From:user1 To:user5

[4number8]

I think I asked before, but didn't get any response so I'll give it another go..

Is it possible to be able to show who a user is specifically posting to, instead of posting to the board in general in a post?

example:

In the top left corner it would have something like..
From: user1 <------- user making the post (no box or scroll)
To: user5 <------- have all users currently online (dropdown or scroll maybe)

I think it would be a great addition but wasn't sure how hard it would be to do.

[Andreas]

I've read this request 5 times, but I still don't seem to understand what you actually want to achieve :(

[darnoldy]

Is it possible to be able to show who a user is specifically posting to, instead of posting to the board in general in a post?

I have been looking for the same thing! The problem, I think, is not so much getting the information--it is that (most) folks in these parts can't imagine wanting to.

The linear-thread mindset seems to be that you post "to the thread" not "to the person."

I know the info can be gotten: the quote bbcode uses it. There is a hack called "in regard to" that puts the info into the title of the reply. Not knowing any php, I can't figure out how they did it.

--don

[WetWired]

The "in reply to" hack (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?s=&threadid=61490) uses the information that vB already stores. Remember that vB3 is a threaded message system. Every post that does not start a thread is already a reply to a specific post, however, if everyone uses linear mode, this is usually not revealed. On my forums, I have removed the "post reply" buttons at the top and bottom, and enabled force click for quick reply so that a user must specify a post to reply to in order to post (by clicking the quote or quick reply button).

An alternate solution, more like to what you propose would be to change the post reply links to make it clear that they are being used, then to construct a list of posts the user can reply to in the new post page with no default set, then to use my hack to display the user/post being replied to.

When considering this, however, remember that users are lazy and no matter what you do, many will just always select the first or last post (depending on which is more convenient to sellect).

[why-not]

Hi

I have this on (3) of my clients forums, instead of just having (3) buttons, (1) main [top/bottom], -> reply to topic, (2) in the post bits -> quick reply to topic, reply to topic!

I have (4) buttons in the post bits on (1) forum (4) (quick reply to topic, reply to topic, quick reply to post user, reply to post user), on the other (2) there is a radio button -> 'Reply to this Users Post'

It does not add another query, adds ( 1 ) column to post table

When a post is replied to, it add a comment to the top of the post bit

username replying to usernames, post id! Then in each post there is a, replying to, replying from (link), that follows the replys! I also added a search option that allows the user to see who has replied to their post, viewed in post bit type style by topic ordered by date of the personal reply!

If I remember correctly, it 4 script edits, and 3 template edits, to add everything including the search option! The search option is only shown if they have had personal replies to a post they have made!

It sort of like having a multi topics within (1) topic!!!

Sonia

[darnoldy]

Remember that vB3 is a threaded message system. Every post that does not start a thread is already a reply to a specific post.
I have already figured out how to access the parentID value, but is the name of the poster of the parent also stored? Can that be calculated when the postbit is displayed? Can it be added to a field within the post record when the reply is created?

On my forums, I have removed the "post reply" buttons at the top and bottom, and enabled force click for quick reply so that a user must specify a post to reply to in order to post (by clicking the quote or quick reply button).

Did that too.

Here's a screen shot of what I have currently. I would like to be able to add a line "To:.." under the "From:..." line.

[darnoldy]

Sonia-

Hi, Back!

I have this on (3) of my clients forums

That sounds very cool--can we see it in action? Are you willing to share how you did it?

--don

[why-not]

Hi

Tomorrow night I will put a forum up so you can try this...

I will PM you the URL and login details! If it is what you are wanting I can give you the installer/uninstaller script that does the script(s) edits and the language pharses file, and a list of the templates that are changed, with the template changes!

When I send you the PM, be sure to try it in the default vB template, and the Way Out Blue template! Each one shows the post bit display and search results differently!

If I have time I will post some screen shots later today!

Notes!

Control Panel

User Options

Show Personal Replies in post bit (yes, no)
Show Personal Reply List (all personal replies in topic) (yes, no)
^^^ shown in small table at the top of the topic (sticky, shows on all topic post bit pages) ^^^

The list contains all post you have replied to, including return replies + a button to show all the personal replies in a post bit type style!

You don't need to run another query to get all this information, it is there already, you just have to globalize a few of the arrays or pass them to the functions that you need to add your (array post bits building function) calls to, then just dump that data so that the template eval(s) picks it up!

Sonia

[darnoldy]

Tomorrow night I will put a forum up so you can try this...

That is so cool!! thank you much.

--don

[WetWired]

You can get the user who authored the parent post by modifying the query or adding 1 query that gets the users of the parent posts. You will need to use a loop like mine, however, if you want to remove soft deleted posts in your reference to the post being replied to (because the result of clicking a link to a deleted post could be confusing).

The modification to the existing query would require a left joins then a left join to that left join to relink the post table for the parent post to the post table with the original posts and then to link the user table to the parent posts.

[darnoldy]

The modification to the existing query would require a left joins then a left join to that left join to relink the post table for the parent post to the post table with the original posts and then to link the user table to the parent posts.

I'm sorry, I'm a UI guy--html & javascript I can do--that paragraph was so far over my head, I need binoculars to read it!

An chance you could translate it into noob for me? <G>

--don

[WetWired]

Basicly, I believe that you should be able to modify the query to get posts by adding
,parentpost.username AS parentpostusername, parentpostuser.username AS parentpostuserusername
to the SELECT part, then right before the WHERE clause, add
LEFT JOIN post AS parentpost ON post.parentid=parentpost.postid LEFT JOIN user AS parentpostuser ON parentpostuser.userid=parentpost.userid
Then in the part to construct the postbit, you would check for a valid parentpostuserusername element in the array, and if it was invalid user parentpostusername instead. I am unsure of the way that PHP represents NULL values in results from mySQL, though, and the query may not work with those changes (I am by no means an expert on mySQL, and the changes add a good deal of complexity to the query).

[darnoldy]

Okay, let me see if I get this...

What you're saying is that, at the time the thread is displayed (or, more specifically, when each post within the thread is displayed) that a query can be performed to find the poster of the parent. When this is done, one has to make arrangements in case the parent message has been deleted.

If the query is made at the time that the reply is created (I think this is how the quote bbcode gets it), then that value needs to be stored somewhere. Quote simply puts it into the body of the message. Can a field be added to the post record so that the postbit can just call it from there? In that case, even if the parent message was deleted, the "to" value would still exist and be valid.

--don

[WetWired]

Well, actually, it's a matter of soft deleted posts and back-linking to them that I was talking about, but yes if the original post was hard deleted, then the parentid field would point to the parent of the deleted post. Yes, a field could be added and you could probably fill it when the post is stored.

[mholtum]

<a href="https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=61490" target="_blank">https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=61490</a>

[why-not]

Hi

I did not forget you, I just trying to finish my expanded search mod, so I did not have time to do what I said! I have the search mode done and I am just writing the installer information. Once I have that done I will work on getting a demo up for you to try!

Sorry, for being so slow!

Sonia!

[darnoldy]

Sorry, for being so slow!

no need to appologize. I can wait a bit.

--don

[4number8]

Thank you so much WetWired, My members also thank you for your work, Excellent job to btw :)

Works great.

[darnoldy]

I just trying to finish my expanded search mod
I saw your "save draft" mod--looks very cool. I'll keep an eye open for the expanded search too!

--don

[darnoldy]

Sonia-

I notice that you're back on the forum again. Please PM me about this mod. I'm eager to move forward with this.

--don