shamus mcquail wrote
I'm not getting any of those screens. In category view, after I click Topics view, next to the Main View button, there is a button to start a new post. I don't want people to start new posts on the main page. I thought I read somewhere that's why category view was good there, so noone could post on the Main View.
Ah! That will be because you have not yet changed the default user permissions. All Nabble apps start with the same set. (They allow those in the "Anyone" group to view and post to an entire forum. In consequence I always assume that every Administrator will change them so that it requires at least a "Registered" user to post.)
At the top level Go to:
Options > Users > Change Permissions
and disallow the "Create-topic" permission for all user groups. By default all sub-forums inherit their permissions from their parent, so then go to each of your sub-forums and change their permissions as required. Maybe for some you'll disallow the "View" permission, on others you'll allow "View", "Create_topic" and "Reply" for "Registered" users. If you're running a personal blog then you would disallow "Create_topic" but allow "Reply" so users can post comments on your posts.
Remember anyone can register without reference to you, so if you wish to restrict those who can post to those that you personally approve then you will need to add users to the "Members" group manually and give those in that group to create topics and reply to others.
Administrators of commercial forums often require payment before users get placed in the "Members" group. On one of my forums I require a post in an "Introduce Yourself" sub-forum, to which "Registered" users may post. That process weeds out all spammers and helps introduce strangers to each other, which helps to build a friendly group. When I see that post I then add the user to the "Members" group which gives them posting rights in all other areas of the forum, except one where I post general F.A.Q.s and guidance notes. (See:
http://www.seahawk17.org.uk/forum.htm)
