Flagging threads as "read" - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

Mark Twenhafel · 01-31-2008, 01:39 PM

Hi-

Like the site, come here to learn. Here's my peeve: sometimes I don't have time to read all the threads with new posts when I visit. I would like to be able to go back to those threads the next time I visit, but the site's configuration is such that all threads are set to "read" when I leave. Just wondering if the bugs anyone else.

If I had my druthers, I would like only those threads that I actually opened be set to "read" and leave the others set as "not read", so their titles will still be boldface the next time I visit.

Concrete example: I always start with electrical forum and usually read all the new posts. Lately I've become interested in the business, marketing and technology forums, but don't always have time to read all the new posts. Yet, when I come back to the site later that day or the next day, all the threads have been set to "read" and their titles are non-bold, even though I hadn't opened any of them.

Just a thought,
Thanks,
Mark T.

dougchips · 01-31-2008, 02:54 PM

Look above your post, click thread tools, click subscribe, and then when you come back you can hit quick lines and subscribed threads. Not sure if this will help you but at least it will list the threads that you have an interest in.

Sportbilly · 01-31-2008, 03:25 PM

I understand the problem, and it's one I have often too.

If I don't check in for a few days, I seldom get time to read all the new threads that interest me, then if I come back later, they're all checked off (justifiably, since I didn't read them last time, why would it assume I'd like to read them next time?) as read

Is there a setting that a user can tweak that says "Don't mark old threads as read?"

Generally I just read as much as I can before dinner, or bed, and hope that any others that I'd like to have read will be replied to by the time I come on next

EDIT Subscribing would be a possibility, but I get the feeling that I'd spend more time managing subscriptions than reading lol

A W Smith · 01-31-2008, 04:29 PM

but by subscribing wont you get those annoying emails that someone has posted in all those subscribed threads?

the first thing I do when I arrive at the forum list page is click "new posts" .
The problem with that is i miss a lot of interesting threads. I would have to poke into every sub-forum to find bolded threads I have missed. IMO i think there are too many sub forums now with quite a bit of overlap. That is OK for specialty contractors who can find their home in trade specific forums but for home improvement contractors who have to do everything it becomes a problem. maybe theres a navigation customization tweak with V bulletin where you can go to a page of threads you have opened in the past that contain unread posts.

**Nathan** · 01-31-2008, 05:46 PM

Well, it wont solve the problem if you don't visit for a few days (something that should never happen

)... but you can use the "Quick Links" drop down menu and select Today's Posts and that will show you all the post in the last 24 hours and the ones you have NOT read will be in bold font.

You could bookmark this link: http://www.contractortalk.com/search.php?do=getdaily

Does that help at all?

Sportbilly · 01-31-2008, 10:02 PM

I always use the link http://www.contractortalk.com/search.php?do=getnew as my bookmark, but still that sometimes stretches into 10 or 12 pages lol

Tinstaafl · 11-08-2008, 10:27 PM

Bump

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Twenhafel

sometimes I don't have time to read all the threads with new posts when I visit. I would like to be able to go back to those threads the next time I visit, but the site's configuration is such that all threads are set to "read" when I leave.

This is indeed annoying, as well as [PROGRAMMERHAT] being an actual bug wherein the forum software doesn't perform as promised [/PROGRAMMERHAT].

Are there any updates available to address the problem? Seems as though fixing it would actually lead to more participation, since "new" posts wouldn't get lost so easily.

woodmagman · 11-16-2008, 02:46 PM

Truth be told, it is in our nature to want what we can not have.

When what we wanted becomes available, something new takes its place and we want that instead. Read what you can, and toss everything else out; otherwise you will be buried in the pile of wished information. If you do not have time to read what is right in front of you now then you are not going to have time to read it ever, as new information is coming up on the threads. And like everything else, what is old will soon be new again anyway.

So do as the providers of these forums say and come back more often so that you stay in the loop and you will be just fine.

Tinstaafl · 11-17-2008, 07:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodmagman

If you do not have time to read what is right in front of you now then you are not going to have time to read it ever, as new information is coming up on the threads.

Would that that were true. Unfortunately, like many who post here regularly, I do have days now and then that aren't quite filled with 14 hours of work.

That's when I'd like to play catchup and garner some of the tidbits I didn't have time for on the busy days.

As it is, I wind up missing them and having to go deal with the Honeydo list instead.

**Leo G** · 11-17-2008, 08:49 AM

It use to work, and I posted a thead aboujt two weeks ago about it. Now once you leave the site and come back all the threads you read are back to bold text and you can't tell if something new has beeen added. I thought it was my cookies, but all the other vB sites I go to work normally.

Tinstaafl · 11-17-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leo G

It use to work, and I posted a thead aboujt two weeks ago about it. Now once you leave the site and come back all the threads you read are back to bold text and you can't tell if something new has beeen added. I thought it was my cookies, but all the other vB sites I go to work normally.

Yes, I saw that thread. I seldom leave the site (just keep the tab open in Chrome), but I did it by logging out just now. vBulletin told me that all cookies were cleared. Upon logging back in, not a single thread anywhere on the board shows as unread--and this is the only thread I've looked at since 7AM.

I'll have to let some new posts pile up and see how it behaves if I just leave without logging out. Neberdeless, somethin's screwy.

**Nathan** · 11-17-2008, 05:07 PM

I'll try upgrading the software this week to see if that helps. We are a few versions behind.

Sorry guys.

rbsremodeling · 11-17-2008, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan

I'll try upgrading the software this week to see if that helps. We are a few versions behind.

Sorry guys.

We will forgive you this time. But if it happens again

Tinstaafl · 11-17-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nathan

I'll try upgrading the software this week to see if that helps.

...and then we get to see what bugs exist in the newer version.

Thanks, Nathan!

**Leo G** · 11-17-2008, 05:32 PM

It use to work Nathan. Just somewhat recently it stopped. Probably about a week after I put that post up. Even the WoodWorkingTalk site is doing the same thing. So it might be a global problem you have.