How to restrict new users to one particular thread?

sforum

Active member
Hi,

Apologies if this has been asked/answered before; I'm sure it has, given the myriad of permissions threads that fly around here, but my Google-Fu is failing me on this one. :confused:

I want to have an Introductions thread (i.e. one where new users are supposed to say "Hello," etc.), and would like it so that when you sign-up you are forced to post in this thread (or, at least, gently persuaded).

Is there a way to make it so that new users can only see this one particular thread? I know I could do it with a Node, but I don't really want a whole Node taking up space on the front page, full of small, ultimately inconsequential "Hi," posts, so I would really rather keep it to a single Introductions thread that everyone can contribute to.

I can envisage two ways of doing this:

1) Use Permissions somehow to restrict new users to only be able to see that one thread, with instructions in the thread about how the whole Forum will open up to them as soon as they post a single welcome message.

OR

2) Once registration is complete, direct them to a page which provides a link to aforementioned thread and politely asks them to post in it.

Can anyone help me achieve either of the above? Initially, I wanted option 1, but as I sit here and type it out, I realise option 2 might be better!

Thanks. :)
 
I choose #2.

You can't set thread-level permissions but you can set node-level permissions. I suggest creating a "link forum" that links directly to that thread. Set the permissions for that "link forum" so that only newly registered users can view it. You would distinguish newly registered users by setting up a group promotion for users who have at least 1 post. That ways newly registered users won't belong to the promoted group while all other users will. That will enable you to let new users see that "link forum" while other users can't.

This is a slightly weird setup but it works. Personally I wouldn't try to force anyone. I would just post a notice asking people to introduce themselves and not bother with the presentation.
 
Thanks; an ingenious solution! I ended up going with the 'soft' approach, however: Creating a "Say hello in here!" style thread, then editing the register_confirm template to include:

PHP:
<div align="center">
<p>
<br>
<b>Why not introduce yourself to everyone?  Simply click here: <a href="threadURL">Welcome thread</a>.</b>
</p>
<br><br>
</div>

(Where threadURL is the URL of the "Hello," thread)

Not the most elegant solution, but it's the best I could come up with (I couldn't even figure out how to apply any defined CSS to make it stand out/look nice :( ). If anyone has any better suggestions, I'd love to hear them!

Thanks.
 
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