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AndyP
6th February 2006, 12:33 PM
In trying to set the forum up, I'd like to know how people are using it and their preferences.

Have a look and play with the options below, and let me know how you prefer to display the threads. You may find that you prefer to view it another way.

The display can either be edited via your options on the User CP or at the top right of each thread.

Some other forums may have other display options set up as a default. Here we have Linear Mode (oldest first) as the default, as it was displayed on the previous layout.



What are the various thread display options?

When viewing a thread, you will be able to view the thread from a choice of four modes.

Linear Mode (Oldest First) - In this mode, posts are displayed chronologically from oldest to newest. Posts are shown in a flat mode so that many posts can be viewed simultaneously.
Linear Mode (Newest First) - This is the same as the above mode, except that posts are ordered in an opposite way (newest first).
Threaded Mode - In this mode, a tree is shown along with every post. This tree allows you to see the relationship each post has to others, in terms of who responded to whom. Only one post is shown at a time.
Hybrid Mode - This mode is a mixture of the linear and threaded modes. The post tree is displayed like in the threaded mode, but multiple posts are displayed simultaneously like in the linear modes.

3oneday
6th February 2006, 12:39 PM
I click New Posts, what mode is that ?? Newest first ??

P

andylo
6th February 2006, 12:41 PM
Same to 3oneday

AndyP
6th February 2006, 12:43 PM
I click New Posts, what mode is that ?? Newest first ??
No, I'd like to know the display mode you view the actual posts within a thread, not a list of threads.

If you go to the top right of the page you are reading right now, there should be an option that says "Display Modes". Click on this and the option you are actually using now should be in bold. Select the others to have a look at them.

I personally found the threaded view useless to me, but the hybrid view has some potential, as it allows you to follow a "conversation" easier.

3oneday
6th February 2006, 12:47 PM
threaded and hybrid, in this instance, appeared in the same order, with aloho last (or on the bottom, depending on how you look at it ;) ) Linear is better, IMHO.

Pete

AndyP
6th February 2006, 12:50 PM
Looking at the hybrid view, if you click on a certain part of the thread 'tree', it will show only those posts relating to that part of the conversation. If you click on the first post of the 'tree' it will show all posts, but group into conversations/replies.

It doesn't fully work at the moment, because people post quick replies without 'linking' it to another post. However, this can be forced, without too much trouble for users.

I think I might read with hybrid view for a while to see how it goes.

Jarro
6th February 2006, 12:54 PM
Linear looks the best to me

AndyP
6th February 2006, 12:55 PM
BTW the other views will make more sense in threads that have more posts. This thread doesn't have enough to see what those views can do.

markTHEblake
6th February 2006, 01:43 PM
When i first started using forums i hated the linear mode, becuase I had been reading newsgroups for so many years and was just used to threaded.

But now i am accustomed to it - i dont really care.

On the other hand threaded mode would be good becuase then you dont have to quote posts your replying to and therefore there would be no more "who are you having a go at?" debates.

Grunt
7th February 2006, 07:15 AM
Tried them all and went back to linear, just my preference.

AndyP
10th February 2006, 08:48 AM
I've just added in a forced use of the quick reply buttons that are in the bottom right hand corner of each post. This is to help support hybrid/threaded modes.
If it's mega-painful, it can be changed back.

Courty
10th February 2006, 02:06 PM
I've just added in a forced use of the quick reply buttons that are in the bottom right hand corner of each post. This is to help support hybrid/threaded modes.
If it's mega-painful, it can be changed back.

I put would like to propose that this is reversed. I use the Quick Reply all the time & find it to be 'mega-painful'.

AndyP
10th February 2006, 02:09 PM
I put would like to propose that this is reversed. I use the Quick Reply all the time & find it to be 'mega-painful'.
So it's a pain to use the quick reply button on the post that you are actually replying too?

Courty
10th February 2006, 02:12 PM
I don't know about other browsers, but in Safari, I don't have to press anything to quick reply. I just start typing.

Damn, how lazy am I getting? Cancel that motion AdminnyP, this can become a part of my exercise regime...

BrisVegas
10th February 2006, 02:24 PM
I've just added in a forced use of the quick reply buttons that are in the bottom right hand corner of each post. This is to help support hybrid/threaded modes.
If it's mega-painful, it can be changed back.

Not quite Mega painful, but it is annoying me.

AndyP
10th February 2006, 02:27 PM
Let me know after the weekend.....

Jarro
10th February 2006, 07:27 PM
it is annoying ... i'd like it changed back please.

AndyP
12th February 2006, 08:49 AM
It's amazing what you get used to.
9 months ago, we didn't have a quick reply function at all.

AndyP
13th February 2006, 07:16 PM
Due to no support, the quick reply restriction has been removed.

To those that have hybrid or threaded view, you had your chance, now it won't make much sense.

drunken
14th February 2006, 10:48 AM
Yay, i was wondering what the hell was going on. Much better changed back.