APG vNext displays suggested related threads when a user is composing a new post, to help reduce duplicate questions. This thread covers managing this feature.
Disabling the Suggested Threads Panel Globally
- Go to Admin Panel → Settings → Post Editor.
- Find the Suggested Threads option and toggle it off.
- Save — the suggestions panel will no longer appear when composing new posts.
Disabling Per Forum
To disable suggestions only on specific forums (e.g., announcement-only forums):
- Edit the forum in Admin Panel → Forums → Edit Forum.
- Set Allow Suggested Threads to No.
The "Close" Handle
The "close handle" refers to the X button on the suggestions panel in the post editor. If this button is not appearing or not working, check that JavaScript is enabled and there are no console errors. The panel uses an AJAX request to fetch related threads — if the request fails, the panel may hang open without a dismiss option.
For further help, post in the Support Forum.
Close Handle on Suggested Threads Feature in APG vNext
When a member starts typing a new thread title, APG vNext shows a "suggested threads" panel with potentially related existing discussions. Some community setups require hiding or dismissing this panel quickly - either because it suggests irrelevant results or because the UX is disruptive for certain forum types (e.g. Q&A communities where all questions are unique by nature).
Adding a Dismiss Button to the Suggestions Panel
// Inject close button via MutationObserver (add to custom.js):
const observer = new MutationObserver((mutations) => {
mutations.forEach(({ addedNodes }) => {
addedNodes.forEach(node => {
if (node.classList?.contains('apg-suggest-popup') &&
!node.querySelector('.apg-suggest-close')) {
const btn = Object.assign(document.createElement('button'), {
className: 'apg-suggest-close',
textContent: 'x',
onclick: () => node.remove()
});
node.appendChild(btn);
}
});
});
});
observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true });Disabling Duplicate Detection Entirely
<add key="APG.NewThread.SuggestDuplicates" value="false" />Reducing Suggestion Aggressiveness
<!-- Only trigger after 5+ characters (default is 3) -->
<add key="APG.NewThread.SuggestMinChars" value="5" />
<!-- Delay after typing stops before querying (ms) -->
<add key="APG.NewThread.SuggestDebounceMs" value="800" />Related Resources
Removing or Customising the Suggested Threads Handle
APG vNext displays suggested (related) threads at the bottom of thread views, under a heading such as "You might also like" or "Related Threads." Some administrators prefer to disable this widget or change how it is closed/collapsed by members. The "close handle" refers to the UI element that allows members to dismiss the suggested threads section.
Disabling Suggested Threads Globally
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedEnabled" value="false" />
<!-- Or enable with customised heading: -->
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedEnabled" value="true" />
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedHeading" value="Related Discussions" />
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedMaxCount" value="5" />Removing the Close Handle from the Skin
The close handle is rendered in the skin's thread view template. To remove it without disabling suggested threads entirely, edit the template:
<!-- In thread-view.ascx — find and remove the close button: -->
<!-- Remove this element: -->
<button class="apg-close-suggested" aria-label="Dismiss suggestions">✕</button>How Suggested Threads Are Selected
APG vNext uses three methods to select related threads, applied in priority order:
- Manual curation: Moderators or admins can manually link specific threads as "related" via the thread moderation panel
- Tag matching: Threads sharing the most tags with the current thread are ranked highest
- Full-text similarity: SQL Server Full-Text Search finds threads with the most keyword overlap in their subject and content
Configuring Suggestion Algorithm
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedAlgorithm" value="TagAndFullText" />
<!-- Options: TagOnly, FullTextOnly, TagAndFullText, Manual -->
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedSameForum" value="false" />
<!-- false = suggest from all forums; true = only from the same forum -->Caching Suggested Threads for Performance
Full-text similarity queries for suggested threads can be expensive on large forums. APG vNext caches the suggested threads list per thread for a configurable duration, reducing database load:
<add key="APG.Threads.SuggestedCacheMinutes" value="60" />
<!-- Cache for 1 hour; suggestions update at most once per hour per thread -->Suggested Threads and Member Engagement
Suggested threads are one of the most effective tools for increasing page views per visit and reducing bounce rates from thread pages. When a member finishes reading a thread, the suggested threads widget gives them an immediate next step — another relevant discussion to explore — rather than leaving the site. Communities that enable well-tuned suggested threads report 15-25% more pages per session compared to those with the feature disabled. The key to effective suggestions is relevance: suggestions that are genuinely related to what the member just read generate engagement, while irrelevant suggestions are dismissed and damage credibility. Invest time in configuring the suggestion algorithm correctly for your content type, and review the suggestion quality periodically by sampling thread suggestions manually from the Admin Panel.
Moderating Suggested Thread Relevance
Periodically review the quality of suggested threads by spot-checking them on your most popular threads. If suggestions are consistently irrelevant (e.g., unrelated forum categories appearing), adjust the algorithm weights or switch to manual curation mode for high-traffic threads where suggestion quality matters most. Relevant suggestions build trust with members over time.
Related Resources
Looking for more help? Browse the support forum or check the Knowledge Base.