New posts added to last post (automatic post merging)

[Frick]

Consider

What are you playing?

I finished Dredge. It's a really great game and fairly short. It looks good too!

www.techpowerup.com

The last paragraph was added what, eight hours after the previous one? And I don't get a choice if I want it to be a part of the previous post or not. I think there should be a time cut-off on that otherwise really good feature.

 

[Wirko]

That glue stays fresh for 24 hours.

 

[Frick]

That glue stays fresh for 24 hours.

It shouldn't though, or at least there should be the option for it.

 

[W1zzard]

I know exactly what you mean, and it annoys me in some of my posts from time to time, too. But post automerge helps a lot to keep things clean

Not sure how to add an option for it, when it's not known that merge will happen until you press submit (other people often make posts in the time you're finishing your post). Adding some sort of "your posts were merged, undo?" mechanism is too complicated, given the small number of instances where people would select undo (it's a self-coded plugin)

 

[Solaris17]

I've watched it merge people that legit shit out like 6 posts and I love it. If you are replying to yourself within 24 hours I dont see the reason for bumping at all. It never used to be that way, and I am super happy it is now.

Nothing like watching someone destroy a thread talking to themselves.

 

[theFOoL]

I'm just going to throw it out there but I don't get the title. There is a "Edit" but yes there's a Time limit

 

[Princess Garnet]

I'm just going to throw it out there but I don't get the title. There is a "Edit" but yes there's a Time limit

If you have the last post in a thread and proceed to attempt to add the next post, then if less than 24 hours have passed, it will instead add the additional content into your previous post (that is, it will "auto-merge" them). If more than 24 hours have passed, or if someone else replies (so you don't have the latest post any more), then it adds it as a new post as normal.

I found out about this when I originally went to carry over a thread that I had partially started on another community. It didn't bother me since some of the later the posts I was adding were long so I was planning to separate them by time anyway, but I was going to post the initial few posts at once since they weren't as long and it caught me by surprise when it happened. I ended up having to wait but it wasn't a big deal for me. In normal circumstances though, I understand why the feature exists. It's to (try to) keep things cleaner and reduce unnecessary consecutive posts. Ironically, the very reason I wanted them as separate posts was to keep it cleaner and more organized.

One of those cases where I see the pros and cons to each sides and I can manage with it either way.

The one that confused me was the time limit on editing, which I'm guessing is also around a day? There's a note if a post is edited, so I don't see why a time limit is necessary. I tend to make typos (or the occasional poor phrasing) and sometimes don't notice it until later.

 

[HTC]

If i may make a suggestion, why not have something like "_____________________________" as a separation between the original post and the content of the new post, so that there's a CLEAR separation between the two?

Something like this:

"Original post"

Blah blah ...

___________________________

"2nd post, now merged"

Bleh Bleh ...


Opinions?

 

[LabRat 891]

I actually quite like the feature, and had grown so used to it here, I've accidentally double-posted elsewhere.

 

[1freedude]

Does it come down to paying attention to the last post? Or, the time limit on editing has expired, so, oh well, gotta make a new post, but no, it gets merged. Labrat posted his while I was typing, and I agree. A different forum I attend does not auto merge, and the same person sometimes posts three or four in a row, errr, column.

Getting back to what HTC says....my first sentence in this post is targeted at that...do it yourself, or auto formatting?

What annoys me about it is the notifications. Each edit or merge from same member is a new notification.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

edit

No

merge

Yes.

---

Some people go down a thread replying (and posting) as they go. Automerge prevents that from spamming too many posts.

 

[W1zzard]

If you a curating long-running thread that you need to update regularly and that only works when repeated posts show up separately, let me know, I can disable automerge it on a per-thread basis

 

[R-T-B]

Yeah, I actually use this feature to quote multiple parties. Yes, I know multiquote exists. Don't care. It works.

 

[HTC]

Some people go down a thread replying (and posting) as they go. Automerge prevents that from spamming too many posts.

This instance happened to me:

- replied to a user (without quotes), in topic X on day Y
- replied to a different user (again, without quotes), in the same topic X on day Y+1

My 1st reply was the last post of the topic, and i didn't realize 24 hours hadn't gone by yet, so the posts were merged, which ORDINARILY would be fine, but there was a slight problem: the content of the replies were VASTLY DIFFERENT so, without something that HELPED to distinguish the 1st post from the 2nd, it got REALLY confusing, which led me to make a few edits to "correct the problem".

 

[Dr. Dro]

Well, this has affected me only once, when I made a thread about fixing up a power supply.

[Solved] Replacement fan for Sapphire PURE 1050 W (SFI1050AWT)

So, here's a fun one for the new PSU Forum. Was working on one of my rigs today and noticed that the PSU was quite hot. Turns out, the fan is no longer spinning. Who knows how long I've run it that way. Seems to be a 135 mm fan, but it's stylized in a fancy chromed color. Best of my knowledge...

www.techpowerup.com

I was bored after a while with no replies and decided to MacGyver it (successfully I might add). Thread was kinda nasty at first, but I guess I managed to make it readable

 

[lexluthermiester]

I'm just going to throw it out there but I don't get the title. There is a "Edit" but yes there's a Time limit

Exactly. I use it all the time. I like the way thing are. Keeps conversational continuity in check! It's brilliant! I love this feature of Xenforo.

Some people go down a thread replying (and posting) as they go. Automerge prevents that from spamming too many posts.

This too! As I just did this!

 

[Frick]

Don't get me wrong, it is a good feature, but 24h is a long time and on multiple occasions I've posted totally seperate things that is now part of the same thing (post).

 

[sneekypeet]

The only reason I can see to undo the automerge is for the thread to hit the new sections at the top. Unless an emergency, which it rarely is since this is tech and not medicine, it feels like self gratification and less and issue with the forums. If the topic is hot, people will see your additions.

 

[lexluthermiester]

The only reason I can see to undo the automerge is for the thread to hit the new sections at the top. Unless an emergency, which it rarely is since this is tech and not medicine, it feels like self gratification and less and issue with the forums. If the topic is hot, people will see your additions.

Exactly. An easy way to differentiate one statement from another is to add a few blank lines between the posts/comments.

 

[sneekypeet]

Or use EDIT:...

 

[lexluthermiester]

Or use EDIT:...

That too! I use these functions a lot, as I'm sure you mods can readily see.

 

[1freedude]

That too! I use these functions a lot, as I'm sure you mods can readily see.

I think he meant adding the word edit after clicking the edit button

 

[SL2]

Don't get me wrong, it is a good feature, but 24h is a long time and on multiple occasions I've posted totally seperate things that is now part of the same thing (post).

Yeah, most people here talk about something else, even if related. Also, kicking in open doors by saying they hate EDIT: what they think about spammers and therefore gets lots of likes and love. Who would have thought.

4 - 8 h would still be a lot, but maybe a step in the right direction.

 

[Frick]

Or use EDIT:...

Nah, that's for editing your previous post.

I'm not a fan of toast btw.

That was an extreme example, but that is what annoys me. Now entirely seperate entities are the same entity.

 

[sneekypeet]

Nah, that's for editing your previous post.

If you are the last post, and know it will merge, start the new part with "EDIT:" (maybe add a time of repost) post as you would, and alow the magic to happen

EDIT: like if I post again, magic should happen.
(auto merge of my second post in a row.) < done by using the edit function.