About thread prefix tags

One new feature of this upgraded version of vBulletin that I have been playing with lately is the capability of creating tags as a prefix for a newly created thread. What this does is to allow a member to more easily determine a general category that a thread may be in. So far, I have set this up for the BOI sections as well as the classified areas. Each has a different set of prefix tags to be consistent with the subject matter within the forum sections.

On the BOI, there are now required tags as a prefix for any newly created thread that indicate the following:

• [Good Guy]
• [Bad Guy]
• [Inquiry]
• [Info]

And in the classifieds sections, I have put in the following thread prefix tags:

• [For Sale]
• [Wanted]
• [Trade]

Hopefully this will help keep things more organized in those particular sections. One neat feature that might come in handy with these prefex tags is that once those tags have had a chance to be more heavily utilized, you can set up a filter for viewing a classified forum that will limit the display to ONLY those threads with the tag prefix that you select. So if you only wanted to look at the FOR SALE threads, you could filter out all of the rest of them.

To give you some examples on how to use this feature, here's some help.

When you create a new thread in those sections where the prefix tags are enabled, you will see a new drop box available.



Clicking on the down arrow will show you a list of available prefix tags to apply to your new thread. In this instance, I selected "For Sale".



Now when you complete your thread (classified ad) and submit it, here's how it will look when that classified section is viewed:



Marking each thread with the appropriate prefix tag will make it VERY easy for members to see what category (For Sale, Wanted, etc.,) your thread is in.

But wait! There's more!

After this has been used for a while, suppose you ONLY want to view those threads that are in the For Sale category? Well, you can do that, by simply using the Display Options section for the forum. Notice below that there is a new option available for those prefix tags.



Using that drop down menu, you can select any one of the tags, or ALL of them or no prefixes. So, for instance, if you selected to view only the threads tagged with the For Sale prefix,



Here's an example of what that display would look like using that option:



For now, I am making the use of those prefix tags optional in the classifieds section, and mandatory in the BOI sections.

But see how EASY that is?

Now as for people actually LIKING that feature, well that's another story, I guess........

Neat little mod, thank you!

I'm liking it! In fact, I'll re-do my wanted ad right now!

I think it's an AWESOME addition to Fauna. It makes browsing the "New Posts" button easier and with a quick glance during a search we'll be able to quickly identify positive and negative BOI threads (once it's been online for a while at least).

I think that's one of the best new features of this version. I too think it will come in handy with the new posts display be easily sowing which new posts are classifieds.
Sometimes I see a thread started about an animal I'm not interested in purchasing, but would read a discussion on only to click it and find it's a classified ad. Likewise I see ads with just the animal in the title that I would be interested in purchasing, only to open it and find it's a wanted ad.
If folks will make use of that in the ads it will be great.

As for the BOI prefix that is great too and I'm glad it's mandatory there.

Can we have a "SOLD" prefix title?
I see under advanced edit we can swap the prefix title after it's been posted...I try and mark the animals as sold so I don't have people contacting me about an animal that's long gone...Might help others in that aspect.

Originally Posted by TripleMoonsExotic

Can we have a "SOLD" prefix title?
I see under advanced edit we can swap the prefix title after it's been posted...I try and mark the animals as sold so I don't have people contacting me about an animal that's long gone...Might help others in that aspect.

Actually that's a REAL good idea. Thanks!

Originally Posted by TripleMoonsExotic

Can we have a "SOLD" prefix title?
I see under advanced edit we can swap the prefix title after it's been posted...I try and mark the animals as sold so I don't have people contacting me about an animal that's long gone...Might help others in that aspect.

Originally Posted by WebSlave

Actually that's a REAL good idea. Thanks!

Teachers pet

BTW, if someone makes an error in the selection of the thread prefix tag in a BOI thread such as mislabeling someone as a GOOD GUY and it should really say BAD GUY, neither myself nor the moderators can change that for you. If we were to do so, we would then take on the legal liability of what anyone else says in that thread.

So please BE CAREFUL when you make your selection from the menu.

Originally Posted by WebSlave

BTW, if someone makes an error in the selection of the thread prefix tag in a BOI thread such as mislabeling someone as a GOOD GUY and it should really say BAD GUY, neither myself nor the moderators can change that for you. If we were to do so, we would then take on the legal liability of what anyone else says in that thread.

So please BE CAREFUL when you make your selection from the menu.

I was just going to ask about the permanance of those prefixes - it isn't exactly uncommon for an inquiry to turn into a Good Guy thread (or Bad Guy), or for a post of either nature to be rebutted significantly.