I'd have no problem with this except in the Exchange forum. Frequently, the main titles in an exchange thread are sold or traded quickly, so after a day or two anyone clicking on the thread sheds a tear when they see a DVD from the thread title is sold. I've tried emailing a mod to update the title, but that doesn't seem to work (they're either busy, or my request isn't really something they do?).

Right now the only option is to delete the thread with the outdated title and create a new one. I prefer to keep the same thread for a few weeks as a record of a sale/trade transaction, though.

Is there any way to change the forum settings to refresh thread titles in the forum view as well as the thread view?

Thanks!

-Kiefer Shuterland

Any mods know if this can be changed?

Thread titles are only updatable for a few minutes after creating the thread. After that, the one on top of your post will change but the one shown on the forum page of thread titles will not.

You might want to consider adding "updated frequently" or something like that to the original thread title or making the title a little more generic.

I really don't mean this sarcastically, it's just the only way to say it- That's an explanation of the current view, so I'm aware of it.

I'm asking if it can be changed so that the forum view reflects the edited title, as the thread view does.

That is one way to do it, but if everyone had that on the thread title it would lose effect, and take the place of a DVD title. I also think changing the forum view option would cause alot less threads to be deleted.

Should I take the silence as a no?

Bump.

it doesn't look like we could allow users to change the thread topic..even if we wanted to ..maybe there's a setting I missed ..but it doesn't look like it's possible..

I see it all the time on other sites running vB.

well it could be an addon of some sort, or just a setting I don't see (or don't have access to ..) .... I can pass the message along to Geoff next time I speak with him, but he may just not want people to update the titles...

I know for the mods and admins, we have to use a "mod/admin" function to edit the thread, not just 'edit thread' ..

pilot -

admincp > vBulletin Options > Message Posting and Editing Options > Time Limit on Editing of Thread Title

set it to 0.

that would be the whole forum...I think Geoff doesn't want it that way (since it's set to 5 now..)..I think he'd go for Exchange only though...but not sure if we can set it that way specifically for that.

That was my original question when I started this thread over a month ago. Even if it can't be exchange only, I don't see why changing the forum view to reflect updated thread titles is a bad thing.

Because it would be annoying as shit outside the exchange forums as it would be a pain in the ass to come back looking for a thread you'd been following and not able to find it as the original poster had changed the title.

Would be right below the OP deleting a thread that had pages of discussion in the annoyance level.

That's what subscriptions are for, you get updates even if it's moved by a mod.

Besides, who's going to change a thread title from "Scrubs Season 1 DVD question" to "Who likes peanut brittle?"

Yes, I can't imagine who would do something like that.

I don't like the subscribe feature. Don't want a bunch of e-mails.

And trust me, people would rename threads to something stupid trying to be funny, or whatever.

They would? Well then, why don't they already do it from the get-go?

Allowing people to update their thread titles (say, from "King Kong coming around Christmas of 2005" to "King Kong announced, release date: 11/22/05") would help everybody. The pros would far outweigh the cons. It's not like we currently see an abundance of "stupid thread titles trying to be funny or whatever" currently. What makes you think that all of that will change once people get the ability to edit the titles of the threads they started in the first place?

There are many instances I can think of where a thread title needs to be updated with more accurate information. To refuse that option simply because, "trust me people will try to be funny and it'll get out of hand" seems a bit silly to me.

-JP

If people make a stupid or silly thread title to begin with then nobody will respond to the thread or they'll at least know what they're getting in to. There are definitely people who would think it was incredibly hilarious to change the title on some 4 page thread they started to give a different connotation to most of the posts in that thread.

I also think the pros would outweigh the cons. There are threads that become "one and only" threads but their titles are so dated that it misleads people clicking on it later on, and a lot of times even people who search think that their random news update warrants a new thread.

Something like, "AICN: rumor of new film by Peter Jackson?" turns into the catch-all thread for King Kong news and updates, but 6 months later someone will click on it thinking it's yet another new film, or they'll want to discuss the movie but don't want to bump a thread that's now-mistitled. If the thread starter could update it, they would probably change it to "Peter Jackson's King Kong - official thread" or something later.

If someone abuses it, warn them. If they continue to abuse it, suspend them.

Yeah, that's my point.

But the other poster is probably right about the pros outweighing the cons.

I guess they could allow it, and make some rules about not being able to make major changes to the thread title, but rather only corrections or changes that make it more informative.

But that's an awful lot of work for the mods, and I don't even think Geoff has started a rule against deleting threads after x number of posts yet and that's a bigger issue and easier to enforce IMO.

And there's just the whole fact that people should take the time to think out good, descriptive titles before posting a new thread to begin with. And the mods are pretty good about chaning a thread title that's vague or whatever if you report the post and ask them to update it.

In the latter case they just edit the title, in the first they have to take the time to keep track of who's been warned for changing titles before so they can suspend them who's been suspended before for changing titles so they can ban them etc.

Hence more work. It's not rocket science.

But you didn't say anything about them keeping track of such and such. You only said, "I guess they could allow it, and make some rules about not being able to make major changes to the thread title, but rather only corrections or changes that make it more informative. But that's an awful lot of work for the mods..."

It would be the same amount of work for the moderators. Regular users would use the report post button in the event of abuse, and moderators would then come in and change the title back, and take whatever action necessary. We don't need some complex system of strikes, frequent abusers, charts and pie graphs. After all, as you say...it's not rocket science.

-JP

There would have to be some kind of punishment for it, just like every other forum rule. And they'd have to keep track of repeat offenders just like they do for every other forum rule to give the harsher penalties. Others have suggested the same system, it's just the way the rules work on this forum.

It's up to Geoff, but it seems like too much hassle for me, until the find a way to just allow it in the trade forums. But if the mods are willing and able, I see no problem with it. I also don't see much use for it in other forum areas as it's easy to catch typos in the 5 minute window you have to edit the title.