90 replies to this topic

[Marc]

I still don't get how that isn't working correctly aechmea?

Once you have gone into it (assuming to read), then it is no longer new?

[Jake]

I still don't get how that isn't working correctly aechmea?

Once you have gone into it (assuming to read), then it is no longer new?

True, but previously the thread would still show in the list, albeit in a different colour.

[doobius]

Yeah but if you have read any post (even just one) in the thread then the entire thread containing other unread posts or pages, disappears from "New" until someone posts again.

I have decided to browse threads as an "outsider" and then log-on if I need to post, that'll do me until Marc receives advice and decides upon a final resolution.

To save logging in & out you could setup the "Today's Posts" link as a shortcut: www.stereo.net.au/forums/search.php?do=getdaily&contenttype=vBForum_Post
It works the same whether you are logged in or not.

[LogicprObe]

Can I say I don't have an issue with the New Posts not showing posts I have already read. If I have read all the posts in a Thread, then there are no new ones to display, until a New Post is added to the thread, where it will then show in New Posts.

Does that make sense?

Yes, but having read a thread does not constitute a new post to me...................I often find an answer later and have to go hunting for the thread.

[LogicprObe]

To save logging in & out you could setup the "Today's Posts" link as a shortcut: www.stereo.net.au/forums/search.php?do=getdaily&contenttype=vBForum_Post
It works the same whether you are logged in or not.

Oh, that's good.
What does 'today' mean though?
Last 24 hours........or posts since midnight?

[aechmea]

I still don't get how that isn't working correctly aechmea?

Once you have gone into it (assuming to read), then it is no longer new?

Exactly. And I understand the premise. And I said that I understood "New" in my early email to you and before that in January. Its working correctly using the philosophical concept of "New" as was implemented on Thursday. However that wasn't the concept of "New" the day before or up until that point.

This very same 'issue' occurred in January (was it?) when you made the change then. You resolved the problem at the time and I'm sure that everyone was happy because normal functionality was restored. The threads at the time were full of "I don't like the colour" fluff but you managed to fix all of those as well as the "New" problem which was one of the few real functional issues raised. You must have selected option B or C rather than A and the button produced a list that had the original concept of "New" ie.

"Here is a list of today's posts since you last logged-off. The ones that you have already opened since you logged-on this time are greyed-out but ones that you haven't seen yet or have had a new post in them are bold."

This is essentially a "Today's Post" functionality. When I wrote to you on Thursday? I thought that you had left out the 'fix' that was decided back in Jan, but your reply said 'No' thats the way its going to be.

Today, a "Todays Post" function is available to outsiders but the functionality for members has changed to "New"

OK here is an example from a few minutes ago...

I posted in someone's thread (Shaun?) re USB and sample rates. I went browsing other threads and used the "New" button. Then I thought of something-else that I should have added to Shaun's thread. However it had of course disappeared from the "New" list cos the computer assumed that I would no longer need the thread listed, having been there once and not so long ago. By the time I found the thread using a "search" it was sort of too late.

Anyway thats my take on the situation. Some agree; some don't; some are disinterested. That's life. Marc will make a decision in due course and that's the way it will be - no problem with that.

Cheers

Edited by aechmea, 21 March 2011 - 07:53 AM.
Silly typo

[aechmea]

To save logging in & out you could setup the "Today's Posts" link as a shortcut: www.stereo.net.au/forums/search.php?do=getdaily&contenttype=vBForum_Post
It works the same whether you are logged in or not.

Yep, nice one, I have just this minute realised that and thats exactly what I have just done.

From now on I will use my bookmark rather than the "New" button. Just have to train my fingers to do different key-strokes.

[Grainy]

OK here is an example from a few minutes ago...

I posted in someone's thread (Shaun?) re USB and sample rates. I went browsing other threads and used the "New" button. Then I thought of something-else that I should have added to Shaun's thread. However it had of course disappeared from the "New" list cos the computer assumed that I would no longer need the thread listed, having been there once and not so long ago. By the time I found the thread using a "search" it was sort of too late.

In a situation like this, you can enable subscribing (Under your account settings) to threads you post in, then if you want to find one, click on "Quick Links" and select 'Subscribed Threads". May help in the future anyway, also handy to keep up to date with threads you're interested in.

[Nigel]

Whatmore, the "New Posts" function is supposed to show all the new posts that have been made since you last visited.

After you have viewed the new posts, you should select "Mark forums read" - which will reset the new post function for the next time you visit. If you do not do this, then the "New Post" function may be unreliable, as you describe.

My New Posts seems to be growing, it is up to p18 now, despite viewing the New Post list earlier today. i will follow the advice and Marc Forums Read, but wouldn't have thought one should hafta.

[Nigel]

One question , where is the Mark Forums Read button ?

aaaaaaaaaaaand, ....loving it!

[Marc]

Down the bottom of the Index page.

[aechmea]

My New Posts seems to be growing, it is up to p18 now, despite viewing the New Post list earlier today. i will follow the advice and Marc Forums Read, but wouldn't have thought one should hafta.

Hi Nigel,

Have you actually logged-off yet?

Log-off should surely reset the 'new flag' for you - shouldn't it. If not then it is very odd programming indeed.

Log-off then log-on and see what your 'new' list looks like then.

[Full Range]

Yes, but having read a thread does not constitute a new post to me...................I often find an answer later and have to go hunting for the thread.

Yes that me to
I often find an answer later or while reading another post

FR

[aechmea]

My New Posts seems to be growing, it is up to p18 now, despite viewing the New Post list earlier today. i will follow the advice and Marc Forums Read, but wouldn't have thought one should hafta.

Yep Nigel. Right again as usual. My 'new' list is 25 pages and goes back to 10 March.

Log-off doesn't reset the 'new' flag.

[Keith_W]

Do you guys use the "Mark forums read" function? My new posts stays at 1-2 pages, depending on how frequently I check.

[Jake]

Do you guys use the "Mark forums read" function?

No.

............

[Marc]

It is my understanding that is still working exactly as it is intended.
You need to mark forums as read, or they will always still be new posts.

[davidsss]

Yes Marc, that seems to be the difference. Before we didn't have to mark new forums read, it just reset when we logged out. A small change but one which you may not notice for a while.

DS

[aechmea]

Do you guys use the "Mark forums read" function?

No

- never have - here, nor anywhere-else but then I have never come across a "New Posts" function quite like this before. My other VBulletin sites all use a "Todays" function with no need for manual intervention such as "Mark Forums". 'New' threads become un-new with age.

Up until last Thursday(or thereabouts) this site used a "Todays" function too, and did not require any manual intervention.

[Marc]

Some more research on this topic revealed to me we are not alone with the misunderstood functionality of this. In any case, the site and its functions are 100% usable, threads and posts are being made and we'll leave it as it is for the time being.

[aechmea]

you may not notice for a while.

Just thinking out aloud along those lines a bit further ....

Some member that seldom uses the site, logs-on again and selects "new posts". It's conceivable that their list will be hundreds of pages long.

Another long term thought ....

Will the database clog with hundreds/thousands? of unread thread flags for all members?

[BTW I have no idea what the answers are, since I have no idea about the structure of the database. Worth consideration nevertheless]

[comfortablynumb]

Perhaps the solution is to "mark read" just before you log out. Then you will not have umpteen pages showing next time you log on, only what has been posted in the meantime.

[aechmea]

Ah yes but there are two subtleties that defeat that

1. the line at the top of the page says "1 of 5" when in fact there are 30 or more pages in your list. Its certainly not obvious that you have a long list.

2. can you expect 1000? members to remember to do a manual "mark thread read" just before they log-off. Nuh. 10% might, probably the ones involved in this thread and few others.

Edited by aechmea, 22 March 2011 - 09:24 PM.
gramma

[comfortablynumb]

Personally speaking.....don't really care about the "other members". I'm only concerned about the function working for me !!!

Life is too short to worry if 1000 other people are using the "new posts" function correctly.

[LogicprObe]

Perhaps the solution is to "mark read" just before you log out. Then you will not have umpteen pages showing next time you log on, only what has been posted in the meantime.

The less clicks I have to make, the better.
I'm all for efficiency.

[aechmea]

don't really care about the "other members". I'm only concerned about the function working for me

Ah, but it will affect you eventually when the database is full of 'unread thread flags or whatevers' and response times slow to a crawl because the

1. database is full
2. the program that processes the 'get new' request has to sift through thousands of records and compile huge lists for everyone else except you and me :- ) insert smiley here)

[As I said before I don't know how the database is structured so this is supposition at this stage, but eminently possible]

Edited by aechmea, 22 March 2011 - 09:43 PM.

[comfortablynumb]

The less clicks I have to make, the better.
I'm all for efficiency.

Geez mate....it's just two clicks FFS. Are your energy reserves THAT low??

[ehtcom]

Hate to say it, I preferred the old way :/
Will make myself a link to todays posts and use that instead, thanks doobius.

Cheers, Earle.

[wolster]

Do you guys use the "Mark forums read" function? My new posts stays at 1-2 pages, depending on how frequently I check.

Clicked on new posts. Picked this one to read. Back to new posts. There were four pages showing but as per previous advice, I checked and found that there were a lot more than four pages. Clicked on Forum Actions, Mark forums read. Clicked on New Posts again. Now only three threads showing. Not three pages, just three threads. I only read one thread from the previous list (this one).
At least I did my bit to clear up the database ;-)

Cheers
wolster

[LogicprObe]

Geez mate....it's just two clicks FFS. Are your energy reserves THAT low??

I'm a busy man!
I have a wife!

[wolster]

Clicked on new posts. Picked this one to read. Back to new posts. There were four pages showing but as per previous advice, I checked and found that there were a lot more than four pages. Clicked on Forum Actions, Mark forums read. Clicked on New Posts again. Now only three threads showing. Not three pages, just three threads. I only read one thread from the previous list (this one).
At least I did my bit to clear up the database ;-)

Cheers
wolster

Just logged back in. Clicked on new posts and there are 75 new ones so all seems to be working O.K.


Cheers
wolster

[Cyber_Murphy]

Yeah.....you don't see your own new posts, only everybody elses.
I think it's a trade off for a bigger range of 'New Posts'.

Hi there Mods, or anyone who might know the solution..

I'm finding the same thing,, when I submit a post, it doesn't show up in "New posts"?? If I sign out and go to "Today's Post" I can see my post,, but not when I'm signed in.. I can see other posts that come in to the top of the 'new posts' list..

Is there a change I need to make somewhere in my profile settings??

Thanks..
Murphy

[Marc]

Why do you need to see your own post in your New Posts listing?

[Cyber_Murphy]

Why do you need to see your own post in your New Posts listing?

Well,, I suppose I don't..
Just for reassurance maybe

I take it from your reply that that's the way it is with this new format??
That's ok,, I just wasn't sure if it was a 'profile settings' issue or not..

Cheers..
Murphy

[Jake]

Why do you need to see your own post in your New Posts listing?

Nobody needs to see it. But not seeing it is weird.

[Grumpy]

Why do you need to see your own post in your New Posts listing?

Because that's how it use to be AND that's how we liked it.
Hey Marc how come we now have 2 ways of veiwing our PM's? We have 'private messages' and 'notifications' which look like they do the same thing
.
Oh and I still can't see all the titles at the top of the post page like forum activities (I think that's what it said). So what do I have to do to see them please?
Oh and try to have a nice relaxing day;)

[aechmea]

Of course, its not just the thread with your own post that disappears, its ALL the threads that you have visited, albeit ever-so-fleetingly.

If anyone needs the old way (like me and Grumpy and might I say many others) then make a Bookmark or Favorite or whatever your browser calls them like
http://www.stereo.ne...pe=vBForum_Post
and use that instead of the "New Posts" button.

[Full Range]

I have an Idea

Instead of new posts
Is it possible to have a button for the last 100 posts or any suitable number?

This can also be linked to an RSS page if needed

FR

[Grumpy]

There is a setting in your 'settings' where you can choose 1 day, 2 days, a week, etc for new posts.
Go to settings and on the left under 'my setting' click on general setting

Edited by Grumpy, 29 March 2011 - 12:26 PM.

[monaro8]

Hi, I moved your posts to a new thread for discussion specifically on this feature.

I have just made a change to this setting, that should return it to how it used to work.
Can I please have feedback on these new settings, if it is how you would like it to work, and if not, why and how you think it should function.

Hi Marc,

in the past all new posts would register in time order...that is...the last post would appear on top etc.

This is not the case now. I am finding it a bit awkward...I will survive I am sure but the old way was better for me.

Now I can post a comments and where it would appear on top, you have to go scrolling through the pages to find it.

Hope this helps...Vanch...

[Marc]

Because that's how it use to be AND that's how we liked it.
Hey Marc how come we now have 2 ways of veiwing our PM's? We have 'private messages' and 'notifications' which look like they do the same thing
.
Oh and I still can't see all the titles at the top of the post page like forum activities (I think that's what it said). So what do I have to do to see them please?
Oh and try to have a nice relaxing day;)

AND you seem to forget we didn't knowingly or intentionally move away from it.
I have openly confessed I do not know the answer. There are three settings to choose from.
I did not get much feedback on that - and it is currently working as it is meant to by the software authors.

I have searched, googled and researched this and found no solution. Don't know what else I can do!
It's extremely frustrating honestly.

[Keith_W]

All of you who are not happy with the "new post" function should re-read Marc's post (#35 in this thread) which I will quote again:

For the record when we launched the front page of this website there were no changes made to how New Posts works (they are two completely independent parts of the website). I understand many still do not understand the New Posts feature, but it is a vBulletin default setting, not a "Marc Rushton" setting. There are three modes of how New Posts can work, and I made once change (documented) since this topic was raised which seemed to answer the call of what the majority wanted.

Personally, I couldn't care what method is used - but it does seem the default functionality is not what people want. I can only suggest you take this up with the authors of vBulletin!
I'm a self taught web publisher with no qualifications in programming. There is only so much I can do.

The options for the New Posts settings are:

This option controls how threads and forums are marked as read.

• Inactivity/Cookie Based - once a user has been inactive for a certain amount of time (the value of the session timeout option) all threads and forums are considered read. Individual threads are marked as read within a session via cookies.
  
  This option is how all versions of vBulletin before 3.5 functioned.
  
• Database (no automatic forum marking) - this option uses the database to store thread and forum read times. This allows accurate read markers to be kept indefinitely. However, in order for a forum to be marked read when all threads are read, the user must view the list of threads for that forum.
  
  This option is more space and processor intensive than inactivity-based marking.
  
• Database (automatic forum marking) - this option is the same as a previous option, but forums are automatically marked as read when the last new thread is read.
  
  This is the most usable option for end users, but most processor intensive.

We currently have Option 2 selected. Until a few days ago we had Option 1 selected (but users were reporting it to not be accurate - and unstable.

I am open to whatever the majority of members prefer, but this seems to be an ongoing debate with no perfect outcome. I am open to further suggestions. Does anyone for a moment think I enjoy not giving the members the options they prefer? That just makes my job harder....

In other words - the recent software forum upgrade changed the way the "new post" default function works. It is not possible to change it back unless (1) we downgrade to the previous version of vB, (2) we hire someone to rewrite the forum software, (3) vB posts an update to the software that changes the function back to what you are used to. I'm sorry guys, it really is beyond our control.

[Grumpy]

AND you seem to forget we didn't knowingly or intentionally move away from it.

It's extremely frustrating honestly.

What part are you refereing to Marc? I do have a habit of forgetting things lately, I think!
"Frustrating!" I bet it is, that's why I wished you a relaxing day in that post.

[LogicprObe]

Why do you need to see your own post in your New Posts listing?

Ego, is not a dirty word?

[davidsss]

Oh well, it's the software which has changed the setting. I preferred it the old way but this is still fine.

Thanks for maintaining the forum Marc, your work is appreciated.

DS