Which admin functions do you use the most?

Started by Thantos, March 17, 2007, 05:20:03 PM

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Thantos

As an admin of your SMF forum, which admin functions do you find yourself using a lot?  Specifically which ones would you like to be able to get to quicker?

You feedback on this is greatly appreciated.

Atlan[gedc]

package manager, manage members.

but i would suggest to let the admins choose which quicklinks are shown in the Administration Center.
Now there are 8 hardcoded entries on that page, so i think a admin choosen linklist on that page
would be the best way. keep in mind that many boards are heavily modded and some may even like a deep link to the  subcategory of their favored mod on that page.

that would be nice imho ;)

anunlike

#2
Generally, I'd say that once a forum has been set up and is running, anything that involves managing members and posts / topics would be the most used (at least for me). That's what I think I'd like to have the quickest access to.

After that, I'd say anything that has to do with forum maintenance like creating back-ups, for example.

KGIII

I kind of like the idea above - to set it so that people can pick their own links to be listed. (Maybe near the top.) I guess, I really haven't a need for anything to be closer, but I do use the package manager a great deal and sometimes poke with permissions for boards and users. Those are probably my own three most common places to go when I am not going there to check something for someone else.

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The bans system could be made a lot easier, like adding in ".*"s automatically, and being able to add multiple triggers at once.
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anunlike

Quote from: KGIII on March 17, 2007, 10:22:59 PMI kind of like the idea above - to set it so that people can pick their own links to be listed. (Maybe near the top.)

I can't disagree with customizing / picking out our own.

Sverre

If this is in regards to the "quick_admin_tasks", I don't really find those links any quicker than using the sidebar, so personally, I think it would be better to use that part of the ACP for something else...

Currently, eight options are listed with a short description. Perhaps it would be better for new admins if the options were listed randomly one (or two) at a time with a more thorough and in-depth description, with links to see the next/previous tips? For experienced admins who doesn't need the tips, it could be an option to disable/collapse it.

nitins60

1. Error log
2. Package Manager
3. Boards/Members management

Thantos

Keep the replies coming, its great information.

And no, this has nothing to do with the links on the first page of the ACP.

Sverre

Quote from: Thantos on March 20, 2007, 11:26:01 AM
And no, this has nothing to do with the links on the first page of the ACP.

In that case, I think I'll have to say the Error and Moderation Logs...

shadow82x

I probably use the one click mod and theme installs as my #1 result in the control panel. That is one of the best features about smf :)
Colin B
Former Spammer, Customize, & Support Team Member

jaccione

I am with eldʌka on the bans

I would love to see an option to be able to add an IP to bans list right from the post. Maybe set it to delete automatically too once it has been banned.

Or add an option to set automatic or manual deletion as some members or IP you will want to keep the post perhaps, and others are just complete crap and you want gone.

At the moment i have to make a note of the ip, copy it somewhere cos copying the link doesn't seem to work, then go into ACP, into bans list and do the dance there. It isn't all that much of a hassle really, not until you get hammered by a LOT of spam, it becomes the most tedious thing in the universe.
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brianjw

Quote from: nitins60 on March 19, 2007, 11:12:06 PM
1. Error log
2. Package Manager
3. Boards/Members management
My thoughts exactly. :)

shadow82x

Quote from: brianjw on March 23, 2007, 12:22:10 PM
Quote from: nitins60 on March 19, 2007, 11:12:06 PM
1. Error log
2. Package Manager
3. Boards/Members management
My thoughts exactly. :)

I wold think it would be that too. Also the theme manager is also popular I would think :/
Colin B
Former Spammer, Customize, & Support Team Member

brianjw

Yeah the theme manager forgot about that one ;)

anunlike

I believe I heard that some sort of "moderation center / post moderation" will be in the next version? If so (or whenever it comes out), I think that would be one I would want to get to quicker and would want global mods / mods to get to quicker.

BioGene

Ok I think I got a nice idea that can incorporate all the ideas into one. I have been noticing with newer updates from other forum publishers, primarily like Invision Power Board (using their demo) and phpBB version 3.0 beta5, I noticed they grouped their admin modules into tabs that are aligned at the top. So lets say we want to access area dedicated to members, at the top you will have a tab says "Members" and when you click it you go to a new page with some more detailed functions on the left side giving you teo either add members, moderate, ban, etc...

This is an awesome concept to incorporate into the admin area as it helps organize things and as many people are stating here gives quick access. Why do I relate to quick access, well you coudl have a certain tab called Home or News where all new updates to SMF or like the current admin index page is designed to post news from this site and give other news. Thus you coudl have that. Then in another tab you could have something called My Admin or My Links where the user/admin designates what moderation tools they want if they don't wish to use the tabs!

In my honest opinion this is an awesome way to organize, and also it would be nice if we admins could RSS link news from different sites into forums, like have an automatic RSS syndicator that posts into a thread in a specific forum! Something like what Invision Power Board has got!


Niteblade

I would say permissions and statistics. I've been aching for SMF to include something like chCounter for ages, since the information provided in this details how people are finding your forums, from where they are coming, and the details for this visitors to the forum. I've provided a small tutorial for this on my site, found here.

@Thantos, PM me if you're interested in seeing this modification in action. I'll provide you with a username and password so that you can see how powerful this is. However, I'm sure that you're already familiar with what this piece of software is all about.

As far as permissions go, I would like to see a more intuitive permission menu, with a change in the wording of the permissions in question for boards. For example ::

Viewing Permissions :: The ability to see that this board exists
Give this permission to :
  • Guests?
  • Regular Members?
  • All Moderators for the entire site?
  • Moderators for this particular board alone?
  • Global Moderators?
  • Custom Members in the Group X?

Posting Permissions :: The ability to create a new topic inside this board
Give this permission to :
    Guests?[/li]
  • Regular Members?
  • etc., etc., etc.

Replying Permissions :: The ability to respond to an existing post.

Well, at least something like that.

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