New: Change group URLs

[Evan]

Two weeks ago, Network Creators and administrators gained the ability to choose the URL for dicussions, events, photos, videos and blog posts on their Ning Network. I'm happy to report that we've just launched the ability to change an existing group's URL as well. 

Previously, group creators could choose a URL when creating a group, but it was set in stone after that. Starting today, you will see a new field on the Edit Group page, where they can change the URL. All the content within the group such as discussions, photos, and pages will be automatically updated to reflect the change.

This is especially useful if a group already has a lot of content but has changed names, and you want to update the group URL as well. We could change the URL from creators.ning.com/group/hireacreator to creators.ning.com/group/hireadeveloper — and any content within the group would reflect the change. For example, creators.ning.com/group/hireacreator/forum/topics/auction-feature would become creators.ning.com/group/hireadeveloper/forum/topics/auction-feature.

This feature will be available to all members who currently have permission to edit the group. Specifically, Network Creators, admins, group moderators, group creators and group admins. Just be careful changing the group URL, as any outside links to the old URL will no longer work correctly. Changes are easily reversible by changing the URL back, though.

[Speed Racer]

It must be WILD WEDNESDAY at Ning! we got not one, not two, but THREE awesome improvements! sweet!

[Patrick Chappelle]

Hello Evan.

 

I don't know what else to say except that it's brilliant. I'll get out of the way here now before the naysayers arrive.

[Lynne Fowler]

WooHoo! Thanks Ning.

[Kim]

Wow! great features your releasing!

[Brian Floe]

Excellent! Bravo!

[Writer Chick {Diane}]

So...uhm..what's the use in being able to change the URL if it breaks all previous links?  I have one fiction group where the URL doesn't match the name, but if I change it then the links to every single discussion (fiction story) inside it will be broken in my story index.  Right?

 

For example: if I changed this: freewritersandreaders.ning.com/group/nonfanfictionstories

To this:  freewritersandreaders.ning.com/group/originalfiction

 

would that mess up everyone's discussion links inside the group?

 

[Patrick Chappelle]

Alright, I've put the guitar down, so I know I'm reading this right. It breaks outside links. 

[Writer Chick {Diane}]

LOL  My brain isn't wrapping around this, I suppose.  So, if I linked to the group from somewhere else, then that link would break.

But that's what my story index is,  Thunder. It's full of OUTSIDE links to stories INSIDE this group.  See?  LOL  I guess I'll have to test it myself.

 

Update: Yippee!  It doesn't break my links in my story index!  I get it now.  Sorry to be so dense. 

[Patrick Chappelle]

LOL What it means is if you post a link to your group to Facebook or some other site, that link would break.

[Writer Chick {Diane}]

Well, it DID mess up my story index.  None of the links worked with the new URL name, so I had to go back and change it to the old one again.  (I wasn't about to change the URLS on 110 stories!)

 

*sigh*

[Evan]

If people have manually added links to those pages then, yes, they will break.

/Evan 

[Bùi Văn Hải]

Awesome!

Thank for great idea!