Member SubGroups

[Wolfie]

Prenote: Not requesting this for v2.1.x, as this would require a bit more than a couple of extra lines of code. This is more for v2.2.x or v3.0.x
Ok trying to keep it simple.

Yes I know that you can hide member groups, override permissions, use the secondary member groups (at least starting with v2.1), however this could be overly useful:

Figure 1:

• Members
  • Newbie
  • Novice
  • Regular
  • Experienced
  • Windbag
    
  • General
  • Technical
  • Support
  • Entertainment
  • Public Relations
    
    
  Ok looking at figure 1... Let's say that I have Abe in SubGroup Novice, Ben in Windbag, Charlie in Support and David in General.

[*]Forum Moderators(etc)

In that case, for member group listings, Abe and Ben would show up as "Members", while Charlie and David would show up as "Forum Moderators", even though all 4 would be in different subgroups.

It'd follow the same idea as forums/subforums, in that there'd be the same options and such, however, when doing a member listing (or a member search (w00t)) then you could list all people that fall into a certain group, which would list all the people from that group and it's subgroups.

On here, for example, there could be a group called "IPS Staff", in there, "Moderators", "Developers", "Administrators", "Programmers", "Public Relations", etc. However, it would show up as 1 group.

For forums that make use of a paid system, they could make a group called "Paid Members", with subgroups for each available plan.

Would make it a bit nicer instead of how some boards have to rely on having 2 or more groups with the same name.


Either that, or changing the way the promotion system works.

Like when a member has reached(or exceeded) a certain number of posts...

PRIMARY GROUP:
(no change) -or- pick from list to move the member to

SECONDARY GROUP:
Action: No change, Add selected groups, Rem selected groups, Set to selected groups
(then a list of groups to add/rem/set to)

Something new for the promotion system overall. Like perhaps the option of having several changes take place. Like instead of a promotion, call on a "Custom promotion command", where the command could perform functions like adding secondary groups, removing groups, adding/removing permission masks, enabling(disabling?) the PM system, etc.

[Why Two Kay]

Makes sense to me, its sort of a combined "Secondary Group" feature, but with additive/subtractive features, like a new group. :D

[Wolfie]

Exactly.

Most useful for doing forum moderators..
Instead of having multiple groups, have 1 group (which in itself would be an actual group), then subgroups. The subgroup settings would be the persons primary group and so would use those settings.

The drawback to secondary settings (and I realized it with what you said) is that it adds permissions/functions/abilities. But this would let you group someone while having more control of their abilities. Obviously though, you could still add on secondary groups (and subgroups?) to give them more abilities.

[Toper]

and on option in the ACp to choose if you want to show the root groups or the sub groups :thumbsup:

[Dlf]

I think i'd probley need a piciture; either that or my brain it just tierd from reading about 2-4 chapters of a book.

[brunoXP]

I understood what you meant, Wolfie.

If it really exists it would be a very good feature for IPB groups organization. :)

[Wolfie]

I think i'd probley need a piciture; either that or my brain it just tierd from reading about 2-4 chapters of a book.

Ok hmmm..

Think of how skins are arranged.

|-- Root skin (name is Adam)
| |-- Child skin #1
| |-- Child skin #2
|
|-- Root Skin (name is Barth)
| |-- Child skin

(etc)

Same concept, except Member groups. That way when you go to view the different members for a group, instead of having 20 friggin groups :lol: you could end up have 3 or 4. (As an example)

|-- Root group: Members
| |-- Newbies
| |-- Regulars
| |-- Experienced
| |-- Seniors
|
|-- Root group: Subscribers/Paid
| |-- Basic
| |-- Extended
| |-- Premium
|
|-- Root group: Moderators
| |-- General
| |-- Support
| |-- Advice
| |-- Misc
|
|-- Root group: Staff
| |-- SuperMods
| |-- Admins
| |-- Root Admins

Instead of 18 groups (as an example), you have 4 groups.

Per member group, it could either be a root group, or a child group (child of a root, I doubt there'd be a need for doing sub-sub-groups). Obviously, other things would remind the same, like wether the group itself can be listed (so you could prevent sub-group searches, for example), and if the root group can't be searched (ie isn't shown) then the subgroups can't be either. So you could have a group for "Members", have 10 subgroups (a bit much but oh well), and when searching the members, be able to see everyone instead of searching 10 different groups.

I'd say that it should be optional if the members true group is shown or not (ie, "Members" -vs- "Newbies/Regular/etc"), so the subgroup names could mean something to the members and all, but would make it nice for organization and such.

There are other advantages, but that's the main one that I'm focused on, and I hope that I explained it slightly different (in addition to the lame graph/picture I made).. Does that help? :D