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Forum Tip New Forums! Question and Answers

Discussion in 'Forum rules and information' started by Forum Administrator, Jun 23, 2013.

  1. Forum Administrator

    Forum Administrator Member Forum Staff

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    Please use this thread for all of your questions or feedback regarding the use of the new forum
     
  2. backtothewoooo

    backtothewoooo Member

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    Good Morning!
    How do you go to unread threads? Thanks.
     
  3. Traci

    Traci New Member

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    Looks great, thanks so much for your hard work on this!! Is there some way to receive updates via email or FB? If so, would you mind walking me through the process so I can do so? Thanks again!!
     
  4. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Click the 'What's New' link in the menu bar across the top of the window.

    Additionally, when you click on a thread's name, it will automatically take you to the first unread post in that thread. No more need to click the tiny icon next to the thread name.
     
  5. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Like the old forum, you can get email notices similar to the alerts I described.

    In your preferences (move your mouse over your username in the menu bar.. and select preferences from the menu) - you will see 'Automatically watch threads that you create or when you reply...' - that should be selected by default. If you enable the box below it, it will also send emails. However, I recommend you try without the emails for a bit and see how the alert system works for you.

    You can also opt to watch any thread by clicking the 'watch thread' link near the top right of the thread view without having to reply to the thread. You can see a list of all your watched threads from your profile or the quick navigation menu. This is a great way to keep up on the threads you are active in without having to dig them out of the full site. In the sites I visit, the watched thread page is actually the page I bookmark for visiting the site. I read my active threads, and then goto the 'whats new' link to see what else is happening.

    I've found that the way the new forum handles unread posts and alerts kind of makes the old email model redundant. We get a lot of complaints about the emails, and people tend to reply to the emails vs using the site... so I'd like to try to discourage their use as the default.
     
    Traci likes this.
  6. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Is there a way for me to limit the number of unread posts visible on the page, similar to old format?
     
  7. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    I'm not sure what you are specifically referring to.

    One significant change in how threads are displayed is the # of posts per page is fixed across the site now, and is not user definable. This is so that page #s are consistent across all users.
     
  8. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    We were able to define the number of posts that appeared on the page to reduce that cluttered unkempt feel. You just provided a solution on the "Tips" thread by marking all the posts as "read". This does the trick.
     
  9. Traci

    Traci New Member

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    Thanks Steve. I use the watched thread feature, but tend to forget to check the forum regularly. Was hoping there was some way to get a daily or weekly update summarizing new post headings... similar to what you'd receive in a Yahoo or Meet-up group. Or alternatively to link via FB, so I'd see there are new posts on the board.
     
  10. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Yes, I don't think what is read is actually imported when we convert the site.. but once you do the mark forums read once.. you'll get the experience you're looking for I think.

    Enjoy!
     
  11. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Well you can watch the forum or specific forums via an RSS reader.. but that's kind of technical. Using RSS you can add the content to your my yahoo page, etc. Clicking the orange radar looking icon next to a forum in the list will give you the RSS feed just for that forum.

    What I recommend is using the 'whats new' combined with the 'mark forums read'.

    When you are satisfied you have read everything you are interested in.. use the 'mark forums read' link. This marks everything as read and 'old' so to speak.

    Next time you are on the site.. use the 'watched threads' to read any new posts in any threads you've been active in. If you are interested in 'everything else', then click on 'whats new' and you'll see all new activity.

    Once you are satisfied you've seen all you care to... use the 'mark forums read' link again.

    This way your view will never be cluttered up with lots of old stuff.. and you'll see only the new activity. And of course Alerts will direct you specifically to posts directed at you. People tend to use 'alerts' as the first thing they respond to when on the site.

    KTdid pointed out that on the import, you've probably lost all your previous tracking of what is read or not.. so use the 'Mark Forums Read' at least once to set your baseline as today.
     
  12. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    I noticed you imported the news feed thread. It hasn't been updated in three years. Any reason to keep it?
     
  13. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Hit with eastern European spam thread under "General Discussion"
     
  14. mwork

    mwork New Member

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    What is this and why is it allowed to be posted on Broadlands Forum????? It's under nature /habitat/garden. It needs to be removed.



    [Removed link to bad stuff]
     
  15. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Unfortunately, this junk comes through quite often, but you don't see it because it's usually removed by our IT team.
     
  16. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    As always - if you find something that is against the forum rules, please use the Report link under the post to notify the staff. Usually the stuff gets caught before most people see it, but if we're not around.. the web keeps on ticking :)
     
  17. mwork

    mwork New Member

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    Thanks! I've never "reported" anything before so I wasn't sure what to do. I'll do that next time, but thank you for taking it off. Weird people out there.
     
  18. Chsalas

    Chsalas Active Member

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    Is there a way to display "todays" post? I marked the forums read and I want to go back to look for something. Thanks
     
  19. flynnibus

    flynnibus Well-Known Member Forum Staff

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    Not explicitly - but just goto the 'what's new' page and it will say no new posts, but give you a link to all recent posts which will be a time descending list of all post activity giving you basically what you need

    Your watched threads page has a similar 'show all' option as well at the bottom
     
  20. Chsalas

    Chsalas Active Member

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    FLYNNIBUSS

    Thanks, I didn't see that, it's still a little hard to read some of the text but that suggestion worked. Much Thanks!
     

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