Thread prefix vs Subforum

[Andy.N]

In anticipation of XF 1.1 thread prefix feature, I'm looking for ways to optimize how my forum is setup. I believe many members here are interested in thread prefix as well.

Currently, I do not have prefix on my forum and instead use the traditional subforum. When we need an additional section for a topic, we just create a new subforum. I believe there is a point where more subforum will become too clustered and may make administration a chore.

• Permission: I can assign very specific permission for any forum/subforum per usergroup/individual. I don't know if this is possible with prefix
• Linking: We can always give the url for a subforum and get RSS feed for that subforum. It does not appear yet that it will be possible with prefix.

As long as I can figure away to apply subforum permission to prefix, it will allow us to remove dozen of subforums and just mass apply prefix to the threads and combine them under one forum. Members can then just filter and see what they want.

 

[Paul B]

I've never used prefixes before.

Does other forum software allow for user and user group permissions for thread prefixes?

 

[Deebs]

I've never used prefixes before.

Does other forum software allow for user and user group permissions for thread prefixes?

Vbulletin allows thread prefixes to be used based on usergroup.

 

[ragtek]

We use them for:

• Sell/Search Areas (Want to sell, Searching For, Want to exchange, Sold)
• Bug Tracking (Bug, In Progress, Fixed, Feedback needed)
• Events => to be able to filter for different music sections (so members see only the stuff, they want to see => somebody who hates hardcore, will only see electro,dnb,... etc, if he enables the filter..)

That's why it's IMHO important to find a nice solution for http://xenforo.com/community/threads/event-listeners-to-manipulate-criteria-in-controllers.18072/
Without i can't see any nice way for filtering

 

[Paul B]

Vbulletin allows thread prefixes to be used based on usergroup.

Usage yes.
But does it allow for filtering of threads with prefixes?

For example, you can limit access to subforums by usergroup.
I'm not sure whether you can do that with one single forum full of threads with different prefixes.

 

[James]

Linking: We can always give the url for a subforum and get RSS feed for that subforum. It does not appear yet that it will be possible with prefix.

I'm pretty sure XF will do that.

 

[ragtek]

I'm pretty sure XF will do that.

Sure?

 

[Edrondol]

I've actually fought this a lot on my board as we used to be all one board and I split them up into subs. There are boards like Forumopolis and Fark which uses nothing but prefixes to great success. But in most cases subs are easier for those who do not want to load all the threads all the time and like to focus their interests.

 

[Deebs]

Usage yes.
But does it allow for filtering of threads with prefixes?

For example, you can limit access to subforums by usergroup.
I'm not sure whether you can do that with one single forum full of threads with different prefixes.

If you take filtering to searching then yes, you can search based on thread prefix. Not sure if that is what you are getting at.

 

[Forsaken]

Usage yes.
But does it allow for filtering of threads with prefixes?

For example, you can limit access to subforums by usergroup.
I'm not sure whether you can do that with one single forum full of threads with different prefixes.

It did, and there was a modification to make it clickable for quicker sorting.

 

[James]

Sure?

I asked Kier if thread prefixes will be "clickable" to filter threads based on their prefix. He said it'd be possible. As for a URL to directly link them, I'm not sure. I know vB uses the &prefixid= query string, it might be true for XF too.

 

[Paul B]

So two different user groups will see different content in the same sub forum, depending on which prefixes they are permitted to view?

And they will have no access to threads with prefixes they don't have permission to view?

 

[Deebs]

So two different user groups will see different content in the same sub forum, depending on which prefixes that are permitted to view?

Ah!

In VB the permissions are only used to enable usergroups to use the prefix, nothing to do with filtering. Now I understand you!

 

[Andy.N]

So two different user groups will see different content in the same sub forum, depending on which prefixes they are permitted to view?

And they will have no access to threads with prefixes they don't have permission to view?

That's exactly my hope. If it does this, it will solve most of my problems.

 

[Paul B]

Ah!

In VB the permissions are only used to enable usergroups to use the prefix, nothing to do with filtering. Now I understand you!

Thanks, that's what I was trying to understand.

For me, that's a fundamental difference between sub-forums and prefixes.