31
Forums and Polls Update
Dec 31, 2009 at 04:32 PM
in None
Forum Sections & Subforums
The forums structure has changed slightly, and is now as follows:
Forum Sections > Forums > Subforums (optional) > Threads > Posts
Forum Sections are dividers for your forums. They are also clickable now, allowing you to show sections of your forums on different pages if you like. Subforums are forums nested below another forum and inherit their parent forum's permissions.
Improved Forums Admin Page
The forums admin page has been updated to be much simpler and quicker to work with. Organization of your forum sections, forums and subforums are all done with drag-and-drop, and modifying or adding content is all done in place =)
Simplified Forum Permissions
Earlier in December we proposed some forum changes on our blog and requested some feedback, and proof that feedback makes everything better, we came up with a better solution based on the discussion =)
Forums now have a check box, "Allow threads within this forum to set additional view level permissions". If you check this, threads can have additional read/write permissions in that forum, if you don't, they just use the forums permissions.
By default this check box is unticked for new guilds to keep permissions simple. For existing guilds, we've parsed all existing forums, and if they have any threads with higher permissions then their forum they have the box checked, if not they don't (ie if you were using thread permissions in a forum they are still enabled there, if you weren't they are not)
Forum Post Previews
When creating a new forum thread or post there is now a preview button, allowing you to see how your post will look before saving it.
Forums & Polls Live Searching
Live search has been enabled for the forums and polls now, and should especially make finding content in your forums much easier.
From your top level forums page, you can click search to live search through all threads on your site. From within a forum you can live search through all threads belonging to that forum. And from within a thread you can live search through all posts belonging to that thread.
Forums & Polls Audit Logs
Audit logs have now been enabled for the forums and polls section of your site.
Forums & Polls In-place edit
In-place editing has been enabled for the forums and polls section now also.
That's all for 2009, but with lots more to come in 2010! Happy New Years everyone!
LOVE the update!
Yay Subforums!
I love it! I've been hoping for a Post Preview button for a while now - thanks! Also, not having different viewing permissions for each thread created will be great - I think it was just confusing to members who created a new thread and had no idea what to put for the permission levels.
Hey glad to see the preview option finally! Now if only there was a 'number of views' type option too. Since the update though our forums are all messed up. Every thread is showing up once for every post in the thread. So it's made our forums 12 pages or more long. You can't view all the topics in the forum in one organized format (instead it's now 12+pages with ech response as a 'topic'). This can't be intended I imagine.
Hi Cinner,
Aye not intended, slight typo can cause much havoc >_< fixed now though =)
hehe you guys rock at customer service!
=)
PREVIEWS! Oh Em Gee, I LOVE you guys!! With love!
I don't think i have ever seen a guildhost listen to it's subscribers as much as you guys do. If anyone else uses a guildhost other than you they are nuts. You guys are the best and I never mind forking over our $9 a month to you. You make us all feel appreciated and heard, thank you!
I'm missing being able to have the two "Latest Forum Threads" and "Hottest Forum Threads" that you could add at the bottom-center of your Forum page via the Home page layout. Now it just adds it at the bottom of the Home page without asking you what page you'd like it on. :(
Otherwise nice update!
Thanks for the nice update and an elegent solution to the permission problem - I must say we've been very happy with the service and support here, way beyond the usual level IMO.
Quick question about the update - all our forums and sections are reversed, with the top section now being the bottom (perhaps a key issue or something). Is this something you are looking at or shall I just edit it back to normal - it's no problem, but I don't want to change em all again if you are going to reverse them back anyway.
Makie,
We just sent out a pm to site owners for this; forums were previously sorted incorrectly which we fixed this update, but we forgot to parse the forums and change the order; so you can just go to the forums admin section and drag-and-drop to order them again now, sorry for that..
Stizzy,
The forums home page block being shown below the forums we felt was a little improper, and since you can have custom block layouts for your site now, you can add the two forum blocks as side blocks only on the forums page if you wish
Betinna,
Thanks that is very nice to hear =)
Much obliged, will do that. Thanks again.
8 Toes,
I'm aware that you're able to add them to the side, but it seems a little obtrusive compared to having it in the middle (for our site anyway). It seems weird that you would take this option away. The world don't move to the beat of just one drum. :P
Seems the little arrow that links to "Go to last read post" is broken again. It goes to the first post in the thread when seeking "view unread". The link seems to be correct when just going to the main folder and clicking on any arrow for subfolders.
Is there any chance you can widen the text input screen for adding new or replying to threads. It's very narrow.
Hi Brayce,
The width of the text input for the threads is up to you =) You can control this with your theme, if you make your theme wider it will give it more space (you can change your theme's width by clicking Load next to the theme you are using on the themes page and clicking on the Global Settings button and setting a new width.
Alternatively you can switch to a 1 or 2 column layout also, if you are using 3 columns, by deleting blocks in the Layout tab of your Site Admin
I hope that helps =)
Stizzy,
Aye we don't like to remove features but this was originally added because of the lack of different column layouts which are now available, and as we won't be allowing other sections to have home page blocks show below them we felt it was improper to keep this option
8 Toes,
This is a great update. Love the sub forums...gonna put them to use today. The searching is great as is the administration. Just keeps getting better and better.
One small complaint/gripe/wish/plead. I like the View unread feature a lot and have gotten used to using it. But Still would love to see a way to know if new posts existed (more easily) in the main forum view. Like a "new post" icon or changing the link color to a higher contrasting color or something.
But...yeah...these updates are great!
THis is superb but i'm stick on how to create this :(
I can create forum sections and then forums but unable to create sub-forums. Not even drag-n-drop will let me. All that does is move it eitehr above the forum or below it.
I want to create the following >> Crafting >> Professions >> Woodworker, metalsmith, jeweler etc.....
Hmmmm.... I may have figured it out all by myself .... me happy :D
This is a great change and I'm especially happy to get the subforums! TYTY