Call for help to other Ningsters

Hi Fellow Ningsters,

I have a bit of an issue with my forum that I am hoping that one of you have also ran into. On Ning, my forum is threaded. It needs to be, because we are news and politics discussion group. Some of our discussions can go on for over 200 comments easy.
So given that I needed threading, I was advised to use a group as my forum, since the groups have threaded discussion. And so I started to build my site that way. Then I noticed a big problem. Not only are there no categories, like you can using the JR forum (and I need for my group), but I am also missing the tabs for "My comments' and "Newest Comments" etc.
Right now on my Ning site, the topics are kept on tabs at the top of the page. I like this format, but I am open to other work arounds.
I must warn you, that I am not good with code. I can follow directions, if they are spelled out well.
Any help would be appreciated.
updated by @perrie: 05/04/15 04:28:48PM

Perry, I probably don't have a good suggestion to actually help you, but I will give my own perspective.
On my Ning site, we have quite a few very long running threads in our Forums that members enjoy. The Positive Thread (to talk about uplifting things in one's day), The Drifting Thread (to discuss all non-music related stuff as you please), the Show Us Your Pets Thread (to show and tell about your pets).
These threads go on for months and accumulate HUNDREDS of posts...many with attachments or media embeds. And many pages.
I have my whole forum on ning set to NON-threaded, and this works just great for my site. In fact I've chosen non-threaded for my JR forums as well. When members are posting in reference to something previously posted, they simply use the REPLY button which includes the previous material as quoted, which they can trim as needed.
Here is one such long thread, to show how it comes out:
http://mountaindulcimer.ning.com/forum/topics/the-drifting-thread-1?x=1&id=3745489%3ATopic%3A630530&page=12
(note this one is 'only' 17 pages long still, since I wiped it clean a couple months ago during site Spring cleaning.)
I realize your site and my site are different. But I'm wondering if you have considered whether being so attached to threaded discussion style is actually worth all the difficulties you are having to go through to keep it that way? Is having threaded forum posts a thing worth going down with the Ning Titanic over?

While building my JR site, I've come across a few crossroads where I decided to adapt to a slightly different way of doing things....things that I used to think were absolutely essential, but upon thinking further I realized that some were things I was just being too attached to and inflexible about.
I hope you'll get some other responses with more helpful info than I have for you.
I only mention this because I've had to make some decisions for my own site that were upsetting for me at first, but now months later and getting close to launch those things seem less crucial compared to having my new site. My site won't be exactly like my ning site...but now I'm kinda glad about that, and am ready to have a rebirth!
Meanwhile, I watch the undeniable signs of both ning platforms crumbling away, day by day.


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Strumelia,

Thank you so much for your reply. I agree that Ning is dying a slow painful death. And while I am trying to make adjustments that these two platforms will never be the same, the forum is my site, so this is a biggie for me. In fact, my forum is my landing/home page. My site is more structured like an on line newspaper, saying like the Huffington Post. To make the leap here, I have already given up on the forum being the front page. But due to the nature of the discussions (many tangents on one subject) I needed threading... even simple threading meaning only on thread deep, (the discussions seem to have them going 12 deep, which is nice, but not necessary). I am willing to even pay to have some help with this. I like Jamroom a lot and have come a long way, from where I was, but his is a big issue and one I didn't notice until I started to play around with the site. Now I don't know what to do. Uggg.

I hear you Perrie. Wish I could help.

Hey, you could make a panel with your forum/group taking up the whole width of your Home/index page, and be the biggest thing there, up front and center, with other stuff in smaller modules/panels below it if you want. That way, it LOOKS like the forum is your Home Page. You can have (or not have) anything you want in any size, on your site's Index Home page.


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Thanks Strumelia,
You have no idea how much your help has meant to me! You have been a real pal.

That sounds like a good idea you have about the front page. Still have to work on how to do that. I am not up to design yet. Just trying to work out the kinks in function. Once I get that straightened out, I will try to tackle the design part. But without knowing if the site will function in a way that my group can work, it's all kind of pointless.

Anyway, I am going to see if I can get some developer help. Who knows?

Perrie have you considered asking a couple of your moderators or trusted users to log into your site and just have a look around and give some feedback for you? You could ask them what they think of your forum choices. Maybe...just maybe, they will have a viewpoint you have not thought of. From the mouths of babes and all that... What's there to lose?
But yes, try to get some help, paid if necessary.

Just curious, did you look into inserting or embedding a 3rd party PHP forum into your JR site? I know NOTHING of this or whether people do it...but just saying maybe it's another possibility.


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015

Strumelia,

Yes, I am going to do that. , have a few trusted members look at things as they are. It is a strange thing here. When you have "discussions" you get that great text editor, which my group will love and the threading... but no way to create topics and the tabs...
If you chose the forum, you lose the text editor and threading, but you can track discussions.

I know nothing about 3rd party PHP Forums but it is an avenue to look in to.

One way or the other, I have to make some sort of decision, though.

Not sure what you mean by that- here is the text box/editor I get when I'm in my forum discussions:


--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 04/01/15 04:25:20PM

Now that is odd, Strumelia. I don't have it on mine. Maybe something up with my settings?
Now I am going to have to go and check.

There is a checkbox I recall somewhere to 'enable' the text editor in the forum. Or maybe enable it for profiles (and if your forum is owned by a profile...) Maybe the JR Team guys can tell you where it is... i forget!

-you have both 'editor' modules installed and enabled and configured, right? Maybe that check box is amongst the quota config areas of those...






--
...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
updated by @strumelia: 04/01/15 05:19:02PM

OK glad you said that... because now I am looking to see how to do it for the forum and I don't quite see it. But on the upside, I did remember that you need both editor modules enabled to have them work. Getting them to work with the forum... not so much, LOL!

In the meanwhile, I am going to ask my group what means more to them. They will love this text editor since it is better than the one with Ning.. but I am worried about the threading.
updated by @perrie: 04/01/15 05:25:53PM

You can have the Forum be a central piece of your site without locating it on the top level of your site. Just like we do here on jamroom.net. Setup a profile to act as the top level and direct links to that from your top level menu.

Look at the menus at the top of this page:
SUPPORT -> SUPPORT FORUM goes to https://www.jamroom.net/the-jamroom-network/forum/new_posts

That is the Forum module on the profile of 'the-jamroom-network'. So you could setup a profile in its own quota the same. Perhaps 'community' so the url becomes your-site.com/community/forum

The location to turn the WYSIWYG editor on in the forums is at:
ACP -> PROFILES -> PROFILE FOURM -> GLOBAL SETTINGS -> ENABLE EDITOR

Thanks Michael! That was a big help! Yay!