Links/jump to "newest" / "unread" posts not working?

[sodatrain]

Hi-

Is it me or do the "read newest post" links (received via email or via the Notifications Menu in the upper right) not work correctly?

As an example:

If you want to view the newest post click the following link:

viewtopic.php?t=11126&e=1&view=unread#unread

This always takes me to Page 73 of his Journal and the entry from Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:15 pm. I always then click to the most recent page and scroll for down to the first post I haven't yet read is.

Same behavior on my android phone using Firefox and Chrome. Same behavior on my macbook with firefox and Safari. I've deleted forum related cookies and that didn't help either. I tried googling "phpbb unread messages ______ ______" etc with no luck.

[jacob]

It's you. That link takes you to topic #11126. Is that quote from somewhere on the forum?

You want search.php?search_id=newposts ... from the Quick links menu.

[sodatrain]

That quote is from the email I get when a post is updated.

eg: auto generated email with a subject: Reply in "The Education of Axel Heyst"

I've clearly read beyond where that link lands me on page, as I've read page 106 etc. (I did not click thru each and every page to get from 1 to 107... but I've read the most current posts.

You want search.php?search_id=newposts ... from the Quick links menu.

No, I want that auto generated (and emailed to me) link to take me to the newest unread post on that topic. Sorry if I didn't articulate that clearly.

I'm expecting the link to take me to page 107 or 108 (depending on how far I've read) in that topic. This happens across topics/threads. Always back to page 73, Sept 29, 7:15pm.

It's as if the mechanism (cookie somewhere?) that keeps track of how far I've read in that topic isin't functioning correctly.

The same unexpected behavior happens when I view the Notifications in the upper right, under the search box. For example, I see a notification for some activity on @MountainFrugal's journal. Which I've read most of and am more or less up to date one.

I see the link offered is:

Code: Select all

https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/index.php?mark_notification=193413&hash=c7911ec4

And when it resolves in my browser, it lands on

Code: Select all

https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?p=263460#p263460

which is a post dated Tue Oct 04, 2022 6:19 pm. I've read his journal posts made in May/June but still get dropped back in Oct 2022.

That feels to me like something happening server side but I'm not really sure.

Did I explain this well?

[loutfard]

Hello Jacob,

I experience something suspiciously similar. Perhaps something is not entirely right on the server side. Only a minor issue for me. Mentioning this to avoid potential more serious related issues going undetected.

This is a snippet from an email I received:

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If you want to view the newest post click the following link:

https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?t=12494&e=1&view=unread#unread

I would expect this to take me to the latest post, quod non. It will take me to

Code: Select all

https://forum.earlyretirementextreme.com/viewtopic.php?p=268303#p268303

...which is in the middle of the thread.

Kind regards,

Loutfard

[jacob]

Yeah... I don't know if it's broken or if you're expecting too much from a relatively simple piece of technology. If the link already takes you to the desired tpoic, the newest posts would likely be on the last page anyway. For @AH's journal, that's page 108, so just click on 107 or 108 near the top.

I don't know if phpBB keeps track of every single thread for every single user. That's probably something to figure out via the phpBB forums if you really care. Personally, I don't use the subscribe function. I always refer to search.php?search_id=active_topics ... but the timestamp resets for every post I look at, so if I click on an old one, all newer posts become unread. The suggests that phpBB just uses a global timestamp treating all never posts as unread.

[sodatrain]

@jacob - curious to know if "Server side topic marking" is enabled? It's in the admin console/ACP under Server Configuration > Load Settings.

Enable server-side topic marking:
Stores read/unread status information in the database rather than a cookie.

Tracking this information/landing the user in the correct spot (latest unread) is a feature. (P53, bottom)

I read a few support inquires (pretty close example) that talk about this exact situation on "long" topics. Still reading/looking for answers.

[jacob]

Should be enabled now. Did it work?

[sodatrain]

Initial "testing" looks good. The link in the original post here functions as expected now.

I'll report back after some familiar threads are updated to confirm.

Thank you!

[sodatrain]

Yep. Just jumped right to the right spot in @mF's journal. Thank you for turning that on and removing that little bit of friction!