This http://manual.b2evolution.net/New_users is a helpful entry in the manual.

What I miss in your explanation is that you have to 'make' individual users. Like this guy Jack and of course Andrew and Deirdry. You can give them rights (in a group) to post in a (or more) blog(s).

I have users who have registered. Is that what you mean by "make a user"?
I created a Test User and have had no luck after giving him the specific rights per the instructions. I've gone so far as to give them all rights and yet still there is no way to access the backend or the back office where they could create their blog entry. This is what I don't understand. Very frustrating.

Ok, that's what I meant. have you tried: Blog settings -> Blog A (or another blog) -> User permissions?

Here's an example of the settings

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t114/bri4878/Exampleofsettings.gif

Yes I have tried all three different blogs.

I did have edit blog selected also and that didn't make a difference

I guess I didn't need to delete the name on the first one as that is the Admin. But even when I check all settings it doesn't seem to matter. I must obviously be doing something wrong but man I can't think of what it is.

Here's the group settings

http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t114/bri4878/ExampleBofgrouppermissions.gif

That looks correct. I am out of ideas, so you'l have to wait for a real guru. To be helpful you can state your b2e version.

Good luck.

I thought group settings would over ride individual settings, is that not correct?

1.9.2

Thanks for trying to help. Just a quick question. If or when it's working as it's supposed to be what type of link do the users have on the main screen. Does it say admin just the same as if does for the administrator? Or where on the main screen do the regular bloggers click to get to the back end to create their blog? Thanks

Brian wrote:

Thanks for trying to help. Just a quick question. If or when it's working as it's supposed to be what type of link do the users have on the main screen. Does it say admin just the same as if does for the administrator? Or where on the main screen do the regular bloggers click to get to the back end to create their blog? Thanks

Is done by a cookie. You's an admin so you see log in as admin or so. A new viwer sees two lines: 1) log in and 2) register.

Brian wrote:

Thanks for trying to help. Just a quick question. If or when it's working as it's supposed to be what type of link do the users have on the main screen. Does it say admin just the same as if does for the administrator? Or where on the main screen do the regular bloggers click to get to the back end to create their blog? Thanks

Is done by a cookie. You'r an admin so you see "log in as admin" and so. A new viewer sees two lines: 1) log in and 2) register.

edit: typo's

ok I understand that. Lets say I have a new user who I want to give blogging priviliges to. Once I set them up where on the main screen do they see a link to get them to the back end to create their blog and what does that link look like? I know the admin link says Admin right above the profile but for someone who's not an administrator what does it say above their user name or id? Where do they go to get to the backend to edit/create their blog?

You see no matter what settings I give the users there is no link on the main page for them to get to the backend? I don't understand this.

Can you pm (personal mail; see button) me with a link of your site and the name + passw of the test user you created, then I can have a look.

Yes I will do that
Thanks

That test user should have blogging priviliges in the "another view" blog

User 'test' can indeed edit in the 'Another view' blog and not in other blogs.

I was not able to edit with that user, nor create a new blog entry in that another view blog. I need to see what I am doing wrong.

Probably the only thing that's wrong is that you can't change to another user as long as you have your Admin cookie in your system. Try with a different browser (if you haven't used that browser as Admin yet) or on another system, like your friend's or your neighbour's.

Well I tired logging in on another computer with the no luck. I guess I can try to delete my cookies and try it again but I don't think that is what is causing this problem.

Not another computer - another browser! Plus all you have to do is log out of admin and into whatever.

Brian... To my understanding, only an admin can actually "create" a blog, which is the original question you asked.

Brian wrote:

no matter what I try it doesn't seem to want to give the users the right to create a blog unless I give them full admin rights which I don't/Won't do.

After the admin has created the new blog, then the user permissions (and group permissions) which you have allowed for that new blog kick in. You can have a particular user (or more), at your blogger level, for example, who will be able to do everything that a blog author would wish to do, such as post and edit (and delete comments if needed).

Creating a blog requires several steps, such as defining a category (or more) and establishing various permissions and display options. Creating a stub file for any new blog is a also very useful enhancement and that's something that requires server access (not something you just want any blog author doing). It's more complicated that most authors would want to learn.

Once you have given the ability to create blogs... they will also have the ability to delete you as user and even if that is not a concern, they have the ability to set permissions... access and post (or edit) all other blogs.

I think you are left with having to create new blogs yourself, if you wish to have limited privileges for your blog "authors."

Maybe, someone else knows how to allow "creation" rights without giving up other (what should logically only be strictly admin) privileges.

Brian also wrote:

You see no matter what settings I give the users there is no link on the main page for them to get to the backend? I don't understand this.

That link is not on your blog if that is what you mean... you just give them this link:

www.yoursite.com/yourblog/admin.php

You can put that link on your side panel (of each skin you make available) if you wish (and it can be done to open in a new window, as I illustrate following)... just do that in the "_main.php" of each skin (that you display) as a side item class something like this:

<div class="clear"> </div>
       <div class="bSideItem">	
       <h3><?php echo T_('Blog author link') ?></h3>
      <a href="http://yoursite.com/admin.php" target="_blank">Click here if<br>you are a blog author</a>
     </div>

They will then be prompted for their username and password (just like you) at the admin login screen.

After they sign in... at the bottom of each post (in their blog) there will be an edit link which appears (just to them) that will take them directly to the "back office" to edit that post and then do anything else they have the privileges for.

Thank you for your comments and advice. I did create some blogs and I did set the permissions at both the user and group levels. I would be happy if the program could do just as you are saying. I did log out as the admin and back in as the test user but again to no avail I had no rights to post a blog or edit or delete comments. When I tried to edit a comment it just said I had no access or rights to do that (don't remember verbatim the exact message) but it would not allow me to edit a comment. I guess maybe this program will not do what I would like for it to do which is

1. Allow users (not setup as a admin)the ability to write a blog without giving them access to the server.
2. Not be able to edit other categories or users.
3. Be able to moderate their own blog if necessary without having to give admin rights or again have the ability to screw up the other users rights.

I'm not interested in giving anyone else the access to the server. Just to much headache. It appears outside of giving full rights to the bloggers just the same as the admin that is the only way to accomplish this. I'm surprised that people would be willing to do that. I will not. This is a great program but that is a fatal flaw if that is the case, guess I will look further for another program to do this.

brian... you can do everything you are wanting to do. This is a great program and will accomplish all that you wish to. If you will be patient I will set up just such a user on an installation I use to experiment with and give you the access info in a private message. This will be later today (just don't have the time this moment). You will see that you can set up a "blogger" user that can..

a. post
b. edit their own posts
c. edit comments in whatever blog you specify.

The only thing they won't be able to do is they won't be able to create a new blog... (which now in your lastest post you are not looking for them to do.)

Thank your for you help. I will watch this topic and follow your instructions. I already have the blogs setup that I want the users to have access to but if as you say the program will do those things I obviously am missing a step here or something isn't working as its supposed to. Either way I will wait and watch for your response.
Thanks

Ok while I'm waiting for Samredman to look into this let me pose another question. I've looked at the manual and just really seem to be struggling with this. If I have a blogger that I want to blog only in blog b or c when I create a blog for him in that category how do I keep it from showing up on the main page? I want the readers to have to click on the blog category to be able to see the blogs in only that category not have all blogs from all category's show up on the main page. Where do I go to edit these settings to accomplish this? I have looked and looked but don't seem to find this setting.

Got a link to your blog? It's not easy to guess at your configuration is the thing, but I'll take a guess that your "main" page is blog #1. Thus everything posted in any blog is visible in blog #1 - assuming the visitor has permissions.

Ok Brian... I have set up a demo for you.

Here is the link to the blog:

http://samredman.com/blogdemo

You will see you have a blog there called brianblog.

Here is the link to the admin panel

http://samredman.com/blogdemo/admin.php

I will pm you your backoffice username and password (and I will also pm it to Edb, if you want to puzzle over this too).

You can see that you (as your blog author) have all the abilities you asked for ... but only for your own blog.

Notice you can:
a. make new posts
b. edit any existing posts.
c. have ablilty to approve (publish) any new comments.
d. edit any existing comments.
e. have no access to do any of those things on the other blogs.

There is one flaw I can't figure out...(one reason for getting Edb involved) is that if I sign in as you... when I click on Blog settings it says.. not found.. and it should have a screen that says you don't have access here (like it does when the author, as you, clicks on categories). But, all else works as you wish... check it out (after you check your pm) and let me know if you are looking for more than that.

That's exactly what I'm looking for but I have no idea how you did that. I thought I had tried every possible setting to achieve that result but obviously I am wrong. So I'm going to pm you to find out what the settings were to achieve that. Many thanks for your help on this to an obviously uninformed user. :oops:

Brian... again I have to run out for a while (it's Saturday afternoon in Dallas, tx), but when I come back... I will post all of the settings to do what you want, plus answer your other questions (from one of your other posts or anything you have new).

Be sure to post all questions here in the forum so others can have the benefit of the answers (plus, you get the benefit of people better than I, who will see the thread, read your questions and offer even more tidbits).

Sorry guys the site url is http://bisonsports.net/bsnblog/index.php/all

I will watch for the posts on the settings but I've tried to wrap my head around these settings and still coming up short. It's kind of confusing, am I the only one who finds this confusing? :oops: :-/

OK Guys, Let the Band Play and the Horns blow, throw some confetti and pop the cork on the bottle. I figured it out. Geez I was really beginning to question myself on this. Here's where I was going wrong just as an FYI for other newbies. I used the bloggers and Priviliged bloggers settings but I didn't create any of my own groups in the groups area nor did I edit the original settings for bloggers or priviliged bloggers by clicking on either in the groups forum. Don't know how I could have missed that one but as is usually the case the problem was between the chair and the keyboard. When I clicked on one of the groups and saw the settings Viola I knew I was onto something when I saw the options there. Once selected for the group I created I was in like Flynn. So guys thanks for the patience I may still have some questions (surely will have some) but I think I've asked my quota of Stupid questions for the day. I have to go eat a little crow now :oops:

Here I fixed up a page to illustrate how it's done:

http://www.samredman.com/b2settings/ (page opens in new window)

And yes, Brian, it is quite confusing. I sort of guessed my way along to achieve it. Brian, could you look at my "solution" and compare it what what you came up with and then post here any improvements in setting a blog author up properly?

Also, on these forums Brian, if you pose a problem or ask a question, and you figure it out on your own... most members appreciate a post on "how you did it." and not just an announcement that you "figured it out." That way everybody helps everyone else.

There is still a problem I am seeing and that is that when a "blogger" with the limited permissions is signed into the back office if the Blog Settings tab is clicked it shows a "page not found" browser screen. It should show a screen similar to clicking categories (says you don't have permission). That seems to be a bug.

Brian wrote:

I think I've asked my quota of Stupid questions for the day.

Brian, I ask my share of stupid questions here often. Remember... there are no stupid questions... only stupid people.

(That's just meant as humor, I'm including myself in that joke).

Ok I'll give it a shot. I thought I kind of did in my last post but here in a nutshell is where I got off track. After the installation when I went in and added my users to the Bloggers group I expected the bloggers to have the rights to the admin area. What I didn't do was actually click on the "Bloggers" Icon in the menu. I just clicked on the bloggers names that I added to check the user rights. I didn't realize that at the top of the list where it actually says "Bloggers" that you had to click on that. That is where I got messed up. After clicking on the Bloggers Icon or name in above all the individual bloggers I was able to setup the access to the "Admin" area as well as the other areas I wanted them to have access to. After looking at it yes it does make more sense but to the newbie without knowing that you have to click right on the Icon "Bloggers" in the users area it was like going in circles for me. I will take a look at your link. If I see anything I will let you know in the forum. I still have to figure out some of the other features such as getting Blogs to only show up in certain parts of the site. But I had to give my brain a break after that last session. ;)

Sam I just went and looked at your link. It looks great. You may want to highlight the Bloggers Icon or Menu Item. I don't think in many programs that you have to click on what one would consider as Text to get to another menu screen. I was thinking that the access to the rights area would have been from the top menu. Maybe an arrow or just highlighting the Text Bloggers would help. Just my opinion otherwise a great job putting that together.