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Building a review website

Gravity Support Forums » Plugin Support » Gravity Forms

  1. CamWal
    Member

    Hi everybody, first let me say that this plug-in is amazing, however, due to the fact that i'm not an experienced web-designer, i'm having some trouble, so, please forgive my ignorance; here we go:

    I want to build a review websites BUT my website will not have a list of products already published, in other words the 'users' will not find a product to review but will have to start from scratch and submit their own.

    I will try to be more clear, let's say that a user wants to review a restaurant (it's just an example), i want the user to register (username, name, surname, email address, and possibly, IP address) then to find a form where he will be able to submit 1) restaurant's name 2) Restaurant's location 3) tel number 4) Restaurant's website then a few comment blocks where the user can write his own feedback/comments/suggestions then, maybe a couple of radius buttons with a few simple options like YES/NO, at this point, once the review has been submitted i will need a fomr to search over all these reviews which, ideally would need to have each one their own page, so that, maybe, the restaurant in question would be able to link my review on their own website.

    What i want is a button on top of my header like 'write a review' > form as i mentioned above > submit review > thanks your review has been published > write another review or log out, then of course i will need another page with a list of the most recent reviews and a search form to find the oldest ones.

    The form plug-in works GREAT but i have the following problems:

    1) I need to set a 'user registration page', users need to be registered BEFORE to be able to write a review, i have 'User Registration Add-On' but i'm having trouble to understand how to have the two forms (user registration and review submitting) working together.

    2) Once the user has wrote a review... how can i get it published? I can see the review from the admin side BUT how can i publish it on a page online where everyone can read it? I would like to see a page with the user nickname (NOT his real name and surname) then all the details, Restaurant name, address, website etc..

    3) Once i've got a substantial number of reviews i will need some kind of 'search form' to search these reviews by ie location, price, type of food, service, etc, i understand that i won't be able to do that with the Gravity Form Plug-in however, can anyone suggest the most appropriate plug-in?

    I really need some help here and i'm sure that this thread could benefit others as well.

    Thanks to all in advance

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday December 28, 2012 | Permalink

  2. David Peralty

    Hi there, unfortunately, Gravity Forms isn't really going to be able to do a lot of these features, as it is purely for data collection. Gravity Forms can register users, Gravity Forms can collect reviews. But as for publishing them, Gravity Forms can only create WordPress posts, and doesn't have another way to show collected information in the front end. And there is no front-end search utility for entries. You can use WordPress post search if you create WordPress posts from each submission though.

    Gravity Forms wasn't really set-up to be a review system, and as such, you'll either have to make many customizations or compromises.

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday December 28, 2012 | Permalink

  3. CamWal
    Member

    Thanks for your kind reply.

    Could you at least explain me how to set the two main pages i need?

    1st page user registration, then, once the user has registered (username, email, password...) he should to be allowed to access another form (only for registered users of course) where he will finally write his review.

    Then i need to -publish- these reviews, you say that i can do it as post, that could be fine, but HOW can i do that?

    Thanks again

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday December 28, 2012 | Permalink

  4. CamWal
    Member

    Hello there,

    so i solved most of the problems myself, it was actually a good thing as i've learned a quite a few new tricks but now am STUCK! I need help from my well learned friends here.

    Problem is: need to allow ONLY registered users to write reviews on my website, the new user has to create a username and leave an email address where the system will send the password at that point, the new use,r will not be logged in yet and will not have access to the 'submit review page', the new user will have to log into his own email account retrieve the password, sent by my website, then log into his new account (on my website) and only at this point he should be able to have access to the 'submit review page', then, once he has submitted a review he must be redirected to another page with the two options a) submit another review b) log out.

    HOW can i set the -User Registration Form- to achieve that? I really need some help here, i'm lost and can't find a solution.

    Thanks a lot to all in advance, i really appreciate your help and...
    .. HAPPY 2013!!! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

    Posted 11 years ago on Sunday December 30, 2012 | Permalink

  5. CamWal
    Member

    Got no responses, does it mean that this too can't be done?

    Thanks

    Posted 11 years ago on Wednesday January 2, 2013 | Permalink

  6. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    You caught us on the weekend when there is no support, and in addition the Gravity Forms offices were closed for the past two days. If you want to do this:

    need to allow ONLY registered users to write reviews on my website

    there is a setting on the advanced tab of the form settings for every form which says "Require user to be logged in". Screenshot http://minus.com/lofKVtPiDSf4Q

    You can check that for your review form, and you can configure a "Require Login Message" after selecting it, which can say something like:

    You must be a registered user and log in before you can submit a review. Please register here or check your email for your password and then log in here.

    Does that accomplish what you are trying to achieve?

    Posted 11 years ago on Wednesday January 2, 2013 | Permalink

  7. CamWal
    Member

    IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!

    now there are two "minor" problems left and we are done:

    1) how to publish the reviews, i know that there is no 'publish' button so i will have to do it manually but -maybe- we could adapt some plug-in? Any idea?

    2) once the reviews are published and each one has their own page, how can a user search between them? i will need some kind of 'search form' to search these reviews by ie location, price, type of food, service, etc, Can i do that too with your plug-in or i will need another plug-in, in that case, could you suggest one that works good with your forms?

    Thanks a lot to all in advance, i really appreciate your help

    Posted 11 years ago on Wednesday January 2, 2013 | Permalink

  8. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    If the review is a post, you publish it like any other post. Or, if you want them published automatically, select "Published" in the form builder for the post status (instead of draft or pending review.) The post status can be set in the form builder by editing either the post title or post body field. You will se a drop down for post status.

    The search of posts will be like WordPress handles any other search. You can install any of the available enhanced WordPress search plugins to allow different searches.

    Because you are creating posts, you can use all the built in WordPress functionality (publishing, password protecting, display, search, etc.) Once the form is submitted and the post is created, there is no involvement with Gravity Forms.

    Posted 11 years ago on Wednesday January 2, 2013 | Permalink

  9. CamWal
    Member

    Sorry to bother again, i'm having a problem here, i just can't find a solution, i've tried everything but i simply can't find a solution.

    here the problem: a user writes a fills the form and posts the review, as a admin i can see the review (as a new entry in the form) BUT when i try to post the review, i can see the page but there are NO details in it, everything wrote by the user is NOT on the page that i want to publish, all i get is the day and time then nothing else.

    I know that i'm doing something wrong, but what?

    Sorry i need help, i'm lost here.

    Thanks a lot in advance

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday January 18, 2013 | Permalink

  10. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    Can you export your form please and email it to me at chris@rocketgenius.com so I can take a look at how the form is created?
    To export the form, go to: Forms > Import/Export > top center menu item "Export Forms" and select your form, click export, and email me the XML file (not a CSV of the entries.)

    You will need to use fields from the Post Fields section of the form builder, then for your post body field, probably use the content template. I can take a look at your form if you send it to me and I'll see how you have it configured now.

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday January 25, 2013 | Permalink

  11. CamWal
    Member

    Dear Chris,

    sent you already an email with the form -attached- a few days ago, did you receive it?

    Pls let me know
    Thanks

    Posted 11 years ago on Wednesday February 6, 2013 | Permalink

  12. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    @CamWal, what email address did that come from? I will check my spam folder.

    Posted 11 years ago on Thursday February 7, 2013 | Permalink

  13. CamWal
    Member

    i would rather not write my personal email address here, however, i just sent you another email, you should see it now.

    Really appreciate your help
    Kindest Regards

    Posted 11 years ago on Thursday February 7, 2013 | Permalink

  14. CamWal
    Member

    Hello again,

    did you actually got my email?

    Thanks

    Posted 11 years ago on Friday February 8, 2013 | Permalink

  15. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    Walter, I received your email. I see you are creating posts with the form. However, you're not putting any of the information submitted into the post. You can do this with your post or page template (the hard way) or you can use the content template portion of the Post Body field in you form. This is where you would configure that:

    http://minus.com/lbetcKIAAqCRXO

    See the "Create content template" checkbox? That is unchecked on your form. If you check it, you will see one merge tag there by default: the merge tag which inserts the content of this one field, the post body. That's the default.

    However, if you want all the information captured in your form to go into the post, then you need to add all those fields using the merge tag drop down, right in this box. Add a couple, then save your form and create a test submission. You will not see more data in the post. It will be unstructured, but you can change that by adding HTML to your content template. The HTML and merge tags you use here is what determine what fields in the form submission will be used in your post.

    Posted 11 years ago on Saturday February 9, 2013 | Permalink

  16. CamWal
    Member

    Yes! It works! Sadly, as you said, it's all unstructured and i cannot add HTML to my template as it will make a mess in future updates, i have to find a plug in but no luck 'til now.

    It's a bit of a problem as i want to make another couple of websites using same template/form but with completely different subject/niche.

    The one i sent you by email was like a "training" one, but i can't get that one right i'll have to find another way around it.

    Any idea? I don't know, maybe some plug in?

    Really appreciate your help!
    Thanks a lot

    Posted 11 years ago on Sunday February 10, 2013 | Permalink

  17. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    Why can't you use HTML in the content template?

    Posted 11 years ago on Monday February 11, 2013 | Permalink

  18. CamWal
    Member

    Because it will interfere with my theme, already done it and when i had to update the theme it made a mess, i am looking now for a plugin.

    Also, as i want to make another couple of websites using same theme/template/form i rather use a plugin than mess up with HTML and code.

    Remember that i am not an experienced coder so i rather work with plugins, i'm trying now to find some plugin but if you have a better suggestion i'll take it without hesitation

    Thanks a lot as always!

    Posted 11 years ago on Monday February 11, 2013 | Permalink

  19. CamWal
    Member

    Would it be possible for any of you Rocket Geniuses to make a plug in to publish forms in a structured manner?

    I have the feeling (confirmed by a quick browse on Google) that A LOT of pleople will benefit from it!

    THANKS!!!

    Posted 11 years ago on Monday February 11, 2013 | Permalink

  20. Chris Hajer
    Key Master

    Gravity Forms/Rocketgenius does not take on custom application work like this. If you'd like to find help with your project where no existing plugin fits your need, you can always use our Job Board.

    http://www.gravityhelp.com/forums/forum/job-board

    Posted 11 years ago on Thursday February 14, 2013 | Permalink

This topic has been resolved and has been closed to new replies.