Enhanced redirect forums (like symbolic links)

[mrbuzz]

Often I find the need to almost specify 'multiple' parent forums for a single forum, ie: I would like to add the same forum to multiple areas of my board. Currently, I'm just using regular redirect forums to accomplish this. Having a many-to-many for forums is probably overkill, so I figured this may be the next best thing.

What these 'enhanced' redirect forums do is simply act like a direct pointer to another forum. It'll show last post, forum name and description, topic and post counts of the target forum. Much like an alias or a symbolic link. That would rock. I also believe this will tremendously open up IPB to having much more flexibility in terms of logically laying out forums.

Ideally, there would also be an option so that if it came from the redirect/alias/symlink/whatever, when entering that forum, the navigation at the top would "maintain the location of the redirect" rather than the location of the original forum, ie:
- original forum is under Community -> Off Topic, redirect alias is Software -> Off Topic
- someone clicking on the link from Community to Off-Topic, it would show Board Name -> Community -> Off Topic
- someone clicking on the link from Software to Off-Topic, it would show Board Name -> Software -> Off Topic
This probably isn't necessary but it'd be nice to have as a configurable redirect forum setting. Cumulative post count of the top-level parent forum should probably include post count of the redirect's target forum if the setting for "maintain the location of the redirect" is on.

[Wolfie]

Ok I skimmed what you were saying but I think I get what you are aiming for.

Something like having shortcuts or symbolic links so that you can "drop" a shortcut into one forum, and when you click on it, it treats it like a child of itself even if it's really located somewhere else completely different.

Or in phone terms, dialing one of 5 different phone numbers, but they all go to the same phone line.

That would be useful. Something like moving a topic from one forum to another, except have a pointer that is updated as though it were a regular entry. That could definitely be useful for multi-grouping forums.

I'm definitely for this idea.

[Germany]

I like it, except adding the subforum's post count to two forums is cheating :D. Maybe it could be given 50/50.
Nahh, I'd just leave the parent's post count alone.

[Wolfie]

The total post count isn't calculated every time the page loads up, it's increased by one everytime a post is made. Therefore it only gets counted once. Shortcuts wouldn't increase a post count, it would only show the information to the forum/subforum being shortcutted to.

[Germany]

No, you misunderstood. He suggested that the redirect forum's post count be added to the parent, which would cause post inflation.

[Michael_C]

Quite a good idea, I like it.

[Jasonawojo]

No, you misunderstood.  He suggested that the redirect forum's post count be added to the parent, which would cause post inflation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which isn't needed.

The actual idea is a good one however. :)

[Wolfie]

Shortcuts wouldn't increase a post count, it would only show the information to the forum/subforum being shortcutted to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, you misunderstood.  He suggested that the redirect forum's post count be added to the parent, which would cause post inflation.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That was covered.

[Germany]

What do you mean?
That was an extension to his suggestion, and the part I don't like.

[mrbuzz]

Hmmm, haven't thought about the post inflation part. Though I guess I was just thinking along the lines where users might confused why the post count is completely off (and may not visit the parent forum if they thought the subforums were largely inactive), especially if the parent forum only has the redirect forum or only 1 other forum with a low post count.

Anyway I don't think it'd make that big of a difference if the parent forum's post count is larger than it should be....as long as it doesn't get counted as a part of the total board post count.