bbPress.org

ok, so create the forum as ‘private’ – you see a visibility setting on the forum page when you create it.

Then drop this code into your (child)themes functions file.

//code to add tutor role 

function add_tutor_role( $bbp_roles )
{
	/* Add a role called Tutor */
	$bbp_roles['bbp_tutor'] = array(
		'name' => 'Tutor',
		'capabilities' => custom_capabilities( 'bbp_tutor' )
		);
	return $bbp_roles;
}
 
add_filter( 'bbp_get_dynamic_roles', 'add_tutor_role', 1 );

function tutor_role_caps_filter( $caps, $role )
{
	/* Only filter for roles we are interested in! */
	if( $role == 'bbp_tutor' )
		$caps = custom_capabilities( $role );
 
	return $caps;
}
 
add_filter( 'bbp_get_caps_for_role', 'tutor_role_caps_filter', 10, 2 );

function custom_capabilities( $role )
{
	switch ( $role )
	{
		 
		/* Capabilities for 'tutor' role */
		case 'bbp_tutor':
			return array(
				// Primary caps
				'spectate'              => true,
				'participate'           => false,
				'moderate'              => false,
				'throttle'              => false,
				'view_trash'            => false,
 
				// Forum caps
				'publish_forums'        => false,
				'edit_forums'           => false,
				'edit_others_forums'    => false,
				'delete_forums'         => false,
				'delete_others_forums'  => false,
				'read_private_forums'   => true,
				'read_hidden_forums'    => false,
 
				// Topic caps
				'publish_topics'        => false,
				'edit_topics'           => false,
				'edit_others_topics'    => false,
				'delete_topics'         => false,
				'delete_others_topics'  => false,
				'read_private_topics'   => true,
 
				// Reply caps
				'publish_replies'       => false,
				'edit_replies'          => false,
				'edit_others_replies'   => false,
				'delete_replies'        => false,
				'delete_others_replies' => false,
				'read_private_replies'  => true,
 
				// Topic tag caps
				'manage_topic_tags'     => false,
				'edit_topic_tags'       => false,
				'delete_topic_tags'     => false,
				'assign_topic_tags'     => false,
			);
			break;
 
		default :
			return $role;
	}
}

The set any tutors up with the tutor role in dashboard>users> user and at the bottom of the set up you’ll see forum role.

If any of that’s not clear or beyond your knowledge, do come back, and I’ll help further

There is no reason that you shouldn’t use the main theme APART from the danger that on an update of the theme you’ll lose the changes. But as you’ve done changes, you have that risk now with your existing changes, and hopefully have a note of them ! As long as you keep a copy of the functions file, you should be able to just add this code to the theme’s functions file at the end.

If that doesn’t work, come back, and I’ll cut the code into a plugin for you, but would prefer not to do that if I don’t have to (time!)

no, this site doesn’t have a private message capability – your problem may well be someone else’s as well, so public answers help others !

‘When I went to one of our private forums, logged in as a tutor with the “tutor role”, it still let me post something. ‘ I’d try that again, and make sure you have logged out of the forum first in all your browser windows. If it still doesn’t work, come back and I’ll cut the code into a plugin.

As to your desired set-up, this is getting complicated from a technical perspective.

In essence you want
Group a to have full permissions to participate across the site – the admins – no problem
Group b to have spectator rights to some forums, but participation rights to others – ow!
Public to see none of this – that is easy – forums set to private

Is that correct? and if so I’ll have another think.

There is one, but I need to document it, as it’s a bit of a cobble together of two plugins.

I’ll do that shortly, and give it a final test to prove it works !