[SOLVED] Go to first unread message

[CatKiller]

When I visit the forums, I make frequent use of the Find All Your Posts search option to see if anyone has responded to my efforts to help them with more information or what-have-you. When I do this, the icon for posts that have been responded to changes to show that there are new posts in that thread. However, it is still necessary to visit the start of the thread to click on the first unread button to actually see what that new post is. The forum software already knows that there is at least one unread message in that thread, since it changes the icon, so logically, clicking on the changed icon should go to the first unread message in the thread. But it doesn't. Putting in that function would make using the forum more convenient, and would give a well-integrated, less clunky feel.

I understand that the forum staff don't necessarily have complete access to the forum software, but the ability to make software better is one of the main advantages of Free software, especially for a high-profile distribution like Ubuntu, and especially for a front-line service to Ubuntu users like the Ubuntu Forums. If anywhere should be able to improve based on community feedback, it should be here.

[cyberdork33]

I think you are wanting to use the subscription option for threads...

plus if you click on the thread title inside the quote, it will take you to that particular post... see screenshots of what I am talking about here:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=6027527&postcount=2

[CatKiller]

Not really, no. Not unless the Subscribed Threads panel has functions that are denied to the rest of the forum. As far as I can see from a quick test, it has the same problem in that it can inform you that there are unread posts in a thread, but not take you to them. And finding the threads isn't a problem - the Find All Your Posts search results are exactly what I want without having to remember to subscribe to a thread.

Clicking inside the quote to take me to my post, while useful in itself, is even worse in this case than clicking on the thread title in that I still have to go to the top to click on the First Unread button. I know what I wrote, I want to easily see how people have responded.

Thank you for the thought, though, and I'm not trying to bash the forum or anything like that; I'm just suggesting a useful (to me) new feature.

EDIT: I was wrong, and you were right; The Subscribed Threads panel does have the little down arrow thing for going to the first new post. Still, it's more clicks than I'm using now.

[cyberdork33]

Clicking inside the quote to take me to my post, while useful in itself, is even worse in this case than clicking on the thread title in that I still have to go to the top to click on the First Unread button. I know what I wrote, I want to easily see how people have responded.Yes, but then you should be able to skip having to click the "first unread" button because the new response will be the one just after your post... no? (I guess this can be confusing if you have more than one post in that thread, but I think they are sorted by latest post...)

Thank you for the thought, though, and I'm not trying to bash the forum or anything like that; I'm just suggesting a useful (to me) new feature.and I am just trying to help!

EDIT: I was wrong, and you were right; The Subscribed Threads panel does have the little down arrow thing for going to the first new post. Still, it's more clicks than I'm using now.
OK, I thought it was there. I don't use the function myself so I thought maybe I had remember incorrectly.

[CatKiller]

Yes, but then you should be able to skip having to click the "first unread" button because the new response will be the one just after your post... no?

Not necessarily. A lot of the threads end up being multi-day efforts with lots of people chiming in with requests for further information or alternative approaches. There could be quite a lot of posts between my last post and the first one I need to respond to - each of which I might have read in the meantime.

Thanks for the insight. I guess I'm content to continue as I am until we get the handy little down arrow in the search results.

[cyberdork33]

Not necessarily. A lot of the threads end up being multi-day efforts with lots of people chiming in with requests for further information or alternative approaches. There could be quite a lot of posts between my last post and the first one I need to respond to - each of which I might have read in the meantime.
Ah yes... good point.