Drop next/prev topic links or change the query to a dedicated table

maybe ... i would just as soon get rid of those links. i don't think they are used much in practice.

+1 to remove. I have actually tried to using the previous/next on forum topics, but it really is counter-intuitive when the subject matter can vary so much.

+1 on getting rid of them from me also. That's the first thing I thought of when I read this issue when it was posted but I wasn't brave enough to be first to say it. LOL. I find those links more annoying than anything. I keep thinking they're somehow related to the post I'm reading (like a more info link section) and have to remind myself what they actually are.

Michelle

I think killes' move towards caching this information might be a better approach: http://drupal.org/node/72617

especially when combined with moving the generating functions out of the theme function. I think to insure some efficiency (such as the suggested caching) with this ordering it should remain part of core, especially since it's easy to remove at the theme level.

I thought about this before (http://drupal.org/node/70578) and while it was also my initial reflex I don't think having the ordering in a table is necesarily a good idea, since the table will have to be written frequently.

+1 to remove topic navigation links from forum posts. It's also a obstacle when you are making your forum look more like phpBB or vBulletin. I'm sure I never used those links.

Please keep it. Many people need it. And they may not be knowing even if this is
silently removed.

@minesota - If they don't notice it's gone, then they must not need it too badly. People can always add it in if they need it. And, yes, the reverse is also true but, as killes pointed out, it's an expensive query. So it makes more sense for people to add it if they really want it.

Michelle

@Michelle - many people will not be going to see this discussion, and then they will clamor for it.
And I guess killes is suggesting a way to keep it yet minimizing "expensiveness" of the query.
+1 to keep those links.

Change the topic of this issue with the currect debate?

I agree with removing. Is there someway to remove the links in a theme without having to wait for D7? I've display to none, but that just feels very wasteful.

@Miraploy - This is how it's done in advanced forum:

function advanced_forum_theme_registry_alter(&$theme_registry) {
  // Kill the next/previous forum topic navigation links.
  foreach ($theme_registry['forum_topic_navigation']['preprocess functions'] as $key => $value) {
    if ($value = 'template_preprocess_forum_topic_navigation') {
      unset($theme_registry['forum_topic_navigation']['preprocess functions'][$key]);
    }
  }
}

@Gurpartap - Changed title

@minesota - As I said, it can always be added back. Changing it to a less expensive process would work as well if someone is willing to roll the patch for it.

Michelle

Michelle, would you adapt that for vanilla forum please?

@Miraploy - I haven't used Vanilla and know nothing about how it handles this sort of thing.

Michelle

Noone who wants to save the links has proposed a solution to generate them in an efficient manner. @pwolanin linked to an ancient, dead issue about caching. thats not so practical IMO. Out they go, for now. They can come back when someone implements them with acceptable performance. Right now, they are a stain on Drupal's credibility.

The links were killed: #556136: Remove theme_forum_topic_navigation()