Thread Navigation Suggestion

[klesh]

Greetings all,


I would like to share with you my frustration when trying to navigate the entire body of some of the larger threads here at Apolyton. OT threads get huge, but there is rarely a need to quote people from 25 pages back or the like. But other threads do require constant viewing of most of the body, and even skipping around here and there.

What you have now is a system in place which allows me to do some degree of skipping, but it isn't really that helpfull. Here is a screenie of me viewing the last page of a 44 page thread.




Note the << button will bring me 44 pages back to the start of the thread. This is a function I can already have when viewing the mainpage of the particular forum section I am in by clicking the thread's title. All in all, usefull though as many PBEM type threads, or all threads for that matter have a first post which is meaningful for the entire thread.

The < button only serves to bring me to page 43, which I can already do by clicking the link '43' right next to <. Thats redundant. The only time < serves a purpose is when you want to slide the 4 page #'s that are links (in this case 41-44) downwards so as to have lower number seletions as links.

Having the 4 page numbers as links is somewhat useful, as most relevant talk is contained within the last 3 or so pages for usual posting. These are ok.

The real problems start when I want to get from page 44 to page 22. With the current system in place, you simple have to click repeatedy untill your page becomes one of the 4 numbered links. Which in this case means letting several pages load before you can go on. This is of course if you do not figure out how to got to a specific thread page in the address field of your browser. But if it is about logical useable items on the forum pages, I must say the current way is cumbersome.


What I suggest is to have a pulldown/ manual entry type of set up next to the (useful) 4 numbered links in the current system. This way you get easy links to the most recent and valid pages in the thread (last 3/4) but you also have a convienient way to pop about the entire thread, without having to fumble through many pages or manually insert into addressfields. Pull it down for scrollability, or click and enter a value for instant navigation.





I assume this wouldn't be too hard to implement? What is everyone's thoughts? Thanks.

-FMK.

[Henrik]

Check the thread in my sig for a place where this'd be usefull

[tniem]

Sounds like a great suggestion. Great work showing us how you think it should be implemented.

[moomin]

I support this, obviously. Good luck getting an official response!

[ixnay]

Shouldn't be too hard to do. There's a thread on the official vbulletin forums about this:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...threadid=24569

It might take a little bit of tweaking, but I think it's definitely doable.

[Alex]

Yes, I also support this idea. It would be especially useful for those people with slower connections, like me.

[Skanky Burns]

Take a look at the address on the top of your screen. It should have the form:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?

after the question mark:
s=some really long number
&threadid=54702 the thread number
&pagenumber=44 and the page number.

All you really need to do is change that 44 to a 22, and it will work properly.

* Note that sometimes VBB navigates by &postid=## rather than page number, in which case you would need to go to another page first (to get it to navigate by pagenumber) and then change what page you want to go to.
/me hopes that was understandable.

[klesh]

Originally posted by Skanky Burns
Take a look at the address on the top of your screen. It should have the form:
http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?

after the question mark:
s=some really long number
&threadid=54702 the thread number
&pagenumber=44 and the page number.

All you really need to do is change that 44 to a 22, and it will work properly.

* Note that sometimes VBB navigates by &postid=## rather than page number, in which case you would need to go to another page first (to get it to navigate by pagenumber) and then change what page you want to go to.
* Skanky Burns hopes that was understandable.

Originally posted by Field Marshal Klesh
...before you can go on. This is of course if you have not figured out how to go to a specific thread page in the address field of your browser.But if it is ...

Of course thats an easy solution for those who are savy like you or I Skankmeister. Some might not know that (dumb oneas albeit) and besides, since there is some kind of navigation mechanizm now, why not make it better?

Also, when going to threads via the 'first post since last visit' arrow button, you get an address like this:

hxxp://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1369047#post1369047

So then there is additional jumping of pages just to get to an address in my browserfield that is manually editable.

-FMK.

[Skanky Burns]

My suggestion was just a stopgap solution.
Your suggestion is valid and actually would be quite useful.

[Urban Ranger]

The usefulness of such a feature is highly marginal. For one thing, OT threads are limited to 500 posts. With the preponderance of spammers, it's unlikely threads will grow to that many pages. Another thing is, since thread drift is inevitable, you rarely need to go back a few pages.

[Dauphin]

It would still be nice to navigate to one of the last few pages directly, rather than click on the last page and work back.

i.e "4..5..6..last page" rather than "first page...2...3...4"

[klesh]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
The usefulness of such a feature is highly marginal. For one thing, OT threads are limited to 500 posts. With the preponderance of spammers, it's unlikely threads will grow to that many pages. Another thing is, since thread drift is inevitable, you rarely need to go back a few pages.

Well, its not intended for the OT as I said. But in the SLeaguer forum, we have a 47 page Graphics Showcase Thread where all pages are truly relevant and are viewed on a regular basis. It also has 949 posts in it.

-FMK.

[Henrik]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
The usefulness of such a feature is highly marginal. For one thing, OT threads are limited to 500 posts. With the preponderance of spammers, it's unlikely threads will grow to that many pages. Another thing is, since thread drift is inevitable, you rarely need to go back a few pages.

Believe it or not, the biggest threads are not found in the OT

[H Tower]

Originally posted by Field Marshal Klesh
Of course thats an easy solution for those who are savy like you or I Skankmeister.
-FMK.

No, no, no. It's Skanky Bastard

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Henrik


Believe it or not, the biggest threads are not found in the OT

Maybe not, but the most posts are.

[MarkG]

done

[Dauphin]

Well done Markos.

[FrustratedPoet]

What good service we get at this place.

[klesh]

Originally posted by moomin
I support this, obviously. Good luck getting an official response!

See! And to think all it took was the purchase of 5,000 Apolyton mugs.

Hey, thanks alot Markos for the change, and what speed to! Just tried it out and works like a dream. Keep up the good work, my man.

-FMK.

[Gatekeeper]

Kick-butt! I just saw this thread after asking Markos about the addition in another thread. Page buttons RULZ!!!!

Gatekeeper

[Method]

cool. works great!

[Mongoose]

Excellent addition! Extremely helpful to me!

[Henrik]

Great

[ixnay]

Excellent! Nice work. Thanks.

[Immortal Wombat]

Thanks Markos The Photoshop threads are viewable now

[Clear Skies]

Nice one Markos From suggestion to implementation in less than the time it takes the average Englishman to get drunk.

[Dauphin]

The drop down boxes don't appear to work in the members list.

[ixnay]

They work for me.

[Method]

they work fine for me

[Dauphin]

I've been selecting the page number and pressing go - it just refreshes the page. I've just worked out that it works ok if you don't press go after you've selected to page you want.