4 replies to this topic

[consimworld]

I run a large community forum running Web Crossing and am considering moving to a new platform. My initial question is based on some simple UI requirements I'm trying to satisfy.

Is it possible through customization that a dedicated topic (for a specific product) could be integrated such that while in discussion view, one could view all images (gallery), support docs (files), and perhaps some database entries that relate to that specific topic/product only?

Simple example. User comes to Topic on Product A for general discussion about the item. This would perhaps be non-threaded/single conversation for arguments' sake. While in this single, dedicated topic view for a specific product, I want the user to be able to quickly see and access any downloads or images relating to that particular product. The focus is on the discussion, but there should be easily viewable ways to 'jump' to related content. Perhaps a tab metaphor is what I'm looking for...once in a topic, there are tabs to switch to "files" or "image gallery" but they must be related to that specific (fixed) topic.

I hope this makes sense. If I need to provide a UI sample from another solution, I can do that.

What Web Crossing does for me now is fine, but if I can find a solution that can integrate a product discussion with a very compelling, visual integration with support files, etc. all from that discussion topic, that is critical. If it's possible, I'd like to see an instance where this has been executed as a proof of concept.

There are other requirements beyond this, but I will stop here for now.

Thanks.

[Andrej]

Everything is possible, but it requires some serious skills to archive what you want since it's not available just out of the box. If you can't do that, you might have to ask for a developer to help you.

I have never seen that before, so it would be interesting to see a UI sample from you.

[consimworld]

I'll be happy to prepare something this week that demonstrates the basic concept I'm after. Hopefully it will help. I'll definitely be in the need of some customization/professional services help assuming the architecture is compatible with the goals I have in mind.

[bfarber]

After thinking a little about this, here are the (sort-of) out of the box options you have:

• You could utilize tags to link up a topic, associated files and associated gallery images (or blog entries, database entries in IP.Content, etc.), and then clicking that tag while viewing the topic would bring you to the search results page where you have tabs for each content type.  This isn't within the topic view directly, but this is completely out of the box with no customizations needed.
  
• You could possibly create some more complex IP.Content feed blocks if this is going to be for specific topics and then embed them in the skin with HTML logic to force them only to show within the topics specified.  This would only work if there are a limited amount of topics I expect, and would require some basic customizations (all capable within the ACP, however).
  
• When creating the topics you could use the shared media bbcode to "embed" links to appropriate Gallery images or files (or any other content type basically) within the topic post content.  This is simple, but has the drawbacks that (1) you have to manually link the content to the topic (and no cross linking from Gallery to the topic would be possible out of the box) and (2) the linking is not dynamic.  If a new file was uploaded you would have to edit the topic to embed the new file using the shared media bbcode.

A better option, but which would require some basic custom development would be to go with the first suggestion above (tag everything so that topics, gallery images, files, etc. link up) and then build a custom hook that will take the tag of the topic you are viewing and find all other content with the same tag, displaying links to it on the topic view page.  This could easily accomplish what you are after using *mostly* built in functionality, but you would indeed need a developer to create this hook that shows the custom content within the topic view (instead of requiring the user to click the tag, go to the search results page, and then switch between tabs).

[consimworld]

Thanks. I anticipate custom development will be a necessity for what I am seeking. Of course, that means I will have to figure out what the potential impact would be with compatibility with future upgrades, so I have to find a smart way to do what I need to do. But, yes, I don't anticipate what I need to resemble what is provided out-of-the-box for IP.board with little configuration work. I appreciate you taking the time to outline some of those other options, however.