Some forum and Category suggestions
I suggest that you can give categories descriptions.
I also suggest that you can create sub categories so that you can organize your sub forums better.
Index > Software and Hardware > Forum software ( category inside software and Hardware)
Phpbb
SMF
Mybb
(these are the forums inside the nestled category.)
we already have child boards how is that any different then what you are asking for?
Becuase you can not have sub categories!
??? What is the point of sub categories?
boards are grouped in categories, child boards are grouped within the parent board...
Category I
- Board 1
- subboard A, (related to board 1 topics)
- subboard B, (related to board 1 topics)
- Board 2
- subboard C, (related to board 2 topics)
- subboard D, (related to board 2 topics)
Category II
- Board 3
- subboard E, (related to board 3 topics)
- subboard F, (related to board 3 topics)
- Board 4
What further purpose would subcategories serve?
You can restrict posting in "Forum Software", allow posting only in "Phpbb", "SMF" etc. Thus you get ... sub-categories.
I actually understand the OP's request... and while I agree that child boards is somewhat of a work around, not everyone likes child boards.
An example of what the Op wants is:
Support (category):
*Main Support (sub-category)
- English (board)
- F.A.Q (board)
*International Support (sub-category)
- Italian (board)
- German (board)
Off-Topic (category):
*Sports (sub-category)
- Basketball (board)
- Football (board)
- Track & Field (board)
- Auto racing (board)
*Music (sub-category)
- Rap (board)
- Rock (board)
- Gospel (board)
Tidy child boards made it look better but its still child boards.
While I understand the OP's request I still see this more as a mod than a feature.
Oh, I understood the OP's request.... I just did not see the point of it, since child boards are a better design IMO.
Quote from: Kindred on December 07, 2010, 10:33:46 PM
since child boards are a better design IMO.
Not necessarily, they can look a horrible mess and for some folks the text 'child boards' isnt so desirable.
that's just a theming/display issue, not an issue with the design/structure. :P
As for the name, "child boards" can be easily renamed in the langauge/text string files.
Thats just it... the OP mentions better organize as opposed to the clutter than can come from child boards if there is quite a few.
Also, how many times can child boards be renamed?
Quote from: Spoogs on December 07, 2010, 11:03:47 PM
Thats just it... the OP mentions better organize as opposed to the clutter than can come from child boards if there is quite a few.
But why would we need a separate function of the forum to include "sub categories" when you can DO sub-categories with parent/child boards? If you want to change the layout, then find or make a theme to change the layout....
Quote from: Spoogs on December 07, 2010, 11:03:47 PM
Also, how many times can child boards be renamed?
??? not sure what you mean by this.
I get the concept of the child boards but completely get why the Op would prefer sub-categories.
What I mean is if I rename the child boards, isnt every instance of child boards renamed as opposed to uniquely customizing each instance of child boards?
Say 3 boards that have child boards... can each instance of child boards be renamed individually?
I am still confused by what you mean... each board has it's own name.... if you want to change the text "Child board" to "sub category board" you can do that....
Quote from: Kindred on December 07, 2010, 11:00:27 PM
As for the name, "child boards" can be easily renamed in the langauge/text string files.
The text child boards is what i'm talking about as you explained here ^^
Doesn't that change all instances of the text 'child boards' ?
It changes the string "child board" into the string "sub-category". So you either have one or the other, if I understand you correctly.
Yep, you understood me correctly.
so? I don't understand what the problem is with that?
If we added "sub categories", the would have the title "sub category" just like child board have the title "Child Board"
No it wouldn't. He's assuming that the naming would be handled the same way as categories: you would set it individually for each one.
???????????????????
You name each board and sub board as well... I don't understand what the hang-up is on the term child board, that has nothing to do with the name of the actual child board.
What he really wants is a slightly different presentation. It's not much different in terms of how the forum is structured. The current "hang up" is because he doesn't want them all listed as "child boards" or "moose droppings" or whatever. So it would mainly be a matter of removing the text that says "child board" and just having the names of the boards themselves listed, perhaps along with minor presentation changes in message index. They would still effectively be child boards but they just wouldn't be called that. Same meat, different gravy.
so, in other words, as I said, a template issue, not a functionality one...
Antechinus is pretty much right.
I did agree that child boards is somewhat of a work around.
@OP:
Thank you for the proposal, however I don't think the request for sub-categories will ever be in SMF core software. I think I've never seen it requested before in the community, and child boards do the job for users needs.
For the specific needs or wishes of your forum, please request a mod.
Quote from: Spoogs on December 08, 2010, 08:00:11 AM
Antechinus is pretty much right.
I did agree that child boards is somewhat of a work around.
Well it's not really just a work around. It offers the same functionality under a different name.