autolock topics after a certain time

[XtremeMaC]

hi
it'd be nice to have a mod to autolock topics after 1 month of inactivity.
its so not nice to see a very old topic (say 2004's) back in the active list!

thanks

[mysticmind]

Yes..
i know this is request for autolock topic was created in 2006.
and now i just post a reply here in 2008!.

Now, this is also happen in my forum ..
even worse.. it's 2001 topic!

I WISH, if not a plugin.. admin can has a search function for 'topic created in *[year]*' -  then create a list with a 'tick & untick' and lock topic / delete option.
(i personally think it is easy.. but i'am not expert much in php coding)

Please consider this.. Thanks..  (I've searched all this forum and google too for this)

(I was running a forum since 2001 [phpbb] then 2002 [ipb] then SMF[2004] then since earlier version of SMF till now.. so please don't feel weird when I say it was year 2001 post message, i know.. SMF just exist after 2003!. :p)

[Deprecated]

This shouldn't be too difficult a mod considering there is already a warning that you are reopening a "cold case" topic. All you would have to do is change the code after the test, to prevent posting instead of warning the member and letting them post anyway.

It might be a bit rude to let them compose a post, and then at the last minute tell them, "Sorry Jack, we decided you couldn't post because the topic is too stale."

Or along the lines of what Mystic suggests, to have an admin function you run similar to pruning topics, only it locks old topics instead of deleting them. Or maybe it should lock on load! ROTFLMAO!

I might look into doing it if you can't interest anybody else in doing the mod. My only misgiving is that I have potential mods that would be more useful to me, and perhaps to others too.

[mysticmind]

Thanks Deprecated,

I'm facing this so many time.. such a headache.
A new reply in a very old topic is not nice to view.

yes.. i knew about pruning.. but it's only to Delete the topic.

I might look into doing it if you can't interest anybody else in doing the mod. My only misgiving is that I have potential mods that would be more useful to me, and perhaps to others too.

The issue is.. NOT MANY PEOPLE  running forum for a very long time! .. most are 2, 3 years.. rarely 5 years above. So I won't expect many request for this, since they not faced this kind of matter yet.

for me, all post are treasure, it has their own value indeed.. 

Regards.

[Nathaniel]

@mysticmind,
Sounds like an interesting idea. But you really shouldn't bring old topics up. I will have a look into this and might make a mod for it, if Deprecated isn't going to...

[Deprecated]

LH why don't you PM me if you decide to start coding on this mod, and I'll do the same, PM you if I decide to start. It wouldn't be good if we both coded it at the same time. I'm just finishing up some work and have to reassess the priorities on my idea list. This one is on the list with a note to PM you.

Mystic, what exactly do you have in mind? Often it works out that somebody asks for something but it turns out there's something a little different that might actually work better.

Here are some potential mods:

1. Administrator sets a maximum topic age for permitting replies to topics. Anybody who attempts to reply to an old thread will get a message that the thread is locked.

2. Similar to SMF's Forum Maintenance -> Remove old posts. Perhaps it would add another radio button choice, "Lock them instead of removing them." Topics would get locked only when the admin runs this function.

3. Harder to do, same as #2 but after running the remove (lock them don't remove them) the admin gets a check list of the topics that qualify so he can pick which ones to leave open.

I think I rather like the idea that the admin only has to set an age limit and the process is automatic, since it does not require repeat action from the admin. Nobody likes to take out the trash.


BTW you should understand that mod authors are increasingly turning towards mods for SMF 2.0 and my own policy is to make some attempt to make my mods compatible with 1.1.5 but only to a degree. It's just not worth doing a lot of extra work to support an obsolete forum software. I get the feeling you're running an old version and so don't be disappointed if I develop this mod and you can't use it. I can't speak for other mod authors but I think this will be increasingly prevalent.