UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums Resources and Customizing Admin Zone Portal Page?

Okay, I just got roped into administrating an existing forum. I'm familiar with a few of the open source bulletin boards, but am a complete newbie here.

We're running 6.5.2 - dated, I know. An upgrade is fine if it'll help with my problem.

1st, anyone know if this version had a built in portal page option? Would I have to create one by hand and link to the boards? Would an upgrade make that a control panel feature?

2nd, my reason for thinking a portal is the way to go... We have one board open to the public - and it's an overview of the forum and invitation to join. The rest are locked down, visible to members only. Our member list is also set to be visible to members only... However, anyone that's on the open board can click "Who's online" and view active members. We want that locked down so that only members with access can view it.

I'm guessing the problem is that they have access to a board, and so they have access to everything off of that board. As a result, every new member is currently being set to "invisible" by an admin when they're approved for access...

This is a forum for an industry insider group - hence the paranoia! Any suggestions???

Thanks!

6.5.2 has no buildin portal page option, you would need to upgrade for that.

Locking down who's online should be a simple hack that the folks over at ubbdev can help you with.

Thanks! I'll head over to ubbdev right now and see what I can find... And I'm guessing that we should just go ahead with the upgrade. The old version we've got doesn't feel quite up to speed with the times.

Thanks again.

Okay, I think I got the upgrade approved...

Will creating a portal page, and completely locking down the forums, solve my problem of guests being able to see who is online? My experience with other software makes me think that it would - but I want to make sure...

Thanks again!

There are security issues with versions of UBB.Threads prior to 6.5.5, so at minimum you should upgrade to that (or take the leap to 7.x which also includes a portal)

Thanks for the heads up. Like I said, I just got roped into this... So, the thing on people's minds is the member list (that's why they dragged me in and asked me to fix stuff). If I could get that completely locked down while also upgrading to a more secure version it would be an easy sell to the guys with the checkbook.

Can I kill two birds with one stone? Upgrade to a more secure version, add a portal page, and consequently keep the public completely away from the members?

yes. your board can be as private as you want it to be.. ie: prying guest eyes are turned away at the doorstep, but there is this giant inviting image -- portal only -- of Catherine Zeta Jones beckoning all to join

Woo Hoo! That's what I was going for. I really thought that we'd been able to do that with our horribly obsolete version - but that stubborn "Who's online" link just wouldn't die!

Thanks again!

hrm.. well it sounds as if you really don't want a portal at all though.

you want an HTML page with a link to the forums. if they are not logged in, there is a login page..

once they login and/or register they get the whole shebang.. i'm not quite sure what the ubbt portal is going to do for your non logged in members..

You can make most features member only (including member list, profiles, etc); 7.3 (which is currently being worked on) adds a huge array of adjustable permissions into the mix

You're right - that's exactly what I want.

Here's an example from a totally different site (using different software): http://forum.betterboutiques.com/

It's just a login page with no access to anything... However, I'd like to be able to add some content to that page - an overview/invitation. I don't want anything forum related accessible though...

Part of the issue is that this particular forum requires actual names in lieu of user names - so outsiders can tell who is using it if the who's online list is accessible.

I want that info hidden unless someone registers and is approved. Right now, all they have to do is go to the one public board and they can find it.

Apparently we need to upgrade for security issues related to the old version as well, so it'd be nice if I could take care of both at the same time.

Thanks!

I'd immagine the easiest route would be to edit the "there are no forums for you to view" language string to cover any "intro page" you could want...

or you could setup a forum only for guests (where no other user can see it) which has some intro threads there, that cover things like registering, and what kind of stuff is available to them when they register.

Also, you may not have thought of it, but do you rely on any traffic from search engines? I ask because if you lock it down so guests cannot see anything, SE's won't be able to see anything either.

Hmm... editing that string may be an easy way to go. May not be the prettiest option, but definitely doable.

As for SE's - not really an issue. It's a industry oriented discussion group. Members generally come through WOM or contacts at trade shows. Each new registrant is approved by the membership so that no one feels as though a direct competitor is also involved. The group also keeps out vendors that try to manipulate threads to self-promote.

Basically, it's a relatively small, <500 member, discussion group for business owners in a competitive field. So, somehow I have to lock it all down...

I'm thinking we'll upgrade for the increased security, and then create an html index page. From there we'll link off to the locked down forums.

:o)

kk, then there you go! btw, you can use html in the language strings, so you could do some magic there

It's a 1 digit change to block anyone from viewing the online page unless registered, eh? (At least in versions since 7.0.x).

Change:

"regonly" => 0,

to

"regonly" => 1,

Same goes for any script file - portal, cfrm, etc.

you are correct, but you left out the Islands that get shown to logged off users. eg: online_now.php and its siblings, which if enabled would show to logged off users along with logged in ones.

try logging off here as a test. you'll see the lotsa islands with info about users on the forums.

you are correct about the xxxx.inc.php scripts though, but that will be perm-matrixed for the most part in 7.3.

so, yes i see where you are driving at, but there are some other things that might need working out to completely lock left/right column info from logged out users.

shoutbox is a classic example where there is a one liner elsewhere (ubbthreads.inc.php -- 7.2.2) that needs changing to hide it from guests.

I thought he was turning those islands off in the portal

you can turn off the portal, but still have the islands on.. so it's a grey area

So 'hiding' doesn't turn them off?

hide kills em.. but assume he wasn't hiding the shoutbox as an example.

eg: he wants a shoutbox for his registered users. he turns the portal off..

joe blow comes along, not logged in and still sees the shoutbox. or the who's online or whatever isn't hidden.

so it's not like it's unhidden for registered users and hidden for non regged or non logged in.

he can completely hide all islands, but then he'd never have any at all for the logged in guys..

hence the gray area dealio.

it's like we need 'hide from guests' 'hide from everyone and their grandma and never display the friggin thing' and 1,2,3,xxx etc.. vs just one 'hide'