How about a thread with some tips for features on this site. Partly to help people who aren't as computer-literate, and partly to point out features that popped up along the way that people who've been here fromt he start may not have noticed.

I'll start. Some of these may seem obvious, but they're all things that I know at least a person or two didn't realize could be done.

1) Clicking on by ---- in the "Last Post" column to the far right will send you directly to the last post in that thread.

2) There are advanced search options within the advanced search. After getting to the 1st advanced search page (either through the "find" tab or on the welcome page) click on Advanced Search. This will bring up extra options. You can use this to limit your search to just topics, just replies, just polls, just new posts, and a number of other things. There is also a range filter on this menu that lets you limit your search even more. If you set the minimum and maximum replies to 0, you will get all of the questions in whatever category (or all categories if you don't select one) that no one has replied to.

3) Clicking on the Posts: --- at the end of someone's posts will let you jump directly to a page listing all of their recent posts (Thanks WoK for pointing this out).

4) To find someone's profile (even if they aren't online and have never posted) click "My Space" then "Contacts". In the "Username" box enter the screenname you're looking for & click "Search". This also works if you only remember part of a member's name (or even just the first letter)(thanks Byter for showing me this one).

5) There are a dictionary and thesaurus at the top of each page that will open in a new window.

Anyone have any more? I'll post more if I think of them.

This thread is a great idea!
Thanks for helping me learn all these cool features!
(Ain't progress wonderful? )

2 Tips...
When entering in your profile ,your location details Please restrict it to about 35 characters long, otherwise the page starts to distort And other members will make a complaint .There is still the odd new member on this site who have this Prob happening
2nd tip is related to the above (Page distortion )
This is regarding weblinks (Hyperlinks)
Say for instance you are posting an Answerpool link:
This pages address is:
http://www.answerpool.com/groupee/forums?a=prply&s=669605981&f=833605642&m=7466084092&x_popup=Y
Note the length? without splitting it is displayed as 1 continuous line Distorting the whole page badly
Solution? well there are 2
1) Click on the URL Box in the reply box (does not appear in the Discussion Room) No live hyperlinks allowed there (use solution 2 below if you have a longish URL to enter ? )
Copy the link and paste it into the upper box (URL)and type in the lower box (Title) something apt
So http://www.answerpool.com/groupee/forums?a=prply&s=669605981&f=833605642&m=7466084092&x_popup=Y becomes:This
Solution 2).....Copy the link and then go to this site http://tinyurl.com/create.php and follow the instructions
again your original URL:
http://www.answerpool.com/groupee/forums?a=prply&s=669605981&f=833605642&m=7466084092&x_popup=Y has now become this URL: http://tinyurl.com/onzv
or something similar? (worth saving to Favorites )

Here's a couple of Tips/Tricks for use with our new Double Click for Definition feature.

Suppose you want the Dif. of just part of a whole word. For example just the word Answer in AnswerPool.
First drag across [Select] answer then double click any non-linking picture {Smilie/avatar/etc.}
This will bring up confirm box for the word "Answer"

This same trick will work on two or more words.
For instance select both words "For Instance" then double click a picture.

Neat Huh ?

For fun, select a whole bunch of words--->
Big ol' Confirm box.

Mike b. (AKA Byter)

The best way for Newbies to AP to Remember the sites name, is to save it to their Favorites
Normally right click and select "Save to Favorites" from menu (On AOL click on the red "Heart" icon for the same menu)
Also to tick the "remember me" box on the LOG IN page to avoid logging in manually
Only have to do it in future if cookies have been deleted for some reason

Some people ask what do the Colors on the "Online Now" board denote?
Blue = Members
Green = Moderators
Red = Admin...King Krimson aka (KK) Karrow,DorianGreyed and Sailracer

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bedstor,

If you want to find what anybody has posted recently in say the past few days look below any posting for the words "Posts:nnn" and click on it and a new window opens with all the consecutive recent posts of that Poster
There are several ways of arriving here but this is the fastest

quote:

---

If you want to find what anybody has posted recently in say the past few days look below any posting for the words "Posts:nnn" and click on it and a new window opens with all the consecutive recent posts of that Poster
There are several ways of arriving here but this is the fastest

---

I don't understand

I have never seen Posts:nnn. Could you post a link to show what you mean?

Clarebear
Its a sort of space filling abbreviation I've used Maiku might know the correct syntax?
For instance currently you are on
Posts: 2837 | From: The Motor City | Registered: 06-03-02
Press this link and you'll see precisely what I meant everyone elses postings can be accessed the same way

Oh how awesome!!!!

Thanks! That is gonna come in handy!

Here is what some of us are referring to in some posts on this site(abbreviations)
Thanks Putasolutions for prompting me to post this

AP= Answerpool
and DP= www.Discussionpool.com
Our own shorthand we use for it.
And when referring to "chat" that is usually = www.chatheads.com or http://chatheads.com/ (updated name ('06))

MW or M/W=Merriam Webster Dictionary

KK=King Krimson = Hugh (Administrator)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bedstor,

You have noticed that there is a box above this topic for the Merriam Webster Dictionary But did you know you can also do a check on the word spelling by clicking on them? (also finding the definitions)
Cannot do it in editing mode but the Topic time out is set at a generous level on this site So you can "spell check" return and edit some more resets the clock every time
Ps The Dictionary Has American spellings if you want alternatives then copy and paste the word into the box on this site www.onelook.com
which is also a great crossword puzzle word finder

AP Cookie Failures rectification
If you have a login prob with this site or any Infopop Site,with the EVE software. There is an easy way to clear the cookies without clearing the entire collection from Internet Explorer
Click on the "Go" Blue compass icon.
Next to the Post icon above this thread.
Then on the menu go:
My Space>Profile>Cookies
Next page, click on links 2 and 4 to delete the old cookies then Normal service is resumed (needn't login) Links 1 & 3 show what is stored

1st tip in ages
Image posting rules and tips (applies to all forums)
I posted this on another forum and adapted it for this site

quote:

Be aware of the Maximum size Images which are allowed to be posted on a Forum
There's normally a FAQ or a site rule posted with this information
If in doubt contact the site Admin OK
I'm on several forums besides AP , I do see images posted without checking the sizes
Meaning that Moderators /admin have to delete the shot or edit it to fit the screen (over large pictures do distort the pages badly)
So think before you post Thank You

My way of getting people to view screen shots is simple
Have 2 methods:
1) I put a test post in with the address within the [image] brackets[./image]
and check to see if it fits the page .
Unless you know how to reduce the image size(to fit) and replace it in the posting you are stuck
You can post it with the wrong sized image ,I then usually drop a note to the Moderator or click the alert link to ask them to rectify the picture size (risk getting moaned at in the meantime )
Which brings me neatly to Method 2)...a much easier way :
To save all this hassle I right click on the image>Click Properties on the menu>Copy the address,and then put it in the posting as an ordinary web address (URL) Comes up in it's original form when clicked Here is my avatar to prove the point

Be advised there is a bug if Polls are posted where the delete topic option is not available
If you need to delete click on the Report this Post Alert (Triangle icon) and leave a message .Admin will delete the Topic ASAP

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bedstor,

Remember your "Space"!
I have had a few forum postings elsewhere turn out with non-functioning hyperlinks the Link displays but does not work this does work www.answerpool.com but this does not,www.answerpool.com
Reason..leave a "space" before the link starts...sometimes occurs with manual links by leaving no space in front of the URL or other "tag" thus.[url=... Leaving the link exposed So If this happens to you think about the "spacing" issue

Some site servers software do allow for this "error" and makes up the link regardless of the character sitting in front of the tag but there is no Such Help on this Site

Edited to correct link

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Karrow,

quote:

Originally posted by bedstor:
Remember your "Space"!
I have had a few forum postings elsewhere turn out with non-functioning hyperlinks the Link displays but does not work this does work www.answepool.com

Bedstor darling...it also helps if you spell the name of the site correctly...try your link that you say works

Oh bother out of edit time again dg

Thanks for the Heads Up
I've put an alert in to Admin to correct it

I have had the Same issue occur on other forums with typing a line of text then a link doesn't work only see it if you preview or submit it so I found that tapping the Return key once when at the end of the line inserts a Blank line and the link is isolated from the text

Be aware that if you compose a message in A text editor especially a Lengthy one then Submit it to a forun by coping and Pasting it the Text often gains phantom blank lines

This is Due to the "Buffers" on the processor dealing with the text and It is a known bug
So Be prepared to do some edits if you make a big post
PS Emails sometimes "break up" in the same manner But it occurs mostly with Dialup connections (and "Packets")
This article explains the process (Bit wordy Sorry! )
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/question525.htm
PS Same thing applies to slow or erratic loading Webpages on Dialup