BuddyPress.org

@ Jivany

You’ve covered this on trac: https://trac.buddypress.org/ticket/1536

So this is a question of privacy settings for the blog.

I hope this isn’t considered hijacking, but do you, DJPaul or anyone know how to make _old_ posts that were counted as private (as per above) appear in the stream?

I can make new posts appear in the stream now but all the old blog posts (https://wordpress.org/extend/themes/p2) are still hidden. Some value in the db?

Hooray!

Maybe, Erich73 – the only thing is that this problem is caused by incompatibility with another plugin. I’m not sure what the policy is on accommodating other plugins. Maybe More Privacy Options is enough of a no-brainer for BP communities that it’d be OK?

I guess this is worth a TRAC-ticket ?

Hi Afoka –

Your post reminded me that I had to change this hack a bit in BP 1.1.3. Here are the notes I made for myself at the time. Let me know if they make sense, and if you can make them work:

===

In wp-content/plugins/buddypress/bp-blogs.php:

– function bp_blogs_record_post has two cases, one for new posts and one for edited posts. Change

if ( (int)get_blog_option( $blog_id, 'blog_public' ) ) {

to

$is_blog_public = get_blog_option( $blog_id, 'blog_public' ); //added



//if ( (int)get_blog_option( $blog_id, ‘blog_public’ ) ) {



if ( $is_blog_public > 0 ) { // changed to account for More Privacy Options

in both of the cases.

– functions bp_blogs_record_comment and bp_blogs_approve_comment. Replace

if ( (int)get_blog_option( $recorded_comment->blog_id, 'blog_public' ) ) {

with

$is_blog_public = get_blog_option( $recorded_comment->blog_id, 'blog_public' ); //added



//if ( (int)get_blog_option( $recorded_comment→blog_id, ‘blog_public’ ) ) {



if ( $is_blog_public > 0 ) { // changed to account for More Privacy Options

Did you try making the change to bp-blogs-classes.php described in the link I gave you? It will only take affect with new blog posts – you’ll have to delete the old unwanted activity items manually.

Try making the change to bp-blogs-classes.php, and then post a new entry to a private blog to see if the change has worked.

I’m not sure how those plugins in particular work, but here’s a solution that worked for me with the plugin More Privacy Options: https://buddypress.org/forums/topic/more-privacy-options-private-blogs-and-activity-streams

The same principle can probably be applied to your case. Figure out how your plugins are recording fine-grained privacy options, and then adjust the code at the above link to match.

With BuddyPress being used now by/for different interest groups from colleges to niche organizations to purely social networking, etc. there is no doubt that there would be different opinions regarding importance of the friends component vis-a-vis groups component.

I’m surprised in the first place that the friends component could even be considered for deprecation since that’s a popular feature. How about a switch to enable or disable the friends component? In one install, e.g. for a professional organization, they don’t need “friends” and prefer “groups.” In another install, for a social club, they’d like “friends” and “groups.”

It would be great if we see categorization of friends (as Bowe mentioned above) as it makes a lot of sense and extend it so that you could send a message only to Friends-Family or send a message only to Friends-CollegeBuds.

However, should the friends component be deprecated, I would request devs to expand Groups component with a user function to have the ability to privately categorize the people within a Group he/she belongs. e.g. Group-Hiking-Friends, Group-Hiking-Pros, Group-Hiking-CollegeBuds, Group-Hiking-NeedsMoreTraining.

hola, sorry guys – wish i’d get an email notification every time someone had a bug with this theme. anywho, i’ve moved all the project files to google code at http://code.google.com/p/avenuek9-bp-theme/ where I have several FAQs and patch files available.

*please note* that bp 1.2 will improve things dramatically by adding a boatload of new features, which includes theming. if you go to testbp.org you’ll see how the default theme has changed. consequently, the avenuek9 theme will change accordingly near BP 1.2 release.

if you are not running bp 1.1.x on a development server (with the avenuek9 theme), please hold out on theming your installation, as it may become a royal pain in the arse once you upgrade. also, if you need any additional help, i usually respond better to private messages (because they fire off a notification to my personal email account saying that i need to bug squash )

I can see how it might be good tokeep friending, but give the option not to use it. I hate it when Ning takes away features …

Just in general I don’t like the idea of any features being taken away …

If friending gets taken out in 1.3, then I’ll stay with Buddypress 1.2 …

We should be thinking about extending the BuddyPress framework and not deprecating major components at this time …

Not sure why JJJ wants to remove the “friending feature” in favour of the “following-feature”? Can we not have both ? …

I am worried Buddypress will fall into the trap of trying to be everything to all people and will become a bloated mess. For my projects I need a coherent, reliable core before I need any more features – forums, events, galleries, enterprise features, ecommerce, …

It’s great the developers are rethinking friending, how it can make more sense in the Buddypress context. If Buddypress can come up with a different approach, logically tied into groups and (micro)blogging, that could really set BP apart from Facebook, Ning, etc. Less is more!

JJJ’s proposal already is the best of both world imho (yes, we can have both!):

1. Deprecate “Friends” component code into a separate downloadable plugin that can still be used exactly like it is now, just not part of the core anymore.

2. Merge friends functionality into private “user” groups so that developers can choose to ditch the “friends” model if they want …

3. “Friends” would replaced with the core ability to “follow” peoples activity, and for your activity to be followed by others …

This is also a next step in the evolution in web friending, from classic Friendster/Facebook -> Twitter following -> following/friending with more context in groups and blogging (not just based on 140 chars brain farts).

Absolutely agree with Windhamdavid btw!

@Bowe

setting up different group types is fairly easy. You just have to attach some groupmeta to the group, that basically let you add as many types as you’d like. Then you just check the metadata to figure out what type of group you’re in. Using the groups API you can then add different functionality for different groups.

I’ve written a types-plugin for one of my sites. It doesn’t have an interface, though. The 3 types I needed are hardcoded into it, so it’s really not suited for a release at the moment. There’s also a lot of more stuff, like a shopping cart, part of that plugin. So, I’ve stripped the functions needed for group types out (hopefully al of them).

First we need to add the addtional fields to our registration form:

function sv_add_registration_group_types()

{

?>

<div id="account-type" class="register-section">

<h3 class="transform"><?php _e( 'Choose your account type (required)', 'group-types' ) ?></h3>



<script type="text/javascript" defer="defer">

jQuery(document).ready(function(){

jQuery("#account-type-normal_user").attr("checked", true);

jQuery("#group-details").hide();

jQuery("#account-type-type_one,#account-type-type_two,#account-type-type_three").click(function(){

if (jQuery(this).is(":checked")) {

jQuery("#group-details").slideDown("slow");

} else {

jQuery("#group-details").slideUp("slow");

}

});

jQuery("#account-type-normal_user").click(function(){

if (jQuery(this).is(":checked")) {

jQuery("#group-details").slideUp("slow");

} else {

jQuery("#group-details").slideDown("slow");

}

});

});

</script>



<?php do_action( 'bp_account_type_errors' ) ?>

<label><input type="radio" name="account_type" id="account-type-normal_user" value="normal_user" checked="checked" /><?php _e( 'User', 'group-types' ) ?></label>

<label><input type="radio" name="account_type" id="account-type-type_one" value="type_one" /><?php _e( 'Type 1', 'group-types' ) ?></label>

<label><input type="radio" name="account_type" id="account-type-type_two" value="type_two" /><?php _e( 'Type 2', 'group-types' ) ?></label>

<label><input type="radio" name="account_type" id="account-type-type_three" value="type_three" /><?php _e( 'Type 3', 'group-types' ) ?></label>



<div id="group-details">

<p><?php _e( 'We will automatically create a group for your business or organization. This group will be tailored to your needs! You can change the description and the news later in the admin section of your group.', 'group-types' ); ?></p>



<?php do_action( 'bp_group_name_errors' ) ?>

<label for="group_name"><?php _e( 'Group Name', 'scuba' ) ?> <?php _e( '(required)', 'buddypress' ) ?></label>

<input type="text" name="group_name" id="group_name" value="" />

<br /><small><?php _e( 'We suggest you use the name of your business or organization', 'group-types' ) ?></small>



<label for="group_desc"><?php _e( 'Group Description', 'scuba' ) ?></label>

<textarea rows="5" cols="40" name="group_desc" id="group_desc"></textarea>

<br /><small><?php _e( 'This description will be visible on your group profile, so it could be used to present your mission statement for example.', 'group-types' ) ?></small>



<label for="group_news"><?php _e( 'Group News', 'scuba' ) ?></label>

<textarea rows="5" cols="40" name="group_news" id="group_news"></textarea>

<br /><small><?php _e( 'Enter any news that you want potential members to see.', 'group-types' ) ?></small>

</div>

</div>

<?php

}

add_action( 'bp_before_registration_submit_buttons', 'sv_add_registration_group_types' );

Then we have to validate things and add some usermeta when a regitration happens:

/**

* Add custom userdata from register.php

* @since 1.0

*/

function sv_add_to_signup( $usermeta )

{

$usermeta['account_type'] = $_POST['account_type'];



if( isset( $_POST['group_name'] ) )

$usermeta['group_name'] = $_POST['group_name'];



if( isset( $_POST['group_desc'] ) )

$usermeta['group_desc'] = $_POST['group_desc'];



if( isset( $_POST['group_news'] ) )

$usermeta['group_news'] = $_POST['group_news'];



return $usermeta;

}

add_filter( 'bp_signup_usermeta', 'sv_add_to_signup' );



/**

* Update usermeta with custom registration data

* @since 1.0

*/

function sv_user_activate_fields( $user )

{

update_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'account_type', $user['meta']['account_type'] );



if( isset( $user['meta']['group_name'] ) )

update_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_name', $user['meta']['group_name'] );



if( isset( $user['meta']['group_desc'] ) )

update_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_desc', $user['meta']['group_desc'] );



if( isset( $user['meta']['group_news'] ) )

update_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_news', $user['meta']['group_news'] );



return $user;

}

add_filter( 'bp_core_activate_account', 'sv_user_activate_fields' );



/**

* Perform checks for custom registration data

* @since 1.0

*/

function sv_check_additional_signup()

{

global $bp;



if( empty( $_POST['account_type'] ) )

$bp->signup->errors['account_type'] = __( 'You need to choose your account type', 'group-types' );



if( empty( $_POST['group_name'] ) && $_POST['account_type'] != 'normal_user' )

$bp->signup->errors['group_name'] = __( 'You need to pick a group name', 'group-types' );



if( ! empty( $_POST['group_name'] ) && $_POST['account_type'] != 'normal_user' )

{

$slug = sanitize_title_with_dashes( $_POST['group_name'] );

$exist = groups_check_group_exists( $slug );

if( $exist )

$bp->signup->errors['group_name'] = __( 'This name is not available. If you feel this is a mistake, please <a href="/contact">contact us</a>.', 'group-types' );

}

}

add_action( 'bp_signup_validate', 'sv_check_additional_signup' );

And then we set up the group for the user (there are some constants in this function, so you’ll need to change that):

/**

* Create custom groups for skools, biz and org accounts

* @since 1.0

*/

function sv_init_special_groups( $user )

{

global $bp;



// get account type

$type = get_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'account_type' );



if( $type == 'normal_user' )

{

// Do nothing

}

elseif( $type == 'type_one' || $type == 'type_two' || $type == 'type_three' )

{

// get some more data from sign up

$group_name = get_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_name' );

$group_desc = get_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_desc' );

$group_news = get_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_news' );



$slug = sanitize_title_with_dashes( $group_name );



// create dive skool group

$group_id = groups_create_group( array(

'creator_id'	=> $user['user_id'],

'name'			=> $group_name,

'slug'			=> $slug,

'description'	=> $group_desc,

'news'			=> $group_news,

'status'		=> 'public',

'enable_wire'	=> true,

'enable_forum'	=> true,

'date_created'	=> gmdate('Y-m-d H:i:s')

)

);

// add the type to our group

groups_update_groupmeta( $group_id, 'group_type', $type );



// delete now useless data

delete_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_name' );

delete_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_desc' );

delete_usermeta( $user['user_id'], 'group_news' );



// include PHPMailer

require_once( SV_MAILER . 'class.phpmailer.php' );



$mail = new PHPMailer();

$mail->IsSMTP();

$mail->Host = SV_SMTP;



$auth = get_userdata( $user['user_id'] );

$profile_link = $bp->root_domain . '/' . $bp->groups->slug . '/' . $slug . '/admin';



$message = sprintf( __( 'Hello %s,



we have created a group for your business or organization. To get more out of your presence on Yoursitenamehere please take some time to set it up properly.



Please follow this link to fill in the rest of your profile: %s



We wish you all the best. Should you have any questions regarding your new group, please contact us at support@yoursitenamehere.com.



Your Yoursitenamehere Team', 'group-types' ), $auth->display_name, $profile_link );



$mail->SetFrom("support@yoursitenamehere.com","Yoursitenamehere");

$mail->AddAddress( $auth->user_email );



$mail->Subject  = __( 'Your new group pages on Yoursitenamehere', 'group-types' );

$mail->Body = $message;

$mail->WordWrap = 75;

$mail->Send();

}

}

add_action( 'bp_core_account_activated', 'sv_init_special_groups' );

When you write a group extension we’ll have to swap the activation call with a function like the one below to be able to check for group types.

/**

* Replacement activation function for group extension classes

*/

function activate_type_one()

{

global $bp;

$type = groups_get_groupmeta( $bp->groups->current_group->id, 'group_type' );

if( $type == 'type_one' )

{

$extension = new Group_Type_One;

add_action( "wp", array( &$extension, "_register" ), 2 );

}

}

add_action( 'plugins_loaded', 'activate_type_one' );

The last thing we need to do is add our group type names to group and directory pages:

/**

* Modify the group type status

*/

function sv_get_group_type( $type, $group = false )

{

global $groups_template;



if( ! $group )

$group =& $groups_template->group;



$gtype = groups_get_groupmeta( $group->id, 'group_type' );

if( $gtype == 'type_one' )

$name = __( 'Type 1', 'group-types' );



elseif( $gtype == 'type_two' )

$name = __( 'Type 2', 'group-types' );



elseif( $gtype == 'type_three' )

$name = __( 'Type 3', 'group-types' );



else

$name = __( 'User Group', 'group-types' );



if( 'public' == $group->status )

{

$type = sprintf( __( "%s (public)", "group-types" ), $name );

}

elseif( 'hidden' == $group->status )

{

$type = sprintf( __( "%s (hidden)", "group-types" ), $name );

}

elseif( 'private' == $group->status )

{

$type = sprintf( __( "%s (private)", "group-types" ), $name );

}

else

{

$type = ucwords( $group->status ) . ' ' . __( 'Group', 'buddypress' );

}



return $type;

}

add_filter( 'bp_get_group_type', 'sv_get_group_type' );



/**

* Modify the group type status on directory pages

*/

function sv_get_the_site_group_type()

{

global $site_groups_template;



return sv_get_group_type( '', $site_groups_template->group );

}

add_filter( 'bp_get_the_site_group_type', 'sv_get_the_site_group_type' );

It’s quite a bit of code, but it should get you started. This hasn’t been tested with 1.2 btw.

1. If I remember right, Jeff’s BP Privacy Options Plugin will allow the user to make profiles private. Just need to wait for the plugin upgrade for BP 1.2

2/3/5A. cosmic buddy theme – I would suggest asking Brajesh, the theme author about how to do that

5B. Yes you can create a Sitewide/global navigation bar in your blog’s themes, by using WPMU’s native switch_to_blog and restore_current_blog functions. Therefore, if you want the navbar of main site (blog_id_1) to be shown in you sub-blogs, you add the code below to your blog’s theme’s header.php

<ul id="nav"

<?php switch_to_blog('1') ?>

//copy the code from header.php of either bp-default/bp-sn-parent theme

//or the code used in main site plus any customized links you added in main site

<?php do_action( 'bp_nav_items' ); ?>

<?php restore_current_blog(); ?>

</ul>

You’ll get the correct URL’s which point to main site’s respective BP components.

I agree.

I would definitely not want the feature of “friending” with somebody to disappear. This feature is essential.

Ususally I am very happy when I do get a friendship-invitation, and this is a very important psychological factor as well.

First you need to “friending” with somebody, only after that you are able to “sort” your friends into different “Friend Groups” (like putting friends into different folders e.g. family, work, girlfriends, etc.) and also being able to make those “Friend Groups” either public, private or hidden.

Whether you “follow” your friends or whether you follow other people (who are not your “friends”), is a totally different story and a different feature.

Not sure why JJJ wants to remove the “friending feature” in favour of the “following-feature”…. ?

Can we not have both ?

Having the option of setting certain “Friends-List” to be “public, private or hidden” would be great. So I can set a certain “Group of Friends” to be hidden from other “Group of Friends”.

Not sure if Jeffs “Privacy-Plugin” is capable of doing this ?

I love the idea of as an admin, creating a relationship between profile fields (not necessarily required ones) and groups. In fact, I was scouring around my new 1.2 install hoping this feature was already live I see it as a good way to get folks involved in their specific demographic while always having the ability to leave the group if they want.

I see this as an option when defining a group, keeping the current public/private options intact, just adding another criteria or ‘group profile rule’.

I guess the “Group-settings” (public, private, hidden) would give an additional level of Privacy-Options for “Friends” if we go with the idea of Andy and JJJ.

So I can set a certain “Group of Friends” to be hidden from all my other friends.

That would be a very needed feature !

For example you are running a website for a niche-company-directory:

so the user will have friends at his suppliers and at his customers. But I am sure he does not want his customers to know who his suppliers are and vice-versa. This would be also the case at other niche-websites, like dating-websites, etc.

Just speaking strictly from a software design standpoint, calling someone’s friends a group does not make sense.

A friendship is a direct relationship between two people. It is a one to many relationship which is handled by using a lookup table that points back to the user table. It is just about the fastest possible relationship that you can have in RDBMS because both keys point back to the users table and the optimization of that query is killer if you have the right indexing. The only faster one would be a self join, for instance Bob is Jane’s spouse, which requires no lookup table.

A group however, is a one to many relationship, which is handled with a lookup table that acts as a bridge to a third table that holds the groups data. This is much different when it comes to querying. If friends are just Bob’s private group, it is going to make querying for relationships between two people very convoluted in many situations, especially where a fourth, fifth table or more is involved. There will be round tripping for data and/or nasty DISTINCT queries in many cases where it would not otherwise be necessary.

I think a lot of what Mike says is quite sensible, but my impression, reading what JJJ posted above and at the trac ticket, is that there would be next to no change in the way that the friend relationship works from the user point of view. Viewing a list of my friends, for instance, would be the same as it currently is. The difference is behind the scenes: the friend list is really the member list of a special kind of group (where ‘special’ entails private, stripped down, etc). While it might technically be true that, for instance, Mike’s friends would be a member of the “Mike Pratt” group, that’s not how it would be represented on the front-end of BP.

From a developer’s point of view I very much like the idea of merging components where possible, both to streamline the core BP code and to make extension easier to do.

A small thought about how it’d have to work. Currently if A requests membership in a private group, an entry is written to bp_groups_members = 0. When the group admin B approves membership, it changes to 1. If the current symmetrical model of friendship maps onto group membership, the second step – admin approval by B of A’s friendship request – will have to write another entry to bp_groups_members, this one making B a confirmed member of A’s friend group.