[RFC] Topic Title Prefixes / Subject Prefixes

[tbackoff]

This was originally a planned feature for ascraeus, but since 3.1 is feature frozen, let's look at possibly adding this to 3.2.

We have to decide where we want prefixes to be displayed. I'm thinking:

• previewing a post
• bookmarks
• subscriptions
• user's "most active topic"
• viewforum
• viewtopic
• MCP
• search results (posts and topics)

Admin-definable prefixes is appropriate here, as "one size fits all" isn't necessarily true. Forum permissions to allows groups the use of topic prefixes would probably be desirable. For example, Newly Registered Users might want to be denied this permission. It would also be useful to specify which groups have access to specific prefixes. For example, Administrators might be allowed all prefixes while Registered users might be allowed 1 or 2. Also, being able to specify which prefix is allowed in which forum(s). For example (using phpbb.com), allow the use of the SOLVED prefix in the Support forum and Styles Support forum, but not other forums. The ability to search by prefix would be nice too.

On the moderation side, we need to look at conflicts. Say we allow the use of SOLVED in Support, and a topic is moved to phpBB Discussion, where no prefixes (or different ones) are allowed. Do you give the moderator the option to change it to a prefix that is allowed (or remove it if they wish)? Do you just remove the prefix and move the topic anyway? Do you move the topic and keep the prefix? I would imagine that the first option would be best. This gives the moderator more control over selecting a new prefix or removing it if they so choose. As far as changing prefixes (either from no prefix to one prefix, one prefix to another prefix, or one prefix to no prefix), I would imagine a separate dropdown box (similar to the quick-mod tools) would be sufficient. Also, posting a new topic or editing the first post in a topic would also allow users / moderators to choose a prefix.

Any thoughts on this? Things I might have missed?

[king577]

I think it's a good idea.
Some suggestions for features:
1. Image prefixes and text prefixes.
2. text prefixes with a color.

[naderman]

Hey, sounds pretty good to me. What would happen on topic merge & split? I guess we should do exactly the same as we do with topic icons.

[imkingdavid]

First of all I love this idea.

One other thing I can think of is being able to apply multiple prefixes to a topic. That is already a feature of my Topic Multi-Moderation MOD, which incorporates the prefix feature. That, and being able to use specific tokens, as you would in a custom BBcode, such as {USERNAME} and {DATE}, which would be replaced with the appropriate values when the prefix is applied.

We have to decide where we want prefixes to be displayed. I'm thinking:

Pretty much anywhere the topic title is. When a prefix is applied, it should be attached to the topic title as if they are all one thing.

Admin-definable prefixes is appropriate here, as "one size fits all" isn't necessarily true. Forum permissions to allows groups the use of topic prefixes would probably be desirable. For example, Newly Registered Users might want to be denied this permission. It would also be useful to specify which groups have access to specific prefixes. For example, Administrators might be allowed all prefixes while Registered users might be allowed 1 or 2. Also, being able to specify which prefix is allowed in which forum(s). For example (using phpbb.com), allow the use of the SOLVED prefix in the Support forum and Styles Support forum, but not other forums. The ability to search by prefix would be nice too.

That is right; in my MOD I have it able to be used by groups or individual users, and per forum. This makes it fully customizable so that you can decide who can use it and where they can use it.

On the moderation side, we need to look at conflicts. Say we allow the use of SOLVED in Support, and a topic is moved to phpBB Discussion, where no prefixes (or different ones) are allowed. Do you give the moderator the option to change it to a prefix that is allowed (or remove it if they wish)? Do you just remove the prefix and move the topic anyway? Do you move the topic and keep the prefix? I would imagine that the first option would be best. This gives the moderator more control over selecting a new prefix or removing it if they so choose. As far as changing prefixes (either from no prefix to one prefix, one prefix to another prefix, or one prefix to no prefix), I would imagine a separate dropdown box (similar to the quick-mod tools) would be sufficient. Also, posting a new topic or editing the first post in a topic would also allow users / moderators to choose a prefix.

I think that it should be a setting in the ACP. The admin can choose one of the following behaviors:

• Prefix(es) stripped if not useable in the destination forum.
• Moderator has the ability to change prefixes when moving
• Prefixes remain as they are.

Of course, then that gets complicated if you also try to use the moderator's permissions as well.

Any thoughts on this? Things I might have missed?

Not much... just the idea to have multiple prefixes per topic and being able to use tokens, which I said earlier.

There are a few MODs that could be used as a model. (Basically just the ones in the Summer of MODs topic.)

And just as a plug, the prefix functionality in my Topic Multi-Moderation MOD is easy to take out and make it a standalone feature.

[king577]

Hey, sounds pretty good to me. What would happen on topic merge & split? I guess we should do exactly the same as we do with topic icons.

What are we doing with topic icons?

[tbackoff]

2. text prefixes with a color.

That was part of the reason I made my examples in color; but yes, adding color to them would be nice.

What would happen on topic merge & split?

I knew I forgot something!

Topic merge: If we are merging topics, that means one topic (or post) belongs better to another topic or post. That being said, I believe the topic prefix (if any) should be removed from the merging topic / post and let it "inherit" the merged topic prefix (if any).

Topic split: If we are splitting topics, that means posts belong in a separate topic. I think the original topic prefix should be retained. For example, we have a prefix of [3.0.7] on a topic that deals with that phpBB version. A moderator decides to split some posts from that topic, but they still deal with that version of phpBB. I think allowing the moderator to to select a new prefix (or delete the existing one) would be acceptable. If no new prefix is selected (or it's not deleted), retain the original.

[Ancyent]

Hi there, just made this account specialy for this topic .. and who knows maybe I will post later on.

I like the mod althow I will like to add some ideeas and maybe the developer could implement them.

1. In the forum settings to have a field that I can restrict how many prefixes can i have and if i select only one then at the edit to have a java alert that says ( Want to delete the previous prefix {PREFIX_TEXT} YES / NO ) - Or just simply delete and replace with new one.

2. In the forum settings to have a field that will say something like:
Default Prefix: {and select field with Prefixes}

3. Each Prefix to have 1-2-3 moderation tasks that are performed at the submit button ( example )
have a job application:
Prefixes ( Job Application, Accepted, Denied )
- Actions
--- Job Application ( PM a group / player to attend to that topic )
--- Accepted ( PM to User, Closing Topic )
--- Denied ( PM to User, Cosing Topic, Moving to another topic )

Hope they are usefull for others as they are for me
Thank you with respect Andrei

[Sam]

This is something I would love to see, personally. Not only does the Modding community at phpBB heavily use them, but I use them in my own communities as well.

Optimally, we would want the per-forum configuration potential as attachment extensions have (set groups that you can allow in one forum but not the other). Taking the Mods in development forum as an example, there would be a certain group of prefixes that would be used for that forum, but having available globally is sorta silly.

As for the way they work (I haven't looked into how the post icons work) would be a new column in the topics table, that topics can be assigned one, or none at all. When a topic is split, and it has a prefix, there could be a checkbox option: "Carry topic prefix over to the split topic?" For merging, whichever thread is receiving the new posts will keep the prefix, as they are set by the thread.

As far as permissions go, there would probably be a few forum-based permissions to go along with it, on f_ and m_.
f_prefix_set - Can set a topic prefix initially
f_prefix_change - Can change one's own topic prefix
m_prefix_change - Can change a topic prefix

f_prefix_set would only come into effect when a user is creating a topic. Even if they edit it, they cannot change it.
The f_prefix_change would be for when a user is editing their own topic, they would have the ability to change it when editing the first post.
m_prefix_change is so a moderator with this permission can change the prefix by editing the first post.

Additionally, having a forum flag that requires the use of a prefix would be useful.

Just my thoughts / How I would implement it

[tbackoff]

Hi Ancyent,

This wasn't supposed to be an "everything and the kitchen sink" addition, just a simple prefix option. I, for example, would get irritated really quickly if I received a PM because a moderator changed my prefix. If for some reason the prefix gets changed a lot, those PMs really start to stack up.

What your asking for is, in my opinion, outside of the scope of this RFC. Can you provide more specific examples of how your idea would be useful? I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say about this.

Thanks!

[Ancyent]

Ok my ideea was not to implement it exactly as I have given the example ... my ideea was to make more accessible .. and make it so that people can modify this options.

A problem solver for your ideea ( because yes you are right it's iritating ) would be for the user to have a checkbox ( Recieve PM when prefix changed ).

1. To the current addon, you cannot set ( PREFIX 1 - [SET AS DEFAULT] ) so that when a person creates a topic he is forced to use a prefix ... or something like that . ( usefull when you want to make a section of the forum for support or a ticket system.

2. And the other thing also as a custom thing ( if the users want to add it they do else they dont )

Screen shot 2010-08-15 at 12.49.55 PM.png

Add - moderation action

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Add a action to a certein prefix ( Like execution of moderator skills [Lock topic, Move to another topic that is set in the administration] and I think that would be all the moderations that it needs ) you have this option but only when the prefix is changed but I think it would offer more flexibility.

Thank you.