Load More instead of numbered paging for forums

[erich73]

I was just searhcing for my recent Forum-post, but could not find it.
Only then I discovered that there is a "page 2" at which my Forum-post was hiding.

Please change the current "paging 1, 2, 3" towards a
"Load More"-button.

Having a "Load More"-button at the bottom of this page would be much better than the "1", "2", "3"-paging.

Please see Screenshot attached.

[arxpoetica]

Just adding a comment to this ticket. I was actually at the exact same forum posting trying to advance through the listings. Currently clicking on the next arrow or the #2 does NOT advance the page. I don't know if it's just that the forums are in flux (or perhaps this is a bbpress issue?), but it doesn't seem to load the next pagination correctly, or, rather, at all.

This is also true on other forum listings, such as this:
​http://testbp.org/groups/buddypress-testers-614548248/forum/topic/forums-completely-re-written/

[cnorris23]

@arxpoetica
The issue you described appears to be fixed now. At least for me it is. Testbp.org runs on the latest trunk revision, so it's always in flux.

@erich73
If this were maybe the activity stream, I could see how a "load more" button might be better, but from a usability standpoint, it makes much more sense to have forum topics and replies to be paged. Even Facebook, which BuddyPress is very much modeled after, pages their forums topics and replies.

At the same time, from a usability standpoint, having to scroll, or move your mouse (if you're on a large screen), back to the top isn't the best either. I could also see some room for improvement in the wording, or lack there of in this case. What if there were some sort of Previous/Next links along with the page numbers, and then this functionality was displayed at the bottom too?

[DJPaul]

I agree that paging the list of forum topics is most appropriate albeit improvements can be made such as what cnorris23 has suggested. I'm bumping this to 1.21 for review by a core developer as it is too late for anything new in BP 1.2.

[boonebgorges]

I agree with DJPaul and cnorris23 that paging is the best default for forums. If you want Load More in a child theme, you're welcome to port it over from the activity component.

In addition, pagination is now appearing at the bottom as well as at the top of all forum threads. So some of the mouse-moving issues that cnorris23 alluded to have been obviated. ?topic_page=2&num=10 will give you page 2 of a thread with 10 per page (ie 11-20).

[boonebgorges]

Crap, I posted to the wrong thread.

Anyway...

...So some of the mouse-moving issues that cnorris23 alluded to have been obviated. There are also forward and back arrows in the pagination div.

Given that most suggestions have been addressed, I'm going to mark as fixed. Please reopen if you've got a powerful argument in favor of something else.