Sticky first post on every page

[SchmitzIT]

Not sure how much work this would be, but on vB4 I installed a modification that will repeat the opening post of a thread on every consecutive page. It seems odd at first, but the idea behind it is that it will easily allow for people to not loose track of what the conversation they are replying to is about again.

A subtle indicator to keep threads from veering off-topic too much, so to speak.

The mod does offer the ability to change the appearance of the first post by means of a template, but this will also affect the actual first post. I'd like to have the ability to keep the initial post showing normally, but then when it is repeated on consecutive pages, to adapt the template to such an extent that I can add a message stating: "This is merely a repeat of the opening post" or have it use a slightly different background colour. Something that will ensure my users will recognize this is not an actual copy/paste of the original post, but merely the modification in action.

Thanks

 

[Chromaniac]

i have a suggestion related to this suggestion!

a tldr option maybe as an external mod.

visitors would always have the option to check the first post to see what the thread is all about.

in most cases, the title of the thread would have enough info about the topic being discussed.

mods could have this feature where they can highlight a post as the TLDR for that thread.

essentially. a user asks a question. and after a couple of posts (on the first page or on the n page). there is a definitive answer.

that post can be marked as TLDR (or whatever).

that post can be highlighted on all the pages of the thread.

logic being. after the resolution has been found, the discussion might still continue and a new user might land on several pages before/ahead.

the idea is to enable him to locate that particular post in the thread which has the relevant info related to the thread in question.

just a suggestion!

ps: i understand that tldr is essentially to summarize the topic. so it probably is the wrong keyword for this thingy.

i also know that the result post might get enough likes but i see no way of seeing the most liked posts in a thread. there is no sorting option!

 

[Paul B]

TLDR?

 

[James]

too long, didn't read from what I remember of the interwebs.

 

[Chromaniac]

as i said. tldr is not the proper word for the thing i am suggesting.

sort of possible resolution here in this post. the idea is to present the resolution of the entire thread in a single post for users who lands after a very long time and have no clue what has happened. not everyone is going to go through 10/20/30/40/50/xx pages to locate that post which settled the topic of the thread? that would be the TLDR of the thread.

i guess i am not able to make my point clear here.

 

[Carlos]

Mod only please

I agree. I don't like the idea of OP being on every page of the thread.

 

[Kim]

So?

So.. every time you have an option, there needs to be a conditional statement somewhere in the display code to see if the option is on or off, on every thread/post whatever it might be... eventually with lots of "is this on?" "If this=that do something" type statements that gets to be very weighty indeed, the more of those options there are the more weight or bloat you are adding to the base product, the slower the forums are.

IPB had this view it was called "Linear" view, it used to be a drop down option on posts, and almost no one ever used it, thankfully they dropped along with the Threaded view at 3.1, now it is just an ACP option, that controls all posts - but every single topic still has to have the weight of carrying that "is this on?" option around regardless of if it is on or not.

I think this is ideal as a mod myself

 

[feldon30]

Step 1. Submit Suggestion
Step 2. Debate the Merits
Step 3. Argue over whether it should be a Plugin or Built-in because of "bloat".

If Steps 1-3 happen within the first 4 posts, you win!

 

[Forsaken]

This is one of those things I believe is dependent on forum and/or usage.

If its for general threads, it serves no point rather then just detracting from the focus of responses (Unless I was mistaken, I thought XenForo was a forum, and not blog software. Forums are based around discussion, not singular posts with comments). For things like news, articles, blogs, or things where responses are of lesser importance, it makes perfect sense, but not for all the posts on the board. 

 

[14m3r]

Mike & Kier, please add a simple, but very helpful function pin of the first post in a topic. Many admins really need it!
Thanks in advance.

 

[SchmitzIT]

I suggested something similar:

http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-first-post-on-every-page.4173/

 

[Paul B]

Merged.

 

[Venmade]

UP: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/sticky-the-first-post-in-the-topic-xf-2.131893/

I think this feature fixing 1 post in the topic, the place to be!
In particular, And Xenforo 2.

Maybe it's not to everyone's taste, but still.

 

[Hoffi]

Just use a not dismissable notice, thats what you need. There you can link to a thread. This is in my opinion more useful and better noticable for the users.