tech question: first post on a topic

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xmrdo
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tech question: first post on a topic

Post by xmrdo »

Hi,

Is there any kind of flag (database field) that determines what post is the "first" on a topic?

I mean even when I change the date of a post and will be displayed on the top (sort my date) this is not the "first post" of a topic in fact.. thanks

--- edit:
I just found this https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... pic/187206 and this is like my case, I had in mind to use that extension, but never mind.

---edit2
"topic" instead of "thread" (to use the correct term)
Last edited by xmrdo on Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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EA117
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Re: tech question: first post on a thread

Post by EA117 »

Most directly you're talking about topic_first_post_id in the phpbb_topics table; but there is more to it than just that.

Look at the delete_first_post mode in the delete_post() function of /includes/functions_posting.php, and observe everything phpBB does when promoting a different post from the same thread to now become "the new first post."

Manually modifying the post or topic tables certainly isn't "recommended", since its very easy to break things in some way you won't realize until much later, by not maintaining the table relationships in exactly the way phpBB itself would have maintained them.

Can you possibly just delete the current "first post" in a way that will naturally promote your desired post to become the new "first post" on the thread? Deletion of the existing first post probably wasn't your intention; but that seems like potentially the closest way to get existing phpBB functionality to achieve the result you're intending.
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Re: tech question: first post on a thread

Post by xmrdo »

cheers mate..
I got it: playing with the db will screw the data there...
just I was curious how the posts are classed as "first" and your reply was very informative, thanks again!
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Mick
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by Mick »

For clarity phpBB doesn’t have threads it uses topics as it’s a flat board system.
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by xmrdo »

Mick wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:03 pm For clarity phpBB doesn’t have threads it uses topics as it’s a flat board system.
thanks for that, I though threads/topic meant the same. fixed my post to be more accurate.

so, bit OOT , threads are in fact posts with nested replies?
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by Mick »

xmrdo wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:15 pmso, bit OOT , threads are in fact posts with nested replies?
Maybe in other board software but phpBB just doesn’t have threads.
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by EA117 »

xmrdo wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:15 pm thanks for that, I though threads/topic meant the same.
It does mean the same in this context. phpBB, most definitely, refers to them as "topics". When referring explicitly to how phpBB itself refers to this concept, the only correct answer is "topics".

But as two people having a conversation, "topic" and "thread" means the same thing for our discussion. Which is how we just had a 100% successful conversation related to the first post, without anyone becoming confused or redirecting to a knitting/sewing site.
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by Lumpy Burgertushie »

while that is all true, it is always best practice to have everyone in a discussion using the same terminology for what is being discussed.
keeps the confusion on both sides of a conversation to the minimum.
also, in this particular instance, a threaded bulletin board structure and the kind that phpbb uses are technically two diferent things.

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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by 3Di »

IMO should be better to avoid arguing with people about "topic" and "thread", quite boring I can say .. and pedantic.

Let it be, if you understand is ok, we do.
Don't post to make people feel stupid or the likes, otherwise.
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by EA117 »

I was attempting to assure OP they were not in need of being "corrected" for what they had originally written, prior to that post being edited. Which to me is the direct and intentional opposite of "Don't post to make people feel stupid." 😐 The post was to assure them nothing had been amiss about what they had written, ignoring the dance of the pedants that started after the discussion was already successfully concluded...
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by 3Di »

I mean that one should not, repeatedly and in every topic, tell others how to write or speak, is not polite.
If you understand the context well otherwise avoid to start the ritual dance and go to another topic.
Especially after the discussion was already successfully concluded, in fact.
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by xmrdo »

folks you dont need to fight now about that... lol
nobody forced me to correct my post, I just did it to be more compliant with the phpbb's terminology,
I sometimes refer the topics as "threads" , relic of my past -from the BBSs era - (I am into the IT shit since mid-80s)
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by xmrdo »

Just to update the topic as ,now, I really needed to promote a post to be "first".
The reason is we have on my forum some standard post on the 1st post like a guide with some extra info.

So far because of some "merging" between topics the original "first" post is now second or third, I manage it to display it as "first" using the extension of "change post time" and that was ok but since
a couple of weeks I had to install the extension "topic description" .

Now the problem is that the "topic description" can only be edited when you edit the original "first" post not the one by "date".

I m pleased to say that I fired up the Adminer and messed with the topic_first_post_id
what I had to change was :

Code: Select all

topic_poster 
topic_time 
topic_first_post_id 
topic_first_poster_name 
topic_first_poster_colour 

to match what was on the post I wanted to promote as "first", I did some tests like deleted the 1st one - another one was promoted as "first" etc , , no issue so far so good..
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by warmweer »

You might want to have a look at an extension request topic. Perhaps not entirely what you want/need, but it could give you some ideas (or you you could add to the discussion).
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xmrdo
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Re: tech question: first post on a topic

Post by xmrdo »

thanks, I know that topic, the "first" post -in my case- is something internal thing (db related) on the phpBB eg as can be moved up down when you sort the posts, what I did is a hack to force a post as "first" but no relation as "sticky first"
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