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Hiding the fact that a hidden forum exists... Options · View
ebown5
#1 Posted : Wednesday, April 02, 2008 2:50:23 AM

Rank: YAF Forumling


Joined: 2/6/2008
Posts: 8
On my board I have a forum that is designed to be seen just by the moderators. I have given the 'members' and 'guests' usergroups a 'no access' access mask and have the board set as hidden if there is no access.

Everything works well in that nobody can see the forum that isn't a mod or an admin. However, at the bottom of the main page the statistics says that there are 'x number of posts in x number of forums' and I had someone today ask me why the total number of forums is one more than the ones that he can see.

This means that the existence of my hidden forum is being exposed even if the contents of it are not.

How do I hide the fact that there is a mod forum at all? I have searched through all of the options and just can't find the answer.

Thanks
Jaben
#2 Posted : Wednesday, April 02, 2008 5:44:12 AM

Rank: YAF Head Dude



Joined: 10/10/2004
Posts: 3,050
Location: Honolulu, HI
You're the first one to mention this as a problem. I would just tell the noisy user that it's none of his business -- which it isn't.

Not sure why it's so "exposed" by a number count... I've run this forum for years and I have hidden forums -- not ONE user has ever questioned me about it.

Maybe the real question is: is this really a big deal?
"When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears”."

ebown5
#3 Posted : Wednesday, April 02, 2008 2:40:27 PM

Rank: YAF Forumling


Joined: 2/6/2008
Posts: 8
Jaben wrote:
You're the first one to mention this as a problem. I would just tell the noisy user that it's none of his business -- which it isn't.

Not sure why it's so "exposed" by a number count... I've run this forum for years and I have hidden forums -- not ONE user has ever questioned me about it.

Maybe the real question is: is this really a big deal?


The user wasn't complaining and it isn't a big deal. I was just asking you if it can be done.

I would prefer to not make it obvious to the users that I am hiding things from them, but if it can't be done then it can't be done.
runboy
#4 Posted : Wednesday, April 02, 2008 5:12:11 PM
Rank: Advanced Member




Joined: 3/13/2008
Posts: 35
BossHogg
#5 Posted : Wednesday, April 02, 2008 5:14:42 PM

Rank: YAF Forumling


Joined: 4/2/2008
Posts: 5
So I guess what's needed are two counts;

if user=admin then
show full count
else
show public count
Jaben
#6 Posted : Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:31:33 AM

Rank: YAF Head Dude



Joined: 10/10/2004
Posts: 3,050
Location: Honolulu, HI
I can add it to the suggestion list for v1.9.3 and above... it unfortunately won't get added to v1.9.1.x by me -- someone else is, of course, welcome to do it.
"When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears”."

bstrongspeaktru
#7 Posted : Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:30:25 PM

Rank: YAF Forumling


Joined: 10/14/2008
Posts: 4
ebown5 wrote:
On my board I have a forum that is designed to be seen just by the moderators. I have given the 'members' and 'guests' usergroups a 'no access' access mask and have the board set as hidden if there is no access.

Everything works well in that nobody can see the forum that isn't a mod or an admin. However, at the bottom of the main page the statistics says that there are 'x number of posts in x number of forums' and I had someone today ask me why the total number of forums is one more than the ones that he can see.

This means that the existence of my hidden forum is being exposed even if the contents of it are not.

How do I hide the fact that there is a mod forum at all? I have searched through all of the options and just can't find the answer.

Thanks


Not sure if you've fixed this, or even need it anymore, but here's the solution. I just modified it (Admin only) and it worked! Smile

http://forum.yetanotherf...0_Cant-Apply-Theme.aspx


ddscart
#8 Posted : Wednesday, October 15, 2008 9:50:33 PM
Rank: Member



Joined: 10/2/2008
Posts: 17
Location: Georgia
I made comment about this yesterday on another post.

http://forum.yetanotherf...959_Forum-Modding-.aspx

I have had one member ask why it said more forums then there are. I was able to give an answer that satisfied this time. (Hidden while in setup)

My site asks members to give money and time for free. Check out my site, I have 12 members. I would not even consider telling anyone of them that it is none of their concern.

Showing posts from those forums in “Active Discussions” is a settings and cache problem. I think a login problem on our part is to blame as well. When I log in as an unauthorized member I cannot see posts in “Active Discussions”, Google or anywhere else.

I think the forum count discrepancy is at worst a possible nuisance I don’t need.

Bstrongspeaktru has given a solution; unfortunately I don’t have the knowledge to understand what to do with it. I would love to know, even if by email. My add is in my signature.

I thank everyone here who is willing to give their time and efforts.
www.ddscart.orgddscart@ddscart.org
Disabled Dachshund Society of Georgia


test2005
#9 Posted : Thursday, October 16, 2008 12:20:10 AM

Rank: YAF MVP



Joined: 2/12/2005
Posts: 927
Location: Italy

A quick solution would be to subtract "x" from the count, add another "setting" to the admin section "number of hidden forums" (as "x"Wink, then recompile and deploy.

However, this is a great deal of work for the one or two users anal enough to count them! Small forums, simple enough, but large ones (like here), as Jaben says, I've never been asked.

It would be like the user counting all members, then comparing it to the main page count. Which will be 1 lower due to "Guest" not being counted!

Tell them you'll send them a bottle of white-out and a pencil. Correct there screens as needed! Razz
.....the man in black fled across the desert..........and the gunslinger followed.....

ddscart
#10 Posted : Thursday, October 16, 2008 2:58:38 PM
Rank: Member



Joined: 10/2/2008
Posts: 17
Location: Georgia
Bstrongspeaktru has given a solution above.

It worked!! Thanks for the help and I don't need any "White out"
www.ddscart.orgddscart@ddscart.org
Disabled Dachshund Society of Georgia


juanp2
#11 Posted : Saturday, October 18, 2008 7:32:44 AM
Rank: Member


Joined: 9/27/2008
Posts: 20
test2005 wrote:

However, this is a great deal of work for the one or two users anal enough to count them! Small forums, simple enough, but large ones (like here), as Jaben says, I've never been asked.



I don't want to offend you test2005 or the developers, but based on the above logic and others I've read in this thread, it is basically like concluding "Who cares if the number is correct?!" In that case just hard code a random number and be done with it.

If I saw a board that supposedly had 5,000 posts and looked to see only around 50, I'd personally think "maybe its a dead board" or "maybe not working" and move onto another. And people occasionaly do clear out their posts. Yah, I agree, its not a fatal issue, but still it is valid point.. it doesn't display correctly from the perspective of the end-user.

If a feature doesn't work within the context of the end-user, whats the point in writing the software in the first place? If the number is not correct from the perspective of the end-user whats the point in displaying it?

I think sometimes developers need to be reminded of this, because otherwise they get into a defensive 'I'm protecting my baby from critism" mode. Software is not an ego trip, it is about making useful solutions. End-users provide useful feedback and perspectives that developers would never think of. Useful feedback should be welcomed, nutured and appreciated or people stop offering it.

Enough said... getting off my soap box....
test2005
#12 Posted : Tuesday, October 21, 2008 11:17:09 AM

Rank: YAF MVP



Joined: 2/12/2005
Posts: 927
Location: Italy

Hey...soap boxing is fun! Not offense taken, I do agree, your point is very valid.

The solutions presented here should get you the results your after, but, at the end of the day the development team must prioritise what needs "looking at" and what can wait.

While this is a valid, justified, mildly irritating point, it can wait.

However......

You are more than welcome to delve into the source yourself, design, implement and test a solution and present your results here. Not only would it be greatly appreciated, it would reduce the items the development team needs addressing! Loads of poeple do exactly that!

Good Luck!

Smile
.....the man in black fled across the desert..........and the gunslinger followed.....

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