YES! That would be GREAT!
I'm very interested in a Classified Module!
I just finished a site for a client using XOOPS and had to use Alternative Sections as a sort of 'half-baked' Classified Section...
It sure got me thinking about what would work for a real Classifieds module and what would not.
Some suggestions:
1) Each section (cars for sale, household items for sale, miscellaneous for sale) should be 'permission-based' via user groups? (i.e. public classifieds, member classifieds)
2) Each separate advertisement should be able to include an 'expiry date' as an option. (i.e. Ad could run until May 24, 2002 and then would be 'automagically' deleted by the system)
Someone considering have classified ads on their site would be driven crazy by constantly having to manually go in and delete expired advertisements. Wouldn't do much for the site image if they weren't kept up to date either.
3) On the page that the user submits the Ad, an opportunity to set date that the Ad will run to, category that the Ad will be placed in (list of categories and subcategories in dropdown menu would be useful here), and an empty box to suggest a category if a category does not already exist on the site.
Advertisements should also be associated with individual users if this is at all possible. That way you could allow users to update or change their Ads (i.e. lower prices, remove sold articles) without hassling Admin.
If you limit permissions on an individual basis as well as group basis, then someone else in the same group can't change an ad that isn't theirs.
4) An Admin function that would list Ad titles (linked to Ads), id numbers, Ad expiry dates, new category if suggested. (i.e. Admin page would allow admin to glance down list to see how many ads there are, when they are due to expire, what category they are in, etc.)
Opportunity for Admin to set or change expiry date in the Admin area would be useful too! If someone has an Ad posted that they would like to continue past the date in question, Admin should be able to change it.
Locking individual Ads would be a useful feature too!
5) Moderated Classifieds! User posts advertisement, but advertisement is not 'viewable' until Admin authorizes it or Moderator authorizes it.
6) Ability to insert image (thumbnail) in advertisement. Ability to link from advertisement with thumbnail included to larger image. Then link from larger image back to original advertisement page.
User friendly means to upload files to Classfied image folder so that the files can then be linked to the advertisements.
Warning message if image size exceeds a certain width/height/kb? (Sure as heck somebody's gonna wanna upload a 1280x1024 image with a bazillion colours!)
7) Ability to have Categories and Subcategories. (i.e. Auto category. Ford, Chev, GM sub-categories or Truck, Sedan, SUV's)
8) If you intend to include and option that allows advertiser to put html into their advertisements, along with a Printer Friendly Page link, please make sure that the Printer Friendly page output does not include raw html.
I posted a question April 4 here:
Xoops Forums about this Alternative Sections issue but haven't yet received any idea about how to fix this issue. Got any clues?
9) Text-based Table of Contents page (preferably two-column)? Visitors would show up to this page first where Categories, Sub-Categories would be listed and linked.
10) 'Ability to include' Category images, but not compulsory as Alternative Sections?
Whew!
Had enough yet!
I'm sure I can think of some more, but not at the moment.
If you have any questions about any of these suggestions, please contact me.
Classified Sections would open a number of door for a lot of different user-groups and I think would be an incredible enhancement to an already awsome community!
Keep up the great work!
Brian
<small>[ Edited by Brian on 2002/4/8 0:28:28 ]</small>
