New Forum 101

[odessan82]

This thread will be a place of learning about the new forum.

Perhaps we will have a FAQ or tutorial here, but for now it is an open question-and-answer session for those who have specific problems or need help with the new features of the forum.

Class is now in session!

[Geaux Saints]

With the obvious exception of the new look, what are the major differences between vBulletin and the old format, Odessan?

[odessan82]

With the obvious exception of the new look, what are the major differences between vBulletin and the old format, Odessan?

For starters, there is the ability to rate both users and posts, you can hide or show different sections of the forum (using the little + or - at the top right of each section on the home page or on the posting rules box below, you have the option of only recent posts even appearing or all posts since the beginning, you can have a profile picture of yourself, you can sort a section based on the number of replies or views, add an icon to your post heading, quote more than one person without copying and pasting quotes, choose the number of posts per page that you view, use a simple post editor or advanced one including one that shows exactly what your post will look like with colors, etc., and many more features.

[odessan82]

You can also report a post to an admin easier using the button on top of the post.

[Geaux Saints]

Thanks for the info, Odessan82.

[Jinxie]

What in the world is "add to Jinxie's Reputation?" I don't need anyone adding to my reputation!!!!

[Geaux Saints]

Jinxie, the 'reputation' is a tool used so that other members can see how well you correspond here in MOF! If you recieve post approvals and good comments, your reputation improves and shows others that you don't commit to 'personal attacks' and the like.

[odessan82]

Tutorial: Multi Quote

To quote more than one person in the same reply, click the Multi Q button on the first post you wish to quote. It will turn orange from it's previous blue color. Then, continue clicking on Multi Q on each subsequent post you wish to quote. When you have selected every post you wish to quote, click the Post Reply button at the bottom of the screen.

Tutorial: Quick Reply

If you press the Quick button, the reply field at the bottom of the screen will become active so you do not have to load a new Reply screen to type in a quick message.

[Geaux Saints]

Several members have reported that the time/date settings are incorrectly displayed. To correct, go to "User CP" and on the left hand side of your screen, click "Edit Options." Scroll down to "Date and Time Settings" and select your time zone. It's that simple!

[TXmomma]

I am able to access and read the Conspiracy Forum, which I am not a member of, but I cannot access the Diaper Diaries, which I AM a member of. Can anyone help?

[Lucidus]

I am able to access and read the Conspiracy Forum, which I am not a member of, but I cannot access the Diaper Diaries, which I AM a member of. Can anyone help?

Sure no prob, I'll ban you from conspiracy right away! j/k I know what you meant but I have no idea where Diaper Dairies has gone.

[Indy]

I am able to access and read the Conspiracy Forum, which I am not a member of, but I cannot access the Diaper Diaries, which I AM a member of. Can anyone help?

I don't even see the Diaper diaries.....and I'm a memeber too.

[odessan82]

Tutorial: User CP (Control Panel)

Section One: Settings and Options

Edit Signature - You have a couple of options here, including typing in a signature like you did in the old forum (except this one has formatting tools built in) or using a picture from a website or your computer. Just type in the website or browse for a pic on your computer in the appropriate place. Keep in mind the size of your pics that you use, please.

Edit Email & Password - Self Explanatory

Edit Profile - You can give yourself a custom title which will appear above your regular title (Colonel, Lieutenant, etc.). You can now add your birthday, so we can wish you a happy one when the time comes, and also add all the personal info we had in the old forum.

Edit Options - Invisible mode means you will not show up in the users online list if the box is checked. vCard is a technology used to easily share contact information with others. Check the box if you don't want anyone to add your e-mail addy to their contact list.

There are boxes to be able to receive e-mail from admins and/or other users. I don't think this actually gives them your e-mail addy, but I am not 100% sure.

You can subscribe to threads and have them appear in your e-mail, depending on the setting you have. I would go with DO NOT SUBSCRIBE as a default, and if there was a particular thread you reply to that you want to sub, you can do so when you reply to that thread.

PM settings are next. You can turn off PM completely (Eurasian), or only receive PM from people on your buddy list. You can also have a window pop up when you get a PM like in the old forum. Notice PM window at the top right of every screen. If you want to get an e-mail when someone PMs you, you can choose that as well.

Next, you can choose to see people's avatars, signatures, or images that people post. If all the signatures just get in your way, you can turn them off. Nifty feature here.

Thread display mode allows you to see, by default, oldest posts on top, newest posts on top, or a list of all post titles where you can click to see the actual post.

You can select the number of posts to show on each page, and also how old of posts appear in each section (select SHOW ALL THREADS if you do not want a time cut-off, but otherwise you can select LAST MONTH or something similar to only see recent threads and have less clutter).

Next, you set your time zone and date options.

Next, you select your post editor. I suggest WYSIWYG. This means if you bold something, it doesn't look like this: [.b.]bold[./b] but like this: bold in your editor. You can choose a skin, but we only have one.

Edit Avatar - Self explanatory

Edit Profile Picture - This is if you want to upload a pic of yourself so people know what you look like. It doesn't appear anywhere except memberlist and your own profile, i.e. it doesn't show up every time you post.

ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR?

[Jinxie]

How come the fun news section looks different?

[MAVERICK]

Thanks Odessan good information.

What do you know about the RUMBLE ROOM is it gone forever and ever or is it simply lost to resurface later?

Are you working on a new skin? This background is at least to me very distracting ... or overpowering.