# Structure and Functionality for Public and Private Forums

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/structure-and-functionality-for-public-and-private-forums/59566>\
**Category:** Product Support\
**Created:** [2017 年 3 月 20 日午後 5:55 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/structure-and-functionality-for-public-and-private-forums/59566 "2017-03-20T17:55:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![jomaxro](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/jomaxro/32/126216_2.png) [@jomaxro](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jomaxro)\
**Post date:** [2017 年 3 月 20 日午後 6:09 UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/structure-and-functionality-for-public-and-private-forums/59566/2 "2017-03-20T18:09:02Z")

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I can only speak to the structure part of your question. My API/SSO knowledge is close to non-existant.

The structure is possible, just not exactly what you shared.

> [@cklester](#):
>
> Books (public)  
> ± Fiction (public)  
> ± Non-fiction (public)  
> Support (public)

This is 100% possible and works right out of the box. Simply make new categories (and subcategories) and you’ll have this functionality.

> [@cklester](#):
>
> My Groups (private to the logged-in user)  
> ± Grandma’s Book Club (private to the logged-in user)  
> ± Weekend Warriors Book Club (private to the logged-in user)

This is where it doesn’t quite work out perfectly. Categories are intended to be a global organizational structure, not user specific. As such, creating a “My Groups” category is not doable. What you would need to do is something closer to this:

Groups (private to any logged-in user with at least one Blook Club)  
± Grandma’s Book Club (private to any logged-in user in the “Grandma’s” group)  
± Weekend Warriors Book Club (private to any logged-in user in the “Weekend Warriors” group).

Keep in mind that a user who cannot see a parent category will not be able to see any child categories even if the child category permissions would allow it to be seen.

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