Sort ascending or descending?

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Below each topic I see a pulldown that lets you sort items under that topic in ascending or descending order. It appears from my tests so far that this only affects the topic you are in. Is it possible to make this choice globally?

Dave
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
And further to what I posted before, it may be my imagination but once I make a change (from ascending sort to descending sort) in a given topic, it doesn't "stick". The next time I log in it is back to the way it was before I made the change in the previous session.

Dave
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
DaveWT":3ts9fs0o said:
And further to what I posted before, it may be my imagination but once I make a change (from ascending sort to descending sort) in a given topic, it doesn't "stick". The next time I log in it is back to the way it was before I made the change in the previous session.

Dave

I think I have found an answer for both questions.

You can set a preference globally in your user control panel. I'll bet that this is why it keeps "reverting" to that choice when you exit a forum or return to the site.
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Thanks Chas, That seems to have fixed it for me.

I am ashamed to say, I hadn't been into the user control panel before (and had to find where it is hiding under that little Lego person icon). Wow, there is a lot to fiddle with there and I went from panel to panel before I found this setting. Lots of control for those that like to set up their experience "just right".

Dave.
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
I only guessed such a control would be there because I am an old hand at these types of forums -- I have tens of thousands of posts on Mac-Forums and on EhMac.ca. :eek:
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
I noticed another factor in this sorting business. Now that I have it sorted out here to my liking, I may also choose to get an email about new posts to topics I want to follow. That email contains a link to take me directly to that topic, but of course, at that point I am not logged in, so the new post on the topic, will, once again, be found at the very bottom of all the previous emails rather than the top where it would be useful.

I will have to have another look at the user control section and see if there is a setting to log me in automatically when I follow the link in those emails.

Dave
 

tfindlay

Administrator
Staff member
I don't know if this helps but in the User Control Panel in the Profile tab there is topic called "Manage 'Remember Me' login keys".
 

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DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Thanks Terry, I had a look at this, saw nothing defined in this area for myself, and can't see how to change it.

Dave
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
I haven't found a way to choose settings to log me in automatically when I follow the link an email that tells me there is an addition to a topic I follow, so here is another thought:

1. The default setup of the forum is to put the original post at the top and subsequent replies farther down with the newest addition at the bottom.

2. An email alerting one to a new addition to a topic has a link that takes you directly to that topic but leaves you at the top. You then need to scroll all through the stuff you have already read to get to the new addition. (Of course, as discussed you could log into the forum and then your own settings can change that order but we are talking of a quick visit via the email link just to read that one addition.)

So my questions are:

A. Could the default setup of the forum be changed so that all items are sorted to put newest on top? (i.e. via some setting the administrator can make if so decided.)

B. Assuming such a change is possible, would the general membership feel that is an improvement, or make the use of the forum worse?

My thinking is that having an email alert you to an addition would be very useful if you could just click on the link, read the addition quickly and then leave without needing to log in (if you don't intend to reply etc.)
If you have to sort through a long list of previously read discussion on that topic to reach the new addition such a link isn't that useful. It may be quicker to log in.

With the sort order changed, and a short discussion underway the question would appear just below the answer (at the top) anyway so a new reader could see both conveniently and for a long discussion, those who have been previously following the discussion can just arrive at the latest addition whether they log in or arrive via one of those email links.
 

tfindlay

Administrator
Staff member
There doesn't seem to be any settings in the admin control panel to achieve this. I do see your point and I think it would work fine for short discussions. However, for longer ones it might be confusing for someone joining the discussion late. They would have to scroll all the way to the original post (now at the bottom) to see what the discussion is about.

By the way, when you click the Reply button the previous posts are listed in reverse order under the reply text field.
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Oh well, I guess the email notifications at least tip me off to the new addition and then I can then just log in rather than following the link to see them in the order I prefer.

Thanks for the consideration.
 
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