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This section contains information which is more advanced than the quick reference steps. It's designed for the more experienced manager with special needs or desires. These directions help accomplish things that aren't intended to be done through WebRing, by use of loopholes....imperfectly legal operations and techniques you may not have thought to utilize.

Migrating Another Member's Membership

  1. Visit the unmigrated site to locate an email address (wouldn't hurt to test it for validity)
  2. Using the account name in the email or on the site's URL, create a User Name
  3. Use that same name as the password
  4. Insert a birthday, such as December 7, 1944 (something that will trigger with Support that the ID was likely created by someone OTHER than the member)
  5. Log back into your ID
  6. Assign the membership to the newly-created ID
* You can still create the ID even if the email address is invalid, you just won't be able to email the member, but then again, you couldn't do it when the membership was UNmigrated, either.


Managed Rings Not Showing on List
  1. Log into YOUR ID
  2. Access management of the Ring through the Ring's hub.
  3. Click into the "Title Change" utility.
  4. Click Apply Changes without altering anything
* This works because it forces the system to rebuild the Ring information. The system cannot differentiate that you haven't actually made any changes to the title. It just triggers the update, which affects directories, your list, and any other place where the Ring's title appears.


Restrict Ring Applications without Closing the Ring

Managers who keep their Ring 'closed' and use the "by invitation only" surely know what a troublesome situation this can be for applicants. The link only works ONE time. If the browser crashes during sign-up or the invitee isn't logged in, the link is rendered invalid after that single click (to discourage sharing the URL with those who aren't welcome).

  1. Configure the Ring to be 'open' to new members.
  2. Designate the RingMaster's homepage
  3. Configure the Join link on the hub page to go the designated RingMaster's homepage.
  4. Customize the NavBar so that the "Join" link goes to the RM homepage instead of the Join Form.
These steps will ensure that there is no way to click to the join form from the NavBar or hub page. Keep in mind if you have members using the HTML version of the NavBar that they must update the coding to maintain these standards.
It's advisable that you make mention on the Ring homepage that membership in your Ring is by invitation only. Whether you provide a way for the visitor to ask for authorization is up to you.
Continue to use the invite members utility as you did before. The difference will be that the join URL in that message is not a one-time-use link. Other than the crafty members who know how to piece together the addform URL or someone who abuses the link in your email, you will have only applications from invited parties. It's not 100% foolproof (there are lots of determined fools using WebRing!) but it's less hassle than locking the Ring and fielding complaints from those who didn't use the single-use link correctly.


Override link color designations on member site

This is now part of the Customizing NavBars section, as it's not so much a loophole than an intermediate HTML lesson.


Merging Two Rings

  1. Log into YOUR ID
  2. Submit to the new ring the site you wish to transfer (Enter the title followed by the User ID, as in "Title by User", you'll see why in a bit)
  3. Approve the site
  4. Assign it to the ID of the rightful owner (now you can delete it from the site title field and move it to the owner field)
  5. Remove the membership in the old Ring
  6. Continue until all members are moved
A few important notes about this:
  • Only transfer MIGRATED memberships that use SSNB. Unmigrated sites have no user ID to assign (step 4 above) and won't be using SSNB. Sites using HTML instead of the SSNB will not display the new Ring's coding.
  • Use this sparingly and at your own risk. Merging Rings should only be done for the right reasons (not for acquiring all competing Rings and shutting them down). Plus, from an ethical perspective, it really should be the MEMBER'S decision to be included or excluded from any Ring.
  • If you use Conditional Approval, the sites you submit will be FAILing due to wrong User ID. You will need to get those PASSing and active. If you wish to do this without alerting the member, follow these steps:
    1. Toggle the site off automated management
    2. Activate the site manually and suppress the email
    3. Return to site management (or Ring management) and run the checker
    4. Once active and PASSing, you may remove the automanagement toggle
  • The Ring being merged should be allowed to remain active in the system if there are any sites that are unmigrated and use HTML. You can remove the Ring from public listing and close it to new management. But, out of fairness to a site that has held a longtime membership, the Ring should be allowed to exist.


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