Tip for those who want more profile customization!

classic Classic list List threaded Threaded
15 messages Options
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
This post was updated on .
I'm not asking for help here (I'm just giving a tip that should help those in need):

If you want to have an extended mini-profile along with your avatar, with lots of custom fields, and you don't know how to use NAML properly to add those fields, here's a great tip for you! Also, this should be great for those who want custom regular profiles (or a link to a profile post).

Instead of actually making profile and mini profile fields, you can just suggest that people link to a profile post from their signatures. You see signatures as easily as a mini-profile. So, it works.

In my forum, I have a dedicated sub-forum for profile posts (others can't reply to your post, thus making it simpler and less cluttered, and easier to moderate). People can link to their profile posts from their signature. Profile posts are just regular threads; so, they can be as elaborate as desired, and contain as many custom fields as the users want.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

Gary Lewis
I like that and will consider it for my forum.  But, do you have a link to yours so I could see it?
I'm not Nabble support, but have Nabble running on my Weebly website: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
Sure. I don't have any other users in my forum, yet, but here's the link if you want to see what I have set up. The forum name is a working title. The idea is still new to me (so I may refine a few things later). I got the idea when I saw how on some other gardening forum someone gave their USDA hardiness zone and location information in their signature, and that got me thinking.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

Gary Lewis
Ok, I'm missing something.  But you don't have a sig.  Perhaps you just haven't gotten there yet?

So, if I understand correctly, you have a sub-forum where each member can post but no one can reply.  The intent is for the member to tell about his/herself, and then post a permalink to that in their signature so people can quickly find out about them.  Right?

We have a bit different approach on the Bullnose Forum.  We have a New Members Start Here sub-forum where people are requested to introduce themselves.  Similar to yours but people are able to post in there, and the reason is so they can welcome them.

But I kinda like your approach, so will think about that.  Thanks.  
I'm not Nabble support, but have Nabble running on my Weebly website: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
This post was updated on .
I added the link as my signature (right before I replied to you the first time), but I haven't done anything fancy to accompany it. The profile post link should be there.

You know what, I used to have an Introduce Yourself forum where I have a Profiles forum, but I changed it, as they had conflicting purposes in some cases. However, I have a way to make it so we can have the best of both worlds. I can just encourage users to lock their thread if they don't want replies. I've changed my forum to reflect that. You can make it so users can lock their own threads, if you check Authors in the user permissions.

Some people might not want replies since it could detract from others viewing their profile, and may create biases against them in some cases, depending on what the replies are. I mean, you might share information that you don't really want to discuss in your profile thread (but that you might not mind discussing elsewhere).
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

Gary Lewis
I think that's the best solution.  But I don't see why anyone would want to lock out other's comments.  It is easy enough to put a permalink in your sig that'll take everyone to the first post.  And you can go back and edit that post as many times as you want to update it.
I'm not Nabble support, but have Nabble running on my Weebly website: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
This post was updated on .
I have a habit of editing my threads a lot soon after I post (you may want to look at my revised version). Sorry about that. The permalink thing didn't work out as intended (permalinking to the opening post still shows all the replies). So, I edited that out of my post. A regular link is fine.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
This post was updated on .
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
Maybe it's just a social anxiety thing. :) I mean, that way, if you don't get any replies, you don't feel unloved or something (since people can't reply anyway).

But yeah, for practical purposes, I wanted to exclude replies since replies would make it harder to see what was on my profile if my profile happened to be very long. I want people to be able to find my tradelists nearly as fast as possible, without distraction.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
Plus, if you edit your profile a lot (which I mean to encourage to a certain degree in my forum, in order to update information), then it should be less confusing without replies (since some of the replies might be directed at things you've edited out).
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
But yeah, I guess with the signature idea, I guess it doesn't matter as much if people just make a new profile post and link to it (instead of editing the old one). So, either way should be fine.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
Okay, I added a few other things. I think the signature looks better and makes sense if I add a few mini-profile-type details besides the profile post.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

GregChapman
Hi Pen,

I've been watching this topic with interest, as one of my forums uses an "Introduce Yourself" area where all new users have to post before they are added to the "Members" group and allowed to post elsewhere in the forum. The area serves much the same purpose as your Profiles area while also guarding against spammers.

I believe it will very much depend on your audience on whether the signature link idea will work. My forum along with its associated web site, like yours, provides masses of information on its subject. In that environment most people register on the forum with the sole aim of getting an answer to a specific question and never post again.

My forum seems to attract older people with limited computer skills, and often, it appears, mine is the only forum on which they have ever registered, a few explicitly mention it. I cannot find one of my 200 or so users that have created a signature and only half a dozen who have added an avatar. Half have not posted at all, which begs the question of why they registered as it gives them no addition privileges over those in the Anyone group.

With 10 years hindsight I'd say my Introduce Yourself area only works to keep out spammers, who have never plagued the forum anyway. If I was being asked for a recommendation I'd say I'd only introduce it on future forums where there was an active and tight social group of people all posting at the same rate and who have only met online. On information rich sites where those joining a forum do so only to get an answer to a specific question and never post again then requiring a profile post is an unnecessary burden on a user.

However, where profile pages do exist, I do agree that encouraging people to create a signature with a link to the post is a great idea.
Volunteer Helper - but recommending that users move off the platform!
Once the admin for GregHelp now deleted.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

Gary Lewis
My forum draws a mix of young and old.  I'm 72 and there are two on there older than I.   But there are a lot of younger ones as well.

Our process is that you register, which sends the admins an email.  One of them makes you a member and sends an email back that you are approved but requests that you go to the New Members Start Here folder, read the guidelines, and then start a new thread/topic in that folder to introduce themselves.  So there's no requirement to do the introduction post, although they may get chided by me for not doing it.

And, they are requested to create a signature that tells us about their truck.  That's very important as they will be asking technical questions, the answer to which may well hinge on what year the truck is and what options it has.  But it is not a requirement, although probably 95% have done.

So the link in the sig to the intro has merit as it would be an easy add for any of us.  And it would give us a way to refresh our memories about this person, which is especially important when they post infrequently as some do.
I'm not Nabble support, but have Nabble running on my Weebly website: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

mark
In reply to this post by GregChapman
Hi GregChapman!

I'm glad the idea interests you (and Gary Lewis). Thanks.

It should be noted that the signature-thing, as well as any introductions, on my site are optional. They are not required, but they are strongly encouraged if you're trading seeds or something like that, to make it easier for everyone concerned. If users who don't know how to set up a signature with a link come along, they're perfectly welcome to forego that option until they learn and decide to use it.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Tip for those who want more profile customization!

Gary Lewis
I just set up my sig to have a link to what I'll call my profile, as you can see in this post.  But, Nabble doesn't make it easy as there's no "link" button when editing your signature.

So I've instructed my flock to play like they are responding elsewhere, type in "Profile", set up a link to that, and then copy the whole thing and paste it into their sig.
I'm not Nabble support, but have Nabble running on my Weebly website: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/