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I edited my question because it was closed. The side effect is that the answer I received becomes a "good workaround" instead of "good answer". Please let me know if this prevents the question from reopening and in any case please give me another chance before you delete it.

Scenario:

  1. I have a problem and a web search suggests it's a very common problem. I found lots of "promising" questions (in this specific case, this with score 39 on one SE site and that with score 53 on another with a lot of overlap).
  2. I have started going through the answers, but the issue is intermittent.
  3. I quickly find that I can no longer remember what I've already tried.

Question:

Let's create a clever method to track the answers I've already tried.

Note:

Sure, I could keep a list in a spreadsheet, but that would probably be just as useful as a chalkboard, or printing out all the answers for storage in a drawer.

Speculation/wish list:

Below is the suggested behavior of the UI that would answer my question. Note that I am proposing a single feature designed to solve a single problem. I am not proposing multiple features here.

I'm hoping for an interface where I can do (some of) the following:

  • create a "project" for each issue I'm troubleshooting,
  • pin some questions,
  • go through the answers, maybe one question at a time, maybe in the order of answer score across all the questions I pinned.
  • tick off the answers I tried.

I think it would need to be part of the Stack Exchange ecosystem, because it would probably need to understand the logic of answer score etc.

I just started a job where I'm using Jira for the first time - I'm a total noob at it, but it seems like it could do what I'm after to some extent.

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  • 2
    Related: Is there any way I can mark answers/comments as read, so when I revisit a question later I can go straight to the new stuff?
    – bad_coder
    Oct 24, 2021 at 2:19
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    The closest functionality available is following answer. It's commonly said you can also keep your own bookmarks in your browser, and there's probably a userscript somewhere on stackapps.com . However, in this case I'm voting to close this question as lacking focus, because the wish-list has too many items.
    – bad_coder
    Oct 24, 2021 at 2:42
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    @pateksan FYI, there have previously been somewhat similar requests here before, in particular to create folders within the bookmarks tab, e.g., Better bookmarks (formerly called favorites) organisation, Manage my favorite with custom folders or custom tags and Introducing the possibility of creating folders in favorites section, with the latter post containing links to several other related posts.
    – John Omielan
    Oct 24, 2021 at 2:58
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    It would be helpful to restrict this to either asking "How can I do X?" or "Please implement this feature, my ideal way of doing X". Answers to those questions may be different.
    – bobble
    Oct 24, 2021 at 4:36
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    @bad_coder maybe I explained it badly. I would argue that I am requesting a single "feature" (I called it an interface) and the "items" with bullet points are just parts of that "feature". I did use the word "some" but that's not because I am requesting several features; it's because I might get by with a solution that doesn't have all four. I hope you see what I mean.
    – pateksan
    Oct 24, 2021 at 12:04
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    @JohnOmielan with the latter post containing links to several other related posts - and how am I going to keep track of those other related posts? Hope you can see the irony, it seems a bit of a recursive (or "chicken and egg") question then :-)
    – pateksan
    Oct 24, 2021 at 12:08
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    @bobble I would need to think about this. Are you saying "Answers to those questions may be different between each other"? In that case I think that's ok, because answers to either question would probably be of interest to me. Or are you saying "Answers to either of those questions may be different when compared with answers to this question"? I guess they are slightly different cases.
    – pateksan
    Oct 24, 2021 at 12:12
  • @pateksan the former, and the reason it's a problem is not that you'd be interested in one - I'm sure you're interested in both - but that we require all questions to be a single focused question.
    – bobble
    Oct 24, 2021 at 14:14
  • I like this idea(and want it) - But I see this is going to get buried with one or two answers(example) - a bounty might help....
    – NotStanding with GoGotaHome
    Oct 25, 2021 at 5:13
  • @VScode_fanboy I can't currently afford a bounty and the workaround offered by Timur Shtatland is exactly what I wanted. I tried editing my question to get it reopened but it was still rejected. I saved a copy of the answer and gave up on the question. I disagree with questions getting closed so easily, of course there needs to be a line somewhere but I think that line is too tight atm.
    – pateksan
    Nov 13, 2021 at 9:50

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Bookmark each question (see Note). Vote up on the answer if the solution works and down if it does not. Do not vote on the answer before you try. This way you can keep track of what you tried and what worked.

Note: To bookmark, click on the [banner with star] icon under the vote buttons. If you are using the (discontinued) SE app, click on the [star] icon to add to favorites. It is located under the question, to the left of [Edit] icon.

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    Great answer, unfortunately the community have closed my question because they have some standards I disagree with. I had one go at editing it but they still rejected it. I don't mind, I saved a copy of your answer in pdf and they can close it if they want to. However, closed questions are often deleted, under some rules which seem even more unfriendly. If it gets deleted you will probably lose your score, so please feel free to edit my question to match your answer if you want to save your answer credit. Thanks once again.
    – pateksan
    Nov 13, 2021 at 9:44
  • @pateksan No worries, this happens! (Happened to me a few times, actually...) I was happy to help you and other readers, and your kind words are my best reward - with or without points. Hope the post is reopened and at least is not deleted! Good luck with your future posts.
    – Timur Shtatland
    Nov 13, 2021 at 15:09
  • @pateksan I tried to improve your question, which frankly was good as is. I tried to make it even more focused. Looking forward to the community review and reopening, and hope that you will get your feature implemented!
    – Timur Shtatland
    Nov 13, 2021 at 15:32
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    The question has been reopened after your edit - well done!
    – pateksan
    Nov 15, 2021 at 18:14

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