Where to ask basic question re: restricting subforum access
 

Hi people + thank you for the forum,

If this isn't the right sub-forum for this query can a mod move it please, our 1st post so go easy :D

Basic question: how do we learn how to restrict member access to a certain sub-forum (which is actually the sales forum) on our little site?

It used to be pretty easy when we were on phpBB and we still have access to the old forum so we can see the 80 odd members who should have access enabled.

We want to restrict access to members with 30 days membership + 25 posts.

Running vBulletin? Version 5.4.2

Thank you in advance.

Is v5.x.x widely used? I thought it wasn't?

Thanks Alice,

We only assume the forum runs Version 5.4.2

Thats what it says bottom right of the public forum main page (Pic 1) + top left of the Admin CP main page (Pic 2)

What vBulletin Version should we be running... we only moved to vBulletin earlier this year in an attempt to upgrade to a newer more user-friendly & versatile platform.

We have a 'Testing - MODs ONLY' section that is only visible/accessible if you are logged in as one of the 6 Moderators, but we can't quite see how this was created exactly, and how the Mods access was enabled.

Hopefully, we don't have to manually add a user each time, hopefully it can be automated, at least in part.

Again apologies for being a complete noobie.

I can't really tell you what to run, but I will say from my own experience since first starting vBulletin with the early v2.0.x software...

I use 3.8.11 on my role-play, its works for us, as v4 is much more like... social networking type stuff, which is not what I needed. And v5? yeah... not going there, just saying.

Hope this helps. :)

Thanks again for you help Alice,

As you know, we are trying to restrict access to the marketplace on our very humble forum, that is all.

Alice, can you help with that?

@Alice: Your blabla isn't answering his question!

@celux: There are Usergroup- and channel-permissions you could ristrict the channels to specific usergroups.

If you gave a usergroup the permission (/admincp/usergroup.php?do=modify&) to see the content and a user is part of that group he will have access. If not he can't see the channel.

Is that what you are lokking for?

http://vb5support.com/introduction
https://www.vbulletin.com/en/learn-more/

There are several steps involved.

1) You need to create a usergroup which you intend to have permission to view the specific sub-forum in question.

2) You need to create a promotion to move users who meet your criteria (30 days registered and 25 posts) into that new usergroup.

3) You need to restrict access to that specific channel by channel permissions (if so desired) in the case or event that there are usergroups you want to see that channel regardless of having met the criteria. Typically this would be moderators.

If you need more specific help the better place to ask is on vBulletin.com although I do check this forum frequently and will be more than happy to assist you further.

And, yes, it would be helpful if people would not derail questions by posting irrelevant replies or comments.

The op asked a question
"What vBulletin Version should we be running... we only moved to vBulletin earlier this year in an attempt to upgrade to a newer more user-friendly & versatile platform."
Alice answered.. and did it in a respectful way considering the general dislike of vb5 and you guys bashed her? why

You are correct that the original question was in regards to the usergroups and permissions but no need to dig at the reply. It's not like this place is overly crowded anymore..lol

take a chill pill :o

To the OP, you may want to bookmark the vbulletin doc, this section will take care of your request. :up:

https://www.vbulletin.com/docs/html/vb5_admincp

You've been dong this long enough to know that off-topic replies bury the original question which makes it harder to find and causes it to take longer to get an answer. It's not as though it's personal. As you pointed out it's not like this site is setting activity records these days. I check it a lot less frequently than I once did, as do many people. With that in mind when I do check it I like to try to help people if possible which is easier if their questions are not buried.

Hello. If you have something to say about the way I talk... then send me a PM, all you accomplish by "bashing" me in public is that you are completely intolerant of others that also are trying to help others. You say you want to help people, and yet, your response, kinda proves the opposite. You want to be friendly to people here, here's a thought, actually be friendly. If not, then you can expected people to treat you like shit in return, pure and simple.

To everyone else, you have my deepest apology for the nonsense that this turned into. I will have to determine whether this is an example of what this community has become, and that will determine whether or not I remain active here.

TL/DR - If your going to be an ass, at least, have the common decency to be mature enough to take responsibility and apologize.

Bye,

I hope the answers helped celux?

@Alice: I don't think I have something to apologies for... Iam not the person start post nonsense. You should try vB5 again before complaining loud about it even though in first post the op write he is using vB5 . But anyway... Main thing is the question is answered and the op could handle the problem?!

Complaining loudly?! LOL I didn't realize that saying, "v5? Not going there" was complaining loudly. Besides, I was talking to him, not you. Quit being rude!

Hi Team,

Thank you, celux has been laid up, i.e. out of action for the last week, unable to action anything.

Finally celux is home again, and about to read all the thread, and thank you for these posts, we'll read the suggestions shortly and try see if we can set something up.

Here's an example, HippyKill with 17 Posts has just posted in the Market Place, but unfortunately most likely a Moderator will soon come along & delete poor old HippyKill's post (I will save the content now however).. he shouldn't have access to post in this forum unless he's been a 30 Day Member + 25 Posts (this was easy to set up in phpBB, hell, even I could handle it).

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/forum/m...nd-date-orange

In vB5 it seems a bit more involved, we'll see..

Will report back later today.

Thanks heaps Team :up:

10/10
=====

(Currently 1400hrs @ GMT+12 in Auckland, New Zealand)

--------------- Added [DATE]1532667030[/DATE] at [TIME]1532667030[/TIME] ---------------

When we shifted from phpBB ---> vB5 this was the Membership of the Market Place... there will be a few more who qualify now but this will be most.

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...6&d=1532666907

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...0&d=1532666908

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...8&d=1532666908

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...9&d=1532666908

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...7&d=1532666907

--------------- Added [DATE]1532667400[/DATE] at [TIME]1532667400[/TIME] ---------------

We already have a hidden sub-from in the 'Off Topic Forum' that only Moderators can access...

We'd like the Market Place to be visible, just not able to be posted in unless a member meets the requirements & has been added.

We used to add them manually when we were on phpBB.

This 'Testing - MOD's only' forum isn't visible to the public, only 7 members can access it...

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...4&d=1532667322

We do want the Market Place to be visible to the public however.

--------------- Added [DATE]1532667768[/DATE] at [TIME]1532667768[/TIME] ---------------

So... we need to create / add a new user group (market) here and then add the members then?

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...6&d=1532667634

--------------- Added [DATE]1532667859[/DATE] at [TIME]1532667859[/TIME] ---------------

1) You need to create a usergroup which you intend to have permission to view the specific sub-forum in question.

2) You need to create a promotion to move users who meet your criteria (30 days registered and 25 posts) into that new usergroup.

3) You need to restrict access to that specific channel by channel permissions (if so desired) in the case or event that there are usergroups you want to see that channel regardless of having met the criteria. Typically this would be moderators. - In Omnibus

--------------- Added [DATE]1532667985[/DATE] at [TIME]1532667985[/TIME] ---------------

Ok ok... found the PROMOTION page..

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...2089&type=full

--------------- Added [DATE]1532669337[/DATE] at [TIME]1532669337[/TIME] ---------------

Created a group called Market Place based of the permissions of Registered Users... it shows up as 'Custom Usergroups' as per:

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...0&d=1532669013


And can see how possibly we can create the 'promotion, as per:

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...2&d=1532669216


Hm...

Thanks you VERY MUCH In Omnibus....

Might stop here for a bit, as I'm not sure this is quite the right method :confused:

There is hope however :)

--------------- Added [DATE]1532669674[/DATE] at [TIME]1532669674[/TIME] ---------------

Whoops - accidentally clicked save & now have:

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...4&d=1532669564

Maybe this will get populated after 1 hour, or maybe not :D

After a couple of days, the 'Market Place' group began to be populated... adding up the names there should be about 100 members, so far it has added about 50% of the members who have 25 posts + 30 days.

It seems to be adding them as they log on... 43 Members have been added over the last 3 days/75 odd hrs to the new Market Place group we created.

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...9&d=1532929551

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...7&d=1532929209

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...8&d=1532929217

========

So... next step is applying some channel permissions restrictions correct?

One thing is, we really want the Market Place to remain visible to all, we only wish to restrict the ability to post in it to the 25 posts + 30 days criteria, how do we achieve this peoples :confused:

Thanks again Team

C E L U X

In admincp under Channel Management:

Channel Permissions

Make sure

Can View Channels

Can View Topics

Can View Others Content

are all set to "Yes"

for any usergroup you want to be able to view the Marketplace channel

Thanks heaps In Omnibus,

So... about to look at this now...

Right so,

- Channel Management
- Channel Permissions

1. Edited Market Place - Registered Users Group users by flipping these 4 switches to NO/OFF & this seems to prevent posting in the Market Place except by mods/admin which is what we want...

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...8&d=1533085901


2. Edited Market Place - Market Place Group users by flipping these 4 ON/YES this (seems) to allow posting by criteria meeting account holders with 25 posts + 30 days.

https://www.timekeeper.co.nz/filedat...9&d=1533086052


Have we done this correctly Team?

Thanks in advance, seemed impossible for us to do this, on our own, In Omnibus has been uuber helpful indeed.


C E L U X

:)

The best way to check permissions is to set yourself up a test user account. Then you can use that account to check anything for any usergroup.