Allow non member comments

Question

I'd like to allow anyone to comment through my EE site, but it seems that the standard comment module only allows a logged in user to comment.

Is there a way to:

1. allow any one to comment
2. assume that any logged in user is a member of X member group
3. assign non-logged in visitors to the site a temporary membership - for example as part of the guest group?

Any pointers much appreciated!

----- EDIT in response to Jerome and Tidy's questions -------

My comments form code is below. If I am logged in to EE the form appears, if I am not logged in then the form does not appear at all.

I have double checked both that 'can post comments' is set to yes for the 'guest' account and that, on my channel, 'Require membership in order to post comments?' is set to 'no' plus 'Allow comments in this channel' is set to 'yes'.

{exp:comment:form channel="shop_products" entry_id="{entry_id}" rating:enabled="yes"}
        {if rating:already_rated} You have already rated this entry{/if}

        {if rating:not_rated}
            <label>Rating</label>
            <select name="rating[default]">
                <option value="1">1</option>
                <option value="2">2</option>
                <option value="3">3</option>
                <option value="4">4</option>
                <option value="5">5</option>
            </select><br />        
        {/if}

        {if logged_out}
            <label for="name">Name:</label><br /><input type="text" name="name" value="{name}" size="50" /><br /><br />
            <label for="email">Email:</label><br /><input type="text" name="email" value="{email}" size="50" /><br /><br />
        {/if}

        <label for="comment">Review:</label><br />
        <textarea name="comment" cols="70" rows="10">{comment}</textarea><br /><br />

        <input type="submit" value="Submit Comment">

    {/exp:comment:form} 

Answer 1

Any user is automatically a member of the default "guest" member group. To allow them to comment, just edit the "guest" member group preferences

• Control panel, members > member groups
• look for comment posting privileges and set it to "yes".

Have you tried that and it does not work?

Answer 2

As well as checking the guest member group permissions as Jerome outlined, in the channel preferences, under comment posting preferences, check that 'Require membership in order to post comments?' is set to no.

Answer 3

It wasn't the comments module that was hiding the form, it was the channel_ratings add on i was using with it. Adding the parameter rating:allow_guests="yes" to the code above sorted my issue. Code repeated below.

Many thanks to GDmac for helping me see the light!

{exp:comment:form channel="shop_products" entry_id="{entry_id}" rating:enabled="yes" rating:allow_guests="yes"}
    {if rating:already_rated} You have already rated this entry{/if}

    {if rating:not_rated}
        <label>Rating</label>
        <select name="rating[default]">
            <option value="1">1</option>
            <option value="2">2</option>
            <option value="3">3</option>
            <option value="4">4</option>
            <option value="5">5</option>
        </select><br />        
    {/if}

    {if logged_out}
        <label for="name">Name:</label><br /><input type="text" name="name" value="{name}" size="50" /><br /><br />
        <label for="email">Email:</label><br /><input type="text" name="email" value="{email}" size="50" /><br /><br />
    {/if}

    <label for="comment">Review:</label><br />
    <textarea name="comment" cols="70" rows="10">{comment}</textarea><br /><br />

    <input type="submit" value="Submit Comment">

{/exp:comment:form}