After searching the forum, it seems like User uses the default member group to assign a new member when they register and that there is no way to specify another group. For example, I’m setting up an Experts Database and users get assigned to an Experts member group. I then want to display all Experts on my website. However, I also have forums, and members who register through the forums are just Members (not Experts).

So: How do I accomplish this separation of different members upon registration? If I can’t set different member groups, do I create a new category group instead? If so, will this work with the default forum registration—i.e., will members who register through the forums be placed in a specific category automatically?

Thanks for any advice.

Eric…

I guess a good question would be as to how you plan to have these “Experts” register.

Is this something that is an open registration for all… if so, is it “protected” by a filtering process - approval, etc?
Otherwise, even if User could allow control of assigning different member groups on registration, couldn’t anybody just use that form?

Or is this something you’d like to “invite” others to become members....
If so, the User:Key function is available. What happens is, you fill out an email form and it sends an email to that person with a Key (and automatically knows which Member Group you assigned them). When they click the link, and register, they become part of the “Experts” member group automatically…

As for the User Category function, it would work much like how you’d prefer it to work, except there’s currently an issue where the function does not work on the Registration page. This assigned category would also only be “available” for usage within User module loops.

Sounds like I can’t do what I want either way if the category assignment doesn’t work at registration. :(

The client doesn’t want to manually assign categories and approve members; they want the experts database and forum registration to be hands off, so to speak. Is there ANY way I can separate Members from Experts upon user registration?

Just thinking out loud: Would a custom member field work in place of a category? For the expert sign up, I could make a hidden field with “Expert” as the value then filter who gets displayed using the “custom_member_field=” parameter…

Let me know if there’s a better way or if this likely wouldn’t work.

By the way, to answer your earlier questions: This is an open registration that isn’t protected and is not by invitation only (like I said above, they want it hands off).

Thanks for your help, Pie Man.

The custom field does seem to work. Hurrah!

Good