[BETA] Sub-Accounts / Aliases / Multiple Personas

Started by SlammedDime, May 30, 2008, 04:05:04 AM

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SlammedDime

Aliases Mod Readme - For Beta 3.1 Public ONLY

Welcome to the Aliases Mod.  In a nutshell, this mod will allow you and your users to create, delete, merge, or split aliases on your forum.

Features of this mod (full list below):

  • Create, Delete, Merge, Split aliases from a parent account
  • Turn existing accounts into aliases
  • Set an alias to the parent account
  • Show aliases on profile
  • New search mod: search all aliases of the user as well
  • Login as parent account only
  • Dual post counts on parent profile (Parent only, and Parent + Aliases)
  • Aliases displayed on memberlist
  • Private messages go to parent account
  • Post and edit as parent or any alias
  • Admin limits aliases on sitewide basis
  • Admin sets permissions on creation, deletion, merging and splitting
  • Because each alias is really just another member on the board, they have their own post groups, and user groups if desired
  • Admin can make unlimited aliases

Until a final release is made, all beta downloads will be kept track of at a Google Code site and I've setup a bug tracker as well.

Keep in mind that this is made to work on Beta 3.1, which does have a lot of bugs.  I've tried to code around them, and in some cases I did not, reliant upon the fact that it will be fixed in Beta 4.  You'll just have to live it until then.

If you encounter a bug or unexpected result, you need to be specific in your report about it otherwise I will probably not be able help you much.  I need to know what you clicked to make it happen (steps to reproduce), what you expected to happen, and what really happened.



Feature List

Users and Profiles
    Create PARENT account
    Create SUB account
    Delete SUB account
    Set a SUB account as default/PARENT account
    Add existing account as SUB account
    Merge SUB account with SUB account/PARENT account
    List SUB accounts on PARENT profile
    PARENT » SUB breadcrumb support in profile viewing
    Switch to alias via profile
    New Author search modes: "this account only" or "all accounts linked to this user"

General
    Login as PARENT account only
    PARENT account has 2 postcounts: PARENT account plus all SUB account postcounts and the PARENT-only postcount
    * Member count based on PARENT accounts only
    Display all SUB accounts on PARENT accounts like subforums on memberlist
    Private message link on profiles sends PM to PARENT account of user
    * Site emails sent to PARENT account only (no multiple emails due to same email address for PARENT and SUB accounts)

Posting
    Post and Edit as PARENT and SUB account
    Update postcounts in all instances where post ownership is changed

Admin
    Admin can regulate the number of SUB accounts created by users individually or sitewide by membergroup
    Admin can set whether users can delete, merge. or detatch SUB accounts
    Option to set ranks PARENT account/SUB account only
    Detatch SUB account (make new PARENT account from SUB account)
    Delete SUB account
    Set a SUB account as default/PARENT account
    Add existing account as SUB account
    Merge SUB account with SUB account/PARENT account
    Admin can always make infinite sub-accounts.
SlammedDime
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Eliana Tamerin

#1
I have two major requests for integration.

  • Integration with Ultimate Profile by JovanT
  • Integration with SMF Shop by Daniel15*

    *This is obviously not possible at the moment since the mod has been removed from the mod site. Nevermind, it's back.

    My one question, though, is how the mod would work with groups. If a sub-account deserved a group that another didn't or the parent account didn't, how would that be resolved? Permissions, postcount groups and group badges.
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karlbenson


SlammedDime

My idea is that all sub accounts would essentially be a regular account, and thus would have its own groups, permissions, etc, and I would code around that basis.  Probably adding another field to the members table, 'parent_account' or something like that.  This would essentially allow sub accounts of sub accounts should it be so desired.
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steighan

I think you would be better served making a more generic functionality (which has the building blocks of those feature sets listed)

example.


Community builder - for Mambo  which allows relationships between users to be defined, allowing you to set up a view 'connection networks' or SMF's on loosely coupled "buddy lists"

I strongly feel these community functions should be part of the CORE and an api developed (to support piggy back interfacing and derivative improvements)

its not too much of of a stretch to view the buddy list (which is a list of affiliated tho independent individuals) as a "subaccounts" list, which is a list of affiliated but NOT independent, i.e. they are dependent on the master account.

This is how AOL does it, where there is one account (which is defined as the bill payer) then multiple dependent accounts.

Now are these sub accounts, separate but distinct entities?

or are they simply personae ? like clothes in a closet to be donned in roleplay?

finally, they could simply be fully independent, the 'buddy list' being the only indicator, with the exception being that there is a 'top buddy' or group leader.


even though denormalization (adding a field) would prob make for easier coding, I think a separate table is better....
the cool thing would be of course to allow people to define their own groups (cliques) and invite people to them.
People could even create their own private group boards that the leader or themselves would have the power to moderate - there are cautionary indicators with allowing this of course, the most obvious being, if you allow too much hidden or transitory content, you end up not having a forum after all, but in a large forum with a lot of activity this becomes necessary as ppl need to aggregate so as to not feel "lost"
"Frequently wrong, but never in doubt"

Eliana Tamerin

Well, if you can make something out of this, then awesome. And I was going to suggest making current accounts into sub/parent accounts, but you've got that down already.

* Eliana Tamerin looks anxiously for the mod
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ccbtimewiz


SlammedDime

#7
Just bumping this for the world to see.

Edit: Yea, I totally fail.  I need to redo the XML files as it wasn't installing stuff in the right spots.  Taken down for now.
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Eliana Tamerin

#8
F A I L

:P

LOL, just thought I'd tease you about it.

EDIT: Well, you fixed it, so I crossed it out. :P
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SlammedDime

Ok, I've fixed the install issues and put the package back up.  Have at it.
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Eliana Tamerin

#10
I noticed when creating an alias for an account that doesn't exist, it requires me to type in the same password as my current account, even though the password prompt implies it's only for accounts that are currently created. I'd suggest changing the language to reflect that, or make the password field truly optional.

Also, I noticed that when I created a new alias for an account that doesn't exist, when it went back to the aliases screen, it didn't show my new alias. I had to refresh again to see it.

Also, not really liking the interface to switch aliases on. I do hope it'll be possible to make an easier interface in the future.

BTW, Slammed, I can't report issues on your mantis bug tracker, and there's no register link. Are you intending for us to submit bug reports or just to view the ones you've submitted and know about?
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SlammedDime

Anyone with access to the admin panel will be required to enter their password, so the alias will take on that password as well.  This is because if you are an alias and try to access the admin panel, and it asks for a password, if you don't know it, you're SOL unless you switch aliases.  For regular users, a random password is generated to make the registration of aliases not go bonkers.   I'll edit the language strings to reflect that.

Going back to the aliases screen not showing the new alias, I edited some code that must have messed that up unintentionally, it used to work like that, but I'll fix it.

Ideas for how or where to switch aliases?

Bug tracker is for everyone to view, but only for me to add issues.  This way I can always use the same format and not leave out important info.
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Eliana Tamerin

Ok, so you wanted me to post my suggestions. Here goes:

The profile breadcumb calls the current profile's username instead of the display name. (Confirmed bug by Slammed)

Memberlist should link alias names to their profiles.

When on another alias and viewing profile, I suggest displaying the Aliases link and switching the user back to their parent account.

When deleting an alias, it might be good to inform members of what they're deleting. The posts merge, but they are deleting all profile information connected to that account. Same with merging.

I suggest renaming Split to Unlink or something. I though Split would split a current alias into two or more.

Selectable edit-as alias box on Modify screen? (Not quick edit)

Removing references to aliases for those who don't have them on Post screen, modify screen and quick reply (no need to display what to post as if you have no aliases).
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SlammedDime

I decided against the selectable edit-as box on the modify screen.  Just decided to leave it as is (whichever alias owns the post is the one shown as editing it)

Still unsure of if I want to display the aliases link pointing back to the parent.  We'll see what the jury says on this one.

I updated some language strings, fixed some other things too, take a look at the bug tracker.

:)
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Khaunshar

Hi

This mod seems great.

What I am wondering about is, will it work with profile mods? And is it possible to let a user automatically switch to an alias when entering a certain subforum?

SlammedDime

With what profile mods specifically?  It doesn't modify much of the profile, except for adding some stuff for Aliases to the menu.  As for auto switching on board entry, that would require a significant amount more of coding that I think wouldn't be needed.  I plan on adding a drop down to the forum header as Eliana suggested, so all a user would have to do is enter the board and then choose their alias from the drop down menu.
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Eliana Tamerin

I'm guessing Ultimate Profile or similar mods. After I saw the changes to the profile, I don't think UP would be affected much at all. Just a few tweaks to it. But, that is, if and when this mod ever gets downgraded to 1.1.5 version. ;)
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Khaunshar

yes, thanks for the response.

A menu would indeed negate the need for what I discribed.

thanks :)

Eliana Tamerin

One more issue to solve on the bugbase, eh Slammed?

* Eliana Tamerin nudges
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Ncen

Something I would like:
  • If aliases looked like normal users in the Memberlist, so that you could access them easily.
  • Other (non-admin) members wouldn't be able to see if it was a regular member or an alias (in my forum some of my members want their other accounts to be a secret, and those who doesn't tend to mention their other accounts on their summary/info).
    However, both of these should be optional.

    Just some thoughts. ^^ Really cool mod. :D

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