# Private Forums



## BondGuy (Nov 17, 2016)

Even though I'm logged in, I'm unable to view Private Forums. Any suggestions on how to resolve?


----------



## melissy123 (Nov 17, 2016)

I have the same problem.  Maybe just a matter of time?


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 17, 2016)

will take us a bit to sort out the "tug member" vs "guest" monikers....but we will get to it =)


----------



## DeniseM (Nov 17, 2016)

I'd just be patient - I'm sure Brian and Doug are working on it.


----------



## BondGuy (Nov 17, 2016)

Suspected as much; just wanted to make sure I was not the only one!


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 17, 2016)

You can now access the Sightings/Distressed forum from the Forums Home page, but it seems to be open to anyone that is registered for the BBS, not limited to just TUG Members.


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 17, 2016)

hmm, ill have to go in and edit that, i think it may have to do with the member vs guest thing though.


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 17, 2016)

Confirmed. I removed the TUG BBS Member Code from my "Personal Details" and was still able to access the Sightings/Distressed forum.


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 17, 2016)

the member code itself doesnt have anything to do with access.  the presence of a correct member code puts that particular user into the TUG MEMBERS usergroup...which has access to the sightings forum.

(and apparently not having it doesnt put you into the registered users group...so we get to fix that too!)


----------



## rapmarks (Nov 18, 2016)

I can't access from my Ipad, only from my personal computer.    does it still work with tapatalk?


----------



## SmithOp (Nov 18, 2016)

rapmarks said:


> I can't access from my Ipad, only from my personal computer.    does it still work with tapatalk?


We will have to wait for the tapatalk plug in to be installed, you're not the only one missing it.


----------



## Makai Guy (Nov 19, 2016)

dioxide45 said:


> Confirmed. I removed the TUG BBS Member Code from my "Personal Details" and was still able to access the Sightings/Distressed forum.


Right.  On the old board every time you logged on a plug-in I wrote would check the BBS Member Code in your profile and either put you into or take you out of the TUG Member usergroup on the bbs.  

If not in the TUG Member usergroup, you didn't even see the Sightings/Distressed forum and it still works the same way here.

There's nothing like that plug-in to automatically put you in and out of the TUG Member usergroup available for XenForo that I know of, and I haven't learned enough about the XenForo coding yet to reproduce it.   Until we can get this automated again, the Admins will have to move users into and out of the TUG Member usergroup on the bbs manually.  --- How's THAT for an incentive to get this working?


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

ok i may have broken things, but it was my first shot at a user promotion (which dynamically puts users in specific groups based on criteria).

the criteria I chose was having the appropriate member code in their profile...so heres to seeing if this works properly for new members.

(note it will not work retroactively, ie if you take the code out...it wont drop you back down...or at least I dont think so)

note this "job" runs every hour...so the change wont be instant for new users...but will take effect at the top of every hour.


----------



## Cheryl20772 (Nov 19, 2016)

So which are the 'private' forums? If I log out will they be the ones I can't see? Or are they some place I should never see?


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

there is only one, the sightings/distressed forum.

it should only be visible by TUG members...vs just guests.  itll appear at the bottom of the forum list whenever a TUG member is logged in.


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 19, 2016)

TUGBrian said:


> ok i may have broken things, but it was my first shot at a user promotion (which dynamically puts users in specific groups based on criteria).
> 
> the criteria I chose was having the appropriate member code in their profile...so heres to seeing if this works properly for new members.
> 
> (note it will not work retroactively, ie if you take the code out...it wont drop you back down...or at least I dont think so)



Could you not use some type of criteria that is tied to the list of actual members list at Tug2.net?


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

dioxide45 said:


> Could you not use some type of criteria that is tied to the list of actual members list at Tug2.net?



two completely different servers.

and many folks use different usernames/emails


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 19, 2016)

TUGBrian said:


> two completely different servers.
> 
> and many folks use different usernames/emails


I get it, but shouldn't the goal be to get people to sync up their email addresses? If they want access to the private forum, then they have to do it


----------



## Makai Guy (Nov 19, 2016)

dioxide45 said:


> Could you not use some type of criteria that is tied to the list of actual members list at Tug2.net?


Believe me, if we could figure out a way to do this, it would have happened long ago, on the old board.  The BBS Member Code kludge is the best we've ever been able to come up with.


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 19, 2016)

So does either the 'TUG Member' moniker show or the 'Review Crew'? I am able to see the private forum even though I don't show a s a TUG Member on the BBS. Though I do have the correct BBS Member Code. If it is an either or; Review Crew or TUG Member, may need to look to see if you can show both.


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

the user title is separate from a usergroup membership...

anyone who has a tug review crew moniker is also already a TUG member.

Im pretty sure i can stack them though, right now its set to only display one.


----------



## dioxide45 (Nov 19, 2016)

Makai Guy said:


> Believe me, if we could figure out a way to do this, it would have happened long ago, on the old board.  The BBS Member Code kludge is the best we've ever been able to come up with.


It seems you may be able to modify a user's group through a PHP call. Not sure if that is an option.

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/change-user-group-via-php.42233/


----------



## Makai Guy (Nov 19, 2016)

dioxide45 said:


> It seems you may be able to modify a user's group through a PHP call. Not sure if that is an option.
> 
> https://xenforo.com/community/threads/change-user-group-via-php.42233/


If Brian's promotion attempt in his previous post doesn't do it, this might be a good starting point.  Thanks.


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

the developer who helped us with the upgrade/migration said this was literally what user group promotions were for, i just have to figure out how to get it setup properly to work.


----------



## TUGBrian (Nov 19, 2016)

score!

my test user was automatically placed in the TUG members forum after manually putting the member code in their profile.  i just had to be patient for the chron job to run and execute the promotion.

now assuming that it didnt screw up anyone elses member status...i think that should take care of access to the sighting forum.


----------

