S2 + Buddypress 1.6.1 Member Directory?

I’m hoping to use the S2 Member and Buddypress plugins for WordPress to manage volunteers and members at our arts cooperative and website.  S2 Member seems well suited for registering both paid members and volunteers (free users) while Buddypress adds the social features needed to help our people work together.

S2 Member had me convinced of easy integration with Buddypress, but this has not exactly been the case. S2 Member Registration fields appear in the Buddypress registration form, but I’m having the following issues

1. Buddypress profile fields allow users to choose if fields should be visible in their profile, or allow admins to set a default visibility for each field.  Can I implement this for fields created in S2?

2. Buddypress profile fields are linked to a search for other users that share the value of that field.  I had originally thought this would be perfect for a membership directory that categorizes member and volunteer skills, but not sure how to implement a search that works with both types of fields.

3. S2 does not come with it’s own Member Directory, a feature that should be essential.  It is a known issue and common complaint, for which the developers have provided some pointers in the right direction, but no comprehensive code that would integrate options into Buddypress.  A membership directory is the most essential aspect to our site, but I’m confused as to how proceed, given the limitations of both plugins.

About the directory, I had the same concern and voiced it 204 days ago. At the time, I was told the next “Major” release would include the directory feature. It’s a good thing my client s comfortable with the interim solution (a non-dynamic list that we update manually as necessary).

Using standard Buddypress Tools you just have to tame your Buddypress Directory, write your own bp_has_members() loop and you can implement whatever you want. Since we started working on some BP customizations I think the Problem lies more with BP where mods can only be done with extensive knowledge of hooks and filters and if you come from wordpress you are very used to just get a plugin for about anything