Trying to get Advanced Notifications to (a) notice sub-sub-categories and (b) respect view access

DoyceT

Hi all,

The Situation

I'm on 2.1.1, default theme, and Advanced Notifications is on for all users.

We're using the forum for an online campus for a small academic organization, so here's one of the common category structures.

• Fall 2014 Courses

  • Fiction Workshop (Faculty1Name) ---- (And under this forum, a number of subforums... see below - sorry I can't format it correctly)

  • -> * Fiction Workshop 1 on 1 discussion (Faculty1Name and Student1Name)

  • -> * Fiction Workshop 1 on 1 discussion (Faculty1Name and Student2Name)

  • -> * Fiction Workshop 1 on 1 discussion (Faculty1Name and Student3Name)

Root Categories are displayed as headings, so in the example above, "Fall 2014 Courses" is not a category where anyone can post.

Group conversations are happening in Fiction Workshop (Faculty1Name) - only those students in that class and the faculty teaching that class can see the contents of that Category.

The Faculty's "office hours" are effectively done in the "1 on 1" sub-sub-categories. Only the faculty member and the student named in the title have access to those areas.

The Two Problems

1. When you look at the Notification Preferences in each users profile, you only see Fiction Workshop (Faculty Name) - as Student1, you can't set any notification preferences for Fiction Workshop 1 on 1 discussion (Faculty1Name and Student1Name), because it's not in the list.

2. If I, as Student1, set my notification preferences to "Email me whenever any new discussion is posted Fiction Workshop (Faculty1Name), that means I get notifications for that area, but I also get notifications of updates in all the areas "under" that group, including the areas I don't have permission to see, such as Fiction Workshop 1 on 1 discussion (Faculty1Name and Student2Name), complete with a link to the new discussion that I don't have permission to view.

Problem 2, especially, is a problem for this forum, as it potentially violates the strictures of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), by 'leaking' the titles of private discussions.

peregrine

Advanced notifications has never been user friendly, and in previous versions created duplicate notifications, you will be much happier turning it for everyone. Plus it has potential to create alot of mailings.

peregrine

I meant: turning it off for everyone.

but I hope someone solves it for you.

DoyceT

As it stands right now, I'll either turn it off for everyone, or move the sub forums up one level so they aren't underneath the classrooms they're part of, but can have their own security and notification settings. Workaround, but...