Power User Tips

This is a guide to help everybody use the forum more efficiently. Some of you will already know all this stuff, but for those that don't there are some good tips to help you navigate the forum content faster and easier.

The Menu

The first thing I look at when I open the forum is the "New Posts" link at the top left. This will list all unread threads/posts for members, and all of "Today's Posts" for unregistered users.

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The other useful menu items are the "Notifications" at the top right, where you can see any unread Private Messages. Also, by clicking the "Forum Actions" drop down (top left) you can edit your profile, or change settings, e.g. get emailed if there is a new post in a thread you have posted in.

Control Panel

I've just added this to the navigation, it's at the top left of most pages (will be all pages as soon as I can find it in the template). From here you can see all the threads you have posted in with new posts (as long as you have: General Settings--->Subscribed Threads--->Through My Control Panel, selected.

You can also see all your PM's, reputation received etc from your control panel.

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First Unread Post

There's a useful little button that will allow all registered members to go to the first unread post in a thread:

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Attaching Images

Follow the steps in this video. Except once you have uploaded the image, select insert inline to display it within your post.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJyheBCbwYI

Reputation

If you like (or dislike) something somebody has posted you can give them reputation. When a member has received 100 rep points they will get an additional green bar next to their name. If they have received a lot of negative rep, their bar will turn red. This feature is useful so that new members can easily determine who's posts to trust. At the moment this feature isn't being used much, so nobody has double green bars, or red bars, but if people start to use it more it will benefit all members.

To add reputation click on the star below that members post. The amount of reputation you give depends on how much reputation you have received, so the system works better if everybody uses it.

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Report Post

In the above image you will also see a triangle with a ! in it. If somebody says something you think is out of line please click this button. This will send an email to all moderators here and the post will be looked at ASAP.

Note that many of these features, such as viewing first unread post and viewing subscribed threads are not available to guests (non members), so even if you don't plan on posting, if you are reading this forum as a guest you may want to register.