Making the OP the first post on every page

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

Is it possible? A feature request?

Our threads can become quite lengthy. It would be nice if the OP remained at the top of each page, so late comers wouldn't have to wade back and would know what was being discussed on the current page ~ no matter it's number.

I wouldn't want a template change because I have far too many themes. 

Thank you!

[Stinky666]

Sept 8, 2013 0:09:09 GMT -8 ♥ ℒʊ√ ♥ said:

Is it possible? A feature request?

Our threads can become quite lengthy. It would be nice if the OP remained at the top of each page, so late comers wouldn't have to wade back and would know what was being discussed on the current page ~ no matter it's number.

I wouldn't want a template change because I have far too many themes. 

Thank you!

I understand what you're wanting, but, if a late comer read the thread, surely they would read from Page 1 all the way to the last, or at LEAST read the original post in the thread. It makes no sense for anyone NOT to do that lol.

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

I understand what you're saying, Stinky666, but that wouldn't necessarily be the case on our board. We have many threads that stretch for pages and pages and pages. One thread alone has over 26,000 posts. You'd get mired in treacle trying to read all that. And die of boredom!

Since we're not telling a story of any kind, and just giving opinions most of the time, the only thing essential is the O/P. Many don't care what someone else might say about the matter. They'll just want to put in their two cents.

Many of our members came from the eBay forums where the OP is always the first post no matter how long or short the threads are.

Water balloon fight. Toweling off and then getting me some ammo!

[Brian]

Hi, ♥ ℒʊ√ ♥.

I messed around a bit and apparently this is possible. I recommend trying this on a new theme before dedicating any other themes to it.

Replace everything in Structure > Layout Templates > Thread > Post List with this.

SPOILER: Click to show

{foreach $[post]}
{if $[post.index] == 0}
    <tr id="$[post.thread.first_post.content_id]" class="$[post.thread.first_post.content_class]{if $[post.thread.first_post.even]} even{/if}{if $[viewing_recent_posts]} recent{/if} first-post">
        <td class="$[post.thread.first_post.unblocked_class]">
            <table role="grid">
                <tr>
                    <td class="left-panel" rowspan="2">
                        $[post.thread.first_post.created_by.miniprofile]
                    </td>
                    <td class="content">
                        <article>
                            <div class="content-head ui-helper-clearfix">
                                <div class="info">
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.thread]
                                    <span class="date">$[post.thread.first_post.created_on]</span>
                                    {if $[post.thread.first_post.how_posted]}
                                        <span class="post-method">via $[post.thread.first_post.how_posted]</span>
                                    {/if}
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.likes]
                                </div>
                                <div class="controls">
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.quote_button]
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.edit_button]
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.likes.button]
                                    $[post.thread.first_post.select_options]
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <h3 class="title aria-hidden">Post by $[post.thread.first_post.created_by.name] on $[post.thread.first_post.created_on]</h3>
                            <div class="message">$[post.thread.first_post.message]</div>
                        </article>
                    </td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td class="foot">
                        {if $[post.thread.first_post.edited]}
                            <div class="edited_by"><span class="italic">Last Edit:</span> $[post.thread.first_post.edited.date] by $[post.thread.first_post.edited.by_user]{if $[post.thread.first_post.edited.reason]}: $[post.thread.first_post.edited.reason]{/if}</div>
                        {/if}
                        {if $[post.thread.first_post.created_by.signature]}
                            <div class="signature">$[post.thread.first_post.created_by.signature]</div>
                        {/if}
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </td>
        {if $[post.thread.first_post.is_blocked]}
            <td class="$[post.thread.first_post.blocked_class] content center">
                <div class="message note pad-bottom">This post is hidden</div>
                $[post.thread.first_post.display_blocked_post_button]
            </td>
        {/if}
    </tr>
{/if}
{/foreach}

{foreach $[post]}
{if $[post.id] != $[post.thread.first_post.id]}
    <tr id="$[post.content_id]" class="$[post.content_class]{if $[post.even]} even{/if}{if $[viewing_recent_posts]} recent{/if}">
        <td class="$[post.unblocked_class]">
            <table role="grid">
                <tr>
                    <td class="left-panel" rowspan="2">
                        $[post.created_by.miniprofile]
                    </td>
                    <td class="content">
                        <article>
                            <div class="content-head ui-helper-clearfix">
                                <div class="info">
                                    $[post.thread]
                                    <span class="date">$[post.created_on]</span>
                                    {if $[post.how_posted]}
                                        <span class="post-method">via $[post.how_posted]</span>
                                    {/if}
                                    $[post.likes]
                                </div>
                                <div class="controls">
                                    $[post.quote_button]
                                    $[post.edit_button]
                                    $[post.likes.button]
                                    $[post.select_options]
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <h3 class="title aria-hidden">Post by $[post.created_by.name] on $[post.created_on]</h3>
                            <div class="message">$[post.message]</div>
                        </article>
                    </td>
                </tr>
                <tr>
                    <td class="foot">
                        {if $[post.edited]}
                            <div class="edited_by"><span class="italic">Last Edit:</span> $[post.edited.date] by $[post.edited.by_user]{if $[post.edited.reason]}: $[post.edited.reason]{/if}</div>
                        {/if}
                        {if $[post.created_by.signature]}
                            <div class="signature">$[post.created_by.signature]</div>
                        {/if}
                    </td>
                </tr>
            </table>
        </td>
        {if $[post.is_blocked]}
            <td class="$[post.blocked_class] content center">
                <div class="message note pad-bottom">This post is hidden</div>
                $[post.display_blocked_post_button]
            </td>
        {/if}
    </tr>
{/if}
{/foreach}
{if !$[post]}
    <tr class="last"><td class="last center" colspan="1">No posts were found.</td></tr>
{/if}

And add this to the bottom of Themes > Advanced Styles & CSS > Style Sheet.

.container.posts .post.first-post {
    border-bottom: 10px solid @container_inner_border_color;
}

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

Brian Wow. Thank you. You're amazing! I will do as you suggest and try it on a new theme first.

Very much appreciated. Brilliant!

[Brian]

That suggestion was mostly in case you happened to have any layout template modifications to the Post List template. I didn't want my changes to overwrite them.

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

Ok. Got cha. I think that's a template I've not made any changes to, so I should be ok. I'll make a copy of it before adding the change ~ to be on the safe side.

[Former Member]

  YES!! Another question nailed by Brian, super awesome.  Thank you so much Brian.