Post by Chris_Sav on Aug 28, 2010 19:25:19 GMT
Found this on another board so no credit to me, but newcomers may find this useful
GENERAL FEATURES
Alrighty, let's start on the homepage. At the bottom, you will see a module for some random tidbits of info and who is online.
Homepage - Information at the Bottom
There is a total post count, thread count, and the latest topic on the top left. On the right, you'll see the member count, newest member, and then a short breakdown of your private messages (total number and new messages).
Under that, you'll see the online members. The first list of members are those who are online THIS INSTANT, reading your posts and browsing the forums. The first name has clicked a link most recently, and the last person hasn't clicked a link for a while, but it hasn't been long enough for them to be removed from the online list. The second list contains the users who have been active and online in the last 24 hours, ordered in the same manner as the currently online list.
Searching
Okay, under the banner, the third link is a Search button. This allows you to search the entire forum (or part of the forum) for a certain keyword or topic.
More Options - Here you can be more specific when filtering your post. You can search for posts by staff members, normal members, or specific members (for this you'll need to put the member's name in the field to the right).
Boards to Search - This is pretty self explanatory. All boards are checked by default, but if you want to narrow your search, remove the check next to boards you don't want to search. Simple as that.
Search in - Here, you can choose to look through every reply and message for the keyword you choose as well as the topics of the threads, or you can choose only one of these two locations. If you only have the Subject option checked, Proboards will show you threads with the keyword in the topic title.
Posted Within / Maximum Results - Here you can apply a time frame to the posts you're searching for, and limit the number of results to see.
View Results As - This is a very handy feature. If you've selected posts, you will see individual posts that contain your keywords, and that's it. If you choose threads, then you will be shown a list of threads (similar to the list of threads you see when you actually visit a board). From here, you can read through your results.
Members List
This link (the fourth under the banner) links to a list of all registered members in a table. Across the top, you'll see various ways to sort this list. Note - The members list shows your DISPLAY NAME, not the name you registered with. Unless they're the same.
View All Members - View a list with no sorting applied. This is the default list.
View By Letter - Choosing this option shows you a list of letters. You can pick a certain letter and view all users whose username start with that letter. (I.E, choose D to see Dan Brown among other names that start with D)
View Top Posters - This view sorts the posters by their post count, from highest to lowest. We don't really focus on post counts, and many members post counts don't hold true to the number of posts they actually have, but I thought I'd explain this option anyway.
View Staff Members - This shows all of the staff members (Administrators and moderators) of the forum. If you have an issue that you'd rather discuss privately, you can use this view to see all of the people you could contact about it.
MODIFYING YOUR PROFILE
Here's a basic overview of how to modify your profile information. First, click the next to last link under the banner (Profile). Then, find the link that says "Modify Profile" along the top of the profile view.
Account Information
Username / Password - This is the name you login with. You cannot edit this. Below that are two fields for changing your password, where you simply enter the your new password.
Email Address - This is the email where you receive your activation link, and where any emails sent out by administrators will go.
Display Name - This name is shown when you post around the forum, and when other members view the member list. It doesn't have to match your username, and (unlike the username) it allows capital letters.
Personal Information
Note - Any of this information that you fill out will be displayed on your profile, and next to any posts you make. Also, when filling out this information, you will see brief descriptions of every field to the right. I'll go ahead and describe them myself, as well.
Gender / Hide Gender - Um, I hope you know what this does. As for the second option, you can choose whether or not other forum members can see your gender.
Location - Where you live. This can be real, a joke, or whatever you like. We're not going to come to your house and stand outside your window or anything (Okay, maybe the admins will, but we're creepy).
Website Name / URL - If you own a website, you can link to it from your profile using these.
Avatar - Here you can select from the default list of avatars through a drop down menu. If you'd like to use your own, keep reading.
* Avatar URL - This is for an actual link to your avatar. Don't worry about the size of it (100 x 100 pixels or anything). You will have to upload it on a different site. I recommend Tinypic. On this site, after you upload, copy the code that is called Direct Link and past it into this field.
* Width / Height - This is the size you'd like your avatar to be when shown with your posts / on your profile. Typical size is 100 x 100. Proboards will automatically resize your image.
Personal Text - This field is just a little note about anything that is displayed below your avatar on your profile / posts. It's typically a few words, either a random inside joke or a quote; things like that.
Signature - This is shown below your posts and on your profile. You can put a banner, links, quotes, whatever. Since there is no BB code toolbar (the thing above the text box when you make a post that you use to bold, underline, add emoticons, etc), this may cause you some trouble. I recommend going to a thread or a forum and choose to create a new reply / thread, then making your signature in that box. Then, copy / past the signature to the field on your profile. This way, you have access to the BB code buttons when creating your signature.
User Notes - This is just a little notepad. Nobody can see what you put here except for you and the administrators. Use it for reminders, to-do, or whatever you'd like. This is not an effective way to bring something to the attention of the staff.
Instant Messengers
This entire section is self-explanatory. Just put your usernames for various messengers here for other members to see.
Account Preferences
Show Age / Hide Email - Choose whether or not other members can see your age and email on your profile.
Mass Emails - Opt in or out of emails sent to all members by the administrators.
Show Signatures / Avatars / Images - Choose whether or not to display members' signatures and avatars in posts, as well as whether or not to display images when posted in a thread.
Select Skin - Choose which skin to browse the forum with.
Expand / Hide Sub-boards - The first option (expand), when changed to yes, will show the sub-board's thread in the main board. I.E, when you are in the Anything and Everything board, you would see the debate threads listed as well. The second option (hide) will hide the sub-boards altogether, even when viewing the board they're under.
Date and Times
Time Format - Choose how times are displayed on the forum. Either the 12 hour AM / PM system, or the 24 hour "military" times.
Date Format - Choose how dates are shown on the forum. You can have dashes, dots, abbreviations, etc.
Month Format - Choose whether the month is shown before or after the day.
Time Zone - Select your time zone. This will be applied to all posts made on the forum so that you can better understand when posts were made.
Currently Observing DST - Is it daylight savings time (summer time) or not?
THE END
If your question was not answered in this guide, then post a thread in this board.
GENERAL FEATURES
Alrighty, let's start on the homepage. At the bottom, you will see a module for some random tidbits of info and who is online.
Homepage - Information at the Bottom
There is a total post count, thread count, and the latest topic on the top left. On the right, you'll see the member count, newest member, and then a short breakdown of your private messages (total number and new messages).
Under that, you'll see the online members. The first list of members are those who are online THIS INSTANT, reading your posts and browsing the forums. The first name has clicked a link most recently, and the last person hasn't clicked a link for a while, but it hasn't been long enough for them to be removed from the online list. The second list contains the users who have been active and online in the last 24 hours, ordered in the same manner as the currently online list.
Searching
Okay, under the banner, the third link is a Search button. This allows you to search the entire forum (or part of the forum) for a certain keyword or topic.
More Options - Here you can be more specific when filtering your post. You can search for posts by staff members, normal members, or specific members (for this you'll need to put the member's name in the field to the right).
Boards to Search - This is pretty self explanatory. All boards are checked by default, but if you want to narrow your search, remove the check next to boards you don't want to search. Simple as that.
Search in - Here, you can choose to look through every reply and message for the keyword you choose as well as the topics of the threads, or you can choose only one of these two locations. If you only have the Subject option checked, Proboards will show you threads with the keyword in the topic title.
Posted Within / Maximum Results - Here you can apply a time frame to the posts you're searching for, and limit the number of results to see.
View Results As - This is a very handy feature. If you've selected posts, you will see individual posts that contain your keywords, and that's it. If you choose threads, then you will be shown a list of threads (similar to the list of threads you see when you actually visit a board). From here, you can read through your results.
Members List
This link (the fourth under the banner) links to a list of all registered members in a table. Across the top, you'll see various ways to sort this list. Note - The members list shows your DISPLAY NAME, not the name you registered with. Unless they're the same.
View All Members - View a list with no sorting applied. This is the default list.
View By Letter - Choosing this option shows you a list of letters. You can pick a certain letter and view all users whose username start with that letter. (I.E, choose D to see Dan Brown among other names that start with D)
View Top Posters - This view sorts the posters by their post count, from highest to lowest. We don't really focus on post counts, and many members post counts don't hold true to the number of posts they actually have, but I thought I'd explain this option anyway.
View Staff Members - This shows all of the staff members (Administrators and moderators) of the forum. If you have an issue that you'd rather discuss privately, you can use this view to see all of the people you could contact about it.
MODIFYING YOUR PROFILE
Here's a basic overview of how to modify your profile information. First, click the next to last link under the banner (Profile). Then, find the link that says "Modify Profile" along the top of the profile view.
Account Information
Username / Password - This is the name you login with. You cannot edit this. Below that are two fields for changing your password, where you simply enter the your new password.
Email Address - This is the email where you receive your activation link, and where any emails sent out by administrators will go.
Display Name - This name is shown when you post around the forum, and when other members view the member list. It doesn't have to match your username, and (unlike the username) it allows capital letters.
Personal Information
Note - Any of this information that you fill out will be displayed on your profile, and next to any posts you make. Also, when filling out this information, you will see brief descriptions of every field to the right. I'll go ahead and describe them myself, as well.
Gender / Hide Gender - Um, I hope you know what this does. As for the second option, you can choose whether or not other forum members can see your gender.
Location - Where you live. This can be real, a joke, or whatever you like. We're not going to come to your house and stand outside your window or anything (Okay, maybe the admins will, but we're creepy).
Website Name / URL - If you own a website, you can link to it from your profile using these.
Avatar - Here you can select from the default list of avatars through a drop down menu. If you'd like to use your own, keep reading.
* Avatar URL - This is for an actual link to your avatar. Don't worry about the size of it (100 x 100 pixels or anything). You will have to upload it on a different site. I recommend Tinypic. On this site, after you upload, copy the code that is called Direct Link and past it into this field.
* Width / Height - This is the size you'd like your avatar to be when shown with your posts / on your profile. Typical size is 100 x 100. Proboards will automatically resize your image.
Personal Text - This field is just a little note about anything that is displayed below your avatar on your profile / posts. It's typically a few words, either a random inside joke or a quote; things like that.
Signature - This is shown below your posts and on your profile. You can put a banner, links, quotes, whatever. Since there is no BB code toolbar (the thing above the text box when you make a post that you use to bold, underline, add emoticons, etc), this may cause you some trouble. I recommend going to a thread or a forum and choose to create a new reply / thread, then making your signature in that box. Then, copy / past the signature to the field on your profile. This way, you have access to the BB code buttons when creating your signature.
User Notes - This is just a little notepad. Nobody can see what you put here except for you and the administrators. Use it for reminders, to-do, or whatever you'd like. This is not an effective way to bring something to the attention of the staff.
Instant Messengers
This entire section is self-explanatory. Just put your usernames for various messengers here for other members to see.
Account Preferences
Show Age / Hide Email - Choose whether or not other members can see your age and email on your profile.
Mass Emails - Opt in or out of emails sent to all members by the administrators.
Show Signatures / Avatars / Images - Choose whether or not to display members' signatures and avatars in posts, as well as whether or not to display images when posted in a thread.
Select Skin - Choose which skin to browse the forum with.
Expand / Hide Sub-boards - The first option (expand), when changed to yes, will show the sub-board's thread in the main board. I.E, when you are in the Anything and Everything board, you would see the debate threads listed as well. The second option (hide) will hide the sub-boards altogether, even when viewing the board they're under.
Date and Times
Time Format - Choose how times are displayed on the forum. Either the 12 hour AM / PM system, or the 24 hour "military" times.
Date Format - Choose how dates are shown on the forum. You can have dashes, dots, abbreviations, etc.
Month Format - Choose whether the month is shown before or after the day.
Time Zone - Select your time zone. This will be applied to all posts made on the forum so that you can better understand when posts were made.
Currently Observing DST - Is it daylight savings time (summer time) or not?
THE END
If your question was not answered in this guide, then post a thread in this board.