Embedded Replies - Feedback

This topic is to collect feedback on the currently running experiment to change the styling of embedded replies within topic posts.

Thanks to @Don for the original designs

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Removing the old boxes around replies seems like a neat idea (they are maybe a bit too prominent in the old design), and I like the thread-like line at the left, too. However, it does seem a bit “noisy” now if there are replies with quotes:

Also, I think the padding between the “Replies box” and reactions is a bit small; same for the padding between the avatar and the reply content.
Similarly, the (missing) alignment between the collapse button and the lower bounds of the last reply as well as between the avatar and the user name and title feels a bit odd to me.

Finally, I’m unsure about the visual separation between posts just by whitespace.

But this might be something one would get used to after a while.

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This is neat. One application I can imagine is essentially a topic with a “comment section” only. That is, the OP posts show up as regular posts and all replies only appear as embedded only (and jump button hidden)

I understand that’s different from the intention here but it seems like it’s not far off

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I really like how this looks so far!

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It looks neat on both desktop and mobile devices, I love it!

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So this is like an official implementation of Custom embedded replies? Looks great so far to me!

  1. For me, it’s a bit distracting that the avatar moves on mobile. On the desktop, this matches the behavior of the “sticky avatar”. However, on mobile, the poster’s avatar does not move, but the one in the embedded reply does. Maybe I just need to get used to moving elements on mobile.

  2. The flair covers a significant portion of the profile picture. But perhaps otherwise, it would become too small.
    _20240105_221527 _20240105_221509
    _20240105_221100 _20240105_221018

  3. On mobile, you display the name, username, and shield of the user, but not their title. Is there a reason why it is not shown like in the desktop version? I believe there would be enough space.

  4. Perhaps the blank space on the right could be reduced on mobile, as this would allow more words to fit into one line.

  5. The replies seem to cause blank spaces. I noticed a lot of them after trying this feature. I can replicate this on Moving to a Single Category Style Site Setting by using the second “jump to post” button, scrolling back to the first post, and doing the same again. Then, there is a blank space where the replies showed. It is filled with the replies when they are expanded, but is blank when they are not.

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  1. I think the styling when you embed the parent post does not match the one for child posts. At least, I would add a “jump to post” to the arrow there too. But maybe it would also be helpful to put the arrow below the post, like it was done for child posts.
    I took a screenshot for comparison:

In general, the embedded parent post is less intuitive for me, but I don’t know why.

Is it intentional that while a mobile version for child posts was added, there is no mobile version for parent posts?

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I have addressed this feedback in the latest PR.


This is something we do in core, this experiment isn’t able to add that into the area.

I will be adding this in the next update, nice idea :+1:

This is how the feature is in core discourse, so this experiment is just tweaking this a bit, not adding any new content or templates.

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Discourse latest update seems to load replies as threaded within a given topic. So is this embedded replies still feasible?

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This just styles those “threaded” replies a bit differently.

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@jordan-vidrine this is epic! We are currently using the Journal Plugin for our diary-style categories where topic owner is allowed to make posts and all other users’ can only comment on those posts.

Is that something that could be achieved with this TC?

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Thanks for the nice comment!

This is just for use within core discourse, not applicable to plugins. The plugin you are speaking of is maintained & created by Pavillion, and has its own styling to support its goal.

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So we got down to the root of this and it’s actually present in core, without this component enabled. Thanks for reporting this one!

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Any updates on when this might get rolled out to other sites? We’d love to have it.

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It’s currently being implemented by our member experience team! We should see it relatively soon.

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