How do I move a topic, with associated replies, to a new location?

[Emerogork]

This maybe difficult to explain so stick with me,....

I have a student that started a topic in an incorrect location.  Since then four messages have been added. It is early enough in the game that I could just delete them all but would like, for future reference, to know what to do with out deleting.

It may have something to do with "Split" but I only see that option associated with the four messages within her topic. When I see the her initial entry, I don't see split, move, or delete for that matter.

[Arantor]

At the bottom of the topic there should be a 'Move Topic' button when you look at it as an administrator.

[Emerogork]

Thanks for the quick response.  I did look for that, I will check again. 

[Emerogork]

Thanks for the quick response.  I did look for that, I will check again.

From within the topic, I see the move button.

Ok, I had to create a new forum as that seemed to be the only way I could move it. Unfortunately it also looks as if I can only move it back to the same location in the original forum. I want to move it down one level. Can a topic topic cannot be changed into a reply (with its associated replies)?

[Arantor]

I don't actually understand what you're trying to do.

A topic is a collection of messages, a board is a container of topics.

Split lets you make two topics out of a single topic.

Move topic lets you move one topic from its current board to another board.

Merge topic lets you combine two topics into a single topic, and all its posts will be arranged in time order.

What you're describing doesn't fit with how a forum works.

[Emerogork]

I don't actually understand what you're trying to do.
A topic is a collection of messages, a board is a container of topics.
Split lets you make two topics out of a single topic.
Move topic lets you move one topic from its current board to another board.
Merge topic lets you combine two topics into a single topic, and all its posts will be arranged in time order.
What you're describing doesn't fit with how a forum works.

I am beginning to believe this. Let me try this again even if what you just said actually explains all this. (-:.

The "Board" is at the top level and there can be several boards at that level.  I can have one for CS113 and another for cs115 (two separate courses)
When I enter CS113, I can create "Topics" (at this second level). 
I created an "Introduce yourself" topic (level 2) and students are to post "Replies"  within that one (level 3).
Replies to those replies will be at level 4.

I hope that is correct and makes sense. (It does in my mind at least...)

The issue is that one student created a topic (at level 2) and others have replied (replies being at her level 3).
Is it possible to move her level 2 topic to be under my level 2 "Introduce Yourself" topic and to move her replies accordingly?
I am beginning to suspect that I cannot and I wonder if a topic is of a different data structure than that of a a reply.

If what I want to do cannot be done, then I can simply delete the ill placed topic and she can start one in the correct location.  No big problem here.  However, is there a way to prevent students from starting their own topics (at level 2) and only start as a reply in level 3?  A reply will then appear as a topic and others can reply to her reply to carry the conversation.

Did I make spaghetti out of all that?

It kinda of reminds me of that commercial a long time ago that said:
"Alice Harriet said that you said that I said that secret that she told me not to tell you..."

[Arantor]

I hope that is correct and makes sense. (It does in my mind at least...)

It's a bit confusing because you can create boards within boards too.

The issue is that one student created a topic (at level 2) and others have replied (replies being at her level 3).

Hmm, technically the new topic is both levels 2 and 3 at the same time; its first post is level 3 no matter how you slice it.

What I think you want to do is merge topics, i.e. merging her new topic to your existing topic.

I am beginning to suspect that I cannot and I wonder if a topic is of a different data structure than that of a a reply.

Yes and no. A topic is really just a group of posts. SMF does not make much differentiation between first post and replies.

In this topic, for example, the topic is number 495880, and consists of these posts, all of them.

[Emerogork]

Ok, so it is more of a database and pointers I guess.  Good enough.

I did finally realize what Merge means and accomplished my task however, you did bring up an interesting point leading to another idea. That is how to have the replies grouped with the message instead of all being in a list.  (Sparked from your comment of having a board withing a board.)

Should I post as a new topic here instead?

[Arantor]

The short answer is that you don't.

It just isn't designed to work that way - and none of the other forum packages are doing it either these days.

[Emerogork]

The short answer is that you don't.

It just isn't designed to work that way - and none of the other forum packages are doing it either these days.

IT seems that my students will have to rely on quotes to keep threads in order.
I recall a nice cascading effect on another web site that would keep things in order order visually.

[Arantor]

In other sites, yes, there is the ability to have what is known as threaded replies or nested replies. Doing it in SMF is very difficult to do completely and has some serious performance issues (like making it all a lot slower)