A common question for new XenForo administrators is how to create a private forum for their staff members since the XenForo permissions system is a little bit different than other forum software.
The steps below for XenForo 1.0.x will walk you through it.
To test it, view the forums as a user would see the site.
The steps below for XenForo 1.0.x will walk you through it.
- Create a new category.
- ACP => Applications => Create New Node => Category
- Just give it a title, for example name it "Staff Area", and then save it.
- Make the new category private.
- ACP => Users => Node Permissions => Click on "Staff Area" (or the name you gave it) => Check "Private Node" option
- Make the category viewable to your admins & moderators.
- ACP => Users => Node Permissions => Click on "Staff Area" (or the name you gave it) => Click on the "Administrative" user group name
- Find the "View Node" listing, should be at or near the top, and turn on the "Allow" option (the green column)
- Scroll down and "Update Permission" for the group
- Repeat for the "Moderating" group.
To test it, view the forums as a user would see the site.
- ACP => Users => Test Permissions
- Try it twice, once for a 'Registered' user who shouldn't see nor have access to the category and also again as a staff member (where their primary group is registered and then have a secondary group of Administrative or Moderating)