Why is there no Forum Module?

[wjpeck]

I'm completely confused at this point. Why is there no forum module? I see a blog module and a subscription module on their respective pages, but I see only a latest activity module on the forum page. I just want a list of forums/threads that my users can click on to add posts, just like your site right here. Can that be done in vB5, or should I downgrade to vB4? This is beyond frustrating.

[Wayne Luke]

The Activity Stream has the "Forum" tab... Edit the module, make it primary. Hide the other tabs if you wish or not...

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php/407196-Common-Issues-amp-Quick-Tutorials?p=2334930&viewfull=1#post2334930

[wjpeck]

Ok thanks, that's much better, but it still doesn't seem as functional as the interface on your vB page right here. For instance, when I arrived on your forums home page, each forum category lists what it is to be used for, the number of threads and posts, how many people are using it, the latest post, etc. My forum home page isn't allowing for any of that and it is much less appealing. What am I doing wrong?

[Mark.B]

You've set most of your forums up as categories, rather than forums.

You can change this either in the site builder, or in the channel manager in the admincp.

[wjpeck]

For instance, when I arrived on your forums home page, each forum category lists what it is to be used for, the number of threads and posts, how many people are using it, the latest post, etc.

I don't think that changing my categories back to forums addresses these shortcomings, and doing so would allow my users to add forum threads under my categories when what I want them to do is add threads under the sub-forums.

[Wayne Luke]

Actually, if you look at our forum listing, Categories are blue bars and only list the name of the category. They really show no information. vBulletin 5 shows things the same way on the Forum Tab if you have them set up as Categories level 1 and Forums level 2.

The forums have a lot of information, descriptions etc... These are "Level 2" forums or subforums of their Categories. To enter descriptions for your forums, you need to go into the Admin CP. Then go to Channel Management -> Forum Manager. Edit the forums and add descriptions. To have last post information in the forums, you need to add content and posts. The more content you add, the more your forum listing will fill out.

[Reklaw]

This is helpful to me as well. I have been dealing with the same issue. My question would be how do you make a "category" instead of a channel. In admincp under forum manager, you add a new forum which I assume turns into a channel but how do you make that channel a "category"? There is a bubble

Act as Channel(Will act as category if no)

Yes No

I have this checked but it did not create the desired result you explain.

[Wayne Luke]

This is helpful to me as well. I have been dealing with the same issue. My question would be how do you make a "category" instead of a channel. In admincp under forum manager, you add a new forum which I assume turns into a channel but how do you make that channel a "category"? There is a bubble

Act as Channel(Will act as category if no)

Yes No

I have this checked but it did not create the desired result you explain.

I'd have to ask what you expect a category to be then?

[Wayne Luke]

This is helpful to me as well. I have been dealing with the same issue. My question would be how do you make a "category" instead of a channel. In admincp under forum manager, you add a new forum which I assume turns into a channel but how do you make that channel a "category"? There is a bubble

Act as Channel(Will act as category if no)

Yes No

I have this checked but it did not create the desired result you explain.

I'd have to ask what you expect a category to be then?

In vBulletin, a forum category is simply a forum that holds one or more sub-forums and doesn't allow posts to be created within it.

[Mark.B]

You need to add a channel that is to be a category, under the "Forum" channel that already exists. Set this new channel to "Act as channel: No" as above. Then, add your forum channels below that.

Your structure will look something like this. In this example, "News Forums" is a category.



And the result of that is this:

[Reklaw]

Well if they are the same thing, I was looking for the specification. I actually figured out how to make this work just now, but do appreciate the prompt response.

As a follow up, in editing my home page and blog page i keep running into a similar issue. When I attempt to edit layout, add module and select a template, every time I hit save I get an error message. When I select 70/30 and hit save it says "you must specify a screen layout" I select it again and get the same error message. When I select full screen layout I get the message "You cannot remove a system module from the page template"

Any ideas on why the save issue?

- - - Updated - - -

You need to add a channel that is to be a category, under the "Forum" channel that already exists. Set this new channel to "Act as channel: No" as above. Then, add your forum channels below that.

Your structure will look something like this. In this example, "News Forums" is a category.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]63178[/ATTACH]

And the result of that is this:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]63179[/ATTACH]

Mark---> Thank You!!! That was a great explanation. As a follow up, how did you reduce the container size of "News Forums" to what appears to be about 20px high?


Mine seem to be about twice that... notice the difference?

[Wayne Luke]

In your picture, the forum Rules, Regulations and Registration is a sibling of Loan Forum, Mortgages and Everything Related. To make it look like Mark's News Forum, it needs to be set to "Act As Channel" = No and then you would create new sub-forums under it. (Add Child) in the dropdown in the Channel Manager.

[Reklaw]

Well if they are the same thing, I was looking for the specification. I actually figured out how to make this work just now, but do appreciate the prompt response.

As a follow up, in editing my home page and blog page i keep running into a similar issue. When I attempt to edit layout, add module and select a template, every time I hit save I get an error message. When I select 70/30 and hit save it says "you must specify a screen layout" I select it again and get the same error message. When I select full screen layout I get the message "You cannot remove a system module from the page template"

Any ideas on why the save issue?

As well, why is there no custom template or blank template? I need to add a page of content and another page with a custom HTML module and nothing else. What do you recommend?

- - - Updated - - -

Wayne - BTW your last post really helped! Thank you much!

[Wayne Luke]

As well, why is there no custom template or blank template? I need to add a page of content and another page with a custom HTML module and nothing else. What do you recommend?

To add a new page, enter Site Builder and Click "New Page". Choose the 100% layout and then add a Static HTML box into the middle set of dotted lines. Edit your module, save the page. When you save it will ask for a name for the page and the template.

See:

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php/407836-How-to-add-an-About-Us-tab-using-the-Site-Builder

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/entry.php/2539-How-to-add-a-custom-page-to-the-vBulletin-5-Connect-navbar

https://www.vbulletin.com/forum/entry.php/2535-Creating-Custom-Landing-Pages-in-vBulletin-5-Connect

[Reklaw]

Thanks! That really helps! I do still have this question though that is an issue I keep running into.

Originally Posted by Reklaw
Well if they are the same thing, I was looking for the specification. I actually figured out how to make this work just now, but do appreciate the prompt response.

As a follow up, in editing my home page and blog page i keep running into a similar issue. When I attempt to edit layout, add module and select a template, every time I hit save I get an error message. When I select 70/30 and hit save it says "you must specify a screen layout" I select it again and get the same error message. When I select full screen layout I get the message "You cannot remove a system module from the page template"

Any ideas on why the save issue?

In reference to your last post, I figured out how to add a new page easily as I wanted. In trying to edit the URL though, it will not overwrite as it says the page already exists. I added a page but the modules are wrong... I try to change modules and the template/layout etc. but I keep getting error messages. So I just made a new page to replace the old one but now I am not able to use that URL?! Puzzled.... :/