Browsing latest topics with a button within the topic you're currently reading

Contribute Feature

AI-generated summary

A user nexo suggested a feature to browse latest topics within the same category without leaving the current topic. The proposed feature includes a button or swipe functionality to navigate to the next or previous topic.

nexo cited Reddit as an example of this feature and provided a visual representation of where the button could be placed. codinghorror mentioned that a similar feature already exists, which limits suggested topics to the same category, but it requires a site setting adjustment.

nexo further requested a swipe functionality, which codinghorror mentioned is already proposed by erlend_sh and exists as a keyboard shortcut. However, nexo asked to replace the keyboard shortcut with a single key or a simple arrow button and to implement a swipe function on mobile devices.

Concerns were raised about the swipe functionality on mobile devices, as the gestures are already allocated to browser forward/back on iOS and expanding side panels on Android. However, nexo suggested initiating the swipe from the middle of the screen, which would not trigger side panels.

An alternative proposal by erlend_sh suggested swiping on the title bar, which would have less risk of causing disorientation. nexo liked the idea but raised concerns about accessibility for users with large smartphones.

sam pointed out performance issues with the swipe functionality, but nexo suggested displaying a placeholder icon until the animation is complete. K.T expressed interest in the feature and suggested implementing both swipe functionality and buttons.

1

Hi, I’d like to recommend a feature,

A feature that allows users to go on to the following topic that’s in the same tag or category while still being on the topic they’re currently viewing. This way users don’t have to go back every time they want to view the following topics.

USES: This will be incredibly useful for casual categories/tags, such as memes. You could keep viewing memes without any mechanical disruption to the user experience. Reddit is an example of this.

Example of where an arrow could be placed for this, (excuse my abysmal paint):

Example

image
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2 Likes
2

That would be useful for my forum too.

It has been suggested before:

1 Like
3

This already exists, turn on the site setting that limits suggested topics to the same category you are already on.

4

I understand your response, however, could there be a way of swiping right or left on a topic to get to the next one? I truly believe this would be an incredible quality-of-life feature that users will appreciate.

1 Like
5

It is funny that you ask, @erlend_sh recently proposed such a feature and it now exists… however, it is a keyboard shortcut:

5 Likes
6

Sweet! A few questions rise:

  1. How can I change the keyboard shortcut to a single key that isn’t being used rather than a combo of ‘g s’ seeing that this will be used often?

  2. Could we get a simple arrow at the top of a topic that will redirect you to the following post?

  3. Important: On mobile, could there be a swipe function where you just swipe the screen right to go the next topic or left to go to the previous topic?

7

How would that work since those gestures are already allocated to browser forward/back on iOS, and expanding side panels on Android?

8

Swiping could be initiated from the middle of the screen, rather than the far sides. This does not trigger side panels on Android or iOS/Safari. Just tested it on both operating systems.

This sort of swiping from the center to navigate already exists on some applications, so it should work out.

9

I think swiping on the title bar would make more sense and have less risk of causing disorientation. It would look something like this mid-swipe:

discourse-slide-next
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5 Likes
10

Clever proposal, I like the idea. Only possible QoL hindrance could be to users that have tall, big smartphones which happens to be a huge portion of people. Reaching up to the title with your thumb often to browse to following latest topics may displease that demographic of users.

11

Very tricky from a performance standpoint, we don’t know what the next topic will be when swiping, suggested may not even be loaded.

3 Likes
12

Maybe instead of showing the content while the swiping gesture is going on, it can display a placeholder icon until the animation/gesture is fully done, then proceed to load the content.

13

I am also looking for this feature to swipe the screen to left or right to open next/previous post in the same category only. This is a very common and I was hoping I can get it with Discourse. You said it is already implemented, but I couldn’t get this to work on mobile phone. Button next, or previous would be also OK, but I think it should be both sweeping and buttons.