Idea for q2a v1.8: Close Question - if only URL, then automatically Duplicate

Question

We can spare the checkmark "is a duplicate ..." if we check the close-notice field if it contains only a URL.

If there is only a URL, then close as duplicate to another question.

If more text than "only URL", then notice.

This way it might be easier for users.

Comments

UPDATE: This has been implemented. Enjoy.

Answer 1

This is something I've been thinking about for a little while now. I think there are several improvements that can be made to the closing questions functionality, in particular using JS/AJAX for handling the dialogs (instead of new page loads as it is now).

Also suggesting a list of related questions when closing as a dupe would be useful, and perhaps custom close reasons.

So that should help solve the issues you bring up.

Comments

"suggesting a list of related questions when closing as a dupe would be useful"

Wow, did not think of this... but if it is too difficult, keep it simple by just putting in the URL or the question id.

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I have done the changes to close as duplicate if only URL or close with notice if non-URL. Only one input field. This of course forces users to specify the URL directly, which all of my users do regularly (instead of the question id, that most users don't even "see").

Here are the changes: https://github.com/q2a/question2answer/commit/cae34771ee7c95b34e303ed944f493a564de065f

Don't know if it comes together with my other pull request? Seems so: https://github.com/q2a/question2answer/pull/259