Updated Dec 17, 2008
Posting / Comment Basics 101, for the main daily chat forum, "Cara's Commentary & Community Chat"
The following is description of each item along with applicable instructions for users wishing to post comments on this site. Example screen shots are shown below for the different entry screens along with a view of how it would appear on the website. (Note: clicking on any graphic will bring it up full size in most browsers.)
New Comment input screen located at the bottom of the discourse section.
[inline:New Post 1.png]
View of how it would appear on the website.
[inline:example reply 1.png]
Reply Comment input screen, activated by clicking the reply button on any comment.
[inline:Reply Post 1.png]
1) Comment Subject, for a NEW General comment posting this field will be blank, enter a short description.
2) USER ID link, clicking here will take you to the users info page, where you can "Bookmark this user", Contact the user (same as contact the author, see 5 below), or Track (see a forum list of recent comments). Note this also shows the date and time the comment was received at this servers local time (ie US market time).
3) Unique Comment Number and link which can be used to reference this comment, however replies to this comment are best done using the reply button.
4) REPLY button, use this link to reply to a particular comment, it will bring up a reply form with the subject already filled in "Re: XXX", it also creates a convenient link back to the original comment, (see item 10).
5) Contact The Author, this link brings up a form where you can send the author a brief note. (provided the author has activated this option under the account "contact settings"). This website's servers will forward your note to the authors email address on file along with your email address on file. It is then the author's decision to reply to you or not, if so it will be by regular email not thru these servers and it is only thru that process that the author will reveal his email address to you.
When viewing posts the "contact the author" link will appear at the bottom of posts where the author has activated this option. However it will not appear at the bottom of your own posts, whether or not you have this option activated, (the software knows there is no need to contact yourself).
** Note Email addresses entered in the comment field will be turned into links, however to avoid email spam robots which search the web for addressses, it is always best to enter an email address as follows, "yourname [at] gmail [dot] com"
6) Bookmark this, clicking here will add this comment to your bookmarks list.
7) Ignore User, clicking here will add the user to your ignore users list. Note ignored user comments will still appear with just the subject title and an option to view the specific post if you desire. To take a user off ignore use the "My Account" settings page.
8) New posts will appear with this identifier, however upon a page refresh these ID's will disappear and only new posts from the refresh will contain this ID.
9) Re: Subject, when using the Reply button the original subject will already be filled in, for continuity it is best to leave it as is but a suffix can be added to further clarify the point of your reply.
10) This is a Reply link back to the original comment, clicking here will take you to the original comment, very handy when the original is from a much earlier time. You can then use the back button on your browser to return to your original position.
Edit Button Function
** If your are viewing one of your own comments there will be an additional link "Edit" at the bottom of your comment. Clicking this link allows you to edit your own comments (only), provided a reply has not yet been posted to it, after which your comment is frozen. (Even if you reply to the original post)
This system avoids the issues that could come from unlimited editing. Picture someone replying with "I agree!" and the things you could make them agree to by changing your original post.
Attaching a File or Images
The following is description of each item along with applicable instructions for users wishing to attach a file or images to their post comments on this site. Example screen shots are shown below for the different entry screens along with a view of how it would appear on the website. (Note: clicking on any graphic will bring it up full size in most browsers, the screen shots shown are for FireFox, IE will be similar.)
[inline:file att 1a.png]
1) Click on the "File attachments" link to open the file upload window.
2) The {inline:xx] option to display images directly inside posts is currently disabled.
[inline:file att 2a.png]
3) Click on the "Browse" link to open the file upload window.
4) Navigate and select the file / image on your computer you wish to upload.
5) Select open and this file name will appear in the "Attach new file" entry field.
6) Use the "Attach" button to upload the file.
[inline:file att 3a.png]
7) Your uploaded file will now be shown, leave the "List" option checked as this will create the link to the file at the bottom of your post. Now use the "Preview" button view your post as it will appear, if OK then hit "Save".
[inline:file att 4a.png]
8) Finished post with link to the attached file. Left click will open in the current window, right click (on most browsers) will give you the option to open in a new window or new tab.
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