post ID determined, and a redirect to the next post.

 

[TsuChi]

yes
the search function would not require to be filled with gui but it could be called with parameters filled automaticly (user name/id and thread id)
then you know all the IDs of user posts and can jump whenever you want (exactly like in quote function)

the only question in my oppinion is : does search query with user id and thread id is resource consuming?

 

[Jeremy]

It depends on your server, site and how often you require it. There's still a redirect that needs to happen (unlike in quoting of posts).

 

[TsuChi]

I am no developer so I do not understand why jumping to post id from search differs from jumping to post id from quote. Can you explain it in simple words?

 

[Jeremy]

The quotes know the post ids when the page is loaded (its in the quote tag... [quote="username, post: id, member: id"]). Having to perform a search (which requires either a form submission or AJAX, most likely AJAX), retrieve the post ID, then redirect is more server intensive and won't be as fluid as the quotes is. The quotes can check to see if post ID #x is on the page, and make it a relative link, or make it to /posts/# and have it redirected to the correct spot.

 

[TsuChi]

ok , so the difference is that quote can first check if quoted post id is on the page and if it is, the page won't be loaded again (which is very good)
if it is not on the page then redirect will be performed.
(and of course that I have to call search function)

my question is : why it cant work the same way in my scenario?

I send ajax request for user posts, get ids, check if closest id is on the page - and perform action like jumping to quoted post (relative link or reload depending if post is on the page)

Please keep in mind that search function will be called once and you will get all user posts IDs from this thread so only first jump will not be "fluid", all other jumps will be as fast as jump to quoted post.

EDIT:
I figured out a way to perform searching a previous/next post before calling search function.

If quote can find a post on a current page without calling a server (some function on browser side) then previous/next post can find post on a current page the same way but without knowing post id

It will be done through user id - some browser side function will find all posts of that user on loaded page, read their ids and then jump to next/previous if there are any. If not it will call search function and reload a page, as quote would do in the same situation.
Only difference is one simple search function called just before the page would be reloaded - so the delay time caused by search will be hidden in time spent on loading a new page with posts.

 

[TsuChi]

I have found an addon that do some part of what I proposed here
http://xenforo.com/community/resources/find-your-posts-in-a-thread.1960/

If an addon was created that means that some people need this functionality in some form.
Maybe @Matthew Hawley will be interested in my idea and implement it in his addon

Additionally to make GUI not so cluttered with previous/next post words, I would use the same symbol as in quote heading up and down.

 

[James]

I have found an addon that do some part of what I proposed here
http://xenforo.com/community/resources/find-your-posts-in-a-thread.1960/

If an addon was created that means that some people need this functionality in some form.
Maybe @Matthew Hawley will be interested in my idea and implement it in his addon

Additionally to make GUI not so cluttered with previous/next post words, I would use the same symbol as in quote View attachment 49298 heading up and down.

His add-on finds all posts in a thread, it does not determine their order in the thread list (though I'd imagine the lower the post id, the sooner it appears).

 

[TsuChi]

Yes, I am aware of that.

My point was that some people need functionality to find certain posts in a thread faster than by search function.
Allowing users to simply click on a user post to find prev/next post would speed this use case and make it very intuitive and user freindly while extending its use from "my posts" to "all users posts" in a thread.

Yes, I assume the post id is lower for earlier posts.

Search functionality is very good and powerfull but sometimes you need a shortcut. That is why some people use paint while others use gimp to edit pictures.