how to make categories expand by default?

[kevinh]

Is it possible to make categories and sub categories expand by default ?

I have this setup;

Top level Category
Level 1 Category
Level 2 Category
Level 2 Category
Level 2 Category
Level 1 Category
Level 2 Category
Level 2 Category
Level 2 Category

Posts are only allowed in Level 2 Categories.

What currently displays is;

Top level Category
Level 1 Category
Level 1 Category

but I want to display the Level 2 Categories.

Increasing the number of Depth of Categories on Index doesn't make any difference. I also have Depth of Categories in Category Options set to 4.

[Brian]

You can enable the 'Display Smaller Sub-Category Columns' setting to show those 3rd level categories.

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[kevinh]

You can enable the 'Display Smaller Sub-Category Columns' setting to show those 3rd level categories.

Thanks Brian. Can you put me out of my misery and tell me where that is?

I've found lots of similar sounding settings which don't solve my problem but I can't find that one!

[Brian]

Admin CP => vBa Dynamics => Modify Settings => Category Options => Display Smaller Sub-Category Columns

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[kevinh]

Admin CP => vBa Dynamics => Modify Settings => Category Options => Display Smaller Sub-Category Columns

Thanks Brian. I already checked that, but because your earlier response talked about 'enabling' I was looking for something with a yes/no switch.

That setting is already on 5. I changed it to 10 but that hasn't made any difference at all. It's not clear what the number relate to.

If it helps any here is the URL for the site http://www.bristolcars.info/dynamics/index.php

You will see three categories on this page and I want to display them expanded so that the sub categories can be seen.

[Brian]

Couldn't really see much as it appears that you've enabled SEO URL's, but didn't upload the .htaccess file, so I can't actually click any of the categories. Double check your 'Depth of Categories on Index' setting (under Main Index Page Options) and make sure you have that set to 2.

[kevinh]

Sorry about the missing .htaccess - that's now fixed.

I have set the 'Depth of Categories on Index' to 2 (was 5). "Depth of Categories" in 'Category Options' is now 4 also tried it on 2.

The categories still don't show up expanded on the dyna index page http://bristolcars.info/dynamics/

[Brian]

Ahhh, I didn't notice that 2nd and 3rd categories were sub-categories of the 1st. Since the 2nd and 3rd are header categories, they can't display the smaller sub-categories. The best thing I can suggest would be to set the 'Parent Category' setting for your 'All Bristol Forums' and 'Non Bristol forums' categories to 'None', and then remove your 'All Forums (top level)' category.

[kevinh]

Thanks Brian.

If I engage a good php developer to look into this, is it feasible to do what I want with some modifications, or at least have some means of subscribing to both categories with one action?

[Brian]

I'm sure you could alter the code to change the way the category levels are handled... Or you could change the 2nd and 3rd header categories to normal categories instead so that the smaller sub-categories could be displayed with them on the main page.

[kevinh]

This site will replace an existing simple mail list. The key thing I am trying to achieve is to have a means for members to easily 'subscribe' to All Categories or one of the second level subs categories (without the need to subscribe to individual 3rd level categories). So the top level category is only there for it's subscribe function. If I could make a "subscribe to all" button then the top level category would be redundant.

Personally I believe that easy and obvious ways to subscribe to forums (or categories used as forums) will dramatically increase participation. Maybe you could consider this in further development.

[Brian]

A "1 click subscribe to all" plugin was easy enough. ;)

http://www.vbadvanced.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28836