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Jun 19, 2013, 4:46pm

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Topic: ProBoards hints for new users (Read 2,290 times)

BD
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ProBoards hints for new users
« Thread Started on Mar 1, 2011, 10:30pm »

If you've never used a "ProBoards" board before, here are some good things to know and take advantage of. I'll be updating this thread periodically with additional features as I think of or discover them...

Seeing NEW Posts:

Posts now appear in normal chronological order (newest last) within a thread.

For a multi-page thread, you may display page n by clicking on the desired page number shown in square brackets beneath the subject line of each multi-page thread on a board's main page.

If the small word "New" in a blue background appears at the start of a subject line, there have been new posts to that thread since the last time you viewed the thread. If you click on that little icon, it will take you directly to the first of those new posts.

Also, on the main board index (where all the forums are listed), if a forum contains posts you haven't yet seen, the associated folder icon will contain the word "New" in it.

Finally, at the top of each page is a "new topics" button that displays the newest topics across all the forums on one thread summary page.

Quick post previewing

While viewing the thread list for a board, if you hover over the subject line of a post for a second, the first part of the post will appear in a little Tooltip-type popup window. For short posts, the entire content will fit in the popup.

Board navigation:

If you look up near the top of the page, just below the "Welcome to the GMCR Community Coffeehouse" banner and links that go with it, there's a line that looks like this:

The Community Coffeehouse: A GMCR Message Board :: GMCR Community Coffeehouse University :: GMCR Resource Center :: Documents :: ProBoards hints for new users

You can click anywhere in that line and you'll be taken directly to that section of the board. I find this to be the easiest way to navigate around the board; easier than creating a bunch of browser bookmarks. But that's just my own experience.

Private Messages (PMs):

ProBoards has a Private Message (PM) feature; up at the top of the screen your total number of messages will FLASH for a while to indicate you have a new PM. It will also tell you how many are "new", which is important; if that number is ever non-zero, please click up there to read your PM's. Please make use of this PM feature, it's a very easy way to communicate with other members (including the staff).

There is also a "preference" feature within Private Messages. This is an icon in the upper right hand corner when you are in the Private Message section. The options here allow you to receive an email notifacation or an alert box pop-up within this message board when you have a new PM. You also are allowed to specify if you want messages from certain members blocked.

Editing time-out and Spell Check:

This board has a custom feature that allows editing/deletion of a post for only a limited time after the post is originally made (currently set to about 6 hours). The idea is that members ought to be able to go fix typos, but not go back to posts made days earlier and "revise history".

To avoid typos in the first place, using the "Spell Check" button beneath the composition window is recommended.

Ads at the top/bottom of the board:

Banner ads appear at the top and/or bottom of each page. You can make them totally disappear by using Firefox with the "Ad-Block" add-on enabled. There are probably other utilities as well, for use with IE. Using one of those is a Very Good Idea

Time Zone and DST

ProBoards requires that each member select their own time zone and DST on/off settings (they're in the Profile). The default time zone is EST, with DST adjustment off I believe. So you may need to turn that on in order to see the correct time at the top of the board.

ProBoards App for the iPhone:

For those iPhone users who may not have discovered this yet:

http://www.proboards.com/iphone

With the free version you can browse the board, and the $3 paid version lets you post. I bought the paid version and I find it very useful.

« Last Edit: Jun 18, 2012, 12:42pm by BD »

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