Shadow Topics

[Drakkon 362]

Hi,

 

I know that it's unpopular to create a shadow topic when moving a thread or merging one, but a lot of times when I leave my computer, I keep threads with discussions I was in open (since some people sometimes don't quote me when replying, and so not leaving a notification). Topic IDs are never reused, so I think it would be a nice feature if shadow topics were "always on" as it were, but excluded from the board index. So if you enter a topic that has since been merged, it sends you to the new page, but also doesn't clutter the index.

 

Thanks for reading!

Edited December 24, 2014 by Inactive User

[Jeric 46,851]

I have to admit, there is some inconsistency when applying when and when not to use a shadow link. I can think of a few cases where Staff wouldn't want a shadow used (moving a thread to a protected forum for example).

 

As far as merging, I may be wrong, but I don't believe that leaving a trailing link is a feature available. At least it isn't one I'm aware of personally. That isn't to say it doesn't exist though.

 

Regardless, I will bring this up to the team and see if we can have a resolution of sorts to this question and request.

[Jokuc 8,173]

Yes yes and again yes.

 

You don't know how many times I have had troubles with this. I go into a thread and type my wall of text post, but when I press post it brings me to the "oops, topic doesn't exist" page and I lost eeeeeverything. It is the most annoying thing in the world. Ever since, I have been using the Lazarus Form Recovery addon to firefox (it saves everything you write on your computer) along with a simple batch file I made to remove the saved texts each time I restart my computer.

 

If this is possible I support it.

[Drakkon 362]

Yes yes and again yes.

 

You don't know how many times I have had troubles with this. I go into a thread and type my wall of text post, but when I press post it brings me to the "oops, topic doesn't exist" page and I lost eeeeeverything. It is the most annoying thing in the world. Ever since, I have been using the Lazarus Form Recovery addon to firefox (it saves everything you write on your computer) along with a simple batch file I made to remove the saved texts each time I restart my computer.

 

If this is possible I support it.

For the particular problem of losing your forms, download Lazarus' Form Recovery addon. It is a beauty.

[Jeric 46,851]

As a follow-up on this. 

 

All staff should be leaving a trailing link in the original location when moving. The exception would be moving to a protected forum such as Life Advice. There could also be some confusion in moving to a queued area from a non queued area (Welcome Plaza to Site Questions). Outside of those one-off situations though, there should always be a trailing link (shadow link). 

 

As far as the Merging feature leaving a link -  this is a feature that our lead developer has asked IPS for some time to create. These requests have fallen on deaf ears. This is not a current feature in IPB. That puts it strictly in custom development territory, and with the team elbow deep in actually implementing more critical changes, that specific item will likely not be one we will be developing anytime in the foreseeable future. 

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That said. One of our developers will be looking into options.