User Group Clarification

[bjf123]

I've got a forum that I want to only be visible to members of a new user group I've created. Setting up the forum permissions is not a problem. My question involves the best way to add the users. I've done this previously by manually adding the appropriate members to the group. This time, I've set the new user group as a public group, which makes it appear as joinable on all Users' Control Panels. The joining conditions says " Anyone is free to join this usergroup" which isn't really accurate. Only selected people will be allowed to join.

Am I correct in thinking that even though the joining conditions says it's free, it will still be up to me as Admin to approve the request? I'll be able to deny the request, if it's from someone who should not be part of the group, right? Is there a better way to do this?

[Ocean]

Am I correct in thinking that even though the joining conditions says it's free, it will still be up to me as Admin to approve the request? I'll be able to deny the request, if it's from someone who should not be part of the group, right? Is there a better way to do this?

Well, it will only require your approval if you set the Usergroup to require moderation.

As to whether there's a better way to do it - if the decision to deny or grant a request to join this Group is arbitrary, than there's no getting around the fact that it will have to be managed by a person, as opposed to an Automatic Promotion.

That being said, I can only think of three ways to do this with a stock vB installation:


1. A public UserGroup that requires Moderation.

2. Users who wish to join have to send you a PM, email, and/or post a request in a Subboard set up for that purpose.

3. Users have to be "invited" by you into this UserGroup, which means that you are the one who will initiate the invitation and grant the priviledges.


For either one of those options, you can delegate the task of approving or denying users to another member of your Staff, if you wish. But off the top of my head, those are the only three ways to do this - assuming, again, that the choice is arbitrary, and that you're working on a stock version of vB.

I hope that helps!

[bjf123]

How do I make the user group moderated? I don't see that option anywhere under the setup.

[Ocean]

How do I make the user group moderated? I don't see that option anywhere under the setup.

From the AdminCP/UserGroups/UserGroup Manager, don't go into the UserGroup itself - but rather, look at the dropdown list for it, all the way on the right.

One of the options will be "Add Usergroup Leader" (Note: the Usergroup must already be set as a Public Group, otherwise you won't see this option listed).

If I remember correctly, by setting a UserGroup Leader, you automatically turn it into a moderated Group.


You can then Moderate Join Requests by going to AdminCP/UserGroups/Join Requests or UserCP/Group Memberships.

[bjf123]

Thanks. I've added myself and one other user a group leaders. I've never used this feature before, so we'll see how it works.

[Ocean]

Thanks. I've added myself and one other user a group leaders. I've never used this feature before, so we'll see how it works.

Good luck!

[the Sandman]

I use Public Groups, with and without usergroup leaders, quite a bit. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no notification to the usergroup leader(s) when a member puts in a join request - you have to keep looking via the AdminCP, ModCP, or UserCP. It's easy to forget to look and then find you have several people waiting on you...

[Ocean]

I use Public Groups, with and without usergroup leaders, quite a bit. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no notification to the usergroup leader(s) when a member puts in a join request - you have to keep looking via the AdminCP, ModCP, or UserCP. It's easy to forget to look and then find you have several people waiting on you...

Most certainly, they must have forgotten to include the notification feature in the last version - and will shortly rectify that in the next version.