XF 1.4 Advice on forums organized by location (State)

[DaveAllen]

I am trying to determine what is the best way to handle this in Xenforo.

EXAMPLE: If I had a forum named "Tire Dealer Discussions"...

And I wanted to have posts organized by location (State). What is the way people do this organizational structure with XF?

• Create sub forums for every State?
• Some other way of organizing the posts by State?

I will be setting up many forums that need to have their posts organized by State so I want to ensure that I go about this the right way.

 

[Paul B]

You could use prefixes rather than sub forums.
There are pros and cons to each approach.

It's personal preference really.

 

[DaveAllen]

Just got around to watching the videos explaining the thread prefixes. This looks like a good fit for organization by State. *I think*.

Thanks for the fast advice @Brogan !

 

[rafass]

This addon could be useful to you.
To me is essential: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/prefix-forum-listing.80/

 

[DaveAllen]

Thanks @rafass - I can see why you say "essential". Will be to me too I think.

BTW: Just curious if you use the #hashtag feature of that add-on? I notice that there is another paid add-on that concentrates on #hastags (hashtagging) and wondered if they have the same basic features or if the paid version is worth it.

 

[rafass]

You're welcome dave.
I'm not using and I've never used any #hashtagging system
I've been playing with the tags of Xentag, That addon have hashtag system,

But seems is recommended disabled that feature for overload of queries.
I like the easy/clean stuff. prefixes & tags are a great combination.
if you need multi-prefixes this addon works like a charm: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/xenmods-multi-prefix.2379/
Working together they make a good team.

 

[DaveAllen]

I've been playing with the tags of Xentag...

Thanks! I had just found that tag add-on myself a few minutes ago and was wondering about that hashtag thing. I am like you, where I like things clean as possible and think I will skip the hashtag part. But really like the addition of tags.

 

[Mouth]

Create sub forums for every State?

This, if it will be a popular forum. With the parent forum being non-postable, so user cannot 'dump' into the parent forum and must use the sub-forum(s).
The issue with using prefixes is that they aren't sticky/remembered when users come back to the forum, so they have an extra step to only filter by their state prefix.
Search restricted by prefix is also not easy/intuitive for users to find.

 

[DaveAllen]

Hi @Mouth, I get what you are saying. I added a few States using the prefix method and started thinking the same.

 

[rafass]

The system of prefixes is nice if the topics are of general interest. (Eg Movies)
A users are actively involved in the topics A, B, C.
But if A users are only interested in the topic A, then a subforum or groups could be better.
Both systems could work together also, always depends or certain things

 

[DaveAllen]

I am finding that the first reply from @Brogan "There are pros and cons to each approach." is very true. However, I am also finding that there are BIG cons to each.

• Using Prefixes: Some Big Cons here. If perhaps the prefix system had an easier way for filtering such as the option to have a dropdown selection at the top for filtering locations then it would be easier for members to use.

The issue with using prefixes is that they aren't sticky/remembered when users come back to the forum, so they have an extra step to only filter by their state prefix. Search restricted by prefix is also not easy/intuitive for users to find.

• Using Sub-Forums: This is seems like so much extra work as every single forum would need to have the same sub forums (locations) created. Way to much work for a long list of forums.

IMO Xenforo needs a way to handle forums that are setup for multi locations. Now days, many forums need the ability to have an easy way of handling locality based forum posts with an easy way of displaying the members desired location based posts.

I can only hope someday this becomes standard in the forum software.

 

[Paul B]

If perhaps the prefix system had an easier way for filtering such as the option to have a dropdown selection at the top for filtering locations then it would be easier for members to use.

There is actually a filter system at the bottom of the thread list.

 

[DaveAllen]

Hi @Brogan, I noticed that, however after showing the idea to a couple friends of using prefixes, they both commented that forums organized by location should have a location switcher at the top without needing to scroll to the bottom of the current threads just to change location (State). It would be a easier for members to understand how to only view their desired locations if there was a visible location changer at the top. (Or in this case an easy "View Prefix" Changer at the top.)

I really think that one of the top usages for forums in the future will be more location specific and organized for this. Obviously many forums are on topics that have no meaning related to locational based organization since their forum topics are of broad appeal. However, I also think that there are many that could use an easy standardized method for organizing and displaying forums geared towards location based posts.

I guess I will also add a discussion in the Xenforo Suggestions forum.

 

[RDR]

Would moving / making a copy of the Tread Display Options template stuff and sticking it at the top help? You could probably hide everything else leaving just the prefix drop-down using custom CSS I would think.

 

[DaveAllen]

Thanks for the idea @RDR.

I think that using Prefixes is really just a bandaid to the lack of an actual built in handler for location based forums and threads.

Would love to see a better long term solution for Xenforo so I also added a post in the Xenforo Suggestions here.

 

[Mouth]

after showing the idea to a couple friends of using prefixes, they both commented that forums organized by location should have a location switcher at the top

The add-on suggested to you in post #4 does exactly this.
Example: https://netrider.net.au/forum/politics-laws-government-insurance.61/

 

[DaveAllen]

Hi @Mouth,
Thanks, already checked it out. Good for when there are a just a few prefixes but the problem is when there is say 50 States, or a greater number of say cities. With so many buttons for each prefix, the top of each page is covered with too many buttons. Looks really bad when using a mobile phone and trying to scroll down past all the buttons. Too bad the add-on does not display all the prefixes in a drop down instead.

I think that having the same setup as the bottom collapsible "Thread Display Options" at the top of the page would at least solve the problem of all the buttons being displayed at the top.

However, I am just not a fan of using prefixes for location based forums. I would prefer to use prefixes for other needed identifiers on threads and not for large number of locations.

 

[Ernest L. Defoe]

@DaveAllen this might be something better to have an addon made to do what you need done as what you are needing is something only a small number of people would possibly ever need.

 

[rafass]

I think that having the same setup as the bottom collapsible "Thread Display Options" at the top of the page would at least solve the problem of all the buttons being displayed at the top.

Maybe this will help: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/moving-thread-display-options-to-the-top.88685/

 

[DaveAllen]

Maybe this will help: https://xenforo.com/community/threads/moving-thread-display-options-to-the-top.88685/

Sheesh @rafass, starting to think our brains are on the same wavelength. I had just found that thread about 10 minutes ago.

I notice that the display options list all the prefixes rather than just the ones that are actually used in the current forum. Since that prefix forum listing add-on only lists buttons for the prefixes that are actually used, I suggested a new feature for that add-on to instead list all the prefixes in a simple dropdown instead of the multitude of buttons. That would be perfect.