Creating a new thread by cutting an existing thread

This community thread discusses the feature or improvement: Creating a new thread by cutting an existing thread.

Feature Details

Hi,Is there a possibility for forum users to cut a thread and start a new one with a new name from one message? Often, new topics arise in one thread and the...

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Creating a New Thread by Splitting an Existing Thread in APG vNext

Thread splitting (sometimes called "cutting" or "forking") lets moderators extract one or more posts from an existing thread and create a new independent thread from them. This keeps discussions focused and prevents long threads from mixing multiple unrelated topics.

How to Split a Thread

1. Navigate to the thread containing posts you want to move
2. Check the checkbox next to each post to move (moderator interface only)
3. In the moderator action dropdown, select "Move Selected Posts to New Thread"
4. Enter the new thread title and choose the destination forum
5. Click Confirm - the selected posts are moved and a link is added to both the original and new thread

Moving Posts to an Existing Thread

You can also merge selected posts into an already existing thread instead of creating a new one:

1. Select the posts to move
2. Choose "Move Selected Posts to Existing Thread"
3. Enter the target thread URL or ID
4. Confirm - posts are appended to the target thread in chronological order

-- Direct SQL thread split (for bulk operations):
INSERT INTO apg_Posts (ThreadID, AuthorID, PostContent, PostDate, PostOrder)
SELECT @NewThreadID, AuthorID, PostContent, PostDate, ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY PostDate)
FROM   apg_Posts
WHERE  ThreadID = @OriginalThreadID
  AND  PostID IN (@PostID1, @PostID2, @PostID3);

DELETE FROM apg_Posts
WHERE  ThreadID = @OriginalThreadID
  AND  PostID IN (@PostID1, @PostID2, @PostID3);

Related Resources

• Moderation System Changes in 4.0
• Permanent Post Delete
• Knowledge Base

Splitting an Existing Thread into a New Thread in APG vNext

APG vNext allows moderators to split a long thread by "cutting" a portion of it — selecting posts from a specific point onwards and moving them into a new thread. This is useful when a thread goes off-topic and the off-topic discussion becomes valuable enough to stand alone, or when a reply introduces a new problem that deserves its own focused thread.

How to Split a Thread

1. Navigate to the thread containing the posts to split
2. Click the moderator action button on the post where the new thread should start
3. Select "Split Thread from here" (available to moderators and admins)
4. Enter the new thread title
5. Choose the destination forum (can stay in the same forum or move to a different one)
6. Confirm — all selected posts are moved to the new thread, preserving timestamps and authors

Splitting Selected Posts Only (Cherry-Pick)

Instead of splitting from a specific post onwards, you can cherry-pick individual posts to move:

Admin Panel → Forums → [Forum] → Thread Management → [Thread Name]
→ Select individual posts via checkboxes → Move Selected Posts to New Thread

Thread Split SQL Reference

-- View the new thread after a split (verify posts moved correctly):
SELECT t.ThreadID, t.Subject, t.CreatedDate,
       COUNT(p.PostID) AS PostCount,
       MIN(p.PostDate) AS FirstPostDate,
       MAX(p.PostDate) AS LastPostDate
FROM   apg_Threads t
JOIN   apg_Posts p ON p.ThreadID = t.ThreadID
WHERE  t.ParentThreadID = @OriginalThreadID  -- Split threads track their parent
GROUP  BY t.ThreadID, t.Subject, t.CreatedDate;

Notifying Members of Thread Splits

When a thread is split, APG vNext optionally adds a system notice to the original thread pointing to the new thread, and to the new thread linking back to the original. This helps members who were following the original thread to find the split content:

<add key="APG.Moderation.SplitThread.AddNotice"    value="true" />
<add key="APG.Moderation.SplitThread.NotifyWatchers" value="true" />
<!-- Send email to members watching the original thread -->

SEO Impact of Thread Splits

Thread splits create a new URL for the split content. If the original thread was already indexed by search engines, add a canonical tag or 301 redirect from the old thread to the new split thread if the bulk of the content moved to the new URL. For partial splits where significant content remains in both threads, use rel=canonical pointing to the thread with the primary content.

Community Guidelines for Thread Splitting

Establish clear community guidelines for when moderators should split threads, and make these guidelines visible to members so they understand why their discussion was reorganised. Unexpected thread splits without explanation can confuse members who are following a conversation. A brief moderator note in both the original and new thread explaining the split ("This topic evolved into a separate discussion, which has been moved to its own thread") maintains transparency and reduces member frustration. Consistently applied thread management practices create a more organised forum that is easier to navigate for both long-time members and newcomers discovering the community through search.

Related Resources

• Suggested Threads Configuration
• Moderation System
• Knowledge Base

Looking for more help? Browse the support forum or check the Knowledge Base.