Feature #14380: SPLOT Site for User stories - CUNY Academic Commons - CUNY Graduate Center - Project Tracking System

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Feature #14380

closed

SPLOT Site for User stories

Added by Laurie Hurson over 3 years ago. Updated over 3 years ago.

Status:

Resolved

Priority name:

Normal

Assignee:

Category name:

Target version:

1.18.10

Start date:

2021-04-27

Due date:

% Done:

Estimated time:

Deployment actions:

Description

Hi Boone/All,

I am wondering if we might be able to install a pre-configured SPLOT theme below, developed by Alan Levine. It allows for authoring on a site from the front end so that any visitor can add to the site.

TRUWriter theme: https://splot.ca/splots/tru-writer/

I am thinking about a project for collecting commons' user stories (geared towards faculty and students) that reflect on teaching and learning on the commons over the past year. Posts and stories can provide details using the commons during our shift to online teaching and learning and offer lessons to carry forward as we transition back into (partially) F2F teaching and learning in Fall 2021.

If we can install this theme, I will make the site visible only to commons users so only users could see and author posts/stories. I am hoping to add a field to indicate faculty/student and maybe an upload feature for faculty and students to share assignments or other artifacts. However, I won't know if I can make changes and add fields until I am able to get a look at theme.

I am not sure if this theme/idea presents security issues, so let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Laurie

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Updated by Boone Gorges over 3 years ago

Status changed from New to Reporter Feedback
Target version set to 1.18.10

I'm very wary of introducing a theme for general use that would allow anyone to post content, whether or not they're logged in. Given that you're proposing its use for only a single site, and that the site will be accessible only by Commons users, mitigates this wariness to a large extent.

I haven't done a thorough review of the theme, but the file https://github.com/cogdog/truwriter/blob/master/page-write.php, where much of the "magic" of posting seems to take place, is scary in its length.

In addition, I have some misgivings about adding themes that are (a) under active development, but (b) only published on GitHub. Having to check another place for theme updates before each release adds more steps to an already overlong process.

If it were anyone asking but you, Laurie, I would be a fairly firm "no", but given that you're involved and that you'll be running this experiment on a single, non-public site that's closely monitored, I'm willing to let you have a go with it. Let me know when you have a site you want to use for testing and I'll get it in place.

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Updated by Colin McDonald over 3 years ago

This sounds like a very interesting project, and I thought I'd chime in with a couple quick thoughts though they may have already been considered. I know it's possible to have posts submitted by email via Jetpack, though the attachment/formatting options would be limited for the tradeoff in just being able to circulate an email that would submit post content.

There might be a way to also map Contact Form 7 (plugin already on the Commons) submissions to posts as seen here, though it might be a wonkier setup and limited with media coming through:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/post-my-contact-form-7/

Also a couple of free plugin options like these:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-submitted-posts/ (I've had luck with this one on other projects)
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-user-frontend/

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Updated by Laurie Hurson over 3 years ago

Hi Colin and Boone,

Thanks for this feedback. I do think I would perfer to take a look at and potentially use this theme for this one off project rather than building something out myself. more thoughts below...

I know it's possible to have posts submitted by email via Jetpack, though the attachment/formatting
options would be limited for the tradeoff in just being able to circulate an email that would submit post > content.

My goal is to have a site with front-end authoring to collect teaching and learning lessons and reflections from Commons Faculty and students. I think I would prefer story collection happen on a site than via email because 1-we get so much email anyway, 2-students don't always consistently use email, and 3-I want folks to feel like they are directly contributing to space on the commons.

There might be a way to also map Contact Form 7

Yes, this is possible. I could embark on building my own splot with gravity forms or contact forms. https://splot.tools/build-your-own/

However, I think I would prefer to use a theme already built by someone who does splot projects since I know this theme will work and facilitate the process smoothly. Even if we install the theme just so I can get a look at it to understand how it works, that would be helpful.

Boone if you would prefer I build my own splot, perhaps we can install the theme so I can take a look and then I an build from there. Though I think I would prefer to use this theme for this single project, and as you said I will closely monitor and the site will be closed to commons users.

Let me know what you all think. Thank you!

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Updated by Boone Gorges over 3 years ago

Thanks, Laurie. I'll go ahead and add the theme for you to use. Can you please set up the site and then let me know the URL?

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Updated by Laurie Hurson over 3 years ago

Ah, sorry forgot that step. Thanks, Boone. Here is the site URL:

https://cacreflections.commons.gc.cuny.edu/

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Updated by Boone Gorges over 3 years ago

Status changed from Reporter Feedback to Staged for Production Release

Thanks, Laurie. The theme has now been added and enabled (not activated) for that site. I'll leave this ticket open until the 1.18.10 release in case you have issues to report between now and then.

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