[Chris Maden]

I started with a new WordPress site, configured as multisite, and installed CBOX from the WP dashboard, then installed the themes and additional plugins as recommended by the docs. See our test sandbox.

Our expectation was that we’d be able to support multiple, discrete commons setups from a single WordPress install. However, we’re seeing some odd behavior.

The dashboard for the first site in the multisite set-up shows BuddyPress Invitations, Docs, Forums, Topics, Replies, E-mails down the left-side nav bar. The dashboards for other sites in the multisite show only Forums, Topics, Replies. The network-wide dashboard shows Activity, Groups, Emails.

There also appears to be something off about the configuration. From the network-wide dashboard, the Commons in a Box item has a Plugins section; the Settings link for Docs goes to https://cbox-sandbox.library.illinois.edu/wp-admin/edit.php?post_type=bp_doc, and seems to work, but the Settings link for Wiki goes to https://cbox-sandbox.library.illinois.edu/wp-admin/, which is clearly incorrect. The Wiki plugin claims to be installed and enabled.

I’ve been unable to find anything in the docs or the forum that explains the problem; any suggestions or pointers to known issues would be most welcome.

Thanks,
Chris

[Ray]

Hi Chris,

From what you say here:

Our expectation was that we’d be able to support multiple, discrete commons setups from a single WordPress install. However, we’re seeing some odd behavior.

It sounds like you require the WordPress Multi-Network plugin:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-multi-network/

Plus, another BuddyPress plugin that supports multi-network. Like one of the following:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/bp-multi-network/
https://buddydev.com/plugins/buddypress-multi-network/

This would segregate BuddyPress installations across different networks, which sounds like what you are looking for.

If you decide to go that route, also check out the following support thread for compatibility with CBOX:
https://commonsinabox.org/groups/help-support/forum/topic/potential-issues-with-wp-multisite-bp-multi-network-cbox-theme/

[Chris Maden]

Unfortunately, wp-multi-network isn’t tested with recent versions of WordPress, and seems not to behave appropriately, even without installing CBOX. It looks like they’re working on it, but I may need to spin up multiple instances in the meanwhile.

[Chris Maden]

A resolution, of sorts: after talking with the CBOX development team, it sounds like a misunderstanding on our part. CBOX really does take over a multisite install, so running multiple CBOX instances in a single WordPress instance is not viable. We have talked with our stakeholders and found that they can coexist in the same commons, so we’re OK for now. Thanks for all the suggestions.

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