I was wondering how can I split the sign up page, so first the user would input the required info (username, pass, and email) then he or she would go to the optional info page.

I think a lot of potential members don't register, because they think they have to fill all the fields.

What I did was remove all the options (basically from the options separator down) and then, when they activate their membership, instead of going to the main forum page, they are taken to their edit options page. ( You can test this at my board - http://board.tubescan.com/ )

You need to edit register.php, on line 514 - change it to this:
I also created a new function in functions.php to accomodate this, as I wanted it to sit on the redirection screen for longer than normal to let people know where they were going and what they were supposed to do there, instead of just dumping them in their profile. ;) But you could do this with the standard redirect as well (as I have shown above).

Thanks a lot man, I'll try this out!

Hmm what's on line 514?
I have:
:) and my guess is that this is not it

Thanks again for the help man

this is a really good idea, something i am definitely going to do. I think a new template though for the 2nd page might be worth making.

Good suggestion though.

chrispadfield
Please let us know of any improvements you make ;)

Here is my suggestion. On the first page just ask for a username, password, and email. This way people wont see all the other items and not bother registering.

They then get to the second page and finnish registering. This woulds help prevent the people whom are lazy and see all the fields and say ahh forget it lol..

This is basically what you said but I would propose putting all the other information on the second page and just making the first page have those basic things..

Just my 2c.

-Brian

Sorry Brian, but I don't understand how is that different from my suggestion :)

quote from my first post:
The optional info page would be another page ;)

And yes I agree a lot of lazy members would have registered if it wasn't for all the info on the first page.

Problem is that we have to make it so the optional info has a skip button, if the member does not wish to fill it out.


PS. I had no idea other people would also be interested in that hack, I thought I was gonna be flamed and yelled at, because it states optional on the optional fields :D

conan,

that is what i don't want - a skip button that is needed.

What some people i think do is just have a two page signup system where the first page just passes some hidden variables to the second page.

What i am going to try and do (once vb is stable probably and i have upgraded) is get the first page to register you and then the second page is a modification of user preferences/settings combined. If someone never pressed submit on the 2nd page you would still be registered - see what i mean? Of course the top of the page would have a big link to the forums so you could skip all the options and leave them at default.

Ya I guess most that otherstuff is "optional" so I guess it is the same idea lol

-Brian

I like your idea Chris and it's kinda what I had in mind.
I wanted members to be registered right after they are redirected to the second page.
And yes they could go directly to their profile settings as well, the problem with that is if your board requires email authentication.

Sorry...I don't know why I said line 514 (maybe that was beta 4?) Anyway it's line 485.