[HTL] & [Normal] Persistant Mark Forum Read

Here's the core of a Persistant Mark Forum Read routine.

What it does and How it works:
Clicking the Mark Forum Read link in a forum now adds a record to the database and marks that forum read as of the moment you click the link. New messages posted after you mark a forum read will remain "new" until you click Mark Forum Read again in that forum.

To view ONLY new messages, click on the lightbulb instead of on the forum name. You'll only see threads that have been active since you marked the forum read.

The mod requires 2 new tables. Displaying new messages simply hijacks the $ daysprune function by plugging in the time that the forum was last marked read.

The standard Active Topics (View New Posts) function is unaffected, except that the lightbulb is no longer connected to that routine(optional). The lightbulb now indicates if the forum has been marked read with this routine.

There's also a QuickScan feature which shows the unread topics in all forums (similar to the regular View New Posts routine, but the threads remain on display until you mark each forum (or all forums) read.

Quickscan can be turned on and off for each forum separately.

Don't install this in a production environment, try it on a test system first.

Feedback and help appreciated.

Ed

July 14, 2004: Updated package to v0.3. This version includes a new file that will Mark ALL Forums Read.

July 22, 2004: Updated package to v0.4. This version includes QuickScan.

July 25, 2004: The basic package is now complete with the addition of individual forum on/off control in the quickscan.

Aug 7, 2004: Added text to make navigation easier. Added additional support for subforums

Aug 9, 2004: Added HTL installer

[weaver]

The only thing with subforums that I've noticed is that I can't click on the icon to enter the subforum so marking the forum read doesn't work. It redirects back to the parent forum list and still shows the subforum as having new posts.

[edschaum]

Originally Posted by snobbymom

Here's something else I'd like to see. When you click on Mark Forum Read on the results screen it directs you back to the main forum page. I'd like to see it redirect back to the results. Can that be made an option? Or can you help me make that change for my board?

Open the file markforumread.php

At the bottom, locate this line:
exec_header_redirect("$vboptions[forumhome].php");

Change it to:
//exec_header_redirect("$vboptions[forumhome].php");
$ref = getenv('HTTP_REFERER');
exec_header_redirect("$ref");

That should bring you back to the same page where you clicked "mark this forum read"

[weaver]

Thanks

[edschaum]

I've added an HTL installer, I hope it works, please let me know if any problems.... I didn't really know what I was doing, it's the first time I used it :nervous:

[Berethorn]

I just wanted to tell you I've been using this on my board since July, and I haven't had any problems with it! Thank you!

[trulylowcarb]

Thanks for posting that, Berethorn. I'd like to try this, the cookie-based mark read feature in vb causes more questions and complaints than anything for me!
But I am always hesitant to try anything when the last post is so old. And especially when the last post from the hacker themself is "I've added an HTL installer, I hope it works, please let me know if any problems.... I didn't really know what I was doing, it's the first time I used it." Scary, LOL

Berethorn, did you use the installer, or was that before- has anyone used it successfully - recently, with a current version of VB, like 3.06 or 3.07?

Thanks,

[Greebo]

Some feedback from a recent installer:

The hack and code changes work great!!! MUCH better than the existing arbitrary timeout behavior.

The choice of locations for some of the menus, and the terminology used, left something to be desired, however, for my user population of largely non-technical people. (My site is for pilots and other people interested in aviation).

I found that my user community responded much better to these terms:
"New Posts" - now referring to the Quick Scan function instead of the old legacy behavior.
"Recent Activity" - instead of "Active Topics".

I also moved the QuickScan link off of FORUMHOME and into the NavBar immediately to the left of the old New Posts (now Recent Activity), and reordered the links in the Quick Topics popup.

These are, however, only cosmetic issues - easily customizable by anyone. I can't thank you ENOUGH for providing this hack! This lets my users feel much more comfortable as they are mostly coming from a site where THEY got to say when posts were read, vs. the forum deciding for them arbitrarily.

Outstanding!