Deleting first message in topic

[doughboy99]

Is it possible to delete the very first message in a topic? When I try I get a message as follows

"You are not allowed to delete the first post in a topic.

If you want to delete this topic, click on the Remove Topic link, or ask a moderator/administrator to do it for you."

I help run a forum for a dive club. We use the calendar to list upcoming dive trips and link back to a topic that describes the trip, cost, boat, dive site etc.

We usually list the trips about this time of year and I make the entries to the calendar and create the topics with very basic info.

Later (after some arm twisting in the pub) trip organisers are delegated. the organisers add much more detail about the trip  and keep a list of who is going in a new message in the topic thread.

I'd like to be able to delete the original message so that the organiser detailed description is the first one in the topic. This would mean that the organiser group could use the announce topic facility to advertise the trip(and Changes) to the general membership.

Thanks for any help.

[kat]

Why not just edit the first message, to suit, out of curiosity?

[doughboy99]

During the year we have weekly classroom, pool and openwater training events plus actual diving trips most weekends.

I don't mind entering all the basic calender events at the beginning of the dive season. I also create a topic with the very basic info about the event. I don't want. The trip (or other event) organiser cant edit this first message in the toic and I dont want to give 20 plus members priveliges to edit my other peoples messages. Nor do I want to have to edit the first message on their behalf.

I am happy to delete my own first message so that trip organiser becomes in effect the owner of the topic. I was hoping that if I could do this I could then allow the organisers priveliges to announce the topic to the membership.

Hope this makes sense.

[kat]

Yeah, I can see where you're coming from.

Tricky.

As thngs are, I don't think it's possible.

Unless there's a mod that does this?

If not, it may well be worth you posting in the "Coding" forum. Someone, there, might just be able to help you out!

[truei1]

Why not just split the topic starting from under the first post? Then you can delete the first post and rename the new topic. Plus link it back to the calender where you need it if you like.

[kat]

I guess he'd run into that permissions (I dont want to give 20 plus members priveliges to edit my other peoples messages) problem, again, truei.

[truei1]

""I am happy to delete my own first message so that trip organiser becomes in effect the owner of the topic. I was hoping that if I could do this I could then allow the organisers priveliges to announce the topic to the membership.""

If he splits topic and deletes his first post then relinks to calender wouldn't trip organiser become in effect the owner of the topic?

[kat]

Yeah, I see your point.

The way I read it, though, was that he wanted others to be able to do that.

Having read it back, though, you may well be correct (Again!).

[doughboy99]

When you split the topic so that the original first message is in a new topic on is you get this mesage

An Error Has Occurred!
You cannot split a topic at the first post.

I can split the topic the other way so that all subsequent messages move to the new topic. Ican then delete the old topic (which deletes the calendar event) and create a calendar event for the new topic. A few more steps than i'd hoped for but it works thanks.

[kat]

When the first post's made, if you remember to post, again, with, say, just a dot? Or, just a word, like "Filler", or some other ambiguous message?

[doughboy99]

That seems like it should work. I'll give it a try with those events that haven't been assigned to organisers yet. Thanks for the effort with this.

[ApplianceJunk]

doughboy99,

What is the URL to your site.
I would like to take a look.

[truei1]

Splitting the topic after the first post and relinking it to the calender is the only way I know that you can do this and give the trip organiser ownership of the topic. It is a bit more work though, but once it is done you are free.   

[JimM]

Good work guys, sounds like you got it figured out.  If this issue is solved feel free to click the topic solved link at the bottom of the page under the linktree.

[doughboy99]

Thanks ApplianceJunk. I'll have topm you a login and password if thats ok.

[ApplianceJunk]

Thanks ApplianceJunk. I'll have topm you a login and password if thats ok.

ok