Private Zones
The new version 6.0 private zones feature combines the members-only area release of version 5.0 with the password zones of version 3.0 for an exciting addition to your blog. It permits you to not only restrict access to various content but gives you the control to give different kinds of privately grouped information in a truely unique experience from your main blog.
No longer does a user need a password to access an individual blog entry. Each entry now can reside in a privately named zone, and by using their profile login email, they can become a member and view anything within that zone. A member can now have access to a number of your private data zones. The reader need only be logged in to access the entry.
Create a zone
To begin, you need to start with creating a private Zone. Go to the Settings tab, and choose the Private Areas (8) icon.
A popup window will appear. Choose the Edit tab to create a new zone.
Take a note of the url at the bottom of this tab (http://yourblog.blog-city.com/private/?_z=1142). This will be the link your members will visit for your zone.
Designing your Private Zones Area
To create the layout for your private zone area you need to go to the Widgets tab. This provides a popup. Choose the 2nd option, Private Area.
Layout in the same way as you would if this were your home page
Adding an entry to a Private Zone
To create an entry in your private zone, you need to first create a normal entry as described in section (3) here. Once you are happy with your entry - before you publish, go to the settings tab and choose the correct zone.
Letting your readers know about a private Zone
To let your friends know about the zone you want them to join, you can always email them the url, which as we've discussed should look like this : http://yourblog.blog-city.com/private/?_z=1142
But what about casual visitors? How do you let them know these zone exist? Well you can add the Private Area widget. This would go in your Main Blog area of the Widgets tab within Administration. You can find the Private Area widget in the Widget Browser under the General tab. Scroll to the bottom - its on the right column
As you have the link however, you don't need to rely on the widget, you can design anything you like using an html widget. Use a linked image of your family perhaps.
Requesting access to a private zone as a reader
If a reader clicks on the link to your zone, a number of things could happen. If they are logged in and you have already added them as a member, they will go straight into your main private area entries page.
If the reader is not logged in they are presented with a screen giving them the option of a) applying for your zone, or b) logging in to access if they already have permission.
Approving a membership
You will be notified by email when any reader applies for access to your private area. You can click the link in the email to approve the person. You can also go to settings and the private area icon and choose the Members tab to approve readers.
You can invite members too.
There are a number of things to be aware of when creating private area for your entries:
- When you check to alert your mailing list, the email alert gets sent to your current membership ring, and not your public mailing list
- Tags and Categories are limited to private zones entries. You can safely tag your zone entries without exposing your tags to the public
- Private area Entries do not appear in any RSS output
- Private area Entries do not appear in any community or aggregator pages
- Private area Entries do not generate a web ping
- Linkblog entries are always public