If you view a forum, you can see the "envelope" images that indicate read/replied/new status. A shortcoming if this system has just been pointed out to me that I would like to fix:

From the "outside" there is no way to determine what threads you have viewed (ie read) already.

If you've replied to a thread, you get the envelope logo with the "lightning bolt", so you are always aware you have viewed (and replied) in that thread.
But, if you have only viewed this thread (regardless of replies, yours, new or otherwise), you have no way of knowing if you've viewed it before unless you view it again.

The way things are, if you view a thread and then someone else replies after you viewed it, there is no way to tell from the outside (other than by memory) if you have already viewed it. If you replied you get the special envelope image, but nothing for just viewing. This means you have to view the thread again in order to see if you have already viewed it.

Is there a way I could remedy this?

I have the "Give Thanks" hack installed, and a workaround would be to count clicking on the give thanks button as a reply. Of course, clicking on the thanks button does NOT count as a reply, and the hack does not contain the feature to allow this.

Any other idea's?

-snake

The title of the thread will be bold if you havn't read all the posts in it.

Yes, I'm aware of that, but if you've read the thread. It becomes un-bold. If you havn't replied in the thread and someone else has since your last visit, it will become bold again.

You would then click on the thread only to discover you already read it.

You have no way of knowing if you viewed it before (assuming you don't recall the thread title for instance).

-snake

huh, you just said it: But then it goes automatically to the latest unread post so you don't go reading through the whole thread again.

I don't think I'm illustrating this very well. It did take several (somewhat irate) messages from my users before I even understood what they were getting at.

My board is set to display posts in order of date posted, not most recently replied to. So the order in which threads appear in each forum never changes. As a new post is added, it goes to the top of the "pile" and that's where it stays until another new post is made and that will go above it etc etc.

Users want to take a glance at a forum and be able to tell which threads they have (ever) read.

If they reply to any one of the threads, they can see it clearly as the envelope icon changes to the "envenlope with arrow" image and it remains obvious even if further posts are made to that thread.

However if they've only viewed the thread once, not replied, they would like it to be marked in some way. EVEN if there are new posts or not.

Does that explain it better?

It's not so much an issue about "mark threads as viewed" really. It's more about visibly tagging all posts in a way that even though thier read/replied to/unread/hot thread status becomes, it will always be apparent if they've EVER visited that thread.

Sorry if I'm still not making any sense.

Forget for a moment everything above. Would it be possible to give the "you have replies in this thread" status to a post even if it's only been viewed and not actually replied to?

-snake