Thread

I’m slightly confused -

I want authors to be able to simply login and write channel posts and edit their own profile info that is pulled into bio details on a channel.

I’ve created custom profile fields they can add to, but I also want to remove those that aren’t needed like ICQ, birthday etc.,

If they log in they go to the control panel - right? click on their name they can enter profile details.
But it is not possible to edit the CP profile fields only the member/profile pages - right?

but how do they get to that page when it isn’t linked to when you log in?
And also when you are an the member/profile pages you can’t add channel entries.

So.. am I missing something here? seems to be no tie in between the CP and the member profile pages that is manageable. Don’t want them to have to log-in twice - once to a website login and then second to a CP login to make an entry.

can anyone help with this?

Hi Stevo,

You’re ultimate goal (“authors to be able to simply login and write channel posts and edit their own profile info”) is something that’s accomplished in the Control Panel, yes. The only downside for you is that there is no way to remove the member profile fields that you don’t need (such as AOL IM, ICQ, etc.).

You can do this on the front-end with member templates, but the reason there’s not a connection between your front-end member profile pages and the CP is because the CP is meant for admins only, while the front-end of a website is typically accessed by even visitors. That is to say, when you’re on the member/profile pages, you’re viewing the front-end of the website in an area where all members can edit their profile information. Only members with CP access can login to the CP section of the site.

Now, you might be able to accomplish what you’re looking to do with some custom work. You could modify the front-end member templates to remove the fields you want to ignore. Then create use SafeCracker to build front-end forms that allow your users to submit and edit entries.

Does that help?

Thanks Kevin - I get you, and I wouldn’t have members apart from the authors signed up manually so no real need for the profile page templates EXCEPT there is no way it seems to edit the CP profile fields at all to suit my needs   - remove ICQ etc., AND there is no way to get private messaging into the CP, which just seems bizarre to me.

I guess I’ll just have to stick with the CP and tell them to ignore many of the stupid permanent fields, and they can’t use Private messsaging. Really dumb system though it seems to me.

BTW when you login via the front end, is it possible to have that ‘your home’ link go to the control panel homepage? rather than the member/profile page? as they can’t actually edit or add entries there.

Hi Stevo,

Like Kevin mentioned you’ve got 2 options, users create entries & modify profiles in the control panel, or you template it all on the frontend. If its important enough, you’d be better templating it on the frontend, and then using something like solspace User to design the ‘edit profile’ page however you want, and safecracker to add entries. This is actually quite simple, you’d only need a few templates to do it all.

You actually can modify the CP if you’re comfortable editing the CP theme files. We’ve done this in the past to show more columns on the view members page. Totally agree though, icq/birthday/aol fields should never have been part of EE by default. Most of EE’s problems are due to the system being designed over 10 years ago, and EE2 being simply a rewrite in codeigniter with no major ‘rethinking’ of concepts. I guess this is mainly due to their decision to provide an easy upgrade path for EE1.x users. It still works great though in most case, anything it doesn’t do we just build an addon for 😊

Good luck!

thanks dave - it just seems silly to me to have to buy add-ons and create new templates to duplicate what the CMS actually already does anyway just to be able to edit the profile pages and get private messaging. I’d prefer them to be using the file manager and editing all their entries etc., and using the email features as well. But private messaging is embedded in the Front end templates ONLY - and I told them they’d be able to use private messaging so that is a pain - as it can’t be used in the CP. So it means a lot of jumping between the CP and the front end which is a pain. Seems to be a lack of thinking in this logic like you say.

You don’t really “log-in” either when you log-in via the front end either - you just get the profile stuff, not the ability to get to your entries or email. Coming from Wordpress previous site this is going to be very confusing for them. I might try and strip out the profile pages templates to just show the private messaging features and embed a link to the admin.php login - something like:

{if logged_in}
                <li><a href="http://{path=member/profile}">Private messaging</a></li>
                <li><a href="http://{path=www.website.com/admin.php}">Control Panel</a></li>
                <li><a href="http://{path=LOGOUT}">Log out</a></li>
{/if}

Ok but if you’re having to use frontend templates for the private messaging anyway, you may as well put everything there.

Yes you can edit your entries etc by logging in on the frontend, its easy with safecracker (a default module you use to post entries on the frontend). You can make ths process work however you want. Private messaging is a a bit of a pain to template though, since it comes with its own set of templates. We’ve actually built a module for private messaging, its just not ready for release yet and we are busy with other things at the moment. Do your users know each other? If so is there any point using private messaging? The whole concept of private messaging is only useful on a large forum where no-one knows each other and doesn’t want to give out their email.

Still cant see a reason for you doing everything in the control panel 😊

Yea, if I could just remove the CP profile fields I don’t need but not possible it seems.

I have found ICQ and others in a few files like myaccount_lang.php, myaccount.php, members.php - might be a bit risky to delete them though I guess.

you mean removing them in the cp or frontend? In CP you need to look at CP themes, on the front end you’ll need something like Solspace user to have freedom with the member fields.

The profile fields in the CP - what I have tried and was told is you can’t remove the CP fields, only the Frontend profile templates. The CP fields like ICQ, birthday etc., are embedded in the core code.

As far as i know they’re in the CP themes (in your normal themes folder) so yes you can modify them, at the very least hide the fields. We’ve done this ourselves. Hopefully a moderator can confirm this though

Nope - tried this -  it just modifies the front end templates. (confusing this whole CP profile/front-end thing).

cp_themes just has a images and css folder as well. No joy there.

Well the CP and the front-end are completely different. The frontend you template yourself, in the template manager (except for the standard private msg and member profile templates, which are retarded). The control panel has its own theme files . Thats where you can modify the CP, its completely separate to the front-end

Actually just looked on a fresh EE download and I see what you mean.. Really strange as one of our sites has full CP themes there! Guess I’d need to ask our developers if they’ve customised anything to do that.