question about all this "subforums" talk

Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but isn't that the point of "categories" and "forums"? I mean, if you add subforums, that is just simplifying it that much further, right?

I really don't see the point in this. Someone please give me an example of how this would be effective. Thanks

I too have been confused by some of this, I'm sure I'm missing the boat somewhere.

[:"pink"] A subforum would be a forum deeper within a forum of a certain discussion.

Example:

Category: Aviation
Forum: Airliners
Subforum: Boeing vs Airbus topics

Do you see what I mean?

Another example:

Category: Movies
Forum: Harry Potter
Subforum: Harry Potter Spoilers

Do you see what I mean now?
[/]

But wouldn't it make more sense to do that with sub-categories, rather than sub-forums?

[:"pink"] But you can't make any posts in a category, because it contains several forums. In the Harry Potter example, you talk about Harry Potter in general in the Harry Potter forum, but spoilers will be posted in the subforum. The reason why it is a subforum because the posts in the subforum are related to Harry Potter, but the subfourm is strictly for posting Harry Potter spoilers.

If there was a Harry Potter sub-category in the Movies category, it would contain 2 forums. One problem with 2 separate forums is that there may be a higher risk of cross-posting (example: spoilers being in the Harry Potter general discussion forum).

Also here at threadsdev, the archived mods forum would work great as a subforum to the mods forum.[/]

Ahh, I get it now. Seems a little redundant for my particular use, but I can see where it could be applied.

I personally haven't had any real reason for it... but would probably find a use if it were there.

Here is were I would use it, I have a category "local forums" with 7 or 8 local forums, I would like to add a forum for almost every state, but that would make the main index page a scrolling nightmare, would be nice to just view a category of "Local Forums" then click on sub forums where 50 state forums could be. Yes, I know you can min the category but not everyone can do that (unregistered) or wants to do that.
"Me wants sub-forums"

okay, k5, you made me think of a use for this. I want it now!

I think most people want to have sub categories and not subforums.
Maybe it's just a definition problem:

categorie: some kind of heading to sort forums thematically. >ou cannot make a post to a categorie
forum: contains all threads to a specific topic/theme. So you can post in a forum.

I fear that introducing subforums in a forum would confuse most people.

Example:

# Category: Aviation
# Forum: Airliners
# Subforum: Boeing vs Airbus topics
# Subforum: Lockhead vs xxx topics

You could post to Airliners, Boing vs Airbus or Lockhead vs xxx.
Airliners would contain all posts that are made in airliners (maybe even of Boing vs Airbus and Lockhead vs xxx?) and provide links to the two subforums.

So you have at least two places where to start a new thread. A topic about Boing 747 could be placed in "Airliners" or in "Boing vs Airbus". A moderator would probably move the thread to "Boing vs Airbus" if it's made in "Airliners" because it fits better there.

Long story short, i think that subcategories might be useful but subforums would cause confusion, especially for unexperienced users.

I've done something like this, to show the forums of selected categories separately with a tiny little hack to ubbthreads.php. Basically, it only shows a set of given categories if they've been specifically asked for in the Cat value in the url. Thus, it is possible to link to a page where this category is shown, without it coming up on the main index.

Find this in ubbthreads.php:

Code

   if ( ($C) && ($catsonly == "categories") ) {<br />      $catonly = "WHERE Cat_Number = '$C'";<br />   }

Add this below:

Code

// -------------------------------------------------------<br />// Hack: Don't show category unless specifically asked for<br />   $catarr = split(",", $Cat);<br />   $nocats = split(",",$config['dontshowcat']);<br />   $dontshow = ""; $sep = "";<br />   while (list($k, $v) = each($nocats)) {<br />      if ( !in_array($v, $catarr) ) {<br />         $dontshow .= $sep . "'$v'";<br />         $sep = ",";<br />      }<br />   }<br />   if ($dontshow != "") {<br />      if ( !$catonly ) {<br />         $catonly = "WHERE";<br />      } else {<br />         $catonly .= " AND";<br />      }<br />      $catonly .= " Cat_Number NOT IN ($dontshow)";<br />   }<br />

Then add this to your config file:
$config['dontshowcat'] = '3,5';

The values of this should be one or more of the numbers of the categories that you don't want shown on the main index, separated by a comma, without any extra spaces.

Hmmm, I might have to play with that a little, so under the "Local Forums" category I could just have a link to another page showing just the 50 local forums (one forum for each state)?

If you put all the local forums in one category, you can link to only that category somewhere by using http://www.yourhost.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?Cat=5 if 5 is the number of that category. The Category won't be listed at all on the main index, as if they don't have access to it.

Where you put this link is up to you, if you want it to show up on the main index you just edit templates/default/ubbthreads.tmpl

To hae the category show up on the main index but without the forums would be trickier, but I guess it is possible.

[:"red"]However, one thing I would like to see with the subforums is the ability to show and hide them with the []https://www.ubbdev.com/forum/images/catexpand.gif[/] []https://www.ubbdev.com/forum/images/catminimize.gif[/] buttons.

BTW, with a PM I just recieved, I am now trying out darker colors.[/]

This color stands out better with this stylesheet. I dindn't have to hightlight your post this time.

[]coloradok5 said:
Here is were I would use it, I have a category "local forums" with 7 or 8 local forums, I would like to add a forum for almost every state, but that would make the main index page a scrolling nightmare, would be nice to just view a category of "Local Forums" then click on sub forums where 50 state forums could be. Yes, I know you can min the category but not everyone can do that (unregistered) or wants to do that.
"Me wants sub-forums"

[/]

I have customized threads to allow sub forums. It wasn't multi level deep though but that wouldn't be a problem adding in. If your interested drop me a line in about 30 days. (when I hope to have more free time)

Mojo, do you ever just relax or sit by a fire and chill? You always seem to have about 20 irons in the fire at all times.

Yay Pink! We can read your post.

[:"red"]Hey, why is my avatar stretched?[/]

[]slayer60 said:
Mojo, do you ever just relax or sit by a fire and chill? You always seem to have about 20 irons in the fire at all times. [/]

This question, a question that you ask of me, is a question that I have asked of me and therefore I have answered this question that you have asked. What was my answer is my question. This answer to the question was Yes!

My category numbers go up to 394 - however if you go to my root http://www.nonleague.com you will only see three categories - all the others are controlled via pull down menus or other links.

Means that you can have a large number but not swamp the index page, and put people off - plus even if several are virtually empty it doesn't matter - as they are hidden from view unless the user selects that particular combination of forums.

[]JustDave said:
[]slayer60 said:
Mojo, do you ever just relax or sit by a fire and chill? You always seem to have about 20 irons in the fire at all times. [/]

This question, a question that you ask of me, is a question that I have asked of me and therefore I have answered this question that you have asked. What was my answer is my question. This answer to the question was Yes!

[/]
LMAO Mojo.

eace:

One of the things that was needed for this customization was that new posts/threads and their totals was to be reflected in the parent forum's display on the ubbthreads.php page. This information could be incorperated into a dhtml dropdown menu though. I guess it all depends on how the person wants things to look.

[]JustDave said:

This question, a question that you ask of me, is a question that I have asked of me and therefore I have answered this question that you have asked. What was my answer is my question. This answer to the question was Yes!

[/]

I have no idea what he just said.

"Everything I say is a lie, and everything I deny is a lie.." Groucho Marx

Sounds like navaho speak to me.

So when is the 6.4 beta due out? I am on hold until it comes out because I need the sub-forum ability. I don't want to hack what I have since that will making upgrading later a nightmare.

Any ideas on when?

My bug reports should keep it from being released for a few months.

yes, it has not even entered Private Beta yet.... so it'll be a while. We haven't been given the opportunity to break it yet.

So it looks like sub-forums won't be out in 6.4 so I will have to get a hack. Hopefully JustDave will come out with his hack soon for making multi-level forums.

ineapple:

[]TampaInsider said:
So when is the 6.4 beta due out? I am on hold until it comes out because I need the sub-forum ability. I don't want to hack what I have since that will making upgrading later a nightmare.

Any ideas on when?

[/]

It will be out "When its ready", plus 3 days to make everybody squirm.