FAQ: How to use the forums

FAQ: How to use the forums Aug 12, 2012 8:15:55 GMT -5

Post by Suicide on Aug 12, 2012 8:15:55 GMT -5

This thread is designed to help you using the forum, only.

Content
Using the forums
• What is a board?
• What is a sub-board?
• What is a thread?
• How to create a thread?
• How to modify or delete a post?
• How to reply to a thread?
• What is a quote?
• How to quote somebody?
• How to create a poll?
BBCoding

Using the forums

Q: What is a board?
A: A board is a collection of threads under a specific category.

You might as well pass through a sub-board.

Q: What is a sub-board?
A: A sub-board is a collection of threads under a main board.

When you open a board (or even a sub-board), you will find threads.

Q: What is a thread?
A: A thread is a collection of posts. When you open a thread, you will find various posts by other members.

When you open a thread, you will find number of posts by members.

Q: How to create a thread?
A: Follow the steps below:
1. Open a board by clicking on it. In the example on the picture below, the "General Board" has been chosen to be opened.

2. On the top right, you will find a button saying "new thread" with a blue + button beside it. Click on it.
The button looks like this:

3. As you click on it, it will redirect you to another page with various options and fields.
This is how the page will look like:

Details about each field: (• important field; * optional feature; ? feature to know; + options available; @ button)
• Subject: put the name of the topic you want to share (for example, when I created this thread, I typed "FAQ: How to use the forums" in the subject field) - the name you type in the subject field will appear in the board you've chosen to create the thread in.
* Attachment: an optional feature, in which if you want to attach a file within the thread you're creating.
* Message icon: this is an icon that will appear beside your thread as you create it. (click here to see how)
* Tags: you can add tags to modify how your text looks like (continue reading to know more about how to modify your text!)
* Smileys: the traditional smileys which you can add while typing your message, and they will appear if you use shortcuts (continue reading to know more about how to add smileys)
• Message: this the most important field, in which you will type the message you want to share (for example, in the message field I used to create this thread, I was typing the FAQ you're currently reading).
? Characters Remaining: this only a representation of the limits of characters you have left to type. I don't think you have to be concerned about this, because it's not common to have a message with more than 50000 characters.
+ Bookmark: if you check this option's box, so the thread/message you posted will be bookmarked in your profile, so whenever you want to read it back, then you can check it by going to the bookmarks in your profile (to go to your bookmarks, then click on: profile > bookmarks)
+ Disable Smilies: if you check this option's box, there will be no smileys showing as an image, but rather the shortcut for the smiley. For example, the smiley

will appear as :)
@ Post Message: when you click on this, then you will make the thread public for everyone to read.
@ Preview: if you want to know how the message you're typing looks like, then click on the Preview button. If you click on the preview button, the message WILL NOT be posted for public (yet).
@ Spell Check: click on this will open a new small window highlighting a misspelling in your message, and then you can correct it by the options the spell checker gives.
@ Reset: clicking on this will empty your message field and having to start over again. Try avoiding click on it by mistake if you want to continue typing your message.

Now it's possible that you may have made a mistake in your post which you want to remove, or maybe even want to add or replace something in your message. Moreover, you might even want to completely remove your post.

Q: How to modify or delete a post?
A: Simply, after posting your message, go to the top right of your message and click on the button saying "modify". After you're finished, click on "Modify Post" button to change it to what you want. If you want to delete it, there's a "delete" button right beside it, click on it and a message will appear to confirm your deletion - click "OK" and it will be deleted immediately. See below to know the location of the buttons.

Note that after you modify your post, it will appear to the bottom of your post, with the time/date you've modified it to.

Now you might want to quickly reply in a thread.

Q: How to reply to a thread?
A: By the bottom of any thread, you will find a Quick reply section. In that section, it reads "Message" and a text field under it. Type your message there, and then click on "Post Reply" or click on Alt + Q to post it immediately. See below.

Note that you can even redirect to the Post Message page, by click on Alt + S, or you can scroll to the very top of the page, and you will find a button reading "reply". It looks like this:

You might need to quote somebody for the use of reference to or to reply to him/her.

Q: What is a quote?
A: A quote is a copy or repeating what somebody said (while the person quoting is not the real author of the speech quoted).

Q: How to quote somebody?
A: Simply, go to the post you want to quote, and on the top right of the post, you will find a "Quote" button. Clicking on the quote button will redirect you to the Post Message page, and then reply to the quote or use it as a reference etc. and then posting your message. See image below (again) to know location of the quote button.

Note that if you quote another member, you will not find the "Modify" or "Delete" button. You can only modify or delete your own posts.

When creating a thread, you have the specialty of creating a poll, to ask for people's opinion about various things.

Q: How to create a poll?
A: Simply, just like you can create a thread, you can do so with a poll. Follow the steps below:
1. Choose the (appropriate) board which you want to post the poll in.
2. On the top right of the board, you have a button with multicolored columns reading "new poll". Click on it.
The button looks like this:

3. After clicking on the button, it will redirect you to the Post Message-like (alternately called "Create Poll" page). Exactly the same as the Post Message page, only that you are provided with a Question field, and multiple answer fields and other options. The page looks like this:

Details:
• Subject: similarly to when creating a normal thread - this will be the name of topic or subject you're discussing or sharing and it will appear in the board you're posting it in.
• Poll Question: this is the question you want to ask within the thread you're creating (for example, in this thread, I put in the Poll Question field "Was this helpful?")
• Answer [#]: beside the fields reading "Answer [number of answer]" you will put the answers available for the readers to choose. Each separate answer will be put in a separate field - it will not be sensible to put two answer in one field. For example, in the poll I've added, in Answer 1, I typed "Yes it was" and in Answer 2, I typed "No it wasn't".
* If you don't find the given fields enough for the answers you want to offer, then there's a line reading "Click to display more answer fields." - click on it and more fields will be available for you.
+ Number of Selections: this indicates the number of answers the reader can choose up to. For example, if you type "1", then the reader can only choose one answer out of the answers available. If you type "2", then the reader has up to two answers to choose from the answers available, and so on.
+ Poll Expiration: you are also given to choose a date and even hour in which the reader(s) can no more vote or choose answers.
+ Results Display: you are chosen the criteria in which how the results are displayed with three options. Hit the drop-down menu, and either choose:
1. "always be shown": so results will be shown whether the reading member has voted or not;
2. "be shown after voting": so results of the poll will be shown to the reading member after he has voted (so eventually, if he didn't vote yet, he or she cannot see the results);
3. "be shown after this poll is locked": results will never show until the poll expires or if locked.
+ Vote Retraction: by check this option's box, the member can change his vote before the poll is expired or locked.

You can actually add a poll, even after you've created a thread. All you have to do is go to the first post in the thread you've created, and click on the "add poll" button on the top. Note that you can only add polls in threads that you create!

Now, it's pointless to check a board or a thread while they got no new posts.

Q: How to know whether there's a new post in a board or in a thread?
A: Simply, beside each board you will find a folder icon with a small dot/circle. If that dot is colored blue, then inside that board there's a reply to one of its threads while you were away or while you didn't open it. When you open the board, you will find a thread or multiple threads with the word "NEW" beside them - those are threads that were unread while they had a new reply you didn't see. If you didn't open those unread threads, the word "NEW" will still remain until you open them. However, as you open a "blue-dotted" board, and then return back to the homepage, the dot will be colored black/grey.

This is an example of a board that has a new thread or a new reply (and you haven't yet visited that board):

This is an example of a board that have been opened (whether or not a new thread or reply has been posted):

This is an example of a thread that you've read (and hasn't received any new replies):

This is an example of a thread with a new reply (that hasn't been read, yet):

BBCoding

BBCoding is a very important feature of the ProBoards in which you can stylize your text to have a better outlook. Below you'll see how to use the BBCodes.

First of all, you need to know that for a BBCode to work, you have to put your text between the two codes - not before nor after. When you'll read the list below you'll know how.

Code List