12

I'm a bit confused about this procedure.

I mean: I know that sometimes one solves the question in the comments, and the comment itself is something that need not be transformed in an answer.

I also understand that seeing an unsolved answer (when it's already solved by comment) may attract some weird and unnecessary answers.

But if the practice is to close those questions, why there is not a specific flag to do so? I.e. "flag->should be closed...->solved by comment". I think it would be best, also for referencing (one has the same problem, searches and finds the yellow band saying that the answer is solved in the comments).

12
  • 6
    IMHO questions “solved in comments” shouldn't be closed at all. If the solution really is there already why not post an answer?
    – cgnieder
    Apr 15, 2017 at 9:42
  • 6
    Not all questions are worth an answer or to be preserved, but nevertheless should be solved. Just think of the syntactic errors, like missing braces, where the solution will help no one else. Or sometimes the OP reports him/herself to have solved the problem, somehow. What's wrong is to give as reason "because solved in comments". I fully agree that this is no reason. Instead it should be something like "syntactic error" or "unclear". Or, as Clemens points out, there should be a real answer, if there is any chance that someone else with the same problem will stumble across the post.
    – gernot
    Apr 15, 2017 at 10:06
  • 1
    there was once a distinct reason for closing -- "too localized, won't help anyone else" (or something very like that). it was removed site-wide, and at the time, there were heavy complaints from this group. but the powers didn't give in. (see tex.meta.stackexchange.com/q/3739 .) i still miss it.
    – barbara beeton
    Apr 15, 2017 at 12:27
  • 5
    @gernot Typos and the like are 'off topic' (by convention)
    – Joseph Wright Mod
    Apr 15, 2017 at 13:07
  • 2
    [This question](ttps://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/364182/how-to-stop-the-page-counter-from-resetting-when-using-chapterbib) can probably never be answered. Altough it is. The OP wrote a confusing self-answer (now deleted) based on a comment. But the whole question is unclear. Not off-topic because it was solved in the comments. It is on-topic and unclear.
    – Johannes_B
    Apr 16, 2017 at 6:48
  • @Johannes: You mean this one? This question
    – user31729
    Apr 16, 2017 at 8:49
  • 1
    @ChristianHupfer Yes. There is an h missing at the begin of my link. Sorry for the inconvenience.
    – Johannes_B
    Apr 16, 2017 at 8:55
  • 1
    What I mean is that, regardless why the comments solved the question, it would be nice, when one comes up with the question, to read solved by comments then he can see there what went wrong
    – Moriambar
    Apr 16, 2017 at 9:37
  • Well, the solved by comments statement is very much opposed as can be seen here, regarding some comments leading me to think that I am an bad a.. ;-)
    – user31729
    Apr 16, 2017 at 10:19
  • @Johannes_B solved for the OP doesn't necessarily mean solved for the community. IMHO the answer you linked should be closed as unclear…
    – cgnieder
    Apr 16, 2017 at 10:56
  • @clemens The answer was deleted, the question remains unclear. It will most likely be closed at one point.
    – Johannes_B
    Apr 16, 2017 at 17:53
  • 7
    Closed Questions that are unanswered and have a low view count are swiped by a bot. Any solutions in comments are lost to the public. That is why i am not a friend of closed as solved in comments.
    – Johannes_B
    Apr 16, 2017 at 17:54

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10

Ask the comment owner, wait for a few days then post an answer if this really bothers you.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .