Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

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robcat2075
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Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by robcat2075 »

The hamburger menu at the upper left displays this...
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tromHam.jpg
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I suggest adding "Active topics (no classifieds)" so we can survey the forum discussions without needing to wade through the clutter of FS and WTB ads that proliferate here.

I presume there is a way to implement a menu item with such a filter.

The people who come here to buy/sell stuff will still be able to use the original menu item.
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>>Robert Holmén<<

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ArbanRubank
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by ArbanRubank »

Agreed!
boneagain
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by boneagain »

Would like either that or, like on old TTF, be able to mark "classified" as to NOT be included in fora I check.

BUT MEANWHILE:

I find if I first go to the classified subforum, then mark that subforum as "read", I can THEN use the "unread posts" to get maybe one page of stuff that might actually interest me.
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BGuttman
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by BGuttman »

I thought we had an "Ignore Boards" option like on the old TTF, but I can't find it. I'm not capable of implementing such an option; have to kick this upstairs to those who might.
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robcat2075
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by robcat2075 »

And it would be helpful if the option were were visible for people who have not signed in so we don't have to log in just to see what's notable on the forum.
>>Robert Holmén<<

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BGuttman
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by BGuttman »

I asked the more computer savvy folks in Management to see if we can have "ignore boards". I couldn't find it.

As to making your life easier if you don't log in, I am not in favor of that. You want services, log in.
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robcat2075
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by robcat2075 »

BGuttman wrote: Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:43 pm As to making your life easier if you don't log in, I am not in favor of that. You want services, log in.
It already shows options for "unanswered topics" and "active topics" without signing in. I'm doubtful that adding a no-classifieds option is going to be too much "service".

If you are really intent on denying services, why not just hide the entire forum? Or how about a paywall?
>>Robert Holmén<<

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BGuttman
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by BGuttman »

I'm pretty sure I am talking for Brian when I say we have no intention of setting up a paywall at this time.

If setting up the option you are asking for results in it working when not logged in, so be it. But I'm not going to try to add that purposely.

I have forwarded your request to the Tech wizards and we'll see if there is something they can do.
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greenbean
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by greenbean »

Sheesh...
Tom in San Francisco
Currently playing...
Bach Corp 16M
Many French horns
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BGuttman
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by BGuttman »

Matt K has made a special group that basically bans you from the Classifieds section. It won't work if you are not logged in (I know that was the original intent, but this is what we can do).

If anybody wants to be excluded from the Classifieds, let me or Matt K know and we can get you added to the group.
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Re: Add... "Active topics (not classifieds)"

Post by Matt K »

Hi all, sorry for the extended hiatus! As if being the father of a toddler in addition to the craziness of 2020 wasn't enough, I'm also working on a huge project personally so I've been totally booked solid; haven't had time to think straight!

So the major issue here is that while some people have no intention of wading through classifieds, some people almost exclusively monitor the site expressly for that purpose! If we made people log in to see the classifieds it would be removing quite a bit of functionality for them and there's unfortunately little that can be done to distinguish users who are not logged in, which is the only built-in fix that is available to the best of my Google-fu and investigating the interface. It might be possible to make a custom plugin that differentiated the two buttons but regrettably (or perhaps not regrettably :wink: ) I am not a PHP developer and then the cascading issue is that when updates are applied, it might break which we definitely don't want!

Howver, there is a workaround. If you use the search function, you can search for the letter "a" or "e"; basically anything worth reading very likely contains either or both of these vowels, after all! (I attempted to turn on wildcard search but this is also not possible with vanilla phpBB). If you do this, you can select just the forums which you are interested in from the menu, meaning you can remove the classifieds from the search. If you would like to create a bookmark, you may use this URL that I prepared for this purpose. Otherwise, you can hit the gear next to the magnifying glass and go there. I should be able to make a shortcut for this as well.

If you'd rather see the topics rather than the posts you can use this URL.
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