Manually Split Forum or use "Split Forum Mod"?

[Siirist]

Greetings,
I have questions regarding the application of "Split Forum Mod" to my forum.

I have had a forum (Your Sanctuary) since 2009 that is designed to aid survivors of all types of abuse  with a place to belong; to ask questions; to find answers; and to get support.
That is something in itself, however, I believe that to assist survivors, it is also important that the Family & Friends (of survivors) should also have a place; to learn; to ask questions; to find answers; and to get support.
I also want to have Professionals because they don't always have the ability to see things from the survivors perspective, Family and Friends viewpoint, and it would be great to have them answer "general" questions.
This requires at least three Membergroups.

As it sits, Your Sanctuary is much like a house. There is a Front Yard and The Front Porch that are both view-able by Guests AND Guests can ask questions on the Front Porch.
The Entryway, An Information Desk, The Parlor, and The Alcove, are view-able by all members.
Then there are rooms that only accessible by each Membergroup so that the survivors "feel safe".
See attached diagram.

I think it would be nice to have different themes for each one of these three Membergroups; Survivors, Family & Friends, and Professionals, just as I do on the A Sanctuary website (not friendly yet).

Here is the problem with using "Split Forum Mod"
There are some blurry areas.
Guests can ask questions of Survivors.
Family & Friends can ask general questions of Survivors.
Survivors can ask general questions of Family & Friends.
Survivors and Family & Friends can ask questions of Professionals
and Professionals can reply to those questions.
As a result there is an overlapping of the "forums".

Here is the problem that we currently have.
We must be EXTREMELY CAREFUL with Permissions because if we ever place a check mark in the "Regular Members" box, each and every member can see or do that thing.
We have been checking post count based groups of Newbie, Jr. Member, Full Member, Sr. Member, and Hero Member. Never "Regular Members".

Oh, there is very, very, little activity on the forum due to it being down for a couple years (gave another person $100.00 to pay for domain and hosting for one year and they just kept it for themselves  ).

THIS MONTH'S STATS: (You may want to know) New Topics=9, New Posts=11, New Members=1, Most online=7, Page views=12,774


What are your thoughts on this?

Be Well,
Siirist

//EDIT: Shouldn't make a difference, but I forgot to list my version (AMF ver 2.0.11) and the Themes and MODs I have installed which are:
Themes:
SMF Default Theme - Curve
Ostara
Habbingo
HabboLand
Fresh Looks (this is the forum's default theme)

MODs:
Simple Menu Icons                            1.0    
2.    Like Posts                            2.0.5 (not functioning properly-no bkgd color)
3.    SMF Gallery Lite                    5.6    
4.    PM Warning                            1.0    
5.    Topic Solved                            1.1.1    
6.    Google Translate for SMF 2.0    1.4    (not compatible with Ostata1 theme)
7.    SMF 2.0.11 Update                    1.0    
8.    Optimus Brave                            1.8.7 (not active at this time-don't know how to use it)
9.    Default_Membergroup            2.0    
10.    Welcome Back                            1.0    
11.    Enhanced Dropdown                    1.3    
12.    Board-color-and-icons            1.1

[Kindred]

You do realize that - at some point - any member can and/or will be a member of every post count based group?

I have 0 posts, I am a newbie...
I make 10 posts, I am a member...
This is regardless of the content or location of those posts

If you want to be careful with permissions, then All permissions should be based on INDIVIDUAL/ASSIGNED groups - not default or post-count groups.

(you can set all permissions in the general and post-count group to "disallow" and control everything via the assigned group.
This means that ONLY the assigned group(s) will have control over the permissions

[Siirist]

You do realize that - at some point - any member can and/or will be a member of every post count based group?

I have 0 posts, I am a newbie...
I make 10 posts, I am a member...
This is regardless of the content or location of those posts

If you want to be careful with permissions, then All permissions should be based on INDIVIDUAL/ASSIGNED groups - not default or post-count groups.

(you can set all permissions in the general and post-count group to "disallow" and control everything via the assigned group.
This means that ONLY the assigned group(s) will have control over the permissions

Thanks for your thoughts Kindred. 

Hmm... 
Yeah, no. (head swims a bit as we have added boards and did tick the post count groups)   

It does look messy, but I attached a screenshot of the Membergroups page, so big that I hope it is readable. 

Siirist

[margarett]

It's your idea of organization and available content so, if you find it correctly organized, it should be fine
I understand the "house layout" and it somehow makes sense that more active members get access to more areas.

For the same reason, you don't split your house in "sub-houses" IMO your forum size and activity do not call for subforums so IMO you should leave it all together.

[Siirist]

Thank you Kindred and Margarett, 

Okay, here's how I read it.

Margarett is saying
"That totally makes sense the way you have it. Good job! Yeah, it looks messy on the Membergroup page, but Admins are the only ones that see that".

Kindred is saying
"Whoa, the way you have this it is very simple to make an error and have members accessing areas that they should not be able to. Be cautious with the way you have it, and though it will take a bit of time, go through your Board Permissions and ensure that "Regular Members" and all the Post Counting groups are NOT checked".

Please excuse presentation style, just making sure I understand each of you correctly.   

Thank you for your thoughts and input. 

Be Well,
Siirist

[Kindred]

ah... yes...

but also, note that you are confusing "access to read" a board with other permissions.

the access to read a board is controlled in the board settings - by selecting the groups that are allowed to read that board.
(Remember, SMF uses an inclusive permissions set; if any group which the user belongs to gives access to a permission, that user can do so, regardless of the lack of access from other groups.)

access to post new topics, replies, etc. is controlled in the permissions profiles -- which is different from the board setting for "allowed to read this board"  and can be different from the global permissions for that group.

[Siirist]

ah... yes...

but also, note that you are confusing "access to read" a board with other permissions.

the access to read a board is controlled in the board settings - by selecting the groups that are allowed to read that board.
(Remember, SMF uses an inclusive permissions set; if any group which the user belongs to gives access to a permission, that user can do so, regardless of the lack of access from other groups.)

access to post new topics, replies, etc. is controlled in the permissions profiles -- which is different from the board setting for "allowed to read this board"  and can be different from the global permissions for that group.

Absolutely, I so get this having read it many times about how you try to have a hidden board for Admins and forget that Global Moderators can moderate everything, so yeah GM will have access
Er, something like that. 
Probably not the best analogy. 

Thanks again for pointing everything out. I have a ton of checking ahead of me.

Be Well,
Siirist