New Msg Indicator Disappears After First Read

[Mike Landi]

I've noticed a forum behavior that I wish I could change. Maybe there is a setting I have incorrect.

Consider I am following a thread. I check for new posts in that thread. There are more than one, and they are deep in the thread tree. Each new thread is highlighted.

I click on one of the new posts to read it. I post a reply to that message. After the post, the entire thread is now not highlighted. I have lost the indication of the other new messages.

:confused:

Is there a way to have the forum not mark all messages as 'seen' when I reply to one new message?

[Judy G. Russell]

Is there a way to have the forum not mark all messages as 'seen' when I reply to one new message?Not yet, but it's something we've asked for. The problem is that the software was initially written for the linear view and keeps track of threads, not of messages. So once you've read one, it thinks, well, you've seen them all. So it's a known issue, and we keep hoping for an improvement.

[Dan in Saint Louis]

Is there a way to have the forum not mark all messages as 'seen' when I reply to one new message?
Tabbed browser? Keep the original thread index in the farthest left tab, read and reply in tabs to the right?

[Judy G. Russell]

Tabbed browser? Keep the original thread index in the farthest left tab, read and reply in tabs to the right?That works reasonably well if you're in hybrid or threaded view.

[Mike Landi]

Not yet, but it's something we've asked for. The problem is that the software was initially written for the linear view and keeps track of threads, not of messages. So once you've read one, it thinks, well, you've seen them all. So it's a known issue, and we keep hoping for an improvement.
Okay, it is not just me. Thanks!

[Mike Landi]

Tabbed browser? Keep the original thread index in the farthest left tab, read and reply in tabs to the right?
Here's the problem with that. In a complex thread, there may be replies to more than one branch of the thread. If I do not see the replies, I cannot open them in tabs. I have to scroll through the whole thread to see any new replies.

I sometiimes miss replies to other branches of a thread other than the "first" one I scroll to. Even a counter of how many new messages there are would help some.

[Judy G. Russell]

I sometiimes miss replies to other branches of a thread other than the "first" one I scroll to. Even a counter of how many new messages there are would help some.I agree. When I get some time, I'll take another gander through the mods available and see what I can come up with. (I looked when we first upgraded to this version and didn't find anything.)

[Lindsey]

Here's the problem with that.
This is why I use linear view. I always did, but it definitely works better with the updated way of tracking new messages.

--Lindsey

[fhaber]

You taught me to use reverse-date linear mode, and it's saved this desultory visitor, but there's definitely something wonky when the thread is long enough to have 1....2...3 buttons. Sometimes "2" isn't actually the latest stuff. Sometimes "1" disappears when you return to the index from "2." This is probably by "design."

[ktinkel]

You taught me to use reverse-date linear mode, and it's saved this desultory visitor, but there's definitely something wonky when the thread is long enough to have 1....2...3 buttons. Sometimes "2" isn't actually the latest stuff. Sometimes "1" disappears when you return to the index from "2." This is probably by "design."The underlying problem is that vBulletin — and, indeed, most of the Web forum programs — do not understand our (CompuServe veterans) fondness for replies to individuals, with all the benefits from that (like “read waiting”).

For them threading and all that is just a distraction. For me, it is the Holy Grail (especially “read waiting”). Unfortunately I have only been able to find two systems capable of that, Web Crossing and the one new CompuServe and Netscape use, and they cost a bundle (thousands of dollars a month).

So here we are. At least vBulletin is reliable and consistent.

[Lindsey]

reverse-date linear mode
I use linear mode in chronological order with the "view first unread" link at the top of the thread to jump to the first new message in the thread. I've never seen that not have the last messages in the thread as the newest ones. The only problem I've ever had with that (and it's not related to the particular view mode) is that on several occasions, the software would present everything on the board to me as previously read. But in that case, I'd just jump to the end and back up until I got to a message that I had read before.

I don't believe I've had the software arbitrarily lose track of my read messages since we upgraded the software, though.

--Lindsey

[Andrew B.]

Not yet, but it's something we've asked for. The problem is that the software was initially written for the linear view and keeps track of threads, not of messages. So once you've read one, it thinks, well, you've seen them all.Except the problem does not show up in threaded view. So I think this is a bug in hybrid mode.

[Judy G. Russell]

Except the problem does not show up in threaded view. So I think this is a bug in hybrid mode.Aha! I'll have to test that. I like hybrid, but would be happy with threaded to be able to see the new messages consistently. Thanks, Andrew!