How easy it is to modify the existing askbot functionality

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I am creating a project where Q & A is just about 20% of the entire site. I haven't started my project since I am still in the research phase. I have gone through the documentation provided by askbot and I am keen on using it for the Q and A.

There are certain additional stuff I need to add: For ex:

When a user registers for a first time, a form should appear before him which he needs to submit.
The questions should be of sorted by relevance rather than activity. By relevance I mean questions he would have followed or activity of people he would have followed or by something else.
How easy is it to modify askbot database tables?
Each question will have multiple tag box each box suggesting what he would tag. Ex : tags for subject, tags for company, tags for experience and so on (Just trying to give an example)
How do I start? Should I import askbot as my first app and build rest of the functionality around it?
I would also like to have "news feed" along with a list of questions when the user logs in.
Add more information about the user who has asked a question. Like his comapany, college, etc (I am referring to a image which is seen next to the question)
Can there be a hierarchy in tags? Top-level: Computer science, Mid-level: C program, Low level: function pointers. How will it look in the database?

What do you guys recommend? I know its possible to do this but looks more like a hack which could be a pain maintain unless I have a complete grasp on askbot. How easy it it do this and possibly much more. I also would like to contribute to the community if they find any of the additional functionality useful.

Kindly help

lalithaprakash

asked 2013-09-29 12:17:25 -0600, updated 2013-09-29 12:20:24 -0600

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I am also looking for a solution for a similar problem. How easy is it to update if we modify the source code

Rashmi (2013-09-30 10:32:54 -0600) edit

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Start working on one issue at a time. Keep in mind that Askbot is a Django application and the django documentation will be helpful.

Besides that - we have custom signals and variables (for the settings.py) for the custom forms and template context processors for various views - look at the code of the corresponding views, this part is not documented yet.

It would be easier to answer the question if it focused on some specific features.

13.2k

Evgeny

answered 2013-09-30 11:46:54 -0600, updated 2013-09-30 11:47:09 -0600

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Is it possible to add additional columns or table to the existing Django database?

Rashmi (2013-09-30 11:50:50 -0600) edit

Adding tables - yes. Columns for the tables on existing models - it's possible too, but django does not have great support for that. Consider creating related tables instead of adding columns unless it's very inconvenient. These are more of Django questions actually - look into the Django documentation and the django mailing list.

Evgeny (2013-09-30 11:57:51 -0600) edit

Thanks for the response. When you say start working on one issue at a time, do you mean integrate Askbot and start looking at each issue? If we do have to make lot of changes, how easy it is to update when Askbot has new version? I

lalithaprakash (2013-09-30 11:59:03 -0600) edit

What I meant - address your questions one at a time. You've listed 8 :).

Evgeny (2013-09-30 12:01:55 -0600) edit

Okay. But is it a good idea to build around Askbot? Could you please tell me how easy is it to understand the code and update considering the amount of modification done

lalithaprakash (2013-09-30 12:10:49 -0600) edit

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How easy it is to modify the existing askbot functionality edit

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How easy it is to modify the existing askbot functionality