[RFC] Double posts

[_hsr]

It is seen that when a user posts a reply shortly after he posted another, a new reply is added.
The idea is to set a time frame, during which all posts made by the user, provided the last one's his, will get merged to a single one.

However, the post count should increase and notifications should be sent. The edit times should also display it's a merge.

[Senky]

+1
this is also done via some MOD I think, is not it? Anyway, it would be great enhacement, as soon as it can be disabled in ACP.

[brunoais]

I say yes as a MOD (or extension).
This is not that complex to apply but it's not something that essential to the forum system.

[imkingdavid]

Any time a user double posts it should be merged with the previous and the unread notifier should be reset. However, I disagree with incrementing the post count, since technically it's being merged into the previous, post so it is still the same post.

This, I think, should have an ACP option. Perhaps also a way (only for moderators?) to post two posts in a row separately (i.e. for moderators, a new check box to say "Do not merge this with the previous post" that only shows up when the user is double posting), since that is sometimes desired.

One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes this is not the desired behavior overall. For instance, in the MODs in Development forum, some MOD authors like to post the first post with general MOD info and then the second with a FAQ, etc. In this case, the two posts would be merged, which is not desired.

[callumacrae]

I like the way IPB does this. If two posts are posted within ten minutes of each other, they are merged - unless the user has moderator permissions, where they are not. If they want the posts merged, they can do it themselves.

[*Daniel]

You could also have it down to the forum level, some forums need it while others don't. Example you don't want to merge posts in the Development forum but you do for phpBB Discussion forum.

[ecwpa]

This, I think, should have an ACP option. Perhaps also a way (only for moderators?) to post two posts in a row separately (i.e. for moderators, a new check box to say "Do not merge this with the previous post" that only shows up when the user is double posting), since that is sometimes desired.

One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes this is not the desired behavior overall. For instance, in the MODs in Development forum, some MOD authors like to post the first post with general MOD info and then the second with a FAQ, etc. In this case, the two posts would be merged, which is not desired.

Those were my only concerns. The second point seems a pretty specific scenario so it would be good to have a setting to allow topic authors to do this in certain forums or not.

[_hsr]

You could also have it down to the forum level, some forums need it while others don't. Example you don't want to merge posts in the Development forum but you do for phpBB Discussion forum.

Yes, that would be nice, admins should be able to set which forums should have double posts and which should have merge enabled.

[A_Jelly_Doughnut]

You could also have it down to the forum level, some forums need it while others don't. Example you don't want to merge posts in the Development forum but you do for phpBB Discussion forum.

I don't understand this use case. For what sort of forum would you not want to merge two posts in a row by the same author?

[imkingdavid]

I don't understand this use case. For what sort of forum would you not want to merge two posts in a row by the same author?

One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes this is not the desired behavior overall. For instance, in the MODs in Development forum, some MOD authors like to post the first post with general MOD info and then the second with a FAQ, etc. In this case, the two posts would be merged, which is not desired.

EDIT: In fact, Bantu did it in his preparing for release topics in the 3.0 discussion forum on here, although that's more of a specific case.