[XB] Thread Chapters: Stories, Series & Chapter Navigation 2.0.4

Organize related XenForo threads and posts into structured stories, series, chapters, volumes, parts, and sections with seamless reading navigation.

Thread Chapters connects existing forum content into an ordered reading experience without separating it from normal discussions. Authors can build multi-thread stories, serialized content, guides, documentation, roleplay narratives, or other connected thread series while readers navigate chapters, follow the appropriate parent story, and optionally track their reading progress.

Commissioned by @PrettyPixels

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Features:​

Chapter Organization​

• Thread Chapters: Link XenForo threads together as ordered chapters of a larger story, series, or collection.
• Chapter-to-Post Linking: Optionally link a chapter directly to a specific post when the chapter begins inside an existing thread.
• Custom Chapter Titles: Give each chapter its own title independently for each parent story.
• Custom Chapter Ordering: Arrange chapters in the exact reading order required for each story.
• Volumes, Parts & Sections: Organize long series using an optional three-level hierarchy of volumes, parts, and sections.
• Ungrouped Chapters: Keep chapters outside the hierarchy when additional organization is unnecessary.
• Chapter Management: Add, edit, remove, and reorder chapters from a dedicated management interface.

Shared Chapters & Multiple Stories​

• Shared Chapters: Link the same thread or post to multiple parent stories without duplicating the content.
• Independent Story Context: Configure a separate chapter title and display order for the same content in each parent story.
• Context-Aware Navigation: Preserve the selected parent story throughout chapter lists, breadcrumbs, and previous/next navigation.
• Multiple Parent Display: Show all accessible parent stories associated with a shared chapter.
• Parent Selection: When readers open shared content without an active story context, let them choose which parent story they want to continue reading.

Chapter Navigation​

• Chapter List: Display the complete story or series structure in a sidebar for quick chapter navigation.
• Chapter List Layouts: Choose a Book, Navigator, or Route presentation for each chapter-list widget instance.
• Previous Chapter: Move directly to the previous chapter in the current reading order.
• Next Chapter: Continue directly to the next chapter.
• Parent Thread Information: Display information about the current parent story in a dedicated sidebar widget.
• Story-Aware Breadcrumbs: Keep navigation aligned with the selected parent story while reading linked chapter threads.
• Structured Navigation: Previous and next navigation follows the displayed chapter order across volumes, parts, sections, and ungrouped chapters.

Reading Progress​

• Reading Progress: Let registered members track which chapters they have already read.
• Per-Story Progress: Maintain independent reading progress when the same chapter belongs to multiple parent stories.
• Continue Reading: Quickly continue with the next unread chapter.
• Read Chapter Indicators: Show completed chapters directly in the chapter navigation.
• Optional Progress Tracking: Enable reading progress globally and configure its available controls in the chapter list widget.

Chapter Forums​

• Dedicated Chapters Forum: Use a special forum node to organize chapter threads separately from normal forum listings.
• Cleaner Forum Structure: Keep large collections of chapter threads from cluttering the primary discussion forum.
• Parent Story Breadcrumbs: Present linked chapter breadcrumbs as though the chapter belongs alongside its parent thread for a more consistent reading experience.

Permissions & Limits​

• Chapter Permissions: Control which members can access and manage chapter functionality.
• Moderator Controls: Give authorized moderators additional control over chapter relationships.
• Chapter Limits: Configure how many chapters members can add to their own parent threads.

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Useful for:​

• Serialized Stories: Publish novels, fiction, fan fiction, and other stories across multiple connected threads.
• Roleplay Campaigns: Connect roleplay threads into chronological storylines, campaigns, arcs, and sessions.
• Documentation Series: Organize related documentation topics into a clear sequential reading order.
• Long-Form Guides: Split extensive guides into separate threads while maintaining continuous navigation.
• Article Series: Connect related articles or episodic content into structured series.
• Educational Content: Arrange lessons or learning discussions into ordered reading sequences.
• Large Content Collections: Use volumes, parts, and sections to organize extensive multi-thread projects without losing normal XenForo discussion functionality.

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FAQ:​

• Can one thread belong to multiple stories or series?
  Yes. The same thread or post can be linked to multiple parent threads with an independent chapter title and position in each story.
• Can a chapter link to a specific post instead of an entire thread?
  Yes. Chapter-to-post linking can be enabled when a chapter should begin at a particular post.
• Can a long story be divided into volumes or sections?
  Yes. Chapter lists can use volumes, parts, and sections as a three-level hierarchy. Chapters can also remain ungrouped.
• How does navigation work when a chapter belongs to multiple stories?
  The selected parent story is preserved for the chapter list, breadcrumbs, and previous/next navigation. If no story is selected, the reader can choose an accessible parent before continuing.
• Do chapter threads need to clutter the main forum?
  No. A dedicated Chapters forum can be used to organize chapter threads separately while presenting navigation in the context of the parent story.
• Can members track which chapters they have read? Yes. Optional reading progress lets registered members track completed chapters independently for each parent story and continue with the next unread chapter.
• Are chapters still normal XenForo threads?
  Yes. Thread Chapters connects existing forum content into a structured reading experience while retaining the underlying XenForo threads and discussions.

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Screenshots:​

Reading experience:​

Chapter management:​

Permissions and configuration:​