The Student Room Group

Have a list on what is planned on being imported to react from ST2

Problem Summary
Have a list on what is planned on being imported to react from ST2

Problem Details
Essentially as the title says, I think that it would be useful to share with the public community what features and BBcodes intend on being imported from Showthread 2 onto React and what does not intend on being imported. Even if specific dates aren’t given, just have a spreadsheet on what is coming onto react from ST2 and what is not.

This can cause less headache for users (especially established ones who give advice to newbies or newbies who are asking for things such as attaching images, TSR emojis, how to search in threads etc) as they’ll therefore know what to request for in terms of functionality, whether they need to alter the way they use TSR, whether it’s worth them using TSR as a platform anymore etc.


Device
Mobile

Browser
Brave

Link


Additional Information
This is more feedback and I think that a survey on the new experience and how much people like it, what they miss about the old system, what and how they use TSR etc should be done

Scroll to see replies

I concur completely, I really am sick of hearing ad-hoc that things are being discontinued, or will eventually be added, or will be considered in the future. In response to different random threads in this forum.

I'm sat here presuming that don't have the intention to make a worse product than the site had prior to these changes, and therefore that all previous features (that were used, as a couple of obscure bb codes may have never been used in years) will be delivered to react thread pages.

However, as I hear of different things being decided and shared on the odd public thread with no clear communication or announcement, I'm starting to doubt whether even the most basic things like coloured text is going to be made available.

Now I can create a ticket for every missing functionality on the app, react, new homepage and find out the long way. We'd be looking at about 30 threads judging by the list I have accumulated. Or we could have this transparency from TSR.
Original post by 04MR17
I concur completely, I really am sick of hearing ad-hoc that things are being discontinued, or will eventually be added, or will be considered in the future. In response to different random threads in this forum.

I'm sat here presuming that don't have the intention to make a worse product than the site had prior to these changes, and therefore that all previous features (that were used, as a couple of obscure bb codes may have never been used in years) will be delivered to react thread pages.

However, as I hear of different things being decided and shared on the odd public thread with no clear communication or announcement, I'm starting to doubt whether even the most basic things like coloured text is going to be made available.

Now I can create a ticket for every missing functionality on the app, react, new homepage and find out the long way. We'd be looking at about 30 threads judging by the list I have accumulated. Or we could have this transparency from TSR.

I’m starting to have doubts about TSR emojis (based on me seeing no concrete confirmation that they’ll be added back unless I’m wrong here and me seeing new way that you can add non-TSR emojis on React) and being able to search within a thread, probably even image attachments at this point as well.

And bookmarks and coloured text as you’ve mentioned here and based me on reading your thread on adding back bookmarks.

Big blow for study help imo if image attachment won’t be added in.

Big blow for me if BBcode button won’t be added in (that screws me over for all forum games threads if that doesn’t get added in. Also when established users or volunteers create content for other things and preview posts I guess), assuming that I don’t quit obviously. Sure I could be less lazy and make the next part of CTAM without having access to the BBcode but it would just be a nightmare (some of the BBcode in the OP I don’t even know what it is, so I wouldn’t be able to replicate the code by memory/hand even if I wanted to). Especially as noparse doesn’t work on React yet AFAIK.

Ability to search within a thread and bookmarks are also things that I religiously use but I think that’s only because I volunteer here and what volunteers do and have access to as a result of that. Still needs do be added back in regardless though and I’ve seen many new users ask how to search within a thread as they find it helpful for the university applicant threads for example.

:ditto: I can do the same (so that they can hopefully get added back in or because I’ve seen lots of other users complain about the missing functionality or because I want confirmation on whether functionality X is coming or not or because I need the functionality) and this is what I’ve been doing in some cases.

This idea isn’t even my own idea, I’ve simply read around and I think that I’ve seen some users suggest the idea that TSR should publicly tell people what BBcode is coming and what BBcode isn’t. I’ve simply extended this idea to say, no, tell us this for everything. Look at all of the functionality on ST2 e.g attachment, bookmarks, image upload, BBcodes and BBcode button etc and tell us what is planning on coming over to React and what is not.


Tell us, Yep image attachment is being/intends on being imported, Bookmarks won’t, Yep BBcodes ABC will be imported BBcodes XYZ will not, Yep YouTube button will be added back, Preview post/BBcode button will not etc

No need to give me at date, just tell that it will/won’t be added as appropriate.

It would cause relief for new, established users, reps and volunteers in my opinion (basically everyone).
I’m grateful to still have access to ST2 in some form (even if it’s not in all cases, don’t ask why, I won’t give further clarification to what I actually mean by this) for now.
Reply 4
Talkative Toad
I’m starting to have doubts about TSR emojis (based on me seeing no concrete confirmation that they’ll be added back unless I’m wrong here and me seeing new way that you can add non-TSR emojis on React) and being able to search within a thread, probably even image attachments at this point as well.And bookmarks and coloured text as you’ve mentioned here and based me on reading your thread on adding back bookmarks.

Big blow for study help imo if image attachment won’t be added in.

Big blow for me if BBcode button won’t be added in (that screws me over for all forum games threads if that doesn’t get added in. Also when established users or volunteers create content for other things and preview posts I guess), assuming that I don’t quit obviously. Sure I could be less lazy and make the next part of CTAM without having access to the BBcode but it would just be a nightmare (some of the BBcode in the OP I don’t even know what it is, so I wouldn’t be able to replicate the code by memory/hand even if I wanted to). Especially as noparse doesn’t work on React yet AFAIK.
Even since TSR made the "minimal functionality" release, there were two main possibilities:

1.

There was a long term plan to implement the missing features, with at least some idea of the major pieces of work and the time scales.

2.

The hope was that what was there was "good enough", and additional features would be based on user feedback.

At this point I think it's fairly clear we're in scenario 2. Because it's now two months since the "minimal functionality" rollout, and I'm not sure any significant new functionality has been added - if there was a plan you'd expect to see something. It's also clear they're unaware of which bbcodes are actually in use, which pretty much precludes a coordinated plan to restore missing bbcodes.

So my expectation is that at best the only things that will get fixed are those that people scream loudly about. Right now even the major issues haven't been touched. How we still have an image button that doesn't actually work is beyond me (if TSR don't yet have a fix, they should remove it for now).

It's also a concern just how slowly the bug fixing is going. (The completed tickets forum is sad even before you dig in and find half the threads have "won't fix / fixed itself" resolutions). There are issues that have been worked on for weeks but still aren't right - the notifications popdown is still sending me to a completely wrong page occasionally.

It bothers me that {noparse} has yet to be implemented, given how much discussion of bbcode tags is going on and the absence of {noparse} means we're all having to use {}. I would expect {noparse} to be one of the easier bbcodes to implement.

Regarding CTAM etc: can't you just quote the post, edit the quote and copy the contents (sans quote tags)? (I'm also not sure how this would be easier with a bbcode button, but at this point I don't even remember what it does that's different from editing your post in the new system).
Original post by Talkative Toad
I’m starting to have doubts about TSR emojis (based on me seeing no concrete confirmation that they’ll be added back unless I’m wrong here and me seeing new way that you can add non-TSR emojis on React) and being able to search within a thread, probably even image attachments at this point as well.

And bookmarks and coloured text as you’ve mentioned here and based me on reading your thread on adding back bookmarks.

Big blow for study help imo if image attachment won’t be added in.

Big blow for me if BBcode button won’t be added in (that screws me over for all forum games threads if that doesn’t get added in. Also when established users or volunteers create content for other things and preview posts I guess), assuming that I don’t quit obviously. Sure I could be less lazy and make the next part of CTAM without having access to the BBcode but it would just be a nightmare (some of the BBcode in the OP I don’t even know what it is, so I wouldn’t be able to replicate the code by memory/hand even if I wanted to). Especially as noparse doesn’t work on React yet AFAIK.

Ability to search within a thread and bookmarks are also things that I religiously use but I think that’s only because I volunteer here and what volunteers do and have access to as a result of that. Still needs do be added back in regardless though and I’ve seen many new users ask how to search within a thread as they find it helpful for the university applicant threads for example.

:ditto: I can do the same (so that they can hopefully get added back in or because I’ve seen lots of other users complain about the missing functionality or because I want confirmation on whether functionality X is coming or not or because I need the functionality) and this is what I’ve been doing in some cases.

This idea isn’t even my own idea, I’ve simply read around and I think that I’ve seen some users suggest the idea that TSR should publicly tell people what BBcode is coming and what BBcode isn’t. I’ve simply extended this idea to say, no, tell us this for everything. Look at all of the functionality on ST2 e.g attachment, bookmarks, image upload, BBcodes and BBcode button etc and tell us what is planning on coming over to React and what is not.


Tell us, Yep image attachment is being/intends on being imported, Bookmarks won’t, Yep BBcodes ABC will be imported BBcodes XYZ will not, Yep YouTube button will be added back, Preview post/BBcode button will not etc

No need to give me at date, just tell that it will/won’t be added as appropriate.

It would cause relief for new, established users, reps and volunteers in my opinion (basically everyone).

TSR emojis are enabled, they can be posted on the site, there's just no menu of them on the editor. Raw BB code for these emojis does work.

Being able to search within a thread is enabled, there's just no button to do it. But anyone can if they know how to structure the URL.

The rest of your post I agree with 100%
Reply 6
Original post by 04MR17
TSR emojis are enabled, they can be posted on the site, there's just no menu of them on the editor. Raw BB code for these emojis does work.

Being able to search within a thread is enabled, there's just no button to do it. But anyone can if they know how to structure the URL.

The rest of your post I agree with 100%

Surely it should be less than an hours' work to stick in the button in that case. (Plus testing, code-review,etc. Nothing ever takes less than an hour in real life...)
Original post by 04MR17
TSR emojis are enabled, they can be posted on the site, there's just no menu of them on the editor. Raw BB code for these emojis does work.

Being able to search within a thread is enabled, there's just no button to do it. But anyone can if they know how to structure the URL.

The rest of your post I agree with 100%


I’m aware they are enabled but I meant them bringing the functionality (as in button) to React, I should have been clearer, sorry.

Yeah I’ve had to explain the long workaround to people because the button isn’t there, I sincerely hope that they add the button back in.
Original post by DFranklin
Even since TSR made the "minimal functionality" release, there were two main possibilities:

1.

There was a long term plan to implement the missing features, with at least some idea of the major pieces of work and the time scales.

2.

The hope was that what was there was "good enough", and additional features would be based on user feedback.

At this point I think it's fairly clear we're in scenario 2. Because it's now two months since the "minimal functionality" rollout, and I'm not sure any significant new functionality has been added - if there was a plan you'd expect to see something. It's also clear they're unaware of which bbcodes are actually in use, which pretty much precludes a coordinated plan to restore missing bbcodes.

Needs to be a plan then, as even if it’s just a list on what was originally intended so not necessarily confirmed on what’s being added/removed. A part of me would be willing to help with that plan (help construct a list on what’s currently on ST2 compared to React) but honestly do not have the time to do this.
So my expectation is that at best the only things that will get fixed are those that people scream loudly about. Right now even the major issues haven't been touched. How we still have an image button that doesn't actually work is beyond me (if TSR don't yet have a fix, they should remove it for now).

That’s what feedback and these threads are for I guess.

Yeah I’m surprised that the attachment button isn’t here yet as well given the necessity for it in forums like study help in my opinion.
It's also a concern just how slowly the bug fixing is going. (The completed tickets forum is sad even before you dig in and find half the threads have "won't fix / fixed itself" resolutions). There are issues that have been worked on for weeks but still aren't right - the notifications popdown is still sending me to a completely wrong page occasionally.

Agreed. I’ve made 14/15 threads (and I think that’s my low number). I might make another one asking for the ability to infinitely scroll through notifications again, something that was available in ST2.
It bothers me that {noparse} has yet to be implemented, given how much discussion of bbcode tags is going on and the absence of {noparse} means we're all having to use {}. I would expect {noparse} to be one of the easier bbcodes to implement.

Fully agreed here. If you won’t add the BBcode button back then this needs to come back at a minimum so that people can save BBcodes when making/typing them. Ideally have both come back as this is simply functionality from ST2 but bare bare minimum, one needs to come back.
Regarding CTAM etc: can't you just quote the post, edit the quote and copy the contents (sans quote tags)? (I'm also not sure how this would be easier with a bbcode button, but at this point I don't even remember what it does that's different from editing your post in the new system).


No because on React you cannot expand the quote to see the entire quote I’ll attach an image on what BBcode button does and why I need it for CTAM. I’ve used the no parse tag to illustrate this but see the attached images on how complex the BBcode for CTAM is and why the button is useful.

Hey look, I used my handy BBcode button to make this post on mobile :wink:.

Don’t take this an attack TSR or whoever else is reading this, I like the rebrand (despite my many threads but I do think that giving public users a list (not simply giving it to only volunteers or saying oh let’s tell VT+ about it before telling others) on what’s coming and what’s not from ST2 would be better. It could potentially mean in the long run that there’s less of these threads/tickets being made (not that these threads or tickets bother me, I quite like reading this forum) and less headaches for most parties.
That post was a nightmare to post ^^^
Original post by Talkative Toad
Needs to be a plan then, as even if it’s just a list on what was originally intended so not necessarily confirmed on what’s being added/removed. A part of me would be willing to help with that plan (help construct a list on what’s currently on ST2 compared to React) but honestly do not have the time to do this.

That’s what feedback and these threads are for I guess.

Yeah I’m surprised that the attachment button isn’t here yet as well given the necessity for it in forums like study help in my opinion.

Agreed. I’ve made 14/15 threads (and I think that’s my low number). I might make another one asking for the ability to infinitely scroll through notifications again, something that was available in ST2.

Fully agreed here. If you won’t add the BBcode button back then this needs to come back at a minimum so that people can save BBcodes when making/typing them. Ideally have both come back as this is simply functionality from ST2 but bare bare minimum, one needs to come back.


No because on React you cannot expand the quote to see the entire quote I’ll attach an image on what BBcode button does and why I need it for CTAM. I’ve used the no parse tag to illustrate this but see the attached images on how complex the BBcode for CTAM is and why the button is useful.

Hey look, I used my handy BBcode button to make this post on mobile :wink:.

Don’t take this an attack TSR or whoever else is reading this, I like the rebrand (despite my many threads but I do think that giving public users a list (not simply giving it to only volunteers or saying oh let’s tell VT+ about it before telling others) on what’s coming and what’s not from ST2 would be better. It could potentially mean in the long run that there’s less of these threads/tickets being made (not that these threads or tickets bother me, I quite like reading this forum) and less headaches for most parties.

You can actually expand a quote on react so my bad on this point, but you need a post of the quote. It’s not like ST2 where I can simply expand the quote or be able to see the whole of what I’m quoting without me having to type a response to said quote and without having to click on submit reply.

Still useless regardless as there’s no BBcode button and quoted text doesn’t show you BBcode without you using the </> button. I tested this out on CTAM on ST2 to confirm this.
Reply 11
Original post by Talkative Toad
You can actually expand a quote on react so my bad on this point, but you need a post of the quote. It’s not like ST2 where I can simply expand the quote or be able to see the whole of what I’m quoting without me having to type a response to said quote and without having to click on submit reply.

Still useless regardless as there’s no BBcode button and quoted text doesn’t show you BBcode without you using the </> button. I tested this out on CTAM on ST2 to confirm this.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but it doesn't seem too bad to use my suggestion to reproduce the CTAM threads: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7423315&page=2#post99079271

There's a small issue in that copy/pasting text in React seems to lose some of the line breaks - I fixed a couple of them but decided not to fix all of it (just to show what does go wrong).

If there's anything else broken it would be useful to know (I suspect anything broken may indicate a bug in the new system).

[As far as I understand it, what's been lost with React is that after pressing reply to quote your post, I have to actually finish (make) the reply and then edit it in order to get access to the bbcode. Previously, I could bress the bbcode button to get access while still not having actually made the post].
Original post by DFranklin
I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but it doesn't seem too bad to use my suggestion to reproduce the CTAM threads: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7423315&page=2#post99079271

There's a small issue in that copy/pasting text in React seems to lose some of the line breaks - I fixed a couple of them but decided not to fix all of it (just to show what does go wrong).

If there's anything else broken it would be useful to know (I suspect anything broken may indicate a bug in the new system).

[As far as I understand it, what's been lost with React is that after pressing reply to quote your post, I have to actually finish (make) the reply and then edit it in order to get access to the bbcode. Previously, I could bress the bbcode button to get access while still not having actually made the post].

Yes I see that now, thanks for the information, this is really useful.
I've raised this with the rest of the team, I'll let you know when we have any updates for you :smile:
Original post by RainbowLapras
I've raised this with the rest of the team, I'll let you know when we have any updates for you :smile:


Thanks, hopefully this can happen or that there’s a clear yes/no answer as to whether this suggestion/list on telling us what’s coming to react from ST2 is actually going to happen or not.
Just to pitch in and agree that this would be really helpful.
I shouldn’t have to find out that TSR is removing functionality like custom posts/page and not showing avatars because I ask when they’ll be available and get told “nah we’re not doing that because we don’t think it’s important”. I’d love to see whether increasing the default posts/page would help with the loading times and notifications links and general experience (if it takes 10 seconds to load a page then switching pages every few posts is going to impact experience much more than if there’s 60 posts to scroll through on that page)…but I guess the notifications links are the reason no customisation will be allowed - they’re switching notifications to link to a page instead of a post so it won’t work.
Just to pitch in and agree that this would be really helpful.
I shouldn’t have to find out that TSR is removing functionality like custom posts/page and not showing avatars because I ask when they’ll be available and get told “nah we’re not doing that because we don’t think it’s important”. I’d love to see whether increasing the default posts/page would help with the loading times and notifications links and general experience (if it takes 10 seconds to load a page then switching pages every few posts is going to impact experience much more than if there’s 60 posts to scroll through on that page)…but I guess the notifications links are the reason no customisation will be allowed - they’re switching notifications to link to a page instead of a post so it won’t work.


Interesting, because watched thread notifications take you to the wrong point in the thread anyway.

Also worth noting that in my view if a significant amount of (used) prior functionality is missing then the value of the product has decreased.
Original post by 04MR17
Interesting, because watched thread notifications take you to the wrong point in the thread anyway.

Also worth noting that in my view if a significant amount of (used) prior functionality is missing then the value of the product has decreased.

I don’t use notifications for watched threads (just use watched threads :smile: ) - I can’t remember how I turned it off!

And yes I agree - I’m quite disappointed that customisation at some levels wasn’t built into the build from scratch so that at the point it was rolled out globally there would be a smoother transition for more established users while the majority get and use the standard setup. Without that in mind it’s going to be extremely difficult to build it back in when the underlying platform hasn’t been prepped for it.

It worries me that the same issues will make setting up the FH/VT/staff tools on react unworkable. In which case things are going to be very tricky.
I don’t use notifications for watched threads (just use watched threads :smile: ) - I can’t remember how I turned it off!

And yes I agree - I’m quite disappointed that customisation at some levels wasn’t built into the build from scratch so that at the point it was rolled out globally there would be a smoother transition for more established users while the majority get and use the standard setup. Without that in mind it’s going to be extremely difficult to build it back in when the underlying platform hasn’t been prepped for it.

It worries me that the same issues will make setting up the FH/VT/staff tools on react unworkable. In which case things are going to be very tricky.

The last point is in hand. VTs have been thinking about this for a while. Though I agree it will take a loooong time to implement. (Getting mod tools fully developed on ST2 took about a year iirc.)
(edited 10 months ago)
Reply 19
Original post by Talkative Toad
Thanks, hopefully this can happen or that there’s a clear yes/no answer as to whether this suggestion/list on telling us what’s coming to react from ST2 is actually going to happen or not.

To put my "dev" hat on for a minute:

Realistically, a list of what's fixes/missing functionality is coming to React almost certainly doesn't exist (and "can't exist").

There will be a list of tickets with things like "Support TSR Smileys", "Provide Multiquote Functionality", "Support the {noparse} tag". Someone will assign priorities, and (in general) things get worked on according to their priority.

There will be some tickets assigned a "won't fix" priority - typically things where the "bug" is actually intended behaviour, or "we know fixing this would cause a bunch of other problems / be an insane amount of work".

But the normal way things "don't get fixed" is just that they are never high enough priority to get dealt with. They're on the system, TSR would like them to be fixed. But it just never actually happens.

The problem is that the priority system usually isn't accurate enough for even something vague like "the P1 stuff will happen, the P2 stuff might happen, the P3 stuff won't happen". I'm sure the original plan was (along the lines of) "When we deploy React, it will have multi-quote, images, bbcode edit mode". And then deadlines approached and a bunch of "must happen" stuff became "we'll do it later (maybe)". And conversely, something can be low priority and a developer has a thought "you know, I bet we could do that by doing XYZ", spends half an hour looking at it, and then it's done and ready for the next release.

Looking at what's been fixed (or hasn't) over the last two months, I expect an awful lot of missing functionality is going to fall in that "it's on the list, we have no idea when we'll get around to it" dead-zone.

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