Making reply and new topic buttons visible to guests?

[Janner]

Is there a quick and easy way to have the new topic button and the reply button visible all the time, rather than only when a user is logged in?

I don't want to allow guest posting. So, somebody clicking on the button when not logged in would be taken to the login/register page.

Is this possible?

[Oldiesmann]

Admin -> Edit Permissions
Click "Modify" next to "Unregistered Guests"
Make sure "Post New Topics" and "Post Replies To Topics (any topics)" are both set to "Allow"

[Janner]

Admin -> Edit Permissions
Click "Modify" next to "Unregistered Guests"
Make sure "Post New Topics" and "Post Replies To Topics (any topics)" are both set to "Allow"

Thanks, but as I explained in my first post, I don't want to enable guest posting.

In my opinion, having those buttons hidden when viewing as a guest, makes it less likely that somebody will post (particularly if they are not a regular user of online forums, which is probably true for many of the people who would visit my sites). As a casual visitor to the site, there is nothing obvious to show that new topics and replies are possible (let alone encouraged). Somebody unfamiliar with online forums might not automatically know that they need to register and login before that ability becomes obvious.

As I said, just my thoughts, and anything which is going to make people more likely to post has to be a good thing. Without giving guests the right to post, of course

[Amacythe]

I like your logic.  This probably would encourage more people to register.

[Oldiesmann]

Well, I don't think it will make people want to register more (I find it annoying to click on "New Post" or "Reply" and be told I have to register to do so), but it's actually a really simple change (this does this only for guests, and not regular members):

Themes/default/Display.template.php

Find

Code Select Expand

if ($context['can_reply'])

Replace

Code Select Expand

if ($context['can_reply'] || $context['user']['is_guest'])

Themes/default/MessageIndex.template.php

Find

Code Select Expand

if ($context['can_post_new'])

Replace

Code Select Expand

if ($context['can_post_new'] || $context['user']['is_guest'])

[Janner]

Many thanks. That will do very nicely

[Oldiesmann]

You're welcome. I don't know what exactly will happen if a guest clicks on one of those buttons - they'll either get a message saying they're not allowed to do that or they'll get asked to login.

[Janner]

It actually does exactly what I had hoped ... it takes them to:

Warning!
Sorry, you cannot post new topics in this board.
Please login below or register an account with xxxx forum.

... with the login box below.

In my mind, this 'should' make the task of posting to the forum a little more transparent and intuitive for the less savvy forum user.

/sits back and waits for the increased flow of posts to my sites

[Oldiesmann]

[tthmaz]

I tried this onto the default theme of 1.1RC2 but couldn't get it to work...

Is the solution applicable to 1.1RC2?

[catchpen]

Revive an old post -  I like this idea, I might try it later.  Unfortunately my site is set up for lurkers to take what the need and go, I hope to get more members to share the footwork.

[Kirby]

Are there any further concerns regarding this topic (seeing it is out of date)?