The section provides you a guide to use all *Forum* features or to configure the *Forum* portlet to make it work in your desired manner.

In *Forum*, the role of each user group is clear and very important. Each role has a set of tasks that they can execute. Administrators and moderators are responsible for setting up and maintaining *Forum*. With the highest rights, the administrators are in charge of the entire management tasks, including form configurations, users management, permissions, categories, forums, topics, and messages. With sub-sets of administrative permissions, the moderators will manage the respective sub-sets of the forum.

The user interface will indicate which features are available to you, based on your role.

* As a regular user, you will have the *User* bar and *Action* bar with the basic actions.

!images/Forum_user_actions.png|align="center"!

* As a moderator, you will have the *User* bar and *Action* bar with a sub-set of certain capabilities.

!images/mod_action_bar.png|align="center"!


* As an administrator, you will have the *Administration* bar which is basically the *User* bar with more administrative actions. You also see the *Action* bar with the advanced actions on forums and categories. Most of management tasks are shown via these bars.

!images/forum_home.png|align="center"!


To have an overall look of actions which users of each role can do in the *Forum* application, see the following table: 

|| Features || Description ||  Administrator  ||  Moderator  ||  Owner  ||   Regular user   ||  Guest  ||
|[View details of Forum|#Forum_user_guide.Regular_user.View_details]|View categories, forums, and many another information.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|
|[Subscribe to RSS feeds|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_regular_user.Subscriptions]|Provide the link to *Forum* for easy sharing.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|
|[Attach a file|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Start_topics]|Upload attachments to a topic/post, preview and download attachments.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|
|[Search|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_regular_user.Search]|Do the simple and advanced search.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|
|[Bookmark|#Forum_regular_user.Public_user_profile.Bookmarks]|Bookmark category, forum, topic.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a post|#Forum_regular_user.Posts.Quick_reply]|Post reply, quote, private post, quick reply.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Edit a post|#Forum_regular_user.Posts.Edit_posts]|Edit post, quote and private post.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Delete a post|#Forum_regular_user.Posts.Delete_posts]|Delete post inside specific topic.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a topic|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Start_topics]|Start a new topic.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Edit a topic|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Edit_topics]|Edit topic in a specific forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Delete a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Delete_topics]|Delete topic inside a specific forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Lock/Unlock a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Lock-Unlock_topics]|Lock/Unlock topics inside a specific forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a poll & Vote|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Create_poll] |Add a poll to topic and vote poll.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Rate a topic|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Rate_topics]|Evaluate a topic by rating star.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a tag|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Tag-Untag_topics]|Create new tags and tag a topic.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Private message|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_regular_user.Private_messages]|Send or receive private messages.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Watch|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_regular_user.Bookmarks]|Subscribe to categories, forums, topics to receive notification mails of new posts or topics.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[User Settings|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_regular_user.User_settings]|Change profile settings, personal forum settings.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Stick/unstick a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Stick-Unstick_topics]|Stick/unstick topics inside a specific forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Lock/unlock a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Lock-Unlock_topics]|Close/open topic inside a specific forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Split a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Split_topics]|Divide one topic into two separate topics.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Merge topics|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Merge_topics]|Combine two or more topics into one.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Manage a poll|#Forum_regular_user.Topics.Create_poll]|Create, edit, delete, close and reopen polls.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Move a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Move_topics]/[post|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_posts.Move_posts]|Move one topic/post from a forum/topic to the other forum/topic.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Approve a topic|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_topics.Approve_topics]/[post|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_posts.Approve_posts]|Change new topics/posts from pending status to normal status so that guest, normal user can view.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Uncensor a post|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_posts.Uncensor_posts]|Allow a topic which has censored content to be displayed.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Show|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_posts.Show_posts]/[hide a post|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_posts.Hide_posts]|Allow posts to be shown/hidden. |!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Manage pending tasks|#Forum-user_guide.Forum_Moderator.View_pending_tasks]|Manage all topics/posts waiting for moderation in one place.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Manage a watch|#Forum_regular_user.User_settings.Manage_subscriptions]|Manage the subscription (watch). Edit and delete subscribed email.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Ban a user|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_Users.Ban_users]|Ban users from accessing specific forums or categories|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a forum|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_forums.Add_forums]|Add a new forum to a specific category.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Edit a forum|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_forums.Edit_forums]|Change the title, description, moderator, permissions of a forum. However, moderators cannot set moderators for a forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png! | !images/No_icon2.png! | !images/No_icon2.png! |
|[Delete a forum|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_forums.Delete_forums]|Delete forums from a specific category.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Lock a forum|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_forums.Lock-unlock_forums]|Lock a forum so that it can be viewed only.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Unlock a forum|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_forums.Lock-unlock_forums]|Unlock a locked forum that allow doing basic action on unlocked forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Close/open a forum|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_forums.Close-open_forums]|Close/open a forum. Closed forum are still manageable by administrator and moderators.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Move a forum|#Forum_Moderator.Moderate_forums.Move_forums]|Move forum from one category to the other category.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Export a forum|#Administrative_tasks.Backup_categories_forums.Export_forums]|Export a forum in the format of a .zip or .xml file.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Import a forum|#Administrative_tasks.Backup_categories_forums.Import_forums]|Import a forum from .zip/.xml file into the *Forum* application.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a category|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_categories.Add_categories]|Add a new category.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Edit a category|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_categories.Edit_categories]|Edit a category and change properties.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Export a category|#Administrative_tasks.Backup_categories_forums.Export_categories]|Export categories in the format of a s.zip or .xml file.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Import a category|#Administrative_tasks.Backup_categories_forums.Import_categories]|Import categories from .zip/.xml file into the *Forum* application.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Delete a category|#Forum_Administrator.Manage_categories.Delete_categories]|Delete a category and all forum, topic, post inside it.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Administrate Sorting|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Set_up_sort_settings]|Sort forums, topics according to specific conditions.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Administrate Censor|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Define_censored_keywords]|Define keywords that will be censored in forum.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Customize the notification template|#KSuser.Answer_Moderator.Customize_Email_template]|Define the content of the notification mails.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Customize BBCode|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Customize_BBcodes]|Add, edit and delete the BBCode tags used in writing posts/topics.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Add a topic type|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Create_topic_types]|Add topic types that help users easily know what topics are about at a glance .|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Set up auto-pruning|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Set_up_auto-prune]|Set up auto-pruning to clean a large amount of obsolete and inactivate topics based on criteria.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Ban IPs|#Forum_Administrator.Administrative_tasks.Ban_IPs]|Ban IPs on the whole *Forum* application (only administrators) and on only specific forums (both administrators and moderators).|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|
|[Manage users|#Forum_user_guide.Forum_Administrator.Manage_Users]|Manage user's profile, promote users, ban users, view topic and post of a specific user.|!images/Yes_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!| !images/No_icon2.png!|


{docbook}
<note>
    <para>
    <emphasis role="bold">Owners</emphasis> are those posting questions or answers. Actually, they are regular users but can perform some extra actions on their posts and topics.
    </para>
</note>
{docbook}
