Mirroring Another Forum Within a Forum

[OpenMind]

Hello,

I would like to make a topic, but it is highly complex, and I am wondering if ProBoards (or any board for that matter) has the following features:

I would like to create a board on TOPIC A. Underneath that topic, there are several topics, such as the following:

TOPIC A

-SubTopic A1
--> Subtopic A1.1 
--> Subtopic A1.2 

-SubTopic A2
--> Subtopic A2.1 
--> Subtopic A2.2 

I would like to have the users be able to check off if they want any or all of the subtopics to be displayed one or more levels deep, such that Subtopic A1.2 could be displayed in the message list for Subtopic A1 and/or flow all the way back into into TOPIC A's forums. If a message originated from Subtopic A1.2 but is displayed in TOPIC A, the message would still be stored in Subtopic A1.2. 

I would also like to create a completely separate forum topic on a profession that occasionally uses TOPIC A as a tool, but would like to have the ability to mirror the content from one or all of the topics from TOPIC A to be displayed as a main topic or as part of a subtopic within my forum. So for instance, if someone else has created a forum on wrenches, I can mirror the content (with the owner's direct permission) into a forum on air conditioning maintenance. If a person registered on the AC maintenance forum wants to create or reply to a topic on the mirrored wrenches forum, the message would be posted into the wrenches forum, or the owner of the mirrored site could set permissions to have the forum be read only. If that is too complex, perhaps it could just be read only, and if a person wants to reply, they must open and register on the forum separately. 

Is this feasible?

[Ryan Roos]

Alright you have a few different things going on. I'll go over them one by one. If I miss anything feel free to ask.

Sub-Boards - You want to make boards within boards. ProBoards v5 let's you do that. You can place boards in boards in boards in boards. No limit.

Check Off Boards - You want users to be able to check off which sub boards they want displayed one or more levels deep. The way I can see doing this would be to create an open group for each sub board. Assign permissions for each sub-board requiring group membership to see and post in the subboard. Then members can join groups for boards that they have interests in. So a member could join a board about wrenches and repairing things and those would be all that they see. another member could join a different combination of groups and have their own customized list of sub-boards. ProBoards Tip: You might find your forum does better if you just let everyone see everything. People naturally have the ability to ignore boards they aren't interested in, but they also might one day find they like a different topic if they can see it. It's up to you.

Message Lists? - I didn't quite understand what you meant when you said "flow all the way back into into TOPIC A's forums" Sub Boards are displayed at the top of the board they are inside. The threads themselves don't all flow to one master list in the primary board. I think you were trying to say that I might have sub-topics A, B and C and I see them all on the primary boards thread list. You have topics C, D and E and see those on the primary board. Unfortunately boards don't work this way. You will still have to keep each suboard inside the primary board and they will all contain the threads within them based on each topic.

Mirroring Content - You want the ability to mirror content from another forum on your forum. With or without the ability to reply (read only) this isn't possible automatically. By default there is no way to do this. That being said I won't say it's impossible. If you request it, someone might be able to create some sort of plugin or template mod that allows you to mirror content. I wouldn't even know where to begin on such a thing. But v5 gives you so much freedom and power that it's entirely possible. The other option that v5 does have is Redirect Boards. You can make boards and sub-boards that jump to other forums or websites. Under the Settings tab when creating or editing a board you can enter a Redirect URL. So while it won;t be a mirror, it will be a way for members to read the content. If it's a ProBoards forum it requires membership v5 allows very quick and easy registration that will take them right back to where they left off.

I hope that answers some of your questions.

[OpenMind]

Apr 1, 2013 7:41:52 GMT -8 Ryan Roos said:

Alright you have a few different things going on. I'll go over them one by one. If I miss anything feel free to ask.

Sub-Boards - You want to make boards within boards. ProBoards v5 let's you do that. You can place boards in boards in boards in boards. No limit.

Check Off Boards - You want users to be able to check off which sub boards they want displayed one or more levels deep. The way I can see doing this would be to create an open group for each sub board. Assign permissions for each sub-board requiring group membership to see and post in the subboard. Then members can join groups for boards that they have interests in. So a member could join a board about wrenches and repairing things and those would be all that they see. another member could join a different combination of groups and have their own customized list of sub-boards. ProBoards Tip: You might find your forum does better if you just let everyone see everything. People naturally have the ability to ignore boards they aren't interested in, but they also might one day find they like a different topic if they can see it. It's up to you.

Message Lists? - I didn't quite understand what you meant when you said "flow all the way back into into TOPIC A's forums" Sub Boards are displayed at the top of the board they are inside. The threads themselves don't all flow to one master list in the primary board. I think you were trying to say that I might have sub-topics A, B and C and I see them all on the primary boards thread list. You have topics C, D and E and see those on the primary board. Unfortunately boards don't work this way. You will still have to keep each suboard inside the primary board and they will all contain the threads within them based on each topic.

Mirroring Content - You want the ability to mirror content from another forum on your forum. With or without the ability to reply (read only) this isn't possible automatically. By default there is no way to do this. That being said I won't say it's impossible. If you request it, someone might be able to create some sort of plugin or template mod that allows you to mirror content. I wouldn't even know where to begin on such a thing. But v5 gives you so much freedom and power that it's entirely possible. The other option that v5 does have is Redirect Boards. You can make boards and sub-boards that jump to other forums or websites. Under the Settings tab when creating or editing a board you can enter a Redirect URL. So while it won;t be a mirror, it will be a way for members to read the content. If it's a ProBoards forum it requires membership v5 allows very quick and easy registration that will take them right back to where they left off.

I hope that answers some of your questions.

First off, thanks for your detailed reply! Glad to see you guys are so on top of this. 

I intend to let everyone have access to all content within their own forum, but the problem is I have several professional groups who are not related to each other, but who all want to be using the same tool in their practice. Since the popularity of a forum is somewhat dependent on how many users are posting, I would like to invite everyone in from Profession A, Profession B, and Profession C to participate in their own forums with a subtopic listed within each forum that links to a completely separate forum devoted to one particular type of tool, which itself is part of a larger category of tools. 

In this type of modular approach, someone could create various forums and link them together, or simply add forum subtopics from another already established forum that is related to theirs. 

With regard to content flowing back into the main board, I figured that might not be feasible, but it was worth a shot. And if you don't know where to begin with mirroring, then I assume it's highly unlikely it will happen.

Thanks again for your reply. 

[Ryan Roos]

You're welcome.

Don't be afraid to put in a plugin request for things you want. Worst case scenario people say it isn't possible. But if your lucky maybe someone thinking outside the box will have a way to do what you want.