how many blondes does it take to set up a phpBB forum?

[Caroluna]

I'm hoping the answer is "Just one, if she has several patient friends"

I've started learning about this-- looking online, and searching the archives here. But I was wondering if anyone could point me to a how-to website that's a good place for a complete n00b.

I checked Amazon.com for "phpBB for Dummies" but it hasn't been written yet.

The reason I want to do this is that I think it would be a great way to build community among my group of Disorganized Homeschool Moms. That way even if they're too disorganized to make it to the meetings, they could still benefit from each other's support and encouragement.

Let's say there was a forum for the moms (possible name "Calming the Chaos") and a subforum for their kids ("Children of Chaos" ).

Would it be possible to make it so that the moms could read the kids' posts, but the kids could not read the moms' posts? Or would that require two separate forums?

Congrats, I love TEH BOARD...but have never liked the emoticons over there....they just aren't emotional enough for me. Is it possible to set things up with Enhanced Emoticons?

[izzarina]

Enhanced emoticons! I love that!!!

No help from me....despite my dark hair, I'm one of the biggest "blonde" types out there. I'm lucky if I can turn on my computer, let alone set up a message board of sorts. But if you do need help, I'm more than happy to lend a hand!

[jlunt]

I've set up xennobb on a site I manage, which is similar to phpbb, and I recall once setting up phpbb a couple of years ago. From those somewhat vague memories I can offer little help, but here goes.

First make sure your server is running php and that you have access to mysql. You'll need one database. Download phpbb. Extract it somewhere on your server, and remember where you put it. Phpbb comes with a good readme text file that will walk you through the install process, which includes attaching it to your database. It asks a few questions: bulletin board name, database name, path to bb files, url for bb home page, etc... These are all questions that the folks that are renting you server space will happily and easily answer for you.

A php for dummies book wouldn't be a bad idea and the phpbb site has a lot of helpful info on their site (tutorials and such).

I know this hasn't been much help - sorry - but it might get you started. I'm sure there will be many more posts more helpful than mine. Good luck.

[Caroluna]

but it might get you started. .

Thanks!

Whenever I'm learning something totally new (which this is), the thing that seems to help me most is to hear it explained a lot of different ways.

[Denny]

Would it be possible to make it so that the moms could read the kids' posts, but the kids could not read the moms' posts?

Groups

[Lambchop]

Let's say there was a forum for the moms (possible name "Calming the Chaos") and a subforum for their kids ("Children of Chaos" ).

Would it be possible to make it so that the moms could read the kids' posts, but the kids could not read the moms' posts? Or would that require two separate forums?

You can do lots of things. There are instructions, somewhere, I believe, but you can figure most of it out by playing around using your administrator access. Although I have to admit it's a bit confusing.

I think by "forum" you are meaning setting up an entirely separate phBB? That's not necessary.

A "forum" is actually a . . . forum . . . like "The Chiff and Fipple Poststructural Pub" is a forum.

If you just want neither group to see the other group's postings, there is no reason to combine them into one forum. Just set up each with their own forum, assign the kids into one group and the moms into another, and give the kids access to their forum and the moms to another.

They won't be able to see the other forum at all, if you don't want them to. On C&F, you can only see what the moderators want you to see. For all you know, they have their own forum in which they are sticking their tongues out at us as we speak.

Also, you want to control registrations to prevent nasty spamming. Your existence will be discovered almost instantly by nasty-bots which will register and begin posting inappropriate material, sometimes in massive floods. Where I work, we do it by registering everyone ourselves and requiring approval for registrations, which we also do ourselves. They can't post until you approve them, which you'll never do. We just block their URL to keep them from re-registering.

[Denny]

blonds.....Lambo.....blonds

[Caroluna]

blonds.....Lambo.....blonds

[Denny]

zactly....inna much of a challenge if the dark haired lass helps out, now is it?

[Lambchop]

And, yes, you can have all the emoticons you want, Caroluna.

On C&F, the Evil Ones limit us to the mundane assortment, depriving us of the fullness of our expression.

When you find some, let me know where, because I can't figure out how to import them . . .

[sbfluter]

It takes only one blonde. I've set up a couple of phpBB forums and hacked them to be spam-proof as well.

The description you got from jlunt is accurate. The biggest hurdle you'll probably face is having access to a server that has php installed and some way to set up the mysql database. If php and mysql are installed (and it works with other databases, not just mysql, but mysql is the most common) all you have to do is create the database. That'll be the hardest part. You have to have some kind of command-line access or else something like PhpMyAdmin so you can create the database. If you don't have anything that at your disposal, you'll have to contact someone at the ISP to help you. Some ISPs are more helpful than others. If you do have PhpMyAdmin and just don't know what to do, you can ask someone to help you.

After you have the database, from there you just go to the install page with your web browser and it'll create the tables. After that you're ready to create the forums, give them clever names and descriptions and do whatever customizing you want.

[Lambchop]

Oh, and don't forget that Rich will help you!

[avanutria]

Let's say there was a forum for the moms (possible name "Calming the Chaos") and a subforum for their kids ("Children of Chaos" ).

Would it be possible to make it so that the moms could read the kids' posts, but the kids could not read the moms' posts? Or would that require two separate forums?

This is possible - I do it on my university site using phpBB2 (soon to upgrade to 3, hopefully). You'd have a single forum (the whole thing) with subforums, and you could make one subforum restricted to people with a certain access level, and then you give all the moms that access level. Then the moms can read the entire forum and the kids can read everything except the mom subforum.

Once you have your server sorted out and your software installed I can help you with the configuration.

[izzarina]

zactly....inna much of a challenge if the dark haired lass helps out, now is it?

Hey, I said I would help, and I'm a dark haired lass!!

[Dale]

I'm hoping the answer is "Just one, if she has several patient friends"

I've started learning about this-- looking online, and searching the archives here. But I was wondering if anyone could point me to a how-to website that's a good place for a complete n00b.

I checked Amazon.com for "phpBB for Dummies" but it hasn't been written yet.

The reason I want to do this is that I think it would be a great way to build community among my group of Disorganized Homeschool Moms. That way even if they're too disorganized to make it to the meetings, they could still benefit from each other's support and encouragement.

Let's say there was a forum for the moms (possible name "Calming the Chaos") and a subforum for their kids ("Children of Chaos" ).

Would it be possible to make it so that the moms could read the kids' posts, but the kids could not read the moms' posts? Or would that require two separate forums?

Congrats, I love TEH BOARD...but have never liked the emoticons over there....they just aren't emotional enough for me. Is it possible to set things up with Enhanced Emoticons?

I host a number of websites at dreamhost.com and installation of phpBB forums is a "one-click install." It's not really one-click, of course, but it's not hard to do. If you don't have a hosting service, consider getting one with them and then you can set up the forums. I'd be happy to help (even though I work in public k-12 education!)

Dale

Dale