Gizmos, Titles and Stuff - How They Work

[CarolX]

last posts

Marc,

I don't want to overload you with stuff...I bet you have millions and millions of questions you are answering with the new board..but I saw something today that I have seen a few times...the last post dates are not always cronilogical (sp - can't do it without the checker LOL). I copied the screen to a bitmap if you want to see....you may already be aware of this one. Lemme know....

CarolX

 

[Marc]

E-mail me the bitmap if you can and I'll look at it. I haven't noticed any order problems, but I'm sorta in and out and miss a lot.

I was amazed that the import of the old threads went as well as it did. I was expecting total disaster like everything else in this project. A software switch and a Host switch at the same time was not the smartest thing I've ever done. I was living Murphy's Law to the extreme. I'm so happy to be 'almost' back to normal...

There might be some hiccups. Whether I can fix it depends upon what it is.

 

[Marc]

Ah! The 'Sticky' issue! Another new 'software feature'! Don't 'cha just LUV it? All sorts of new stuff to 'deal with'!

When you see 'Sticky' by the thread title, it means I (or the forum moderators - I think - I'll have to look at what they can do as opposed to what I can do with regard to 'Sticking' threads) 'stuck' the message at the top of the list for a bit so folks will see it right off on entering that forum. It's a 'new' admin option. OK - why would I do it? Well, I'm sorta making it very 'noticeable' for whatever reason. I'll have to read it again - I remember doing it - half to see the function work and half because I wanted everyone to see and read the thread.

I'll un-sticky the thread soon. Thankfully, it's not a screwed up database file. That would have really not made Marc happy. Marc would eat 1 Valium, wait 1 hour and then re-check bank balance. If the database this whole system runs on screws up - we would be talking real problems and real money. I personally can't fix anything at that level. Tears would stream from Marc's eyes... Marc would take very, very long walk to clear clouded mind and reconsider the future and, probably, to contemplate the Meaning of Life... Luckily, that's not the case.

Thanks for the observation. You never know and I do want to know about any 'bugs' or problems.

By the way, when ever you see a thread with an icon 'missing', that's where the 'import' missed a 'spot' (for lack of a better word). I try to fix them when I see them, but there's just too many threads and posts. I don't want to sit here for a week doing nothing but editing individual threads and posts. It's a cosmetic issue to me. We'll all just have to live with a few missing icons.

 

[CarolX]

ahhh---sticky

Marc,

Very cool feature..Thanks.

CarolX

 

[Jim Biz]

Moderator Actions

Marc- Do you have a help screen for Moderator actions?

I've looked & looked here and don't seem to be able to find what/where to do anything but edit my own.

(nothing in my forum rules section - shows more than normal change options)

I do have the Admin dropdown - but when I go there I get a screen explaining "not authorized"

Test edit. I'm adding these words just before your 'signature' (Regards and on the next line Jim).

Regards
Jim

 

[Marc]

I'll have to check. I've never logged in as 'moderator'. I'll look and see just moderators CAN do. I'll get back to you - hopefully today - on exactly what moderators can do. In the meantime, see the following attachment. I think you have to 'right click' and the 'Download Target to Disk' on PeeCees to download it and read it.

 

[Marc]

OK. Now I get it - you want more POWER!

Here are the other 'standard' moderator 'options'.

 

[Marc]

Moderator Options in Threads Listing View

This is kinda weird. I changed my user options for Marc Smith and played around for a few minutes. The Admin Options drop down you see - is it in the view where you see all the threads in the forum listed or in an actual thread?

If you are at the listing of threads, in a ( or the) forum you (whether alone or with someone else) are a 'Moderator' the 'Admin Options' available to a forum moderator are (or should be):

Forum Options (this is the 'default' that you first see) - just click Go and it will take you to a little 'control panel' where you can post and edit announcements and 'view' users profile (you have to enter a name and then you will see their profile - but - you can't change anything in it even though it looks like you can).

Next there are: View Posts Queue and View Attachments Queue (both are disabled - this is where the moderator has to 'approve' posts and/or attachments prior to their apprearing - which would drive everyone nuts) -- and there is Mass Move and Mass Prune (disabled - I don't want moderators trying to do some serious stuff). These should also be in the admin 'pull down' menu, but they shouldn't work.

Tell me if you see these 'options. If not - tell me what you see.

NOTE: If you go to the 'Moderator's Control Panel, you get back to the board in a subtle way. If you look up in the far upper right of the window you will see (almost grayed out) "Go To Your Forums Home Page". Waving you mouse over it will turn it yellow. Click it and you will be returned to the forum from the Moderator Control Panel.

For all intents and purposes, going to the Moderator's control panel isn't good for anything unless you want to post or edit an 'Announcement' in your forum for some reason (if you think of a reason, by all means go ahead. You're the moderator so if there's something important you have to say and you feel an 'announcement' is warranted, by all means - go ahead.

So - in the view where you see all the threads listed, thats the deal with the 'Admin Functions' drop down.

 

[Marc]

Moderator Options Within Threads

OK - Now open a thread (topic) in a forum you moderate.

You should again see the 'Admin' dropdown.

The default should read Thread Options. Click Go and an options box should show up. Everything in it should be self explanitory. You can change the thread icon, subject (title), open and close the thread, hide the thread (I'm not sure why one would want to hide a thread, but I'm still learning), and you can add a 'summary' or 'comments'. I haven't done this yet so if you add a summary I'm not sure where they will appear...

Clicking on the Admin Dropdown I see also lists:
Open / Close Thread
Move / Copy Thread
Edit Thread
Delete Thread / Posts
Merge Threads
Split Thread (like where you have a posting within a thread which is off topic, but is 'important' - you 'slice it off', so to speak, into it's own thread.)
Stick / Unstick Thread

As before, if you'll take a minute in a forum you moderate and check this out, let me know what you see. Remember - This stuff only works in forums you are a/the moderator of.

 

[Marc]

Moderators and Editing Posts From Members

When you have a thread open and are reading all the posts, you can edit posts others have made right at their post. Just click on the 'edit' button for that post at the bottom of the post on the right. As with the old UltimateBB after you edit the post there will be an 'Edited by...' with date and time added to the post.

You can also Delete the post here if you have a good reason to (look at the TOP of the post while in the 'edit' screen). Please think twice before you delete a post for any reason!!

NOTE: Below the text box you will see a gray 'block' titled Options: (the same one you would see if you were starting a new topic or replying to a post) Don't change these unless you have a good reason to. Especially the 'E-mail Notification' one. Remember, you're changing someone else's post. So - if E-Mail Notification is checked and you un-check it, the poster will no longer receive notification of new posts. You're editing their post and their settings for the post.