New forum feature request

[+CAVinoGal]

Taking a couple of quotes from another thread on another topic - at least two of us would like to be able tiignore or hide specific threads, and when a thread is ignored or hidden, new posts to that thread do NOT trigger the bolding of the parent topic to indicate new posts.  Specifically, as an example - the "Missions" threads under the Trackables parent topic.  It shows New Posts, but they may all be under one of the sub topics, one of the many threads for the Halloween, Christmas, Easter Missions.  If those threads have been ignored or hidden by a user, then the  bolding would NOT occur, only if the new posts are in a different sub topic.

 

On 1/23/2023 at 3:25 AM, Hynz said:

Not sure how to phrase my request...... so please take it just as a lone datapoint of one forum member.

I wish it would be possible to technically ignore certain threads like this and the undoubtly following threads regarding that geocoin missions.

 

On 1/24/2023 at 1:24 AM, Hynz said:

I'm not receiving any emails regarding new topics/postings. It's just the fact when browsing the forum that the category "Trackables" turns bold is alluring me to look for new content.

As much as I really like the funcionallity of this forum, it is missing an ignore function for threads. At least so far I haven't found it 

 

I've looked for this functionality, unsuccessfully, as well.  I, too, would like to "Hide" or "Ignore" certain threads so they don't show on my listing, and don't show the parent topic as having  "Unread" content. Is this a feature of the forums that exists and we haven't found it yet?  Or is it something that can be added?

[Moun10Bike]

Keep in mind that HQ uses a third-party platform (Invision Community) for the forums. As such, we are limited to what features are available, although it's possible what you are asking for might be available with a settings change - I can't speak to that as our IT team generally handles all of that.

[+thebruce0]

I created an activity stream that shows a list of all active threads, and I flagged only the forums sections I want to see included. It highlights threads I'm following or posted in with new posts (a star) or bolding the threads with new posts. Every day or two I just scroll through active topics until the next thread I've already caught up on. Easy to see threads I'm involved with [starred], and choose whether to check out a [bold] thread with new activity.

Not sure if you use an activity stream, but it's useful.

https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/discover/ Under "My Activity Stream" create a new stream and customize to your liking.

[Keystone]

As a moderator, I also use the activity stream, which is (I believe) an underutilized feature.  You can follow for just new posts in the forum sections you're interested in, and not see new posts for (as an example) a foreign language forum where you don't speak the language (or in my case, where there is a capable moderator dedicated to that forum section).

 

The problem is, if I want to monitor forum section X, which generally has topics of interest to me, I have no ability to exclude thread Y that is active in that forum, but is discussing a specific topic that holds no interest for me.  I am unaware of Invision functionality that would help with this, but that doesn't mean it's nonexistent.  Perhaps @Rock Chalk could chime in on any available options to "ignore" a particular thread in a general feed or an activity stream.  He's way smarter than me.

[Rock Chalk]

6 minutes ago, Keystone said:

He's way smarter than me.

 

I'm framing this.

 

As Moun10Bike and Keystone mentioned, we license Invision software for the forums, and so we're generally limited to the functionality available in our software suite. But we can pass feature requests on to them. I'll also +1 the activity stream, which can be very useful.

[+CAVinoGal]

17 hours ago, Keystone said:

I also use the activity stream, which is (I believe) an underutilized feature. 

 

17 hours ago, thebruce0 said:

I created an activity stream that shows a list of all active threads, and I flagged only the forums sections I want to see included. It highlights threads I'm following or posted in with new posts (a star) or bolding the threads with new posts. Every day or two I just scroll through active topics until the next thread I've already caught up on. Easy to see threads I'm involved with [starred], and choose whether to check out a [bold] thread with new activity.

Not sure if you use an activity stream, but it's useful.

https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/discover/ Under "My Activity Stream" create a new stream and customize to your liking.

 

16 hours ago, Rock Chalk said:

I'll also +1 the activity stream, which can be very useful.

 

I have not really looked into the activity stream, since I pretty much browse all the forum, with the exception of the international section (I do occasionally look through the US section).  I will be checking that out.  It seems to be the best way to accomplish what we are looking to do with available tools already in place.  Thanks for the info!!

[+Hynz]

Interesting to see that "Activity Streams" are used by regulars and apparently they do not have the problems I have with my custom "Activity Stream" to get new postings/threads only concerning threads I'm intersted in.

But as Keystone mentioned, even working flawless it is not a sufficient remedy for what the problem is dicussed here.

Thanks CAVinoGal for opening this new thread.

 

[+thebruce0]

2 hours ago, Hynz said:

But as Keystone mentioned, even working flawless it is not a sufficient remedy for what the problem is dicussed here.

 

If I'm understanding the problem, it's indirectly remedied in the way I explain how I use the activity streams, in that topics aren't individual line items but threads themselves in only the topics selected, so the stream is filled with threads I'm not really interested in already. I typically ignore any non-starred thread (not following/interacting) unless its title piques my interest.

 

The only thing I think is unaddressed may be the ability to ignore a thread within a topic you're including, so that it won't even show itself in that thread activity stream. As in, I want to follow the Geocaching UK topic in my activity stream, but don't want to see a specific thread keep showing up in the list of every thread with activity.

 

At this point personally I just skip past the thread in the list, like all the others I don't view. *shrug*