[XB] Thread Branching: Linked Discussions & Discussion Trees 1.0.0

Create linked XenForo discussion threads from existing posts without moving, copying, or disrupting the original conversation.

Thread Branching lets members start separate discussions from individual posts while preserving their connection to the source. Explore related topics through branch links, discussion trees, navigation history, and dedicated branch directories.

Keep complex conversations organized with configurable destinations, moderation tools, unread branch indicators, and notifications.

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Features:​

Create Linked Discussions​

• Branch Threads from Posts: Start a new discussion directly from any eligible published post using the Create branch action.
• Independent Discussion Threads: Each branch becomes a normal XenForo thread with its own replies, participants, moderation, and activity.
• Native Thread Editor: Create branches using XenForo's standard thread creation form with support for prefixes, custom fields, thread types, attachments, and tags.
• Source Post Preview: View the original post, author, date, and formatted content while composing a branch.
• Existing Branch Suggestions: Discover discussions already branched from the selected post before creating another, with pinned discussions shown first.
• Nested Thread Branching: Create additional branches from posts inside existing branch threads to build connected discussion structures.
• Destination Forum Controls: Allow branching into any permitted forum or restrict available destinations for each source forum.
• Default Branch Destination: Configure a preferred destination forum while respecting member permissions and available forums.

Branch Discovery & Navigation​

• Source & Branch Links: Display related branches beneath their source posts and show the original discussion above each branched thread.
• Thread List Indicators: Identify branched discussions in regular XenForo thread lists with a Branched from reference.
• Unread Branch Indicators: Highlight newly created branches with personal New labels and unread branch counters.
• Three Branch Layouts: Choose Compact, Thread Rows, or On Demand presentation styles.
• Expandable Branch Lists: Show a configurable number of branches initially and let readers reveal additional discussions.
• Origin History: Trace a branched discussion through its accessible source threads and posts.
• Branch Directory: Browse all direct branches of a thread through a dedicated paginated directory.
• Interactive Discussion Tree: Explore connected conversations through an expandable tree of parent, sibling, and descendant discussions.
• Current Thread Highlighting: Automatically expand and highlight the path leading to the current discussion.
• Progressive Tree Loading: Expand branches on demand with additional entries loaded as needed.
• Branch Search: Search related discussions by thread title.
• Advanced Branch Filters: Filter branches by destination forum, author, unread status, unanswered discussions, or closed threads.
• Branch Sorting: Sort linked discussions by creation date, latest activity, reply count, or title.
• Pinned Branches: Highlight important related discussions and display them separately from ordinary branches.
• Permission-Aware Navigation: Show branch links and discussion tree entries only when the visitor can access the relevant content.

Branch Management & Moderation​

• Manage Branch Links: Change the source post of a branched thread or detach it from its original discussion.
• Attach Existing Threads: Connect an existing published discussion to a source post without creating a new thread.
• Detach Branches: Remove a branch relationship while preserving the thread, its posts, and its own child branches.
• Disable New Branches: Temporarily prevent members from creating or attaching new branches to a selected thread.
• Resume Branching: Re-enable branch creation when additional discussions should be allowed.
• Inline Branch Moderation: Select multiple branches and apply supported management actions together.
• Bulk Pinning: Pin or unpin selected branch links.
• Bulk Source Changes: Change the source of multiple branches with preview and validation.
• Safe Branch Relationships: Prevent circular references, self-linking, and invalid source associations.
• Moderator Logging: Record branch attachment, detachment, source changes, pinning, and branching-state changes in XenForo's moderator log.
• Duplicate Submission Protection: Prevent repeated form submissions from creating duplicate branches or restoring previously detached links.

Notifications & Activity​

• Branch Creation Alerts: Notify the source post author when a new branch is published.
• Push Notifications: Support XenForo push notifications for new branches.
• Member Notification Preferences: Respect existing alert settings, push preferences, ignored members, and content permissions.
• Duplicate Notification Prevention: Avoid repeated notifications when branches are approved, moved, restored, or otherwise processed again.
• Personal New Branch Tracking: Use XenForo's native read markers to distinguish newly created branches from discussions with unread replies.
• Independent Read State: Reading a source discussion does not automatically mark its branches as read.

Widgets & Presentation​

• Active Branches Widget: Display recently active linked discussions anywhere XenForo widgets are supported.
• Latest Branch Activity: Order branches by their latest message, including newly created discussions without replies.
• Widget Layouts: Choose Standard or Simple display styles for main content areas and sidebars.
• Widget Configuration: Set entry limits, restrict destination forums, and optionally display source post links.
• Style Properties: Customize branch containers, headings, rows, compact links, source blocks, pinned indicators, and unread labels.
• Display Limits: Configure how many branches and editor suggestions appear before additional entries are revealed.
• Independent Origin Layout: Use a separate display style for the source information shown above branched threads.

XenForo Content Integration​

• Thread Moves & Merges: Preserve or update branch relationships when supported posts and threads are moved or merged.
• Content Visibility: Respect XenForo moderation states, deleted content, and forum permissions.
• Source Deletion Handling: Keep branched discussions intact when their original source is permanently deleted, removing only unavailable links.
• Native Thread Features: Continue using normal XenForo thread permissions, moderation, attachments, tags, prefixes, and content visibility rules.

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Permissions:​

• Create Thread Branches: Control which members can create new discussions from existing posts. Destination forum thread creation permissions also apply.
• Manage Thread Branch Links: Allow authorized members to attach existing threads, change branch sources, or detach links.
• View Thread Branches: Control access to dedicated branch directories and discussion trees.
• Pin Thread Branches: Allow members to highlight important branches in their source discussion.
• Manage Thread Branching: Control who can enable or disable new branch creation in individual threads.

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Requirements:​

• XenForo 2.3.0+
• [XB] Core Library 1.0.0+

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Useful for:​

• Focused Support Discussions: Move detailed follow-up questions into separate discussions while preserving links to their original context.
• Community Brainstorming: Explore competing ideas or proposals independently without fragmenting the overall discussion.
• Knowledge Sharing: Build connected explanations, tutorials, and reference discussions that readers can navigate.
• Long-Running Discussions: Organize evolving topics into related conversations instead of maintaining one increasingly difficult thread.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Separate individual problems, solutions, and investigations while keeping their relationships visible.
• Collaborative Planning: Create distinct discussions for tasks, decisions, or project areas while preserving the original planning conversation.

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FAQ:​

• Does creating a branch move or copy the source post?
  No. It creates a separate thread with a new first message written by its author. Existing posts and source attachments are not copied or moved, and replies do not become nested within a thread.
• How are destination restrictions applied?
  Select exact allowed forums in the source forum's admin settings. Subforums are not included automatically, and the source forum must be selected explicitly if it should remain a destination. Existing forums initially allow all destinations. Rules are checked when choosing a forum, opening the editor and saving; they do not affect existing links, moderator attachment or source changes, or native thread moves and merges.
• What happens when a default destination is unavailable?
  Choose an allowed default or Automatic. If the default is unavailable to a member, the chooser uses the source forum when allowed, otherwise the first available destination in node order. If none is available, the member cannot create a branch.
• Can a thread be detached while new branches are disabled?
  Yes. Disabling branching preserves existing discussions and links. Authorized members can still detach a link or change its source to an unrestricted thread. Moving a thread retains its branching state; merging uses the destination thread's state.
• What happens to origins when threads are merged?
  The destination keeps its existing origin. If it has none, the earliest eligible origin is retained. Additional origins are discarded because a thread has one source, and links that would create a cycle are detached.

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Screenshots:​

Branches beneath source posts​

Source link in a branched thread​

Create a branch​

Attach an existing thread​

New branches disabled​

Branch directory​

Discussion tree​

Thread tools​

Thread list source links​

Source-author alert​

Forum destination settings​

Style properties​

Forum permissions​