Archiving or deleteding old topics in a thread

[GlennLever]

Can I get some guidance on what to do or good policies on Archiving or deleting old topics in a threads

How do you go about it.

[Kindred]

My advice is: why do it?

Do you have a specific reason that you feel the need to delete old posts?

(please note, use the proper terms:  topics = threads...  posts are the individual posts within a thread/topic.)

[GlennLever]

My advice is: why do it?

Do you have a specific reason that you feel the need to delete old posts?

(please note, use the proper terms:  topics = threads...  posts are the individual posts within a thread/topic.)

Space, time relevance of posts.

[Kindred]

space?   How much space do you think you will save by deleting posts?

Unless the posts are HUGE blurbs of text, or you are deleting MILLIONS of posts, then I can see no actual reason to delete them for "space" reasons.

time relevance...
If you are talking about full threads... then sure ---  make an "archive" board and move the whole thread to that board.
For posts within a thread --  removing them would compromise the discussion path that exists in the thread and again, I can't think of any reason to delete them. It would cause more issues with broken conversations that it would solve in terms of time relevant information, IMO.

[GlennLever]

The categories I have in mind to edit are "Items for Sale" and "Items Wanted"

Makes no sense to keep stuff a year old or older in them

[SusanJoM]

The categories I have in mind to edit are "Items for Sale" and "Items Wanted"

Makes no sense to keep stuff a year old or older in them

On our forum we have created a board which is visible only to Administrators and GMs which is called Archive of Old For Sale/Wanted stuff.  After two weeks on the For Sale board we just move the threads.

[Kindred]

Glenn,

I think we may have a conflict of terms again.

What do you mean by categories?

In SMF--
we refer to
the forum (top level)
Categories -- groups of boards for organizational purposes.
Boards -- groups of threads (or topics) and sub/child boards.
Topics/Threads -- groups of posts with an original post and responses.
Posts - the actual message content posted by an individual.



So -- if you are archiving or deleting THREADS in a for-sale section...  that sort of makes sense.
Personally, I would start an "archive board" with read-only permissions and move the threads there.

However... if you are talking about individual posts in a topic... then perhaps you should consider re-organizing your for sale section so that sellers make a NEW TOPIC for each sale instead of posting for sale items as posts inside an ongoing topic... (or use either the SMF Bay or the SMF Classifieds mod instead)

[GlennLever]

Glenn,

I think we may have a conflict of terms again.

What do you mean by categories?

In SMF--
we refer to
the forum (top level)
Categories -- groups of boards for organizational purposes.
Boards -- groups of threads (or topics) and sub/child boards.
Topics/Threads -- groups of posts with an original post and responses.
Posts - the actual message content posted by an individual.



So -- if you are archiving or deleting THREADS in a for-sale section...  that sort of makes sense.
Personally, I would start an "archive board" with read-only permissions and move the threads there.

However... if you are talking about individual posts in a topic... then perhaps you should consider re-organizing your for sale section so that sellers make a NEW TOPIC for each sale instead of posting for sale items as posts inside an ongoing topic... (or use either the SMF Bay or the SMF Classifieds mod instead)

So..

Categories -- groups of boards for organizational purposes.                         So in my Categories                      "Classifieds"
Boards -- groups of threads (or topics) and sub/child boards.                        I have two boards                        "Wanted to Buy"  "Wanted to Sell"
Topics/Threads -- groups of posts with an original post and responses.        I have Topics/Threads                   that are over a year old that I would like to delete
Posts - the actual message content posted by an individual.

Any suggestion on how to do that without having to do each one as there are hundreds would be appreicated

[Kindred]

Excellent, now that we know we are talking about the same things...

well, you can DELETE them by age in the maintenance section of the admin tools

However, if you want to MOVE them to an archive board -- that can be easily done as well...

Change your profile > look and Layout > Show quick-moderation as  (Set to CHECKBOXES)

then you have the option to select whole pages of the topics and, using the dropdown menu at the bottom right of the messageindex page, you can select Move to...

[GlennLever]

Excellent, now that we know we are talking about the same things...

well, you can DELETE them by age in the maintenance section of the admin tools

However, if you want to MOVE them to an archive board -- that can be easily done as well...

Change your profile > look and Layout > Show quick-moderation as  (Set to CHECKBOXES)

then you have the option to select whole pages of the topics and, using the dropdown menu at the bottom right of the messageindex page, you can select Move to...

Ok...Thank you very much.

Will work on this tomorrow.