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PostTue Nov 29, 2016 2:59 am 
I've rewritten the code so it will keep track of topics you've read (and where you stopped reading them) going forward. In the past we only tracked unread posts from the last time you visited to the end of your visit. This change was based on the following feedback:
iron in another topic wrote:
on hearth.com, after you become a member and remain logged in, any time you revisit a topic and click on the topic link, it takes you to the place that you stopped reading. for example, if a topic has 43 pages of responses, and you read through page 35, it'll take you back to the end of page 35 the next time you view that topic.
Now when you click on the topic title it will automatically take you to the first unread post if there are posts you haven't read (otherwise it will take you to the first post). You can also click on the topic icon or icon to the left of the topic title (may appear to the right on mobile) to jump to the first unread post. If you prefer to go to the first post you will see a link below the topic title to "revisit" the first post (on mobile click on the topic date). To mark all topics read go to the forum index (or click on the sun icon the top right which displays today's active topics for all forums) and click on [ Mark all forums read ] (just above the list of forums or topics). If you only want to mark a specific forum as read go to the forum and click on [ Mark forum read ] (just above the list of topics). This should also help when viewing the forum on different devices. I found it difficult to keep track of things when switching between mobile and desktop as the post tracking was easily confused. Edit: if you prefer everything marked read at the end of each visit you can select the option in your profile.

Wiki summmary last edited by Tom on Fri Apr 07, 2017 9:21 pm (this post can be edited by any member)
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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostWed Nov 30, 2016 10:03 pm 
So I thought there was a subtle change in the air. Today I noticed that posts kept showing up after leaving NWHikers and returning. Used to if I hadn't read them, then they wouldn't reappear the next time I came on board. (Not sure if I should say logged on or off, since I am signed in all the time.) Anyway, I used to be able to not read or ignore posts that were not interesting to me--at the time. Then the next time I came on board (so to speak) every thing would be fresh and only brand new postings would show. Somehow over time (today I think) it became slowly apparent to me that things weren't getting (whatever term) deactivated. Then I started to see the Mark Forum Read button. Which I have seen time and again, but never seemed to be necessary. So today I started thinking: "how does this thing work?". Is this what I am supposed to do when I have finished looking at a forum section and moved on to something else. But I want to see only new items displayed, not the same ones that I had ignored or decided not to read at the time. So I thought to go to Support and search for "Mark Forum Read". Sure enough here's Tom's post from the wee hours of this morning. (That's the time when the shoemaker's elves do their work.) Aha! I am on to something. I just was afraid to push the button lest something ruinous might occur to the topics in the forum. ) I needed a little reassurance. haha I think I will now try it out. Please excuse this verbose, slightly rambling post. ~z Edit: Okay I have been trying this "marking read' thing. I see your point Tom about multiple devices. So I understand the need for you and others using various platforms. I almost never use my smartphone unless I am away from home and trying to research something. So it's interesting for the single platform user, an extra step has been added. Little bump in the flow. At least I figured out something was up. haha

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Tom
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PostWed Nov 30, 2016 11:41 pm 
If you want to cut out extra steps it's much easier to view all forums at once by clicking on the today icon to the top right. That will show you everything new since your last visit or the last 24 hours (whichever is longer). Then when you are done reading everything you can mark all forums read at the top of that screen as well. I would venture to guess most would rather choose when to mark everything read than have the software arbitrarily decide for them. I know I often don't have the time to read everything in one visit, particularly trip reports.

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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostThu Dec 01, 2016 9:30 am 
The "Today" icon. I assume that's the little sun up in the upper right. I noticed that the other day and wondered what it was. Also wondering if it just showed up recently. Thanks for the suggested workflow. I'll experiment some more. ~z

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Ski
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PostSat Dec 03, 2016 2:39 am 
Tom - it seems kind of whacky here at my end now. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. I click "Mark all forums read" before leaving the site - otherwise when I come back all the same threads come up as "unread". When I come back, I click "View posts since last visit", but it doesn't take me to that last post in that thread - it takes me to the beginning of the thread, requiring me to scroll through all the posts to find the "last post". Again, maybe I'm doing something wrong here at my end? Let me know. Thanks! BK

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Tom
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PostSat Dec 03, 2016 2:26 pm 
Are you clicking on the orange arrow to go to the first unread post?

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Ski
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PostSat Dec 03, 2016 11:24 pm 
No. Guess I've been doing it all wrong for the last 10 years? I'm clicking the little box immediately to the right of the username way over in the right-hand column that says "Last post". So.... to get to the "last post" I want to click the little orange box at the front end of the thread title in the first column labeled "Topics" ??? (Clicking that box takes me to the last post in the thread.)

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Tom
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PostSat Dec 03, 2016 11:32 pm 
Yes, that's how it's worked for the last decade. Also mentioned in the first post above that the orange arrow takes you to the first unread post. wink.gif takes you to first unread post. takes you to the last post. I'm surprised 10 years later people still get confused by this. Maybe we should just change things so clicking on the topic title takes you to the first unread post.

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Ski
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PostSun Dec 04, 2016 12:44 am 
hey, that's how I've been doing it all along. but then, I'm always confused, so it's no big deal, right? dizzy.gif

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Tom
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PostSun Dec 04, 2016 12:56 am 
I've changed things so clicking on the topic title also takes you to the first unread post when there are new unread posts. Should be much easier to no longer have to click on the small icon to navigate to the first unread post and also benefit those who never realized what the icon was for. I also added the option to the right most column. Click on the orange arrow to view the first unread post. If you really just want to view the last post you can click on the time stamp for the last post.

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puzzlr
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PostFri Dec 16, 2016 11:01 pm 
I like this change because before I felt compelled to scan all forums for threads that interested me before ending a session. Now I can browse for a few minutes and come back to finish later. I like the control over when to clear the unread threads.

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jcocci
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PostTue Dec 20, 2016 1:29 pm 
OK, so long story short I now have to click all forums read instead of it doing when I close my browser?

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Riverside Laker
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PostTue Dec 20, 2016 2:59 pm 
Tom wrote:
clicking on the topic title also takes you to the first unread post
up.gif up.gif

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Tom
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PostTue Dec 20, 2016 3:35 pm 
jcocci wrote:
OK, so long story short I now have to click all forums read instead of it doing when I close my browser?
Yes, instead of closing your browser just mark forums read. The upside is you no longer have to read everything in a single visit. This also applies to pages in a thread. You can read thru page 3 of 5 unread and when you come back it will take you to page 4.

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Tom
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PostWed Dec 21, 2016 1:11 am 
Since some of you seem to prefer everything automatically marked read at the end of each visit I made it an option you can select in your profile.

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