Subcategories and disable "Subforums:" listing

[Hyb]

Hey, I wonder if its possible to suggest a new feature to be included in a future release of IPB that would make my use of the software and layout of my forum so much user friendly.

I myself have a pretty large community and I wish to reorganise it so that a member can click, for example, "Forum 1" and it will take them to that forum but that forum will look like a index forum with a new "subcategories" feature.

Vbulletin has this feature, yet i dislike vbulletin for its terrible admin control panel, however if i may use an example to show what i mean, i guess it would help you to understand if i sound like i'm speaking crap (sorry but lucasforum is the best example for this :P): http://lucasforums.com/ Now if you click the "StarWarsKnights.Com" link it will take you too: http://lucasforums.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=321 Which looks like a forum index with constructed sub-categories and forums underneath them. That would be a lovely feature to have as it would help construct forums more professionally into sections. I have tried many ways to ensure IPB doesn't have this feature already built in, but found none whatsoever, so i guessed it would be a nice feature to suggest. (Sorry for the use of lucasforum and vbulletin as an example, don't sue me, lol :P )

Another feature that would go "hand-in-hand" with this feature is the ability to turn off the Subforums: List on specific forums. I myself have many forums so i get this huge Subforum: list on many forums. If there was a tickbox in the forum settings to say something like "Show subforums under forum description" and the ability to turn it on and off that would be incredibly useful.

And if IPB does already have these features is it possible someone would be kind enough to explain how i'd use/do them?

Cheers

[RedEnzian]

IPB has this feature already, you can set a forum act like an category (no posts and topics possible).

It looks like http://forums.invisionpower.com/index.php?showforum=228 <-- This here (i hope you can see it without being a customer).

[Hyb]

No, sorry you misunderstood heh. I mean like an actual index category and the forum is listed underneath the category like on the index of the forum. So its like:

Forum 1 on index (click this and it takes you to below)

Forum2
-Forum3
-Forum4
Forum5
-Forum6

Blah blah, etc.

[Quillz]

As far as I know from testing out the software, IPB does not have the "sub-category" view that vBulletin does. I agree that it's a very nice feature, in addition to sub-forums, and I personally would love to see it included in 2.1. However, you can manually remove the Subforums: text, though you'd have to edit some PHP files.

[Hyb]

I know you can manually do it but say i wish some forums to show the "subforum:" and others (with huge lists) to not, it would be a nice choice rather than removing them all.

As for subcategories i believe it would be great if you guys could add/enable them for a future release :P

[Quillz]

I know you can manually do it but say i wish some forums to show the "subforum:" and others (with huge lists) to not, it would be a nice choice rather than removing them all.

As for subcategories i believe it would be great if you guys could add/enable them for a future release :P

I'm sure if there is enough demand, it will be added. In the meantime, check Invisionize or any other resource site to see if a mod has already been made. If not, you could probably request one.

[Falling Down]

so basicly this: http://forums.invisionpower.com/index.php?...opic=172677&hl=

[Hyb]

I'm sure if there is enough demand, it will be added. In the meantime, check Invisionize or any other resource site to see if a mod has already been made. If not, you could probably request one.

Yeah i've checked around, can't find anything though. But hopefully there will be enough demand, i mean it gives more flexibility to the system, i think its silly not having it as Vbull has it, i expect phpbb will have it shortly, but i hope its added eventually. :)

so basicly this:

http://forums.invisionpower.com/index.php?...opic=172677&hl=

Sort of but i'd rather it be an admin option rather than a user option.

I'll keep watching invisionize and other modding places, hopefully someone will make a hack or mod.

[Falling Down]

why do it a admin's setting? it's better to have a user setting so everyone can decide what they prefer...

[Hyb]

Yeah sure, whatever way would do, as long as its an option i guess.

[Falling Down]

or even better: each user can decide which subforums he wants to see on the index, and which he wan't to keep as "real" subforums.

[Hyb]

or even better: each user can decide which subforums he wants to see on the index, and which he wan't to keep as "real" subforums.

That adds too many options, but as you stated above, that is the entire reason why i wanted it as an admin option, so it could be set which are sub categories and which are sub forums.

[Falling Down]

why to many options - wouldn't be to difficult to make... and it would make things so much better for the user if he can set which forums he wants to see on tthe boardindex and wich he doesnt.

[Hyb]

Its not just about the forum index, its subforums too that i believe this should be enabled for, so typically you have "subcommunities" all under one username.

[Falling Down]

that's what I'm saying???

I ment for xample you have it like this:

-Category A
--Forum 1
--Forum 2
---Forum 2.1 (subforum)
---Forum 2.2 (subforum)
--Forum 3
--Forum 4
--- Forum 4.1 (subforum)
--- Forum 4.2 (subforum)
---- Forum 4.2.1 (subsubforum)
--Forum 5

And I has a user want to see the subforums of forum 4 (including OR excluding the subsubforums) on the boardindex and Forum 2 i wan't to keep normal, so "hide" the subforums.

[Hyb]

I was stating giving the user those options means they have to load the whole forum and save extra settings for each users customized forum which is too much for a profile imo. I believe subcategories would be more effective as an admin option.

[Falling Down]

no, why would it be to much?

There could be a listing of all Forums in UCP (as u have it in lo-fi verion) and with a box next to it which you can tick or untick.
Of course the mainforums are to be set as default and unchangeable.

[Hyb]

Whatever, fair enough. Just so long a feature that allows subcategories is implented then myself and many others that sue the forum software will be happy.

[Snort_2005]

I would like this myself.. and I remember in 1.3.1 that there was a way to create a category that seemed invisible to the forum index, but still can be accessed if you had the URL to that category.. Is there such a thing in 2.0 and 2.1?

[Hyb]

Not anything i've found so it would be a nice feature to include.

[Quillz]

I would like this myself.. and I remember in 1.3.1 that there was a way to create a category that seemed invisible to the forum index, but still can be accessed if you had the URL to that category.. Is there such a thing in 2.0 and 2.1?

Yes, you can do that in 2.x and 2.1. When creating a forum, you can choose to make it hidden, meaning it can only be accessed if the showforum=x is known. Of course, it will still be subject to permissions masks, etc.

[Snort_2005]

Yes, you can do that in 2.[i]x[/i] and 2.1. When creating a forum, you can choose to make it hidden, meaning it can only be accessed if the [i]showforum=[b]x[/b][/i] is known. Of course, it will still be subject to permissions masks, etc.

Care to explain in detail? :)

[Quillz]

Care to explain in detail? :)

Oh, crap. I got this confused with ProBoards, of all things :unsure: Nope, I can't find this feature in IPB. Shame, it's really useful, and should have been put into 2.1. The only thing I can think of is making "pseudo" hidden forums. For example, you could make a permissions mask that contains no groups, and only allow that group to see a forum. (While you can deny a group from seeing a forum, you can still allow the group to post on it, etc.) By doing that, no groups, in effect, can see the forum unless the URL is known, but can still post on it.

[Snort_2005]

[i]Oh, crap. I got this confused with ProBoards, of all things :unsure: Nope, I can't find this feature in IPB. Shame, it's really useful, and should have been put into 2.1.[/i] The only thing I can think of is making "pseudo" hidden forums. For example, you could make a permissions mask that contains no groups, and only allow that group to see a forum. (While you can deny a group from seeing a forum, you can still allow the group to post on it, etc.) By doing that, no groups, in effect, can see the forum unless the URL is known, but can still post on it.

But wouldn't this make it so that the users can't view the topic listing? O_o

[Quillz]

But wouldn't this make it so that the users can't view the topic listing? O_o

I don't think so. Sure, they can't see the forum, but like I said before, you can deny show forum access but allow for everything else, including posting. Obviously, since this isn't really the best way of doing it, I wouldn't recommend it myself, but you could at least try it and see how it works out.
Of course, the best thing to do is make a suggestion that this should be a default feature, anyway:)