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1. Pellepennan
   Member
   Posted 7 months ago #

   So, I have a website, I have WP installed and it's running nicely, though it's still v. 0.1, i.e. it doesn't have any content, I just got a theme up and one post with random letters. So far so good, it's not very complicated. But I haven't been able to figure out how to make it do what I want to:

   I want my HS students to be able to blog, under their own names, all in one place, so that the latest blog post shows up on the front page, no matter who the author is.

   Ideally, the page should have a main menu on top, with links to school activities, schedules, link to the official website ASF. The column to the right should have the names of the students (maybe as a sub menu) and when a named is clicked, the visitor should get to that student's page. The students will have some say in what they can put on their pages, but they can't be admins.

   Can anyone point me to a good tutorial about setting up multiple blogs under on roof, so to say? It must be out there, I just haven't found it. WP MU is installed BTW. To make this clearer, I want readers to be able to read all blogs if they go to blogs.domainname.com and not have to use blogs.domainname.com/stevesblog/. I've been able to do the later.

   Also, at what level can a user install widgets and stuff? I don't want them to change the basic layout, so no admin rights. And they are high school students. I trust them not to destroy anything or defame someone on purpose, but they have this tendency to fiddle with things, that would be better left alone

2. samboll
   moderator
   Posted 7 months ago #

   You likely need to review "Roles"
   http://codex.wordpress.org/Roles_and_Capabilities#Summary_of_Roles

   likely you will want the students to be "contributors" - maybe "author if you really trust them

   As for the links on top and stuff, you just need to find a theme you like with a navbar at the top and the sidebar how you like it - you can redirect navbar links out of wordpress with a redirect plugin. The sidebar list is possible as you can have several options with authors list.

   some theme choices
   http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/

3. asechrest
   Member
   Posted 7 months ago #

   Hi, Pellepennan.

   I strive for a similar setup. Here's what I do, in no particular order:

   • Use built-in WP settings to force new registered users to a certain role
   • Use built-in WP settings to set a default post category (Settings -> Writing)
   • Use Levels2Categories plugin to set permissions on certain categories
   • Use Adminimize plugin to hide elements in the write panel that I don't want user's messing with
   • Use Role Manager to set capabilities for certain roles

   Now you have: Forced users to a certain role, who only have the capabilities that you decide, who can still write posts, but only in the category you choose for them, and you can therefore decide to do whatever you want with that category of posts.

   For example, you could force your students to post only in the StudentPost category, which you could then hide from showing in the main blog post list, then use a sidebar widget to show a list of the recent student posts. This is just an example. It sounds like you want them posting in the main area.

   Have fun.

4. asechrest
   Member
   Posted 7 months ago #

   As a followup, just wanted to say that what you're shooting for is very doable. You just need to find a good, clean theme that has the main elements you want, then spend some time in the plugin repository and on Google looking for all the plugins you need to meet your goal.

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