Change of User Permissions ("Why can't I edit my profile/choose an avatar?")

[Gordon Smith]

Cannot PM at all. I've tried logging out and logging back in again but get this

Icefalcon, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:
Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

I don't think any of that applies to me does it?

Have you checked to make sure that Private Messages are still enabled in the User CP? Look for it under ''Messaging & Notifications'' in the ''Edit Options'' section of your User CP.

[ShaggyB]

The code should work but the drop down colour menu thing remains broken.
That can only be fixed by Jonah's crack team of code monkeys.

works in edit.... just not in regular posting.

[Brandon Hanvey]

If you are still having PM problems and meet the requirements, log out of the forums>clear CBR related cookies>quit your browser>restart your browser>log into you forum account. That should get it up and working.

[Icefalcon]

Have you checked to make sure that Private Messages are still enabled in the User CP? Look for it under ''Messaging & Notifications'' in the ''Edit Options'' section of your User CP.

It was not enabled, many thanks for the advice!

[Chicago Expat]

Matt, thanks for your hard work on what can probably sometimes feel like a thankless job.

Cheers.

[SteelHyaena]

LOL!! And that was the question I was digging for the answer to in the FAQs and all that!

Great idea, even if it means I have to come up with seventeen more non-annoying posts somehow!

[demos99]

I seem to be unable to edit my details/update my forums options in the User CP for some reason; when I try to access 'Edit Your Details', 'Profile Privacy', 'Edit Profile Picture', 'Edit Avatar' or 'Edit Options' I get the message:

demos99, you do not have permission to access this page. This could be due to one of several reasons:

1. Your user account may not have sufficient privileges to access this page. Are you trying to edit someone else's post, access administrative features or some other privileged system?
2. If you are trying to post, the administrator may have disabled your account, or it may be awaiting activation.

Is this related to the fact that I only have 7 posts (8 if you count this one) and so have been affected by the User Permissions changes or is there something else at work?

I'm able to include images in my posts (as well as a link in this very post) so I seem to be able to do things that you're trying to stop spammers doing but it's very frustrating not to be able to update my details for my Profile. (Specifically I want to change the option for when 'New Posts' expire in my views - currently it seems to be per daily 'logon' session, which means I'm missing replies to threads I'm interested in following because new posts aren't showing up when I view the forums.) Any help would be appreciated.

[Brandon Hanvey]

Is this related to the fact that I only have 7 posts (8 if you count this one) and so have been affected by the User Permissions changes or is there something else at work?

Yes if you are under 20 posts you will not be able to edit your profile.

[demos99]

Okay, thanks for the confirmation, Brandon. Must confess I'm not sure how prohibiting new users from editing their profiles actively combats spammers (I'm a vbulletin forum administrator myself so I know how spam registrations can be a pain in the butt) - and I would point out that I'm currently unable to delete a spam PM in my private messages folder because of the policy, which seems to be defeating the point of excluding spam from the site - but it's your forum so you guys have to do what you think best. *shrug*

Oh well, only another 10 posts to go, I guess.

[Brandon Hanvey]

Okay, thanks for the confirmation, Brandon. Must confess I'm not sure how prohibiting new users from editing their profiles actively combats spammers (I'm a vbulletin forum administrator myself so I know how spam registrations can be a pain in the butt)

The basic idea is to help with SEO spam. Accounts that use signatures, visitor messages, PMs, and Profile info to get links and web address on numerous sites to help gain search engine ranking.

After we switched to this method, typical SEO spam has dropped dramatically so far. Sure we still get accounts that use post links to spam. But those are way more obvious to spot and easier to track down than the signatures, visitor messages, PMs, and Profile info ones.

- and I would point out that I'm currently unable to delete a spam PM in my private messages folder because of the policy, which seems to be defeating the point of excluding spam from the site - but it's your forum so you guys have to do what you think best. *shrug*

That's weird. I'm not seeing any PMs associated with your account.

[demos99]

That's weird. I'm not seeing any PMs associated with your account.

Hmm, I guess it could have been purged as part of a mass deletion perhaps but there was definitely a spam PM in my Inbox earlier in the day as evidenced by this screenshot I managed to retrieve from my laptop history:



Still, I'm slowly getting to the post threshold so this will all be academic in a few days hopefully.

[Brandon Hanvey]

Hmm, I guess it could have been purged as part of a mass deletion perhaps but there was definitely a spam PM in my Inbox earlier in the day as evidenced by this screenshot I managed to retrieve from my laptop history:

I deleted the PM from the sender so that should be gone.

[demos99]

Sorry about this Brandon, but even though I've now made 21 posts (22 including this) to the CBR forums I'm still getting the 'you do not have permission to access this page' message when I try to access the previously mentioned features of the User CP. Is there a delay in permission being granted (i.e. if I wait an hour or something will it start working) or is there an underlying problem I don't know about? Thanks for your assistance.

ETA: Checked it again and it's all working now so ignore this.

[Matt]

It can take the system anything up to an hour to log the difference and 'promote' you.
Also, try logging out of the forums and back in again.

[Maija]

Yes if you are under 20 posts you will not be able to edit your profile.

I have 2,913 posts and have been here since 2004 but I'm getting that permissions error and have no PMs. Granted I haven't posted for a while. Does everyone have to make 20 posts before they get privileges and PMs back?

cheers!