Minimum character limit for subjects

[Mirez]

Hi All!

I'm trying to find a way to make my users use more descriptive subjects; not only to aid other users find the post but also because good information is being 'lost' in threads with poor subjects and less useful info is being ranked higher because it has a better subject.

Certainly not wanting anything too draconian, just to be able to set a mimimum number of characters for the subject field.

[Arantor]

Requires a number of changes, not least physically making the database space available for subject bigger.

[Mirez]

Hi Arantor,

I may not have been clear enough there, I dont want to increase the number of characters available in the subject but rather set a minimum number.

For example, if I could set a minimum limit of 10 characters it would stop topics with subjects such as "Help" or "Problem" and force them to use something more descriptive...

[Shambles]

Here's what you could do.

Open Sources/Post.php and find the following block of code:

Code (Find) Select Expand


// Check the subject and message.
if (!isset($_POST['subject']) || $smcFunc['htmltrim']($smcFunc['htmlspecialchars']($_POST['subject'])) === '')
$post_errors[] = 'no_subject';
if (!isset($_POST['message']) || $smcFunc['htmltrim']($smcFunc['htmlspecialchars']($_POST['message']), ENT_QUOTES) === '')
$post_errors[] = 'no_message';


Add a couple of lines as follows:

Code (Replace) Select Expand


// Check the subject and message.
if (!isset($_POST['subject']) || $smcFunc['htmltrim']($smcFunc['htmlspecialchars']($_POST['subject'])) === '')
$post_errors[] = 'no_subject';
if (isset($_POST['subject']) && strlen($_POST['subject']) < 10)
$post_errors[] = 'short_subject';
if (!isset($_POST['message']) || $smcFunc['htmltrim']($smcFunc['htmlspecialchars']($_POST['message']), ENT_QUOTES) === '')
$post_errors[] = 'no_message';


Then, open your Themes/default/languages/Errors.english.php and add the following, just before the closing ?>

Code (Add) Select Expand


$txt['error_short_subject'] = 'The subject is too short.';


The "10" I used in the first edit is the minimum character count.

[Arantor]

Oops, I read it as maximum, not minimum.

I also thought there were mods already for that, fairly sure I wrote one at some point. But what Shambles has posted should do just fine

[Kindred]

There was a minimum post-length mod...   don't recall ever seeing a minimum subject length.
(and, I think this will backfire...   you'll get the same subjects,just added chars...
like
"Help me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
instead of just "Help me"
and then again,
"This was awesome"
would fit your minimum, but is still useless as an SEO subject

trying to enforce SEO on a forum with user posts is basically useless.

[Mirez]

Perfect thanks everyone! I did look for a mod but couldnt find one so I will modify the code as above.

I know its unlikely to improve things too much but then just weeding out a few is a start!

Thanks again.