Journals Exist! Go and Have a Look at Them 😎 3 3

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 12:37 PM, CGC Mike said:

I would like to see the journals put back to the same format that regular thread are.  That is the way they used to be.  I am not sure that is doable but, will ask when I have a meeting with Dena.

Most of us would Mike, I suspect, but in the same way that the old journal content couldn't be migrated to the new, I doubt the new could be migrated back to an old style format. And given the time the 'new' journals have now been in place, those that have used them may be as disgruntled as the previous generation were, if there was a decision made to move away from them.

Maybe the best we can hope for, if we're staying with Invision, is to improve the current software, navigation and visibility. Good luck.

[CGC Mike]

The way I remember it was, the journals were the same as regular threads, and showed up in the active topics.  We had Invision at that time.  It was decided that all of the journals would be locked, and linked at the top of this new, improved (cough) format.  

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 1:38 PM, CGC Mike said:

The way I remember it was, the journals were the same as regular threads, and showed up in the active topics.  We had Invision at that time.  It was decided that all of the journals would be locked, and linked at the top of this new, improved (cough) format.  

Yes, they were migrated in the old format, but the decision was subsequently made to migrate them to the blogs format which was part of the Invision package. I recall some discussion about a legacy platform, that the old journals were somehow connected to, which may have had a bearing on the decision. Dena will know. 

When the decision was made all those years ago, and the early Invision blogs examples were put up, I pointed out that our 'old style' posting format wouldn't be compatible with them. The opening entry in the new journals, for example, is a completely different configuration and format to the 'standard' post format we are all used to using. I was told that the content could be migrated however, and the expectation was therefore that the journals would migrate to the new software in full. Of course, it wasn't possible and didn't happen, which is why only a single post was migrated (by Scott, manually, if I recall correctly) with a link to the old content which was then blocked.

Bottom line Mike, square pegs don't go into round holes. If they can, and all the new journals could be migrated to the standard posting format of the regular forums, with no data / content loss, great - bring it on, if that is what the members would like. I just don't think that they can. If I'm right, all you would be able to do is repeat that destructive action of the past - vandalise the new journals to reinstate them to an old style format. I doubt that would be popular now, after all this time. CGC should have called a halt to the new journals early, before they were utilised too much. We're not the technical experts though Mike - Dena will surely confirm what is and isn't possible, and the history. There is actually a lot to commend the new journals format though. You can do things which you can't do with standard posting. I would now be happy to see them stay if we could only add some meaningful filters (e.g. filter by latest posts), fix the links, eliminate the errors and - crucially - make them more accessible / visible 

[troy.division]

My one add-on to this convo as a user with no IT experience.
It would be great if a journal could be 'bumped' to the top of the journals page each time there was a new post, like how commend threads do.
As it is now, board members end up creating new or tangent journals because even active journals are pages away from the opening page.

For example, I write a new post in mine once-a-week but it gets pushed further and further away from opening page with each new journal that may only possess the initial journal post and zero follow-up.
It currently resides on the 6th page...

Edited September 15, 2022 by Troy.Division

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 2:05 PM, Troy.Division said:

My one add-on to this convo as a user with no IT experience.
It would be great if a journal could be 'bumped' to the top of the journals page each time there was a new post, like how commend threads do.
As it is now, board members end up creating new or tangent journals because even active journals are pages away from the opening page.

For example, I write a new post in mine once-a-week but it gets pushed further and further away from opening page with each new journal that may only possess the initial journal post and zero follow-up.
It currently resides on the 6th page...

That's right - both landing pages organise the journals in order of entries (the opening description of each journal entry) not posts. The 'Recent Journal Activity' block picks up activity and posts - we just need a filter option too.

There is no filter option at all on the 'All Entries' landing page:

 

And the sort by / filter options on the 'Organize by Author' landing page have next to useless options and, crucially, not one for posts:

We don't even use ratings and the 'entry' selection above is in effect the journal itself, not any subsequent posts that follow in it.

 

Why would anyone want to filter to journals without entries! 

 

These are 'Entries' within the umbrella journal title:

They are not posts. We need a filter for latest posts.

 

[Get Marwood & I]

To further clarify the terminology...

Troy's journal umbrella title is "troy division's journal". 

Under that umbrella title are entries.

As you can see below, Troy has made three entries in his journal, which sit under his umbrella title:

 

If we select his first entry, "2022 top 50", we can see that all the subsequent posts within it are called 'comments':

 

We need a 'sort by' / 'filter by' option for comments.

Otherwise, as @Troy.Division rightly points out, the latest entry will always be at the top of the landing pages, even though there may have been multiple comments (posts / replies) in other journal's entries elsewhere. And we have no option to filter to see any of them in date order.

Is anyone following this? 

 

[Get Marwood & I]

@CGC Mike last post from me, I don't want to overload you, but the key issue with the Journals is the absence of a filter to show the latest comments. That is why no one reads them as they aren't available to filter. 

If you look at the three terms in the illustration below (Title / Entry / Comments)......

 

....when I create a new journal title, that won't show on either of the two current journal landing page layouts (Organize by Author / All Entries). Only entries are picked up.

If I then add an entry, that will then show on the two landing pages, at the top until someone creates a new one to push it down the list. Here is my 'Test' to illustrate:

 

If no one else creates a new entry from this point, then my 'Test' entry will stay at the top until someone does. But in the meantime, as members add comments to their journal entries, those do not register. 

So the two landing pages should really be reconfigured to show the latest comments, not entries. That could either be the default setting (if possible) or added as a filter option. If neither is possible, then the only way members will become aware of new journal comments is via the 'Recent Journals Activity' side bar block, or if they happen to see them scrolling the forums 'All Activity' page.

This is probably why the journals get so little traffic.

I'll shut up now!

https://invisioncommunity.com/features/blogs/

[KPR Comics]

I “ignore” the journals because it is literally the same 3-5 journals that show up in that block day in day out. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 4:30 PM, KPR Comics said:

I “ignore” the journals because it is literally the same 3-5 journals that show up in that block day in day out. 

Yes, the current configuration leads to just that - people switching off when they see the same thing over and over - hence the attempt to improve things.  

[sagii]

@Get Marwood & I Great work! I used to have a Journal, and have been toying with the idea of starting one again as i near my 10k post (i can't believe it! ). The last retooling show you an 'estimate' of your post count, you have to 'hoover' over that number with your mouse to see the actual count. 

You and @AJD have been doing great things in the galleries and Journals, as well as some others. 

Keep up the good work!

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 5:34 PM, sagii said:

@Get Marwood & I Great work! I used to have a Journal, and have been toying with the idea of starting one again as i near my 10k post (i can't believe it! ). The last retooling show you an 'estimate' of your post count, you have to 'hoover' over that number with your mouse to see the actual count. 

You and @AJD have been doing great things in the galleries and Journals, as well as some others. 

Keep up the good work!

Cheers Sagii 

I expect to see your new Journal in 46 posts time 

 

[KPR Comics]

On 9/15/2022 at 11:36 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

Yes, the current configuration leads to just that - people switching off when they see the same thing over and over - hence the attempt to improve things.  

But you’re championing bumping journal comments.  Not sure who cares about comments to journals other than the journal-ist.  If the content isn’t changing what’s the point of landing there?

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/15/2022 at 10:16 PM, KPR Comics said:

But you’re championing bumping journal comments.  Not sure who cares about comments to journals other than the journal-ist.  If the content isn’t changing what’s the point of landing there?

I'm not sure I follow you, KPR. The comments are the continuation of the journal, just the same as posts are in regular forum threads. It's not a case of 'bumping' them, that's not the right comparison. It's about parity - giving members the ability to be aware that journal comments are being posted, just as they can for posts in regular forum threads by viewing the forums list pages. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding your point.

[KPR Comics]

See it’s too confusing.  Entries, comments, journals, posts.  I leave you now.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 9/16/2022 at 8:24 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

It's about parity - giving members the ability to be aware that journal comments are being posted, just as they can for posts in regular forum threads by viewing the forums list pages.

@CGC Mike

Mike, could you give us an update from your meeting with Dena please when you get a second? It would help to know what is possible in the short term. As things stand, it's hardly worth any of us updating our Journals if the comments being posted aren't able to be filtered and, therefore, seen.

[CGC Mike]

On 10/4/2022 at 12:56 PM, Get Marwood & I said:

@CGC Mike

Mike, could you give us an update from your meeting with Dena please when you get a second? It would help to know what is possible in the short term. As things stand, it's hardly worth any of us updating our Journals if the comments being posted aren't able to be filtered and, therefore, seen.

As of right now, we are not sure what is possible.  It is very complicated.  We are both in agreement that the current journal format is a long way from great.  I would like it to go back to the same threaded form like the other forums are.  We are looking into what is possible.  As soon as that is determined, we can come up with a plan.  I know this isn't much help but, it's the only news I can offer at this time.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 10/4/2022 at 6:06 PM, CGC Mike said:

As of right now, we are not sure what is possible.  It is very complicated.  We are both in agreement that the current journal format is a long way from great.  I would like it to go back to the same threaded form like the other forums are.  We are looking into what is possible.  As soon as that is determined, we can come up with a plan.  I know this isn't much help but, it's the only news I can offer at this time.

Thank you.

[Get Marwood & I]

On 10/4/2022 at 6:06 PM, CGC Mike said:

As of right now, we are not sure what is possible.  It is very complicated.  We are both in agreement that the current journal format is a long way from great.  I would like it to go back to the same threaded form like the other forums are.  We are looking into what is possible.  As soon as that is determined, we can come up with a plan.  I know this isn't much help but, it's the only news I can offer at this time.

A month on, any update for us Mike?

Have Invision confirmed if it is possible to add 'Comments' to the Sort By filter?

[CGC Mike]

On 11/1/2022 at 7:05 AM, Get Marwood & I said:

A month on, any update for us Mike?

Have Invision confirmed if it is possible to add 'Comments' to the Sort By filter?

I am sorry but, we have made no progress on this.