How to accept an answer in a comment?

I submitted a question and someone answered correctly in a comment to my question. (Someone else answered in an answer, but that answer was not as directly useful as the answer that was in the comment.) Is there a way to accept an answer which is a comment to the question? Or, can I flag the comment to have an editor turn it into an answer which I can then accept?

Answer 1

[Star Strider]

An editor could move the comment to an answer, but it would appear under the editor’s name. Your best option is to ask the person who wrote the comment to copy it to an answer. If you wanted to alert the person who commented to ask them to do that, you could email through the person’s profile.

[K E]

Sounds good, though lots of people specify not to send direct emails. In that case I would give up on accepting the answer, and add a comment saying that it worked and thanks.

[Star Strider]

I would add a comment saying that it worked and thanks, and mention that if it appears as an Answer, you will accept it. I doubt many people who leave contact information would object to a note saying the same thing.

(I wouldn’t object. I don’t display my email address in my Answers profile, but people find my email address through my File Exchange profile.)

Answer 2

[Adam]

I don't think you can accept a comment, but you can probably flag a comment for an editor. I think the answer you are referring to is one I gave, judging by your comment in response to my answer (in a comment) so I have added what I wrote as an Answer in your thread so that you can accept that if you wish.

[K E]

(Good guess and thanks for your help there!) I had not wanted to flag because it didn't seem to fall under unclear, inappropriate, or spam.

[Adam]

It's hard to know sometimes whether to put something in an answer or a comment.

I tend to only put something in an answer if I think it is a complete solution to what the question was asking. If I am just providing some (hopefully helpful) guidance that might help the asker of the question or someone else towards the correct solution I tend to add it in a comment. I guess sometimes though what I consider to not be an adequately complete answer is good enough!

[Sean de Wolski]

@Adam, if it could answer their question, make it an answer :) That way we can give you credit!

Answer 3

[Evan]

If you can't get them to re-submit it themselves, and if flagging doesn't work, I would just copy+paste it into an answer of your own, credit the author (maybe with a link to their comment) and accept the answer you posted.

It would be very handy if certain users could move comments to answers (and vice versa), split comments/questions/answers, etc. Perhaps those with 5000 reputation points? Or 2000, it's not like that would be any more dangerous than editing/deleting a comment.