We’re testing a new feature where every member in DAP now also automatically gets entered into the WordPress user database. So when they log in to DAP, they will also be logged in to your wordpress blog as a “Subscriber”.
What this means to you…
- You can now use any WordPress plugin that uses the native WordPress user tables – like BB-Press and Simple Press (Forum Plugins)
- Your DAP member can be automatically logged into the forum plugin (say), so they can participate in a discussion
- If your member’s subscription expires, they will lose access to the forums
- WordPress will now automatically recognize the logged in user in the comments section of a blog post or page
Plenty of possibilities.
But here’s where I need your help.
What are the plugins that you always wanted to use with DAP, but couldn’t do so because the native WP user integration wasn’t available?
- OR -
What are the plugins that you would like to use with DAP, now that the feature will be available shortly?
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Please add your answers/comments/questions/suggestions below.
Appreciate your feedback.
- Ravi Jayagopal
34 comments ↓
Very cool. Dap is nearly perfect–we need only FORUMS (traditional, like Thesis’s private forum) that live outside of WP to be complete. If dap can manage all of it…beautiful.
Chris,
We’re currently working on integrating DAP with both WP-based forums as well as non-WP forums – like vBulletin, for example.
So please recommend non-WP forums as well that you would like DAP integrated with.
- Ravi
You live and learn. I didn’t even know you could get WP-based forum plugins, otherwise I would not have set up my non-WP forum! Luckily the forum is still fairly new so I will convert to WP straight away as I want to protect it with DAP.
Ravi, fyi I think a lot of people use phpBB, as it’s often integrated with webhost packages so you can install it with one click.
Linda
This is great news! I see you’re already using it on your installation. LOVE it! I agree with Linda on phpBB as well as add in SMF (Simple Machines Forum – http://www.simplemachines.org/).
@Linda and @Christina,
We’re definitely starting with at least 1 WP-based forum and 1 non-WP forum.
Installed SimpleMachinesForum a while ago, and it looks really good.
So, initial goal is to integrate the following:
1) Simple:Press (done)
2) SMF (being worked upon)
3) phpBB (will follow shortly thereafter)
4) bbPress
…
…
What else?
- Ravi Jayagopal
Not sure if integration with an external Forum/Ticket service like Zendesk would make sense, though I know they do have an extensive API (mail / rest / widget / remote / target).
Would be an interesting combo forum/support ticket option…
This is typical Ravi-awesomeness!
Great integration idea.
We currently use the WP-Forum plugin (the simplest forum plugin for a non-technical niche) – and just force people to go through a second registration process.
We also a plugin called:
– Alkivia Open Community
for a members directory. This plugin, like forum plugins, uses wordpress user info to function.
Mark,
Zendesk certainly looks very impressive. Will check them out in detail shortly.
Thanks for the suggestion.
- Ravi Jayagopal
Josh,
I have to say… your comment is “typical Josh-kindness!”
.
I actually started with WP-Forum, and it seemed outdated and didn’t seem to work on WP 2.8.x.
Can you pass long the link to the plugin? Maybe I used the wrong “wp forum”, as there seemed to be more than one.
Thanks!
- Ravi Jayagopal
Hi Ravi, this functionality is exactly what we need
VBulletin would be a good commercial forum to be compatible with and a good open source one would be Vanilla http://vanillaforums.org/
Just to follow on Ravi, the ability for a DAP user to be automatically logged into WP and then be able to comment on a post is great but what would be even better is if we could only assign this to paid DAP subscribers. We have hundreds of free members and we wouldn’t want them commenting on articles.
I’m sure with a bit of wizard like programming you could achieve this
Keep up the good work, DAP is going from strength to strength.
Hi,
My dream set-up would be the following, if DAP could manage this kind of single sign-on environement:
-Wordpress MU
-bbpress http://bbpress.org/ (forum made by the founders of worpdress)
-Buddypress http://buddypress.org/ (transforms WP into a social network)
If DAP could do that it would be definitely a killer application.
Does it sound feasible ?
[...] that require the user information to exist in the native WordPress user tables. Also see our earlier post about [...]
Hi DAP-Addict
,
DAP now works with bbpress. But not with BuddyPress and Mu.
However, why would you need DAP to work with Mu though? Maybe your model can be modified a little bit, so that you have your Mu & Buddypress on a different site, and DAP and your membership content on another site.
- Ravi
Ravi…
re: WP-Forum. Documentation is rather sparce, but the current version does work with wordpress 2.8x
http://www.fahlstad.se/wp-plugins/wp-forum/
And…if you like being confused, check the link below…to another forum plugin that may be a copy of wp-forum
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/forum-server/
Josh,
Thanks for that info.
I did try WP-Forum on one of my 2.8.x niche blogs, and got some errors.
Maybe it was some other plugin then. Will try it again.
- Ravi
Another suggestion for a non-WP forum is punBB. This is what I’ve been using and I like it because it’s clean and simple.
Ravi, could you update your progress on integration of DAP with forum scripts. I am currently building a new website and would like to pick a forum script to go with DAP.
Currently I am considering Simple:Press and phpBB. I know DAP works with Simple:Press – what about phpBB?
I know roughly that any other scripts out there CAN share ONE and the SAME mysql database if the installation is done properly. What is the best sequence for this? Could be this…
(1) WordPress
(2) DAP
(3) Any other scripts
Ravi, best wishes for the year of 2010! Are you still celebrating the new year? -)
Anyway, I just found another forum plugin for WordPress, it is called WP-Forum:
http://www.fahlstad.se/wp-plugins/wp-forum/
Hope DAP can integrate with that as well.
Aubrey,
The new year celebrations didn’t last too long. Had to get back to work
DAP does work with WP-Forum. Basically, DAP will work with any WordPress-based Forums.
- Ravi Jayagopal
Good to hear from you, Ravi!
I found another one called OnePress Community. It does not work as a WP plugin but as a WP theme that integrates with phpBB (separately installed). This is neat. See this intro:
http://onepresscommunity.com/2008/12/wordpress-forums-community/
and instructions for installation:
http://onepresscommunity.com/docs/onepress/#install
Since OnePress acts as a bridge between WP and phpBB, could this be a problem?
Ravi,
I just installed BBPress into the same database that my WordPress/DAP tables reside. I also integrated all settings to accept login capabilities.
However, when a member logs in to my membership site and tries to access the forum, they’re still required to register for the forum as well.
Any ideas on why this is?
Thank you for your insight!
Patrick,
You have to turn on the DAP config where it says whether DAP should sync with WP tables.
Ravi Jayagopal
Ravi,
Awesome! Just did it and it works flawlessly!!
Patrick
I like WP-forum but it has an annoying problem in that the first ‘breadcrumb’ takes you back to your Wordpress site instead of to the front page of your forum. This version which Ravi found http://vasthtml.com/js/wordpress-forum-server/ is based on WP-forum but has been modified so it doesn’t have that particular ‘bug’.
I’ve installed this one and am hoping to use it if I can iron out an incompatibility with my theme that cuts off the right-hand-side of the message text area!
I’ve integrated Zendesk for my ticket/forum system, and it would be extremely helpful if the “Password” field could be added to the CSV User Export in DAP… this would save me hours of manual search and data entry. Is this a possibility in the near future? Thanks in advance for letting me know. DAP looking better every day…
Ravi here’s an update after my email of December 3rd (I thought other users might find it helpful too).
I’ve now switched to the adapted version of WP-forum (its name is ‘Forum Server’, get the download from vasthtml.com) as it has many improvements compared with the original Fredrik Fahlstad WP-Forum that I started off with.
The forum breadcrumbs start with the forum rather than with the blog. That solves a major problem.
A potential problem for the average user is coming out of the forum interface and into the Wordpress interface, without the ability to get back again. With ‘Forum Server’ this will not happen as long as you comment out the ‘log out’ link, in wpf.class.php. The only other link to Wordpress is ‘My Profile > Edit Personal Options’ but ordinary users get an ‘access denied’ message when they click it, so that’s ok.
As far as I can see, there remain two snags
1. If a forum user’s Wordpress login times out, or if they in some other way become accidentally logged out of the Wordpress account. Then their link to the forum from their DAP account won’t work.
2. At the moment other forum members can see a user’s email address because this is both their default username and their default display name. I am going into Wordpress for each new user, to change their display name manually. Is it possible to upgrade DAP in such a way that it sets the user’s first_name as their display name?
Linda,
That’s incredible! Thank you so much for your feedback! It will definitely be useful too all, including me
Actually the full name (First + Last) is what is actually being set as their display name. Not sure why it’s doing that for you. Will get back to you offline regarding this.
Thanks!
- Ravi Jayagopal
I’d love some opinions from DAP and simple: press (SP) users.
My SP forum integrates beautifully with DAP, the user names are fully integrated into the WP/DAP database so users don’t have to login twice to use the forum. (Thanks Ravi and Veena!)
BUT, by default the SP logout button is visible in the forum. If someone uses this button to logout they’ll need to login twice – once for DAP and once for SP (At least this happened to me when I tried out the system.)
I want to remove the login/logout button from SP, but I’m concerned that there may be odd repercussions. Does anyone know?
In other words, is there any reason to not remove the login/logout button from SP?
The forum is only open to paid subscribers. No one else will have access.
I’d appreciate any thoughts.
Thanks,
Amy
Hi Ravi.
Do you know when you may have DAP working with PHPBB?
I have tried a few plugins to bridge between WP and PHPBB, but they are generally managed from the side of the PHPBB, so they arent quite working right
Or if any one else has found a solution I would love to hear it
Regards
Julie
Julie,
We should have phpBB integration in 4.0, which is probably just about 2 months away.
- Ravi Jayagopal
Ravi,
We are working with George Tran to transition our site over to DAP/WP soon. We are looking for WP themes & found something on Buddypress we like, but my understanding is that DAP is not compatible with Buddypress. Is this correct? Thank you.
Diane,
DAP is now compatible with Buddypress.
See this:
http://socialmarketingman.com/304/how-to-set-up-a-membership-website-using-wordpress-buddypress-and-dap/
Thanks, Veena! George reminded me of this after I posted my question. A lot of technical stuff to learn, so I misunderstood.
Very excited to start using DAP soon! Have read great things about you guys.
Happy Weekend…
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