[buddypress-trac] [BuddyPress Trac] #9238: Public BuddyPress Groups Require 'invite_status' Meta Key to Enable Joining – Should Only Apply to Private and Hidden Groups

[buddypress-trac]

#9238: Public BuddyPress Groups Require 'invite_status' Meta Key to Enable Joining
– Should Only Apply to Private and Hidden Groups
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 Reporter:  vapvarun      |      Owner:  (none)
     Type:  defect (bug)  |     Status:  new
 Priority:  normal        |  Milestone:  Awaiting Review
Component:  Groups        |    Version:
 Severity:  normal        |   Keywords:
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 When creating groups using the BuddyPress CLI or other programmatic
 methods, the "Join" button for public groups does not function unless the
 'invite_status' meta key is manually added with the value 'members'. This
 behavior is inconsistent because public groups should not require an
 invite system, as they are open to anyone.

 The invite_status meta key is relevant for private and hidden groups,
 where invitations restrict membership. However, public groups should
 bypass this check, and the invite_status key should not be required for
 the group join process.

 **Steps to Reproduce:**

 Create a public group using the BuddyPress CLI or programmatically
 (without manually adding the invite_status meta key).

 Attempt to join the public group via the "Join" button.
 Notice that the "Join" button does not function unless the invite_status
 key is manually injected with the value 'members'.

 **Expected Behavior:**
 For public groups, the invite_status meta key should not be required for
 the join functionality to work.
 The join action should work seamlessly for public groups without any
 invite-related checks.

 **Actual Behavior:**
 The "Join" button does not work for public groups unless the invite_status
 meta key is manually inserted.

 **Suggested Fix:**
 Modify the groups_action_join_group() function in BuddyPress to only check
 for the invite_status meta key for private and hidden groups.
 For public groups, the invite_status check should be skipped entirely to
 ensure that the join process works as expected.

 **Possible Impact:**
 Public groups will function correctly without requiring manual meta key
 injections.
 This will prevent confusion and errors when creating public groups via the
 CLI or programmatically, improving consistency in the BuddyPress core
 functionality.

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Ticket URL: <https://buddypress.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/9238>
BuddyPress Trac <http://buddypress.org/>
BuddyPress Trac