ForumsThe Stellar Forum tool is a discussion board that facilitates online discussions. Online discussion boards can serve as an effective technology tool that can enhance the teaching learning process. When a new Stellar site is created the Forum tool is automatically made available.
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| Access Issues |
Back to Top How do I access Forums?Forum is a Stellar tool. To access a Forum, log into the Stellar site and click on the Forum link on the left hand navigation bar. Back to Top Can I create separate Forums for sections?Yes. If you would like this enabled, please contact stellar-support@mit.edu.
Back to Top I was just added to a Stellar site but I am denied access to my site's Forum.The permission propagation from Stellar to the Forum tool could take up to five hours. If you are unable to get access within a day, contact stellar-support@mit.edu. Back to Top I am denied access to my section ForumPermissions to the section Forum is controlled by the Stellar Section Membership. The permission propagation from Stellar to the Forum tool could take up to five hours. Thus, if you were just added to a section it could take up to five hours to get access. If you are unable to get access within a day, contact stellar-support@mit.edu. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| User Preferences and Settings |
How do I change my settings?If you are a registered user, all your settings are stored in the board database. To alter them, visit your User Control Panel; a link can usually be found at the top of board pages. This system will allow you to change all your settings and preferences. Back to Top How do I prevent my user name from appearing in the online user listings?Within your User Control Panel, under “Board preferences” tab, you will find the option /Hide my online status/. If you set this option to Yes, your user name will only appear to Forum administrators, moderators and yourself. Back to Top The times are not correct!It is possible the time displayed is from a time zone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, visit your User Control Panel and change your time zone to match your particular area. Please note that changing the time zone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. If you are not registered, this is a good time to do so. Back to Top I changed the time zone and the time is still wrong!If you are sure you have set the time zone correctly but the time is still incorrect, then the time stored on the server clock may be incorrect. Please notify an administrator to correct the problem. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Posting Issues |
How do I post a topic in a forum?To post a new topic in a forum, click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message. A list of your permissions in each forum is available at the bottom of the forum and topic screens. Example: You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. Back to Top How do I edit or delete a post?Unless you are a board administrator or moderator, you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post, sometimes for only a limited time after the post was made. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic which lists the number of times you edited it along with the date and time. This will only appear if someone has made a reply; it will not appear if a moderator or administrator edited the post, though they may leave a note as to why they’ve edited the post at their own discretion. Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied. Back to Top How do I add a signature to my post?To add a signature to a post you must first create one via your User Control Panel. Once created, you can check the /Attach a signature/ box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio button in your profile. If you do so, you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box within the posting form. Back to Top How do I create a poll?When posting a new topic or editing the first post of a topic, click the “Poll creation” tab below the main posting form; if you cannot see this, you do not have appropriate permissions to create polls. Enter a title and at least two options in the appropriate fields, making sure each option is on a separate line in the textarea. You can also set the number of options users may select during voting under “Options per user”, a time limit in days for the poll (0 for infinite duration) and lastly the option to allow users to amend their votes. Back to Top Why can’t I add more poll options?If you feel you need to add more options to your poll than the allowed amount, contact stellar-support@mit.edu. Back to Top How do I edit or delete a poll?As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator or an administrator. To edit a poll, click to edit the first post in the topic; this always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote, users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if members have already placed votes, only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it. This prevents the poll’s options from being changed mid-way through a poll. Back to Top What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?This allows you to save passages to be completed and submitted at a later date. To reload a saved passage, visit the User Control Panel. Back to Top Why does my post need to be approved?The board administrator may have decided that posts in the forum you are posting to require review before submission. It is also possible that the administrator has placed you in a group of users whose posts require review before submission. Please contact stellar-support@mit.edu for further details. Back to Top How do I bump my topic?By clicking the “Bump topic” link when you are viewing it, you can “bump” the topic to the top of the forum on the first page. However, if you do not see this, then topic bumping may be disabled or the time allowance between bumps has not yet been reached. It is also possible to bump the topic simply by replying to it, however, be sure to follow the board rules when doing so. Back to Top What is BBCode?BBCode is a special implementation of HTML, offering great formatting control on particular objects in a post. The use ofBBCode is granted by the administrator, but it can also be disabled on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, but tags are enclosed in square brackets [ and ] rather than < and >. For more information on BBCode see the guidewhich can be accessed from the posting page. Back to Top Can I use HTML?No. It is not possible to post HTML on this board and have it rendered as HTML. Most formatting which can be carried out using HTML can be applied using BBCode instead. Back to Top What are Smilies?Smilies, or Emoticons, are small images which can be used to express a feeling using a short code, e.g.  denotes happy, while  denotes sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen in the posting form. Try not to overuse smilies, however, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may edit them out or remove the post altogether. The board administrator may also have set a limit to the number of smilies you may use within a post. Back to Top Can I post images?Yes, images can be shown in your posts. If the administrator has allowed attachments, you may be able to upload the image to the board. Otherwise, you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.example.com/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor images stored behind authentication mechanisms, e.g. hotmail or yahoo mailboxes, password protected sites, etc. To display the image use the BBCode "img" tag. Back to Top What are global announcements?Global announcements contain important information and you should read them whenever possible. They will appear at the top of every forum and within your User Control Panel. Global announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator. Back to Top What are announcements?Announcements often contain important information for the forum you are currently reading and you should read them whenever possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. As with global announcements, announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator. Back to Top What are sticky topics?Sticky topics within the forum appear below announcements and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them whenever possible. As with announcements and global announcements, sticky topic permissions are granted by the board administrator. Back to Top What are locked topics?Locked topics are topics where users can no longer reply and any poll it contained was automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons and were set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You may also be able to lock your own topics depending on the permissions you are granted by the board administrator. Back to Top What are topic icons?Topic icons are author chosen images associated with posts to indicate their content. The ability to use topic icons depends on the permissions set by the board administrator. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| User Levels and Groups |
What are Administrators?Administrators are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entire board. These members can control all facets of board operation, including setting permissions, banning users, creating user groups or moderators, etc., dependent upon the board founder and what permissions he or she has given the other administrators. They may also have full moderator capabilities in all forums, depending on the settings put forth by the board founder. Back to Top What are Moderators?Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally, moderators are present to prevent users from going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Private Messaging |
I cannot send private messages!The board administrator may have prevented you from sending messages. Contact stellar-support@mit.edu for further information. Back to Top I keep getting unwanted private messages!You can block a user from sending you private messages by using message rules within your User Control Panel. If you are receiving abusive private messages from a particular user, inform stellar-support@mit.edu and ask to have the user blocked from sending private messages. Back to Top I have received spam or abusive e-mail from someone on this board!We are sorry to hear that. The e-mail form feature of this board includes safeguards to try and track users who send such posts, so e-mail stellar-support@mit.edu with a full copy of the e-mail you received. It is very important that this includes the headers that contain the details of the user that sent the e-mail. The stellar staff will take action. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Friends and Foes |
What are my Friends and Foes lists?You can use these lists to organize other members of the board. Members added to your friends list will be listed within your User Control Panel for quick access to see their online status and to send them private messages. Subject to template support, posts from these users may also be highlighted. If you add a user to your foes list, any posts they make will be hidden by default. Back to Top How can I add/remove users to my Friends or Foes list?You can add users to your list in two ways. Within each user’s profile, there is a link to add them to either your Friend or Foe list. Alternatively, from your User Control Panel, you can directly add users by entering their member name. You may also remove users from your list using the same page. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Searching the Forums |
How can I search a forum or forums?Enter a search term in the search box located on the index, forum or topic pages. Advanced search can be accessed by clicking the “Advanced Search” link which is available on all pages on the forum. How to access the search may depend on the style used. Back to Top Why does my search return no results?Your search was probably too vague and included many common terms which are not indexed by the Forum. Be more specific and use the options available within Advanced search. Back to Top Why does my search return a blank page?Your search returned too many results for the webserver to handle. Use “Advanced search” and be more specific in the terms used and forums that are to be searched. Back to Top Visit to the “Members” page and click the “Find a member” link. Back to Top How can I find my own posts and topics?Your own posts can be retrieved either by clicking the “Search user’s posts” within the User Control Panel or via your own profile page. To search for your topics, use the Advanced search page and fill in the various options appropriately. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Topic Subscriptions and Bookmarks |
What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?Bookmarking in the Forum tool is much like bookmarking in your web browser. You aren’t alerted when there’s an update, but you can come back to the topic later. Subscribing, however, will notify you when there is an update to the topic or forum on the board via your preferred method or methods. Back to Top How do I subscribe to specific forums or topics?To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link upon entering the forum. To subscribe to a topic, reply to the topic with the subscribe checkbox checked or click the “Subscribe topic” link within the topic itself. Back to Top How do I remove my subscriptions?To remove your subscriptions, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to your subscriptions. Back to Top | Background Color |
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| Attachments |
What attachments are allowed on this board?Most common file formats including jpgs, doc, ppt and others are allowed. If you are having an issue with an attachment please contact stellar-support@mit.edu. Back to Top How do I find all my attachments?To find your list of attachments that you have uploaded, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to the attachments section. Back to Top | Wiki Markup |
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{section}
{column:width=30%}
h3. Access Issues
[#How do I access Forums?]
[Can I create separate Forums for sections?|#Can I create separate Forums for sections?]
[I cannot my site's forum|#I am denied access to my site's forum]
[I cannot access the forum for the section site|#I cannot access the forum for the section site]
h3. User Preferences and settings
[How do I change my settings?|#How do I change my settings?]
[The times are not correct!|#The times are not correct!]
[I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!|#I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!]
h3. Posting Issues
[How do I post a topic in a forum?|#How do I post a topic in a forum?]
[How do I edit or delete a post?|#How do I edit or delete a post?]
[How do I add a signature to my post?|#How do I add a signature to my post?]
[How do I create a poll?|#How do I create a poll?]
[Why can’t I add more poll options?|#Why can’t I add more poll options?]
[How do I edit or delete a poll?|#How do I edit or delete a poll?]
[How can I report posts to a moderator?|#How can I report posts to a moderator?]
[What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?|#What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?]
[Why does my post need to be approved?|#Why does my post need to be approved?]
[How do I bump my topic?|#How do I bump my topic?]
h3. Formatting and Topic Types
[What is BBCode?|#What is BBCode?]
[Can I use HTML?|#Can I use HTML?]
[What are Smilies?|#What are Smilies?]
[Can I post images?|#Can I post images?]
[What are global announcements?|#What are global announcements?]
[What are announcements?|#What are announcements?]
[What are sticky topics?|#What are sticky topics?]
[What are locked topics?|#What are locked topics?]
[What are topic icons?|#What are topic icons?]
{column}
{column:width=30%}
h3. User Levels and Groups
[What are Administrators?|#What are Administrators?]
[What are Moderators?|#What are Moderators?]
h3. Private Messaging
[#I cannot send private messages!]
[#I keep getting unwanted private messages!]
[I have received a spamming or abusive e-mail from someone on this board!|#I have received a spamming or abusive e-mail from someone on this board!||\||]
h3. Friends and Foes
[What are my Friends and Foes lists?|#What are my Friends and Foes lists?]
[How can I add / remove users to my Friends or Foes list?|#How can I add / remove users to my Friends or Foes list?]
h3. Searching the Forums
[How can I search a forum or forums?|#How can I search a forum or forums?]
[Why does my search return no results?|#Why does my search return no results?]
[Why does my search return a blank page!?|#Why does my search return a blank page!?||\||]
[How do I search for members?|#How do I search for members?]
[How can I find my own posts and topics?|#How can I find my own posts and topics?]>
h3. Topic Subscriptions and Bookmarks
[What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?|#What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?]
[How do I subscribe to specific forums or topics?|#How do I subscribe to specific forums or topics?]
[How do I remove my subscriptions?|#How do I remove my subscriptions?]
h3. Attachments
[What attachments are allowed on this board?|#What attachments are allowed on this board?]
[How do I find all my attachments?|#How do I find all my attachments?]
h3.
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h3. Access Issues
[Back to Top|#Access Issues]
h5. How do I access Forums?
h5. Can I create separate Forums for sections?
h5. I cannot my site's forum
h5. I cannot access the forum for the section site
h5. Why do I get logged off automatically?
If you do not check the /Log me in automatically/ box when you login, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university computer lab, etc. If you do not see this checkbox, it means the board administrator has disabled this feature.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I prevent my username appearing in the online user listings?
Within your User Control Panel, under “Board preferences”, you will find the option /Hide your online status/. Enable this option with Yes and you will only appear to the administrators, moderators and yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. I’ve lost my password\!
Don’t panic\! While your password cannot be retrieved, it can easily be reset. Visit the login page and click /I’ve forgotten my password/. Follow the instructions and you should be able to log in again shortly.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5.
h5.
h5.
h5.
h5.
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h3. User Preferences and settings {bgcolor}
h5. How do I change my settings?
If you are a registered user, all your settings are stored in the board database. To alter them, visit your User Control Panel; a link can usually be found at the top of board pages. This system will allow you to change all your settings and preferences.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. The times are not correct\!
It is possible the time displayed is from a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, visit your User Control Panel and change your timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. If you are not registered, this is a good time to do so.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong\!
If you are sure you have set the timezone and Summer Time/DST correctly and the time is still incorrect, then the time stored on the server clock is incorrect. Please notify an administrator to correct the problem.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. My language is not in the list\!
Either the administrator has not installed your language or nobody has translated this board into your language. Try asking the board administrator if they can install the language pack you need. If the language pack does not exist, feel free to create a new translation. More information can be found at the phpBB website (see link at the bottom of board pages).
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I show an image along with my username?
There are two images which may appear along with a username when viewing posts. One of them may be an image associated with your rank, generally in the form of stars, blocks or dots, indicating how many posts you have made or your status on the board. Another, usually a larger image, is known as an avatar and is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to the board administrator to enable avatars and to choose the way in which avatars can be made available. If you are unable to use avatars, contact a board administrator and ask them for their reasons.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What is my rank and how do I change it?
Ranks, which appear below your username, indicate the number of posts you have made or identify certain users, e.g. moderators and administrators. In general, you cannot directly change the wording of any board ranks as they are set by the board administrator. Please do not abuse the board by posting unnecessarily just to increase your rank. Most boards will not tolerate this and the moderator or administrator will simply lower your post count.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. When I click the e-mail link for a user it asks me to login?
Only registered users can send e-mail to other users via the built-in e-mail form, and only if the administrator has enabled this feature. This is to prevent malicious use of the e-mail system by anonymous users.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
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h3. Posting Issues {bgcolor}
h5. How do I post a topic in a forum?
To post a new topic in a forum, click the relevant button on either the forum or topic screens. You may need to register before you can post a message. A list of your permissions in each forum is available at the bottom of the forum and topic screens. Example: You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I edit or delete a post?
Unless you are a board administrator or moderator, you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post, sometimes for only a limited time after the post was made. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic which lists the number of times you edited it along with the date and time. This will only appear if someone has made a reply; it will not appear if a moderator or administrator edited the post, though they may leave a note as to why they’ve edited the post at their own discretion. Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I add a signature to my post?
To add a signature to a post you must first create one via your User Control Panel. Once created, you can check the /Attach a signature/ box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by checking the appropriate radio button in your profile. If you do so, you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by un-checking the add signature box within the posting form.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I create a poll?
When posting a new topic or editing the first post of a topic, click the “Poll creation” tab below the main posting form; if you cannot see this, you do not have appropriate permissions to create polls. Enter a title and at least two options in the appropriate fields, making sure each option is on a separate line in the textarea. You can also set the number of options users may select during voting under “Options per user”, a time limit in days for the poll (0 for infinite duration) and lastly the option to allow users to amend their votes.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Why can’t I add more poll options?
The limit for poll options is set by the board administrator. If you feel you need to add more options to your poll then the allowed amount, contact the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I edit or delete a poll?
As with posts, polls can only be edited by the original poster, a moderator or an administrator. To edit a poll, click to edit the first post in the topic; this always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote, users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if members have already placed votes, only moderators or administrators can edit or delete it. This prevents the poll’s options from being changed mid-way through a poll.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Why can’t I access a forum?
Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post or perform another action you may need special permissions. Contact a moderator or board administrator to grant you access.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Why can’t I add attachments?
Attachment permissions are granted on a per forum, per group, or per user basis. The board administrator may not have allowed attachments to be added for the specific forum you are posting in, or perhaps only certain groups can post attachments. Contact the board administrator if you are unsure about why you are unable to add attachments.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Why did I receive a warning?
Each board administrator has their own set of rules for their site. If you have broken a rule, you may be issued a warning. Please note that this is the board administrator’s decision, and the phpBB Group has nothing to do with the warnings on the given site. Contact the board administrator if you are unsure about why you were issued a warning.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How can I report posts to a moderator?
If the board administrator has allowed it, you should see a button for reporting posts next to the post you wish to report. Clicking this will walk you through the steps necessary to report the post.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?
This allows you to save passages to be completed and submitted at a later date. To reload a saved passage, visit the User Control Panel.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Why does my post need to be approved?
The board administrator may have decided that posts in the forum you are posting to require review before submission. It is also possible that the administrator has placed you in a group of users whose posts require review before submission. Please contact the board administrator for further details.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I bump my topic?
By clicking the “Bump topic” link when you are viewing it, you can “bump” the topic to the top of the forum on the first page. However, if you do not see this, then topic bumping may be disabled or the time allowance between bumps has not yet been reached. It is also possible to bump the topic simply by replying to it, however, be sure to follow the board rules when doing so.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
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h3. Formatting and Topic Types {bgcolor}
h5. What is BBCode?
BBCode is a special implementation of HTML, offering great formatting control on particular objects in a post. The use ofBBCode is granted by the administrator, but it can also be disabled on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, but tags are enclosed in square brackets \[ and \] rather than < and >. For more information on BBCode see the guidewhich can be accessed from the posting page.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Can I use HTML?
No. It is not possible to post HTML on this board and have it rendered as HTML. Most formatting which can be carried out using HTML can be applied using BBCode instead.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are Smilies?
Smilies, or Emoticons, are small images which can be used to express a feeling using a short code, e.g. :-) denotes happy, while :-( denotes sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen in the posting form. Try not to overuse smilies, however, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may edit them out or remove the post altogether. The board administrator may also have set a limit to the number of smilies you may use within a post.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Can I post images?
Yes, images can be shown in your posts. If the administrator has allowed attachments, you may be able to upload the image to the board. Otherwise, you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. [http://www.example.com/my-picture.gif]. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor images stored behind authentication mechanisms, e.g. hotmail or yahoo mailboxes, password protected sites, etc. To display the image use the BBCode [img] tag.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are global announcements?
Global announcements contain important information and you should read them whenever possible. They will appear at the top of every forum and within your User Control Panel. Global announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are announcements?
Announcements often contain important information for the forum you are currently reading and you should read them whenever possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. As with global announcements, announcement permissions are granted by the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are sticky topics?
Sticky topics within the forum appear below announcements and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them whenever possible. As with announcements and global announcements, sticky topic permissions are granted by the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are locked topics?
Locked topics are topics where users can no longer reply and any poll it contained was automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons and were set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You may also be able to lock your own topics depending on the permissions you are granted by the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are topic icons?
Topic icons are author chosen images associated with posts to indicate their content. The ability to use topic icons depends on the permissions set by the board administrator.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
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h3. User Levels and Groups {bgcolor}
h5. What are Administrators?
Administrators are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entire board. These members can control all facets of board operation, including setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc., dependent upon the board founder and what permissions he or she has given the other administrators. They may also have full moderator capabilities in all forums, depending on the settings put forth by the board founder.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are Moderators?
Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally, moderators are present to prevent users from going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. What are usergroups?
Usergroups are groups of users that divide the community into manageable sections board administrators can work with. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual permissions. This provides an easy way for administrators to change permissions for many users at once, such as changing moderator permissions or granting users access to a private forum.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. Where are the usergroups and how do I join one?
You can view all usergroups via the “Usergroups” link within your User Control Panel. If you would like to join one, proceed by clicking the appropriate button. Not all groups have open access, however. Some may require approval to join, some may be closed and some may even have hidden memberships. If the group is open, you can join it by clicking the appropriate button. If a group requires approval to join you may request to join by clicking the appropriate button. The user group leader will need to approve your request and may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not harass a group leader if they reject your request; they will have their reasons.
[Back to Top|#Login and Registration Issues]
h5. How do I become a usergroup leader?
A usergroup leader is usually assigned when usergroups are initially created by a board administrator. If you are interested in creating a usergroup, your first point of contact should be an administrator; try sending a private message.
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h5. Why do some usergroups appear in a different color?
It is possible for the board administrator to assign a color to the members of a usergroup to make it easy to identify the members of this group.
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h5. What is a “Default usergroup”?
If you are a member of more than one usergroup, your default is used to determine which group color and group rank should be shown for you by default. The board administrator may grant you permission to change your default usergroup via your User Control Panel.
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h5. What is “The team” link?
This page provides you with a list of board staff, including board administrators and moderators and other details such as the forums they moderate.
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h3. Private Messaging {bgcolor}
h5. I cannot send private messages\!
There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you from sending messages. Contact a board administrator for more information.
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h5. I keep getting unwanted private messages\!
You can block a user from sending you private messages by using message rules within your User Control Panel. If you are receiving abusive private messages from a particular user, inform a board administrator; they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages.
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h5. I have received a spamming or abusive e-mail from someone on this board\!
We are sorry to hear that. The e-mail form feature of this board includes safeguards to try and track users who send such posts, so e-mail the board administrator with a full copy of the e-mail you received. It is very important that this includes the headers that contain the details of the user that sent the e-mail. The board administrator can then take action.
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h3. Friends and Foes {bgcolor}
h5. What are my Friends and Foes lists?
You can use these lists to organize other members of the board. Members added to your friends list will be listed within your User Control Panel for quick access to see their online status and to send them private messages. Subject to template support, posts from these users may also be highlighted. If you add a user to your foes list, any posts they make will be hidden by default.
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h5. How can I add / remove users to my Friends or Foes list?
You can add users to your list in two ways. Within each user’s profile, there is a link to add them to either your Friend or Foe list. Alternatively, from your User Control Panel, you can directly add users by entering their member name. You may also remove users from your list using the same page.
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h3. Searching the Forums {bgcolor}
h5. How can I search a forum or forums?
Enter a search term in the search box located on the index, forum or topic pages. Advanced search can be accessed by clicking the “Advance Search” link which is available on all pages on the forum. How to access the search may depend on the style used.
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h5. Why does my search return no results?
Your search was probably too vague and included many common terms which are not indexed by phpBB3. Be more specific and use the options available within Advanced search.
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h5. Why does my search return a blank page\!?
Your search returned too many results for the webserver to handle. Use “Advanced search” and be more specific in the terms used and forums that are to be searched.
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h5. How do I search for members?
Visit to the “Members” page and click the “Find a member” link.
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h5. How can I find my own posts and topics?
Your own posts can be retrieved either by clicking the “Search user’s posts” within the User Control Panel or via your own profile page. To search for your topics, use the Advanced search page and fill in the various options appropriately.
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h3. Topic Subscriptions and Bookmarks {bgcolor}
h5. What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?
Bookmarking in phpBB3 is much like bookmarking in your web browser. You aren’t alerted when there’s an update, but you can come back to the topic later. Subscribing, however, will notify you when there is an update to the topic or forum on the board via your preferred method or methods.
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h5. How do I subscribe to specific forums or topics?
To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link upon entering the forum. To subscribe to a topic, reply to the topic with the subscribe checkbox checked or click the “Subscribe topic” link within the topic itself.
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h5. How do I remove my subscriptions?
To remove your subscriptions, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to your subscriptions.
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h3. Attachments {bgcolor}
h5. What attachments are allowed on this board?
Each board administrator can allow or disallow certain attachment types. If you are unsure what is allowed to be uploaded, contact the board administrator for assistance.
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h5. How do I find all my attachments?
To find your list of attachments that you have uploaded, go to yourUser Control Panel and follow the links to the attachments section.
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h3. phpBB 3 Issues {bgcolor}
h5. Who wrote this bulletin board?
This software (in its unmodified form) is produced, released and is copyright phpBB Group <[http://www.phpbb.com/]>. It is made available under the GNU General Public License and may be freely distributed. See the link for more details.
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h5. Why isn’t X feature available?
This software was written by and licensed through phpBB Group. If you believe a feature needs to be added, please visit the phpbb.com website and see what phpBB Group have to say. Please do not post feature requests to the board at phpbb.com, the group uses SourceForge to handle tasking of new features. Please read through the forums and see what, if any, our position may already be for a feature and then follow the procedure given there.
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h5. Who do I contact about abusive and/or legal matters related to this board?
Any of the administrators listed on the “The team” page should be an appropriate point of contact for your complaints. If this still gets no response then you should contact the owner of the domain (do a whois lookup <[http://www.google.com/search?q=whois]>) or, if this is running on a free service (e.g. Yahoo\!, free.fr, f2s.com, etc.), the management or abuse department of that service. Please note that the phpBB Group has *absolutely no jurisdiction* and cannot in any way be held liable over how, where or by whom this board is used. Do not contact the phpBB Group in relation to any legal (cease and desist, libel, defamatory comment, etc.) matter *not directly related* to the phpBB.com website or the discrete software of phpBB itself. If you do e-mail phpBB Group *about any third party* use of this software then you should expect a terse response or no response at all.
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