Getting Started

[Lionel]

The idea of this thread is to familiarize new users with the most common features of this forum. This thread is updated from time to time, so keep checking here

Login

Fig 1.0

The login screen has the following fields

User Name – enter your user name exactly as you entered at the time of registration

Password – enter your password exactly as you entered at the time of registration. In case you forget your password click on the I've forgotten my password! Click here! link on the same page.

Remember Me? Yes / No - if you select yes, you need not login every time you visit the forum, you will be logged in automatically. This feature makes use of cookies, cookies are small files written on your computer in order to identify you when you visit again, make sure your browser supports cookies. This option is ideal when using your own personal computer and is not recommended for public computers

If you select No, you will need to login every time you visit the forum. No cookies are written in this case. This option is ideal when using public computers.

Privacy - if you check the Don't add me to the active users list, your name will not appear in the active users list on the forum, you will be signed in as Anonymous user

After entering the required details, click on the Log me in button, you will be logged in and directed to the forum.

[Lionel]

The Main Forum

When viewing the main forums page, you will see forums, seperated by categorys. This makes a more organised way of finding topics that are relevent to you.

The board indicator icons are as follows :

There have been new posts or topics posted to this board since your last visit. Clicking on that icon, will mark all topics in that forum as read.

No new posts or topics to this board since your last visit.

There have been new posts or topics posted to this board since your last visit, plus this board has subsections that could also contain new posts. Clicking on that icon, will mark all topics in that forum as read.

No new posts or topics have been posted to this board or any of its subsections since your last visit.

• Clicking on the forum name will view the topics within that forum.
• Clicking on >> (below Last Post Info) will take you to the last post in the latest topic.
• Clicking on the topic title (below Last Post Info) will take you to the latest post in the latest topic.

[Lionel]

Topics in Forums

- For replying to the topic you are viewing.

- For posting a new topic within the current forum.

- For posting a new poll within the current forum.

[Lionel]

- New posts in this topic since you last viewed it.

- No new posts in this topic since you last viewed it.

- New posts in this hot topic since you last viewed it.

- No new posts in this hot topic since you last viewed it.

- New posts in this poll since you last viewed it.

- No new posts in this poll since you last viewed it.

- Topic closed, futher posting not possible.

- Topic is moved to another forum.

- Icons with a black dot in, means it is a topic you have posted/voted in.

• If you click on this icon next to a topic you want to view, it will take you to the newest post since you last viewed it.

• Hover your mouse over the topic title to see when the topic was started.

• Clicking on the topic title will take you to the 1st post in that topic.

• Clicking on the number below the Replies column will show who posted in that topic.

• Clicking on Last Post by: will take you to the last post in that topic.

• Clicking on the member's name will show you that member' profile.

• Clicking on Mark this forum as read will make it so the forum icon will show there are no new topics/posts within that forum.

• Clicking on Subscribe to this forum will subscribe you to that forum whether you have posted in it or not. You will also receive one e-mail for every new topic or post until you view that topic.

• Clicking on the Pages: link, will enable you to enter the page number to jump to.

• Clicking on the page number will take you to that page.

[Lionel]

Posts in Topics

- For replying to the topic you are viewing.

- For posting a new topic within the current forum.

- For posting a new poll within the current forum.

- Topic has been closed.

[Lionel]

Under the topic title and description, you will see:

• Track this topic - For those who don't have auto subscribing to a topic you have started or replied to switched on.Subscribes you to this topic and you will also receive one e-mail for every new topic or post until you view that topic.

• Email this topic - Enables you to send an e-mail to someone telling them about this topic.

• Print this topic - Displays the topic in a format suitable for printing.

For reporting posts to a moderator that are offending. Misuse of this facility will be dealt with by an Administrator.

Allows you to edit your post if you have made a mistake.

Allows you to reply to the topic you are viewing whilst quoting the current post you are viewing.

Clicking this will take you to the top of the page.

Clicking this will popup a little card with the members photo (if they have entered one) and their contact details.

Clicking this will take you to the compose PM screen with the members name already entered.

There are other icons at the bottom of a post, if a member has entered details in their personal profile. These will allow you to view a members website, contact them by e-mail, chat clients (such as MSN, AIM, ICQ, Y!).

• Next Oldest - Next oldest topic.
• Forum Main - Takes you to the main forum.
• Forum name - Takes you back to topics within that forum.
• Next Newest - Next newest topic.

[Lionel]

Posting in a Thread

To post in a thread click on the button. The reply screen is shown in figure 2.0.

Fig 2.0

The reply screen is divided into three sections:

1. Code Buttons

2. Enter your Post

3. File Attachments

Code Buttons: The Code Buttons sections has controls which enable you to format your text, create lists, embed images, insert emails and include hyperlinks in your post.

Enter your post: This is the section where you can type in your post, emoticons that you can use in your post are listed here.

File Attachments: This is the section where you can attach files to your post. A file to be attached should be less than or equal to 20 Kilo Bytes (20,480 Bytes) in size.

[Lionel]

Formatting Text

Fig 3.0

[Lionel]

Bold Text

Method 1

Type [b]Bold Text[/b]

Method 2

Click on the Bold Button (See Fig 3.0), the [b] tag is added to your text, also notice an asterix (*) in the Bold Button.

Type the text you want to appear bold.

Click on the Bold Button again, the [/b] tag is added to your text also notice the asterix disappear on the Bold Button.

Method 3

Select the text you want to appear bold by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Click the Bold Button, the [b] and [/b] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

[Lionel]

Italic Text

Method 1

Type [i]Italic Text[/i]

Method 2

Click on the Italics Button (See Fig 3.0), the [i] tag is added to your text, also notice an asterix (*) in the Italics Button.

Type the text you want to appear in Italics.

Click on the Italics Button again, the [/i] tag is added to your text also notice the asterix disappear from the Italics Button.

Method 3

Select the text you want to appear in Italics by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Click the Italics Button, the [i] and [/i] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

[Lionel]

Undeline Text

Method 1

Type [u]Undelined Text[/u]

Method 2

Click on the Underline Button (See Fig 3.0), the [u] tag is added to your text, also notice an asterix (*) in the Underline Button.

Type the text you want to be underlined.

Click on the Underline Button again, the [/u] tag is added to your text also notice the asterix disappear from the Underline Button.

Method 3

Select the text you want to be Underlined by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Click the Underline Button, the [u] and [/u] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

[Lionel]

Font, Size and Color

Fonts

Method 1

Type [FONT=Arial]Welcome to UM[/FONT]

Method 2

Select the text by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Select the required font from the font pulldown, the [FONT=Arial] and [/FONT] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

Size

Method 1

Type [SIZE=7]Welcome to UM[/SIZE]

Method 2

Select the text by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Select the required size from the size pulldown, the [SIZE=7] and [/SIZE] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

Color

Method 1

Type [COLOR=red]Welcome to UM[/COLOR]

Method 2

Select the text by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Select the required color from the size pulldown, the [COLOR=red] and [/COLOR] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

[Lionel]

Inserting Hyperlinks

• Click on the Insert link button (See Fig 3.0).
• A dialog box is Displayed asking you to Enter the complete URL for the hyperlink, type in the webpage URL here, Click the OK button.
• Another dialog box is displayed asking you to Enter the title of the webpage, type in the title (you could type in any title you want), Click the OK button.

[Lionel]

Inserting Images

• Click on the Insert Images button (See Fig 3.0).
• A dialog is box is displayed asking you to Enter the complete URL for the image, type in the image URL here, Click the OK button.

Alternatively you can type...

[img=http://www.abc.com/images/someimage.gif]

[Lionel]

Inserting e-mail-id's

• Click on the Insert E-mail-Id button (see fig 3.0).
• A dialog box is displayed asking you to Enter the email address, type in the e-mail address here, click the OK button.

Alternatively you can type...

[EMAIL]someone@somedomain.com[/EMAIL]

[Lionel]

Quoting Text

Method 1

Type [QUOTE]Text to Quote[/QUOTE]

Method 2

Click on the Quote Button (See Fig 3.0), the [QUOTE] tag is added to your text, also notice an asterix (*) in the Quote Button.

Type the text you want to Quote.

Click on the Quote Button again, the [/QUOTE] tag is added to your text also notice the asterix disappear on the Quote Button.

Method 3

Select the text you want to Quote by pressing the right mouse button and dragging it along the text.

Click the Quote Button, the [QUOTE] and [/QUOTE] tags are added preceding and following the selected text.

Your output will look like this

Text to Quote

You can add extra text to a Quote, for ex, to Quote a user

[QUOTE=Lionel]Text to Quote[/QUOTE]

Your output will look like this

Text to Quote

[Lionel]

Attach a file to your Post

See the File Attachments section in Fig 2.0, this is where you can attach files to your post.

To attach a file to your post you can either, type in the name of the file you wish to upload in the edit box or click on the browse button, when u click on the browse button, a Choose file dialog is displayed, select the file you wish to upload and click on OK.

The selected file will be attached to your post.

[Lionel]

My Controls

This will expain the various elements of using these, seperated into individual sections.

When you click on My Controls, it will display your account summary and your messenger summary.

You will also notice your personal note pad. This enables you to store anything you like, viewable to only you.

On the left hand side, you will see four sections.

1. Messenger

2. Subscriptions

3. Personal Profile

4. Options

Messenger

• Go to Inbox - This is where your Personal Messages (PM's) are received. You can also jump to the Sent Items folder or another if you have created another folder.

• Compose New Message - Here you can compose your PM to send to another member.Choose the member from your address book or type in the member’s name. Next enter a title, then what you want to say.

  If you want to keep a copy in your Sent Items folder, ensure there is a tick next to Add a copy of this message to my sent items folder.

  You may also choose to Track this message? So you know when that member has read the message.

  Lastly, you can choose to Send, preview or Save the message to send later.

• PM Buddies/Block List - for adding members to your address book and choosing which members, you do not want to allow to PM you.

• Edit Storage Folders - Here you can add/remove personal custom folders.

  By default, Current Virtual Directories will list Inbox and Sent Items. You could add a folder, say Archive and then once you have finished with your PM's, move them to it. This would make using the archive feature easier.

• Archive Messages - The archived messages will be compiled into a single file and emailed to your address as an attachment of your choice.

  Simply select the folder you want to archive and choose the options for archiving you want.

  You will be sent an e-mail with an attachment of the messages you have archived, in HTML format or importable MS-Excel data file

• Saved (Unsent) PM's - Messages you have decided to send later. You can choose top open the message for edit (if needing to alter) and sending. You can also delete it without sending by putting a tick next to the message and then pressing delete.

• Message Tracker - For tracking PM's if you selected Track this Message when you composed the message, you can see if the member has read the message. You can also choose to stop tracking the message.

  There is also the ability to see unread messages to which you can also delete it before the member has even read it.

Subscriptions

• View Topics - Topics that you have subscribed to. Here you will find topics, separated by forum. You have either: Started or replied to - if you have set this to happen in Email Settings (covered later), or clicked Track this Topic whilst viewing a topic. You have the ability to stop tracking individual topics or all topics by putting a tick in the appropriate area and clicking on Unsubscribe.

• View Forums - Forums you have subscribed to. Here you will find forums, separated by category when you have clicked Subscribe to this forum whilst viewing a forum. You have the ability to stop tracking individual forums by clicking Unsubscribe or all forums clicking on Unsubscribe from all forums.

Personal Profile

• Edit Profile info - Optional information you can provide including contact options. Simply enter the information you want to provide to be viewable by other members.

• Edit Signature - A personal signature to be displayed underneath your posts. Enter some text and/or use the tag to display a picture.

  Note: Please keep your signatures small. Ideally a signature should not be bigger than your average post length.

• Edit Avatar Settings - A personal avatar that will be displayed under your member name in a post. You can either choose a Pre-installed avatars or link to your own avatar on your own server space. If you do not want to use an avatar, select I don't wish to use an avatar (Remove Avatar).

• Change Personal Photo - A personal photo that will be displayed in your profile on under your member name in a post. An image that resembles a camera will be displayed depending on whether or not the user has a photo.

Options

• Email Settings
  • Privacy Settings - You can choose to have members to be able to e-mail you or not and if you wish to receive updates from the forums administrator.
  • Board Preferences - The 1st option is to receive a copy of the 1st post when tracking a topic. With the 2nd option, you can choose to receive an e-mail if a member has sent you a PM. The last option allows you to automatically be subscribed to a topic that you have started or replied to (you will receive only 1 email per topic until you visit that topic again).

• Board Settings - You can customize the time zone in relation to where you live and also adjust for daylight saving mode.

  The next options are to set if you want to be able to view signatures, images and avatars in posts as well as being able to have a pop up window being displayed if you receive a PM (although you will see if you have any PM's at the top of the page i.e. 1 new messages.

  Lastly you can choose how many posts there are per topic page and how many topics there are to each forum page if you don't like the default option.

• Skin and Languages - Translation and altering the look of the forums.

  At present there is only the English language installed.

  There are two skins to choose from, both being the same in color. However if the default text size is too big for your viewing preference, you can choose a smaller text version to suit your needs.

• Change Email Address - (self-explanatory).

  When you change your e-mail address, you will be sent an e-mail to your new address as you will need to validate your account again.

• Change Password - You will need to enter your old password and then type in your new password twice.