I am running phpbb v.3, using the aMember plugin for same, and want to allow non-members access to the forum. Once there I can control what they access through the groups I've set up. Reason: I want non-members to be able to get a taste of the forum without being able to access it all - thus creating a desire to become a member and gain entrance to it all. The way I have it set up now, the product you signed up for has been set up in aMember to add you to the group(s) you need in order to establish the rights you need to enter the forum sections you paid for. If you are a guest you'll be able to see all the forum categories (at least those I want you to see) without being able to access any other than the few basic ones I've left unprotected within phpbb. Currently, I have the forum installed as a sub-directory under a protected directory, so anyone trying to access it gets redirected to my standard, aMember signin page. Suggestions?
Get rid of this protection or move the forum. You need to have the forum in an unprotected directory. David
Unprotected Directory means no aMember tie-in Thanks for the input, davidm1. You are always insightful. However, here's where I'm going with this... If I move the forum to a non-protected directory then I cannot give aMember access to those who paid to enjoy certain protected "group" forum sections. That is why I installed it under a protected directory's sub-directory. I've already got it set up so that the three product levels associated with this forum grant access to certain phpBB Groups only. So, a Premium member cannot access the forum sections protected for the Elite Group, who, in turn cannot access those sections protected for the Diamond Group. So, once I get someone "in" I can control access by using aMember in conjunction with phpBB Groups. I just need to get the general public "in" first. What I thought of was setting up an aMember product at a cost of $0, with a lifetime membership that grants access to the phpbb forum "group" called guest. Then, I will create a single user who is signed up for that product so I have a login name and password. Next, write/call a script, or place a command in the .htaccess file located in the forum's installation sub-directory that automatically logs in everyone who goes there using that single customer's login info referenced above. That would allow anyone access. Thus, if they were an aMember subscriber to one of the products which allows access to the advanced forum sections, once they click on that section they'll see a custom message (set up within phpBB) asking them to login to their aMember account by clicking here, or register if they are not a member. I'd just need to be sure the hyperlink in that custom message is set up so it recognizes the page they are on and redirects them back there after login. I also thought about installing a second phpBB forum and point it to the same DB tables - which is do-able; however, it is the pages, not the tables that are aMember protected - thus resulting in all gaining access to all tables. I know there is a way to do this... just ask for some out-of-the-box brainstorming help. Much appreciated.
Sorry, having a hard time understanding why you need it in a protected area if the forums themselves have access limited to only member groups. David
Good question... I need public access to a protected area because the phpbb forum is installed as a unit, and I need for all to access it, then to limit that access to certain forum sections, by group. If the affected, phpbb forum files were installed by directory level, instead of by having the data stored in an sql database, I could use aMember protection to limit groups by their group directories. But I can't. So, as far as assigning aMember protection, it has to be to the entire forum or not at all. Correct? Unless... I've misunderstood how aMember works with phpBB. I currently have my forum installed within a subdirectory of a protected directory. Example: PROTECTED: mydomain.com/myprotecteddirectory/foruminstallation If I wasn't using aMember I would be able to do just what I'm trying to do using the admin tools within phpbb, and setting rights within GROUPS. Visitors could be read only to a couple of forum folders but be able to see all forum categories, while other rights, like access to certain boards, and posting rights would be assigned by group. However, as I currently have it set up, that wouldn't allow me to limit access automatically, as I'd have to manually add users to certain groups to assign their "levels," and I wouldn't be able to easily charge them for that access. And, since aMember allows you to assign users to groups within phpbb, I can utilize that feature to achieve my goals for all once I get them in. Now WHY do I want to do this at all? My intent is simple... Marketing and sales conversions. If I let non-users see all the forum sections, and even have read only access to a few, they can get a feel for what they COULD have access to, which will peak their interest. If they can experience it LIVE, they are more likely to want it. Wanting becomes buying. So... that is why I want to see if my concept posted above, is viable, and if there is even a cleaner way to achieve the same thing. If this all boils down to how I have my forum installed, or something like that, then please let me know. Hope that is clearer. Any thought?
If you are using the phpbb plugin from amember then the user access rights are being copied into phpbb and therefore no walled garden is needed. Only the proper users can access the proper forums. I really think you just need to remove the amember folder protection and it will do what you want. David
Gotcha. Let me test it out and report back either way, just so the chain has an ending for future visitors.