Learn DNN / DotNetNuke

DotNetNuke Forum Module

By Lee Sykes

January 2011

In this tutorial we demonstrate how to use the core DotNetNuke forum module.

The forum module allows users to have conversations in the form of posted messages. Each forum post is called a thread and includes a subject title and content.

The DotNetNuke core forum module has many configuration possibilities, these include setting up the forum so only certain users with security roles can view or post messages as well as require posted messages to be moderated.

Other options include quoting existing posts, allowing attachments, pinning and locking posts, emailing replies and managing user settings such as rankings, avatars, word filters and creating polls.

This module should cover most of your requirements for a forum in your DotNetNuke website.

The videos contain:

Video 1 - Introduction to the DotNetNuke Core Forum Module

Introduction, module features
Overview of a previously configured forum
Overview of threads and posting within a forum
How to install the core Forum Module in DotNetNuke
Creating a new page for the forum
Adding the forum module to the new page

Time Length: 9min 48secs

Video 2 - Forum General Settings and Options Configuration

Notes and issues with the core forum module
How to make sure the module is using the latest settings
How to manage forum groups from within the forum admin screen
Editing the name of the default discussions group
How to edit a forum within a group
Forum general settings
How to enable / disable the forum
Changing a forum name
Adding a forum description
Overview of the other general forum settings
How to delete a forum
Forum main options configuration
Setting the forum type; Normal Forum, Notification Forum or Link Forum
Description of the different forum behaviour types
Public, private, moderated, moderated with post restrictions, no moderation, no moderation with post restrictions
How to enable or disable forum polls, thread status and thread ratings
Enabling / disabling the forum RSS feed
Enabling the forum sitemap function
Overview of the security grid

Time Length: 11min 32secs

Video 3 - Forum Email, Creating Groups, User Settings

Forum email settings
How to create a new forum in a forum group
How to re-order the display of the forums
How to delete a forum
Creating a new forum group
How to create a sub forum
Testing the forum as a standard user
Creating a new forum thread
Ratings, bookmarks, tagging posts
Standard user forum settings, bookmarks, notifications

Time Length: 9min 47secs

Video 4 - Forum User Settings, Creating Private / Subscriber Forums

Standard user forum settings
Email format, threads and posts per page, notify on reply, moderator emails
User Profile
How to upload a photo for the forum user profile
How to create a user signature
User 'My Posts', 'My Threads'
How to create a private forum for subscribers only
Creating a forum subscriber and forum moderator security role
Creating a new private forum
How to set view access for security roles using the forum permissions grid
Load permissions of forum
How to create a public forum with moderation

Time Length: 9min 09secs

Video 5 - Forum Moderation, Forum Polls

Testing the public with moderation and private forums
Creating a new user account with forum subscriber access and forum moderator access
How to moderate forum posts and users
How to create a forum poll

Time Length: 9min 21secs

Video 6 - Forum General, Community, File, RSS, SEO Settings

How to create a link forum
Forum general settings
Aggregated forums, enable thread status, enable post abuse, disable html posting
Demonstration of aggregated forums
Forum community settings, enable external profile
How to enable file attachments to forum threads
How to add an attachment to a forum thread
Configuring forum RSS feeds
Forum SEO Management
No Follow, override page title, description, keywords, latest threads no follow, sitemap priority

Time Length: 10min 24secs