Suggestion: Automatic locking of old threads in requests and offers sections

[Seraphim]

I'm pretty sure it's possible for this software package to do.

Set it up so that any thread in a request or offers sections to go more than 30 days without new posts is automatically locked. That way old threads can't be revived without asking a moderator to unlock it. It might help cut down on the spam accounts posting offers to old threads, and keep the sections relatively fresh.

At the moment I don't see where it might cause issues other than if the software doesn't support it, although if there is people will probably be fairly quick to point it out.

Alternately, enable actual pruning where threads older than so many days are moved to a read only archive section of the forum where they can still be referenced but cannot be posted to.

 

[Peo]

Yeah, it's been suggested a couple of times. It would be useful. From what I can remember we didn't find a good plugin to solve it last time we checked. But we could look into that again. If anyone knows a solution, let me know.

 

[Seraphim]

Well, the other way to do it if there isn't a plugin that allows it to be done directly would be to create a locked 'archive' section with a subforum layout that mimics the normal active sections.

Then when threads reach that age, they are automatically moved to the archive where they cannot be posted to further for the same effect.

 

[deanhills]

This is an excellent suggestion. The "New Post" below before this one encountered exactly that problem.
http://www.freewebspace.net/forums/showthread.php?2239285-Need-Small-Adult-Hosting

I'd think however manual locking would be the best bet, particularly since some of the threads are already "lockable" within the first few days of their posting. For example someone may have found that the link of the Website is not working or something breaks a very clear rule. Perhaps there could be one or two Moderators assigned specifically to the requests and offer sections?

 

[Jan]

Yeah, it's been suggested a couple of times. It would be useful. From what I can remember we didn't find a good plugin to solve it last time we checked. But we could look into that again. If anyone knows a solution, let me know.

What happened to this one?

 

[Peo]

Not sure if it's working. Are old threads (90 days or more) blocked for normal members? Those threads are not closed for me.

 

[deeplist]

Not sure if it's working. Are old threads (90 days or more) blocked for normal members? Those threads are not closed for me.

Yes. Here's a screen capture of a search I ran with some test keywords. They're all closed.

 

[Seraphim]

Those are all some really old threads deeplist.

Checking a couple of places where threads from March of this year were visible is showing that it is isn't working, all of them are still open except ones that were manually closed.

 

[sander k]

What about this mod>> http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=257629

It doesn't close the treads, but give people a warning that it is old.

Screenshot:

 

[Decker]

Not sure if it's working. Are old threads (90 days or more) blocked for normal members? Those threads are not closed for me.

You are 'Da Management' (sorry old Hale & Pace reference), might just be not closed to you and other admins, possibly mods too (that's as should be).

Take 2 days off and scour the forum setup,

or just find a couple and ask for an admin, a mod, a member over certain posts and a newer member to have a look and see if it says closed

 

[Peo]

Thanks deeplist, then it's working as intended. The mod is disabled in a couple of forum sections so there might be older open threads in some forums. Test things out for instance and TTR.

I've lowered the limit from 90 days to 60 days now.