Do you need to change your forum display mode?

[Ian]

I have just come to a realisation that because of the way the DPNow forum is configured, it may well be annoying a lot of users and even limiting the time that some members spend here - which is a real shame.

Until today, the when someone registers for the first time on the forum, the default thread display is for a threaded display mode, like this:



In some ways the threaded mode view is more powerful but I would agree that most discussion forums tend to default to the simpler and easier on the eye 'linear' view, like this:



If you want your forum display to look like this by default and it isn't already, here is what to do (you need to be logged into the forum):

1. Go to the User CP (the band of options above the forum but below the main site navigation buttons, third from the left usually.

2. Then look for Settings & Options and then Edit Options - click on that.

3. Scroll down until you see the box labelled Threaded Display Options.

4. Change the Thread Display Mode to Linear - Oldest First.

5. Go right to the bottom of the page and click on Save Changes.

And that's it. From now on (unless you change it again) you will see the forum threads in linear mode, with the oldest posts at the top and the newest ones at the bottom.

I really hope that this makes the forum experience less frustrating for many of you and I can only apologise for this oversight.

Thanks!

Ian

[patmoore]

Thanks Ian. That's a vast improvement and will encourage more participation.

[Fast Eddie]

I nearly didn't sign up because of that view, but as soon as i did found I could change it. Much much better IMO.

[Geoff]

Thanks Ian, But I would like to suggest a quicker method. Just click on the "Display Mode" on the first post and change it from there, as in the image below. This saves you from leaving the page.



Regards,
Geoff.

[Ian]

Hi Geoff, that's fine for the session until you log out. If your User CP option is set to Threaded view, when you log back in you will be back in Threaded view. To make the change permanent, you need you need to change the option in your User Control Panel.

Ian

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by Ian

Hi Geoff, that's fine for the session until you log out. If your User CP option is set to Threaded view, when you log back in you will be back in Threaded view. To make the change permanent, you need you need to change the option in your User Control Panel.

Ian

That's strange, I used the quick method months ago and it always shows Linear Mode when I log in. Perhaps it varies with different browsers.

Geoff.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Geoff

That's strange, I used the quick method months ago and it always shows Linear Mode when I log in. Perhaps it varies with different browsers.

Geoff.

You probably have the 'remember me' option ticked, in which case you don't log out, so the cookie determining the view mode is retained.

Ian

[Geoff]

Originally Posted by Ian

You probably have the 'remember me' option ticked, in which case you don't log out, so the cookie determining the view mode is retained.

Ian

I don't have the "remember me" option selected, I have to type in my password when I log in and I clear my cookies at least once a week. Perhaps my computer is cleverer than I thought it was

Geoff.