One of the unique features of iKnifeCollectors is the ability to join and create Groups. Groups are a group of members with a special interest, like a knife club or association or knife company fan club, to name a few.

If you are considering forming a Group, the question to ask is can you create a sufficient identity to sustain interest over the long term. If not, then it may be better to be a Discussion Topic in the forums. A Group is a mini-community within iKC.

1. How do I create a group? 
To create a group, you must be signed in as a member of iKnifeCollector.

Go to the Groups tab.
Click the link on the right side of the page to "Create a group.”
You must choose a group name, image and Web address. If you want your group image to keep its proportions and not look fuzzy (pixelated) once you upload it, make sure to upload a square image that is at least 139 pixels x 139 pixels in size.
Please write a short description of that group for the group's page — information other members will see when browsing groups.


Make sure to select the correct privacy option for your group, because once a group is created you can't change the privacy setting.
Choose the features you want your group to have (Comments, Discussion Forum, Text Box, RSS Reader)
Decide if members should be able to send messages to the entire group.
Finally, click "Create Group" and start inviting network members to your group!





2. How do I join a group?
 To join a group on iKnifeCollector, you need to be a member. To browse the the available groups, go to the Groups tab. If the group is public, there will be a link in the top right of the page where you can join the group. If the group is private, you can send a request for an invitation to the group creator from the group's page.

3. Can I create a group if I'm not the network creator?
 Yes. To create a group on a network, you just have to be a member of that network. However, Network Creators have the option to limit group creation to administrators only. So, if you don't see the "Create a Group" link then the Network Creator will have chosen this option.


4. Who can I invite to be in my group?
 You can invite anyone by email address to be in your group.


5. How do I delete a group?
You can only delete a group if you are the group's creator, Network Creator, or Administrator. On that group's page: Click the "Edit This Group's Info" link in the left column under the group logo and description.
Select the "Delete Group" button in the bottom right of the group info box.
You will be asked to confirm your decision. Click "Delete" and wait as your group and all of its content is deleted.



6. How can I participate in a group's discussion? Do I have to be a member of the group? 
To participate in a group's discussion, you have to be a member of that group. Once you are a member, click on the "Start Discussion" link to start a thread, or simply reply to an existing thread.


7. Can I post photos, videos, or music to a group?
 Right now, groups don't have their own photo, video, or music sections. You can, however, attach or embed photos to a forum post or add them to the group's text box. You can also embed music players from another network and videos into the group's text box or in a discussion.


8. How can I start a discussion in my group's forum?
 To start a thread, go to the group's page and then click the "Start a New Discussion" link.


9. Can I send messages to my group's members?
 Yes, any member of a group can broadcast a message to that group. Go to the group's page and click "Send message to group."




10. How do I edit my group name, logo, or description? 
If you want to edit a group you created, go to that group's page. Here you can edit the group's text box, adding text, videos, photos, or widgets to customize your group page. To edit the group's features, in the Admin Options box you'll find the "Edit Group" link. You can change the name, description, and logo of your group, as well as editing information about your external website.

11. Can groups be private? Absolutely. Groups can be public (any member of the network can see the group and post content) or private (only invited network members can see the group and post content). This option is chosen during the setup process, which can be started by clicking on the Groups tab and choosing the "Create a New Group" option.


12. Can I ban someone from my group?
 Yes. Go to your group's page and select "Manage Group Members" on the left column under the group's logo and description. Check the box next to the name of the person you wish to ban, and click the "Ban from Group" button.


13. What is the 'web address' of my group? Can I change my group's web address?
 The web address of your group is the specific website where your group's page can be found. The default web address of any group is iKnifeCollector.com/groups/groupname, but you can choose your group's web address when you create the group. However, once the group is created you can't edit the web address.


14. Do discussions within a Group Forum appear in the iKnifeCollector Forum? 
Nope! Group discussions are contained entirely within that group, and don't appear alongside Network Forum discussions.


15. How can I see all the members of a group? 
On the group's page, there will be a section in the right column containing the group's members. Click "View all" on the bottom left of this box to see all the group's members.


16. How do I view all the groups I'm a member of on a specific network?
 Under the Groups tab on that network, there is a "My Groups" link near the top of the page, containing all the groups you belong to. You can also see your groups by going to your My Page tab and finding the "My Groups" section in the left column. You can change the view of this section to include up to 20 groups you belong to on that network. You can also remove this section from being visible to others by changing the view to zero. To change the view of this section, click the "Edit" button in the "My Groups" header.


17. How do I view someone else's groups?
Anyone's groups will be displayed on his page on the network, unless he has elected to remove this section. Go to the person's page on that network and locate the "Groups" box in the left column.


18. How many groups can I join?
 As many as you like. Join away, just remember- we like participation!




19. What are the group privacy options? Can I change them?
 Groups can either be open to anyone or open only to people invited to the group. Once a group is created, you cannot change its privacy setting.


20. Can I change a group from public to private or vice versa after it's been created?
 Unfortunately, no. This is a technical issue that we're working on overcoming. However, you can always delete the group and create a new one with a different privacy setting.





21. Can people be invited to my group by others? 
If you left your group open to anyone, any group member can invite others to join. If your group is private but you added group administrators, they can invite more people to join your group.


22. Can people join my group if I don't invite them?
 It depends on your privacy setting. When you created your group, if you left your group open to anyone, the default privacy setting, people don't have to be invited to your group to join it. If you chose the invite-only option, people can only join your group if they are invited to join by you or your group's administrators.


23. Can I subscribe to a group's forum posts?
 Yes. Go to that group's page and click on the RSS link at the bottom of the forum section.




24. How do I report an offensive group or offensive material on a group's page?
 Click the "Report an Issue" link that appears at the bottom of the page. This will notify the Network Creator and Administrators of the problem.


25. Can I search for groups?
 You can search for groups on a specific network by going to the Groups tab and using the search function. You can also view that network's groups by Most Recent or Most Members.


26. How do I resend invitations to my group?
 If you are the creator or admin of a group, you can resend invitations to your group. Go to your group and click on the "Manage Group Members" link. Click on the Invited tab. Check the boxes next to the people you'd like invite to your group again, then click the "Resend Invitation" button.


27. How long will it take before can I search for new content?
 Your new member groups, photos, videos, forum posts, and comments will usually show up in your network search after about two days. This delay may be slightly longer on occasion.