[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

[edschaum]

Originally Posted by Tailfeathers

One more question -- does this hack slow down the board or have any impact on the server or anything like that at all?

I would expect only minimal impact, but I can't really be certain. It hasn't had any effect on either of the 2 boards I'm running it on, so I don't think it will cause much additional server load.

[Tailfeathers]

I read in your instructions that it's pretty much crazy to install this on a live board right now...but do you think there'd actually be a problem? What could happen?

The board I am thinking of installing this on: http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/

[edschaum]

Originally Posted by Tailfeathers

I read in your instructions that it's pretty much crazy to install this on a live board right now...but do you think there'd actually be a problem? What could happen?

The board I am thinking of installing this on: http://www.tailfeathersnetwork.com/community/

Chances are it would work just fine. I have it running on 2 boards with light traffic, and haven't experienced any problems.

I would suggest setting up a backup board first and running through the install to make sure it works on your setup. If it installs ok for you, then make a backup of your database, vBulletin directories and styles, and then do the installation, being very careful to add little signposts in the code so you can uninstall if needed.

Add some info to your faq or some other place to tell people how to use the mod. It's kind of confusing figuring out the diffs between the 2 mark read systems.

I'm pretty comfortable using it, since I know what to expect on which page, but that isn't always obvious to someone using it for the first time.

The bottom line is that there isn't much direct interaction between this module and the rest of the database, so the chances for messing up data are slim. I've only tested this on basic configurations, so I'm not quite sure how it will act on a more complex or really busy board in terms of queries and loads.

I'm happy to try to help if a problem arises, but I don't guarantee success.

Ed

[weaver]

I'm confused about step #9 in the instructions. It says to:

9. Follow the same instructions for #7 except make the changes to "forumhome_forumbit_level1_post"

but my template forumhome_forumbit_level1_post doesn't have that original bit of code from step 7. Since you said to eliminate (or reverse if already done) step 7 it's confusing... Was that supposed to be an 8 instead?

I did search for the original code in step 8 and couldn't find it exactly in level 1's template. But I did find this code:

<td><img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" /></td>

Is that what I'm supposed to replace with

<td class="alt2">
<a href="forumdisplaynew.php?$session[sessionurl]f=$forum[forumid]">
<img src="$stylevar[imgdir_statusicon]/forum_$forum[statusicon].gif" alt="" border="0" /></a></td>

[edschaum]

I'm confused about step #9 in the instructions

Yes, you're absolutely right. I changed the numbering in the instructions, but failed to update the reference in instruction 9. You are supposed to repeat the instructions from step 8 in the forumhome_forumbit_level1_post template.

You correctly figured out what to do. The code to display the lightbulb is right near the top, and we're just wrapping the link code around the image so that it becomes a hot link.

The instruction should read:
9. Follow the same instructions for #8 except make the changes to "forumhome_forumbit_level1_post"

I'll check my original templates to make sure that the code being searched for is an exact match, if not I'll update the instructs next time around.

Thanks for letting me know about mistake, and let me know if you have any other problems installing or using.

Ed

[weaver]

Also when doing the navbar edits... I didn't have this code:

<if condition="$vboptions['enablesearches']"><tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getnew">$vbphrase[new_posts_nav]</a></td></tr>
</if>

but I did have

<tr><td class="vbmenu_option"><a href="search.php?$session[sessionurl]do=getnew">$vbphrase[new_posts_nav]</a></td></tr>

At any rate I've finished installing and am trying it out...

[weaver]

Thanks Ed... You are a quick replier and that is much appreciated.

[weaver]

Here is a question. Right now when you do a quickscan it shows new posts but forum by forum. Is there a way where it will show new posts across forums in the order they were posted instead of grouping them by forum? I hope my question makes sense.

[weaver]

Also - will it support subforums? I'd like to be able to mark subforums read individually. Because of the way my site's set up main forums are more like categories with subforums being the actual forums for posting.

Editted - Okay I think I've figured out how to mark subforums read. What I meant was the ability to click on the forum icon and view new posts. I'd like that for subforums as well. Is that possible?

[edschaum]

Originally Posted by snobbymom

Also when doing the navbar edits... I didn't have this code:

Hmmm, the getnew link appears several times in the navbar template.

I checked my default navbar template and I find that exact text but if you have a different style running, it might be slightly different. It's not that important though, that's just the place I selected to display those links, you might prefer them elsewhere anyway. The location of those links should not affect the operation of the mod.

Ed