NEW! Block Topic & Block Forum feature

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Moderators
Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
edited June 2014 in Comments, Suggestions, Feature Requests

You asked for it, and today the new Block Topic and Block Forum feature was rolled out. Now, if there is a Category, Forum or Topic you would rather not see when you look at All Topics or Active Topics, you can use the Block link to remove it from the menu.

Look for the link at the top of each Topic and Forum. You can't block a Topic that you have marked as a Favorite.

As with members you may have blocked, you can un-block Forums or Topics from your Dashboard tab on the blue menu.

Questions, comments, suggestions, gripes or compliments? Please let us know, here or in PM!

• The Mods

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Comments

  • Chevyboy
    Chevyboy Member Posts: 10,786
    edited December 2012

    Okay, to block, or not to block!  Now what fun would that be?  I think most arguments come about because two different sides like to tease, harass, or otherwise drive another forum nuts!  If they block each other, then they would not have anything to crab about. Wink

    I like to read other topics, as well as a lot of other gals, but I don't post, or get into the middle of their haggling with each other. 

    I have been "nicely" told I am not supposed to post on any stage 1V forum, because I am not stage 1V.... But sometimes we just want to comfort, or "be there" when someone is going through a rough time.  I would not block any forum though.

    But that's pretty cool that you listened to the ones that want that feature....  Wonder why they wouldn't just not read it!

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited December 2012

    Thank you mods. The board is just so huge. It's nice to be able to block topics that are not applicable to me personally. It makes wading through all the information so much easier. It will take some doing, but I think it's great that now, for instance, I can just block the topic on some of those spam topics (that always suck me in) and never have to see them come up. I love this feature! Kudos!!!!

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  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Member Posts: 12,424
    edited December 2012

    This is a great option for those who are uncomfortable with some topics. Wish we could just hit a button and block bc:)

    Chevyboy, those of us who are stage IV, like any group of people, have differing opinions on who should post on stage IV threads. I think, though I speak for no one but myself, that most of us have no objections to someone posting messages of support, comfort or, sadly, condolences. Universally upsetting? Lower stage folks who "know" what we are going through, those pitching miracle cures and those asking us to comfort and console them as caregivers.

    Caryn

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  • Chevyboy
    Chevyboy Member Posts: 10,786
    edited December 2012

    I know...  exbrnxgrl.... I've seen that happen before.   I would never do that....  I'm just "there" if someone posts, and maybe I can help in someway.  Marybe helped me along, and I still miss her....

     I also couldn't stand reading about those "miracle" cures.... Especially on a stage 1V thread....  Same with the "Alternative" and "complimentary" ideas.... those ideas have their own place, but not on stage 1V...

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2012

    We're glad you're all excited about this new feature!!!

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited December 2012

    Frown Now that I've had a chance to check out the new feature, it's not what I thought it was going to be. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for this recent change, it will still be very helpful...I know it couldn't have been easy, but from previous discussions on the topic, I thought it was going to be that when you went to "All topics", you currently had the ability to hit the little "minus" button to hide the forum heading (in grey), which in turn hides all the sub-headings in that group. With this change, I thought the little minus signs would show up under each sub-heading for that category to give you the ability to hide just certain sub-headings (in pink), not just block a cerain thread. My whole hope was that I would be able to block a whole sub-category within a heading to avoid accidentally posting there. That doesn't seem to be the case, unless I'm missing something. Am I missing something? And again, thank you for the recent change....it's just not what I'd hoped for.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2012

    gracie, the function IS what you thought it would be! If, for example, you don't want to see any threads from the Stage IV forum when you look at All Topics or Active Topics, here's how to block the entire forum:

    1. From the All Topics page, go to the Stage IV forum at http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8
    2. Click the "Block Forum" link above the Start a New Topic button.

    That's all there is to it! When you look at All Topics or Active Topics again, Stage IV won't be there. Give it a try - you can unblock it from the Dashboard link in the blue menu.

    Also new with this update, members will see the complete forum description at the top of every post, to help avoid unintended posting.

    Everyone can now choose to block by:

    • Category - very big areas, such as "Tests, Treatments & Side Effects" and "Day to Day Matters." Collapse the Categories using the plus/minus icon on the right side.
    • Forum - narrower focus, such as "Breast Reconstruction," "Lymphedema," "Stage IV," and "Humor and Games"
    • Topic/Thread - specific discussions, such as questions posted by individual members.
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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited December 2012

    Mods, I've been blocking some forums that don't apply to me but I've encountered a problem.  I don't seem to have an option to block the Alternative forum.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2012

    River Rat, thanks for the feedback!

    Some testing suggests that the list in your Dashboard will only show a maximum of 5 blocked forums. If there are more, clicking the View All link over on the right of the Blocked Forums/Topics section will open a new window that displays them all. Does that show you more blocked forums?

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  • leggo
    leggo Member Posts: 3,293
    edited December 2012

    Thank you mods, for the instructions. I WAS missing something. Embarassed

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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited December 2012

    Mods, I don't know if you were also addressing my issue, but just in case...I can see all the forums that I've blocked in my Dashboard (using view all) and the Alternative forum isn't there.  When I click on the Alternative forum the little blue option to block the forum that I found in the other forums - well that option isn't in the Alternative forum for me.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2012

    River Rat, if even one thread in Forum is marked as a Favorite, it prevents that Forum from being blocked, by disabling the link. Can you check the Topics in your My Favorite Topics list, and remove any that are in that Forum? That will bring the link to life.

    And thank you for raising this quirk! We'll ask the tech folks to look at also displaying the Forum name with the Topics in My Favorite Topics, to make their location easier to identify.

    • The Mods

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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited December 2012

    Thanks, Mods.  I have Gluten Free Ladies as a favorite.  I don't want to lose that thread and I don't consider it an alternative med thread as I am gluten intolerant and the treatment for that is avoiding gluten.  Drat, I wish that thread was in a different forum because I would very much like to ignore the rest of that forum.

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  • cheryl1946
    cheryl1946 Member Posts: 1,308
    edited December 2012

    I absolutely love being able to block a topic. So easy to do.

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  • 1Athena1
    1Athena1 Member Posts: 6,696
    edited December 2012

    Mods, thank you for this!

    I have a question: Am I correct in assuming that you can block an entire forum, but a topic in that forum could still appear on your Active Topics List?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2012

    1Athena1, if you have blocked a forum, a topic in that forum would not appear in your Active Topics list. However, you could have it appear in your My Favorite Topics list by doing a little work-around, like this (the order matters):

    1. Go to the Topic/thread you want to have in your Favorites. Highlight and copy the URL up at the top.
    2. Go to the Forum that thread is in, and block that forum.
    3. Paste the URL of the individual thread you copied in #1 into your browser's address bar to take you to the topic/thread.
    4. Mark that thread as one of your Favorite Topics.

    River Rat, this would be a way for you to more easily follow the Gluten Free Ladies, without seeing the rest of the forum in your Active Topics.

    • The Mods

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  • River_Rat
    River_Rat Member Posts: 1,724
    edited December 2012

    Thank you, Mods!  That worked.

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  • Chickadee
    Chickadee Member Posts: 4,467
    edited January 2013

    I like the block topic ....But.....wonder if you could reposition it. I've inadvertently blocked topics when I meant to click "back to top". The happens when my scroll on the iPad is just a little too low and I'm just clicking away at the first thing that starts with the letter B. my fault I know.



    Maybe to the right of Back to Top. Anyway, just a minor thing.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2013

    Thanks Chickadee -- we've added this to a list of suggestions for our Tech Gods -- we're hoping they'll be able to implement this soon!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2013

    I just accidentially blocked a topic when I thought I was hitting the "back to top" button.  How do I unblock it since I can no longer see it?  Anyone?

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2013

    Never mind.  I just found the answer to my question.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2013

    We've heard from other members who have accidentally blocked a Forum or Thread too, and we've asked the tech team to add a second step or confirmation. In the meantime, checking Dashboard in the blue menu on any page will show you what members, Threads and Topics you may have blocked, and give you a link to unblock them too. Smile

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited January 2013

    Mods, I am having troubles figuring out how to block something like the whole Stage 4 Forum, but I am not seeing any way to do it.

    Could you type out step by step what I am supposed to do to block all Stage 4 Forum?

    Thanks

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2013

    cinnamonsmiles, here it is, repeating our post from Dec 16 above:

    1. From the All Topics page, go to the Stage IV forum at community.breastcancer.org/for...
    2. Click the "Block Forum" link above the Start a New Topic button.

    .

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited January 2013

    Mods: I have been going through some of the forums and I do have Block Forum tabs above most (I haven't gone through them all yet) but I do not have the Block Forum Tab for the Stage 4 Forum.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2013

    cinnamonsmiles, when the Block Forum link is absent from a forum, it's usually because there's a thread in that forum that's previously been selected as one of your My Favorite Topics.

    You can check by going to Dashboard in the blue menu to see if you have even a single thread from Stage IV that you follow. We posted earlier in this thread with a little work-around to be able to block a forum but still have a thread within it as one of your Favorites:

    http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/93/topic/797646?page=1#post_3343568

    Please let us know here, or in a Private Message if this isn't the solution, and we can ask the tech team to take a look.

    • The Mods

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  • cinnamonsmiles
    cinnamonsmiles Member Posts: 779
    edited January 2013

    Thanks, mods, it worked.

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