Some of the things we can do with forums

[melodiccolor]

I'm finding out some fun things we can do on any phpbb board; ours qualifies.

When I give instructions for coding, I need to spell out the words for symbols since typing the symbols activates the code. For example: bracket for "[" "]". Note, there are no spaces between the brackets and the code typed within or between the beginning of what is inserted between the codes and the end.

For example, there is something called a spoiler function. For spoilers, you type bracket spoiler bracket, then text, then bracket /spoiler bracket.

Spoiler:

You click on the spoiler to retrieve the hidden info. You can use is for anything, links, text or images. You can embed a spoiler within a spoiler too.

There are several ways you can bring an image to your post. The way most do it now is to upload an image to a host such as photobucket and use their program to get it here. This is mostly needed if it's coming from your hard drive or you need to resize it because it's too big.

But there are easier ways for an image already online. Just right click on the image, and if you're using a pc, click on properties. Copy the url address and click cancel. You can then paste it directly into the image symbol located just to the left of the link symbol. Or you can just paste it in your post as a link if you want someone to click on it. You can also bracket your link with bracket img bracket image bracket /img bracket.

If you want to use text to click on a link, paste the link into the link button at the top and then type in the text you want to appear. Be sure to color the text so people know to click on it.

Finally, there is a fun function in the chatbox. Type "/me" followed by your post and the program will put it in the 3rd person narrative form. For example "/me is giving an example" shows up as *melodiccolor is giving an example".

I'm still finding out about what we can do, so I'll add more as I discover it. Please add your own discoveries too.

[Grasshopper]

Here'a a good beginners tutorial on using HTML code:

http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/

and an index for tags in the tutorial:

http://www.davesite.com/webstation/html/taglist.shtml

[melodiccolor]

The code for strikeouts bracket strike bracket strikeout bracket /strike bracket.

Looks like this strikeout.

[Safari]

The code for strikeouts bracket strike bracket strikeout bracket /strike bracket.

Looks like this strikeout.

Hehe, I was wondering about that, having seen it done on various boards.

[melodiccolor]

Looks like our host just updated both the reply and quick reply boxes and added a bunch of new features.  I'm going to try some of them out here in this post.

We have font choices now!  To access them, click the A icon next to colors.

It also looks like we have hundreds of new colors to pick from. Very cool and you can just click the color or font before typing rather than going back and bracketing to change things.  This is going to make posting in threads and perhaps chats much more fun.

12:38:39 06.12.2013 When you click the time or date logos, it inserts it right into the post.

1. OK we can us numbered and unnumbered lists just by clicking
   

1. there are also tabels.
   

But if you go back to stop the list, and it accidentally unlists a list item, it goes back to 1.  No way to change it.

Coding no longer shows in post boxes either, so I am not sure how to edit that part yet.  Well this is interesting, you can go back and change a portion of your post by highliting and changing it, but if you do, and you go back to your current part in the post, it retains the old settings that were there in the earlier part before the change.  You have to reset the settings again for where you are now.  So I am in the wrong font.

OK, coding for size still does. Interesting

Edited to add that when I went down to the bottom of the post, the settings did return to where they were just above, but not on the portion inserted in the middle.  Very odd quirk.

We now have icons for flash, youtubes and dailymotion videos.  Not sure what would be inserted using flash yet.

Have fun playing with all the new features!




  Oh man, they changed the emotes window so you have to hover over an emote to see what it is.  This will make scanning and finding more awkward.  155+ current emotes in one tiny window....   Even worse, some of them are full sized and some are shrunk to almost invisibility.

OK, some of them may no longer work either, going to test them here:

They did this time.  Good, so it's still updating.

[melodiccolor]

Please note they are still updating and debugging this new editor.  For now emotes and quoting will be challenging, but I expect changes to be coming soon.

[Samt03]

Mel asked me to post, so here goes.

I'm on an older back up computer with older browser.  
Windows XP from around 2005
Running FireFox version 4.0.1 with flash plugs that have no been updated in about 2-3 years.

It's that outdated, but for some stuff I need this old browser.

The fancy updates will not let me post on forums.

To be able to post with it I noticed at the end of the options there's what looks like a piece of paper, hovering the mouse over it pops up the option 'Switch Editor Mode' when I hit this it looks like it disabled the flash (not sure) but it's now letting me type like normal and showing all of the BBC I'm using so I can edit it myself.  When I leave the forum this older editor mode(?) stays on allowing me to post when I wish.  I can hit the paper icon again and it turns back on the new fancy editor, which again takes away my ability to post.

Simple version, paper looking thing, click it if you are having trouble typing messages on here now.

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