PT Forum Overview

About Forums App

The Forums application is built in the Application Development Framework (ADF).

Overview

The Forums application provides the ability to create an online message board inside a CommonSpot site. Also, with the option to integrate with other ADF applications, like PT Profiles.

With this application users can post and manage multiple Forum Categories, Topics and Threads.

Inheritable group permissions can be assigned for read, post, edit rights.

Requirements

ADF Library components that are required for the Forums application:

• CEData_1_0
• CSData_1_0
• Data_1_0
• Date_1_0
• Forms_1_0
• Scripts_1_0
• CCAPI

The ADF must be configured correctly for your site. The Site Level ADF Component wiki page has instructions for configuration.

Contents

The Forums application contains the following:

• Custom Coding - various components and scripts.
• CommonSpot Components:
  • Forum Categories - Custom Element
  • Forum Topics - Custom Element
  • Forum Threads - Custom Element
  • Forum Messages - Custom Element
  • Forum User Settings - Custom Element
  • PTForum Configuration - Custom Element

Note: Elements may contain one or more: Render Handlers or Custom Field Types. They do NOT use Display Templates.

Pre-installation Considerations

The ADF must be setup and configured on the server for the site that will be implementing the Profile application. For detailed instructions follow the ADF Overview wiki page for Site Configurations.

This installation guide assumes that you have no Custom Elements/Metadata Forms with the names above. Before the install, remove any Custom Elements/Metadata Forms with the names listed in the "Contents" section above. (If you do not remove existing elements with these names, you may have difficulties during the installation.)

Installation/Setup

Each of the following steps should be completed fully and in the order presented:

1. Download/Extract PT Forum Application
2. PT Forum ADF Configuration
3. Styles
4. Import Custom Elements
5. Site Configuration
6. Build Subsites, Templates and Pages

Getting Started

The installation has been completed and you are ready to start posting to the forums.

• Navigate to the Configuration Manager page and edit the single record. Update the Default Security for the forums. Set the site administrators group to have admin rights.
• Navigate to the Forum Home/Category Page. The New Category button will be rendered above the table. Click the button and create a new category for the forum.
• After you have a category crated, then create a topic, thread, and post.
• Navigate to the Forum webadmin and review the datasheets to make sure the data matches what you have created.

If everything works with no problems/errors, then you are ready to launch the Forums.