I’ve tested it using your code and if I change the primary username field while logged in to BuddyPress, the link no longer works because it’s looking for the title you chose first (username). Actually, this is of no concern to me anymore since I’ve chosen in my BP install to hide the primary username field from members so that they can’t change it after becoming a member.
One question I do have is whether the code as written is intended to provide a permalink and page title that reads “John Smith’s Page”? My use of it only provides the username in the title, so it reads “John Smith”.
Well the primary info field in BP is username and it can be edited in the profile area, correct? Or does that field actually only edit the user’s display name? Regardless, if you change it the code no longer works since it’s looking for whatever page name you chose to create in the first place.
This is a great mod I must say. What happens though if a user changes their username in the profiles settings?
Also, as I understand it, you still need to create the page with the username. It would be exceptional if there was some way to create the dedicated page automatically upon registration, otherwise users might click on the tab and it doesn’t yet exist.
Yes I’m aware of Andy’s involvement in P2 and there are obviously elements of it in play in the activity stream. As you say, it comes across as useless in that context, but not so much if used as a primary community blog for a BP install. Just seems to me it was an obvious part of the solution that would ‘ground’ the community’s activity and provide a jumping off point for users into groups, etc. I can’t imagine it was overlooked either.
Sounds like your setup is exactly what I suggested many posts ago in this thread. P2 functionality was totally overlooked in the whole BuddyPress design but it seems to me to be a great fit. Give me a P2 groupblog with a cleaned up groups feature and BuddyPress is relevant again. Would like to see your example of this btw…
I think the ease of use and elegance of WordPress has somehow been lost in the most recent iteration of BuddyPress. Yes, we can make it whatever we wish it to be, but to do that we must be prepared to get under the hood and play with code while relying largely on untested or BP-approved plugins to extend its functionality. In one word, I would describe a BP install right now as ‘noisy’.
Seems to me the activity stream and the current group-forum relationship draws the ire of most people commenting in these forums. Right now, the activity stream is, frankly, a dog’s breakfast. The group-forum thing I can get my head around, but it would be very helpful if for example some of the functionality evident in bp.org was made readily available (the plugin group format for example) versus the current practice of teasing users with snippets of code all over the forums. Andy and the moderators here are great, but once again I think BP needs to figure out if it is targeting WordPress users or PHP developers as its primary target market. They are not one and the same, even those of us who are quite capable of handling a hosted version of WordPress.
I think BuddyPress should have focused its primary activity stream around the use of a microblog that comes standard with the install. A variation of P2 as the community blog right out of the box could provide an easy to follow timeline of user posts, shared links, etc. as per Twitter while a lot of the commenting and related noise created by the activity streams, etc. could be eliminated.
Looking forward to continued progress however on what is still the best option for developing a social networking application.
@r-a-y Using the technique above, preferred, can you also remove individual items such as the required ‘Name’ for instance? I see no reason why this field is displayed when it is provided above adjacent to the user avatar. Or am I hearing that omission must be done by manipulating the profile loop?
@DJPaul Any activity that the Admin carries out in my opinion should be hidden. Starting a Group, a forum topic, etc. In my case I am creating a number of groups for members to join and I’d like to hide all of that activity.
