RM 2.2 Resource Manager 2.2 - Teams, voting, custom fields...

XenForo Resource Manager (XFRM) 2.2 sees a range of new features and improvements. Some of these are a result of new integrations with XenForo 2.2 itself, while others are exclusive new features to XFRM itself.

Resource teams​

Software projects are often collaborative efforts, and even when they are not, there may be ancillary staff on hand to handle customer support and sales.

This fact is recognised in XFRM 2.2 with the advent of Resource teams.

After enabling the option through the admin control panel, resource owners will be able to delegate tasks to members of the team they define.

Team members may perform any action on a resource as though they were the owner, although deletion of the resource is reserved solely for the actual owner.

Review custom fields​

With XFRM 2.2, it is now possible to define custom fields for resource reviews.

The sky's the limit for the data that can now be collected with reviews, so we are certain that there will be all manner of ingenuous uses for this new system.

Options​

The full gamut of custom field features, including the new XF 2.2 ability to define the HTML for the label of the field, is now available to resource review fields.

Review voting​

It can often be helpful to see whether reviews are considered to be helpful or otherwise worthwhile when considering a purchase or a download.

Therefore, XFRM 2.2 now takes advantage of our new content voting system to enable review up/down voting.

As you would expect, the ability to vote on a review depends upon not having a vested interest in the review (ie: it is a review of your own resource) and a set of options and permissions that can be tailored to your own needs.

Review before registering​

To attract new users to your forum, reviews can now be submitted by guest users, using the writing before registering system, assuming that your forum permits reviews prior to downloads.

Featured resources​

A new widget is available in XFRM 2.2, which allows a selection of featured resources to be displayed in a location of your choice.

Configuration includes three separate display options to fit with the location in which the widget is deployed.

This widget is using the simple display option:

While this one is using the carousel option:

 

[Mian Shahid]

Keep going . . . .

 

[JoyFreak]

I'm glad to see that a lot more options have been added to the RM. The teams options will prove to be useful!

 

[Recep Baltaş]

This was really needed. I had to update all the software by myself...

 

[sbj]

Why do resource teams

a) have hardcoded limits of 10 people only?
b) not have a user group option, so anyone in the usergroup can have the same permissions?
c) have this option and we don't have the same option for threads?


Extra question: When a RM item have a associated thread, does it mean the team member can also edit the thread/first post?

 

[Xon]

Do teams stretch across multiple resources? Or will every one of them need to be configured individually?

 

[Ozzy47]

Appears individual.

 

[Mike]

Why do resource teams

a) have hardcoded limits of 10 people only?
b) not have a user group option, so anyone in the usergroup can have the same permissions?
c) have this option and we don't have the same option for threads?


Extra question: When a RM item have a associated thread, does it mean the team member can also edit the thread/first post?

We're happy to consider an option over team size, though we'd want to understand the use case. Based on your user group comment, I'm not sure your use case is is actually one the feature is trying to hit.

On the topic of user groups: XF doesn't ever directly expose user groups on the front end to end users, which is what this feature is targeted at.

This doesn't apply to threads. The thread posts are simply automatic actions. There isn't really any expectation of them being edited, though clearly that is possible if permissions allow it.

 

[Mike]

Do teams stretch across multiple resources? Or will every one of them need to be configured individually?

Yes, it's individually managed.

 

[woei]

This is wonderfull. We have like knowlegde base articles, and now we can have multiple ppl maintain a specific resource Great job!

 

[sbj]

First of all, I find the new option of having team members great and very important. I believe the whole XF system should allow for multiple authors and/or collaborative jobs.

We're happy to consider an option over team size, though we'd want to understand the use case. Based on your user group comment, I'm not sure your use case is is actually one the feature is trying to hit.

I believe a forum can have a lot of moderators, more than 10. And, if I am not wrong, moderator permissions allow you to edit any resource, when enabled. But often you want some moderators to be able to edit certain items only. And this addon would allow us to have individual settings. I can assign for each item different team members. Like for one item I could assign 6 mods and 5 users as team member. But the limit is 10 right now. I believe an option for team size would be nice.

On the topic of user groups: XF doesn't ever directly expose user groups on the front end to end users, which is what this feature is targeted at.

Yes, I like this feature a lot. Having a front end option to choose users is great. However, as Xon already asked, this feature does not work across multiple resources. It means I have to assign the same users as example over and over each time for every item. You can see how tiresome this can be, if my assignings are the same names.
With a user group option in the ACP, we could just put those same users to that one user group and then in the RM category could assign the user group as team members. So magically hundreds of items could have the same team members with one go.

 

[Xon]

I've got a Collaborative Resources add-on which does a very similar thing to this "teams" feature, I'll probably look into making it automatically setup Collaborative Threads for a linked thread at some stage. I know I've had people request 'groups' which roam across threads/resources but it hasn't been a priority.

 

[beerForo]

Some really cool stuff here. Robust rate/review, helpful upvote, and teams! Nice job team!

 

[Max]

As review before registering, is it possible to post resources before registering?
Because some of us use resource manger for different types of sites like classifieds. So allowing them to post before registering is a huge plus

 

[Naz]

As review before registering, is it possible to post resources before registering?
Because some of us use resource manger for different types of sites like classifieds. So allowing them to post before registering is a huge plus

Not at the moment, no.

 

[Russ]

Looks great everyone!

In regards to teams, here on XF resources get set as "unmaintained" once they aren't updated for X period of time and the resource author hasn't visited (I believe this is the criteria or something along those lines).

If I'm on the "team" under the @Pixel Exit account's resources, does my activity prevent that specific activity criteria standard?

 

[Chris D]

This is something we will likely need to add support for. But very good point.

 

[Alpha1]

Teams... I like the sound of this. Hopefully that word will pop up in more announcements.

Anyway, its really nice to see the XFRM finally getting some love. Nice features!

 

[cdub]

Since RM now has custom fields can they please start being searchable and filterable?

 

[beerForo]

Always had fields, new ones are for reviews.