How is the forum structured?

The forum as a whole contains various sections (broad subject areas), which themselves contain categories (more specific subject areas) which contain threads (conversations on a topic) which are made up of individual posts (where a user writes something).

The forum home page has a list of sections and categories, with basic statistics for each - including the number of threads and posts, and which member posted the most recent message.

How do I find my way around?

When you click on a category's name, you are taken to the list of threads it contains. A thread is a conversation between members or guests. Each thread starts out as a single post and grows as more individual posts are added by different users.

To start a new thread simply click on the 'new thread' button (you may need the right permissions to do this).

Threads can be ordered in many different ways. The default is to have the thread with the most recent activity at the bottom. But you can easily change this order by going to Edit Profile, clicking on Edit Options, and scrolling down to Thread Display Mode. From there, change Linear - Oldest First to Linear - Newest First and the recent activity of threads will be adjusted to be on the top of the first page. (Note that 'sticky' threads will always be at the top no matter how you change the viewing options).

Multi-page views

When there are more threads to display than will fit on a single page, you may see the 'Page' box, which contains page numbers. This indicates that the list of threads has been split over two or more pages.

This method of splitting lists of items over many pages is used throughout the forum.

What are sticky threads?

'Sticky' threads are threads 'stuck' to the top of the thread listings even if they haven't had any posts recently. Their purpose is to keep important information visible and accessible at all times. Only staff members can 'sticky' threads.

How do I read a thread?

To read a thread, click on its title. Each post in a thread is created by a member or a guest. You'll see some brief information about the member who created the thread above the main post message. In some cases it will be to the side of the post.

To post a reply to an existing thread, click on the 'Post Reply' button. If the 'Post Reply' button does not appear, it could mean that you are not logged in as a member, or that you do not have permission to reply, or that the thread has been closed to new replies.

There will also be a 'Quick Reply' box where you can quickly enter a reply without having to go to the 'Post Reply' page. You may need to click the quick reply button in a post to activate the quick reply box before you can type into it.

Is there a faster way to get to categories?

If you know which category you want to go to, you can use the 'Forum Jump' control, which appears at the bottom of many pages within the forum.

How do I find out more about members?

To view information about a particular member, click on the user name. This will take you to their public profile page (?).

What is the Navigation Bar?

The navigation bar at the top of every page has links to help you move around. A 'breadcrumb' area at the top left shows where you are now. A form on the right allows you to quickly login. With one click you can reach areas such as: the User Control Panel (?), FAQ (which you are reading now), and Search options.

What is the 'What's Going On?' box on the forum home page?

On the forum home page you'll see a section at the bottom that tells you what's going on at the moment. It tells you things like the number of registered users online, the number of guests, and even things like birthdays, and forthcoming events.

Can I change the way the fourm looks?

You may be able to change the styling of the forum by using the style changer in the bottom left of the page. This lets you choose different skins which change the color scheme and appearance of the forum. If this option does not appear, the forum cannot be restyled.

You are required to register in order to use all the features of the forum. Being registered gives you an identity on the forum, a fixed username on all messages you post and an online public profile.

Registration is free and offers an extended range of features, including:

• Posting new threads
• Replying to other peoples' threads
• Editing your posts
• Receiving email notification of replies to posts and threads you specify
• Sending private messages to other members
• Creating albums of pictures and comment on others' pictures
• Setting up a 'contact list' to quickly see which of your friends are online.

How do I register?

You register by clicking on the 'Register' link near the top of the page. You will be asked to choose a user name, password and enter a valid email address. In addition there will be some other fields to which you will be invited to respond. Some will be mandatory while others are optional. Once this is complete you will either be fully registered, or in some cases you may have to click on a link in an 'activation email' sent to your email address. Once you have done this you will be registered.

Note that entering your email address will not leave you open to 'spam', as other users will not be able to see it.

How do I search for something?

To quickly find a thread or post of interest anywhere on the forum, click on the 'Search' link in the navigation bar at the top of most category pages. Then, type in the keyword or phrase you wish to search for, and select either 'Show Threads' or 'Show Posts' to view the results. By selecting posts, you will be shown only the actual post in which the search word appears.

For more control over the search, select 'Advanced Search' from the drop-down box. The advanced search page allows you to restrict your search to individual categories or find posts and threads by user. There are also options to find posts from a certain date, or threads with a certain number of replies.

How do I search a specific category or thread?

If you are browsing a category, you can quickly search for a thread or post within it by clicking on the 'Search this forum' link near the top of the page (it's above the list of threads). You can also search for individual posts within a thread by clicking on the 'Search this Thread' link at the top of any thread view page.

What are announcements?

Announcements are special messages posted by the staff. They are a simple one-way communication with the users and you can't reply. If you wish to discuss announcements, you will have to create a new thread in the category.

Announcement threads are displayed at the top of category listing pages, above regular and sticky threads.

How can I see the latest posts?

There are two ways to quickly view recently created or updated threads.

On the sidebar, you can see a list of five Recent Threads. These are the threads that have been most recently posted in.

In the footer, you can find New Posts, which is the listing of all the threads that have been created or updated since your last visit.

What are thread tools?

At the top of each thread, there is a link called 'Thread Tools'. By clicking on this link, a menu will appear with a couple of options:

• Subscribe (or Unsubscribe) from this Thread - by subscribing to a thread, you will receive periodic email updates on recent activity within it. Click here for more information on subscriptions.
• Adding a Poll - if you started the thread, you can add a poll to it with this option. Click here for more information on polls.

I forgot my password. What can I do?

If you forget your password, you can click on the 'Forgotten Your Password' link. This will appear on any page that requires you to fill in your password.

This link brings up a page where you should enter your registered email address. An email will be sent to that address shortly, with instructions for resetting your password.

Since passwords are encrypted, there is no way to resend your original password. This option provides you with the ability to reset your password.

You must be able to receive emails to your registered email address for this to work. You may need to check your spam filters and folder if you do not see this email in a few minutes.

What is the Members List?

The members list shows the registered members of the forum. You can view the member list ordered alphabetically by username, by the date they joined, or by the number of posts they have made.

To view the members list, click on 'Member List' on the footer at the bottom of the page.

To quickly find a particular member, click on the 'Search Members' link and type a username (or partial username) into the box. For further search options - including searching based on join date, post count or home page - click on 'Advanced Search' on the search menu.

What are Your Notifications?

When you have logged into the forum, a link to 'Your Notifications' may be displayed in the 'Welcome' box near the top of the forum. 'Your Notifications' will show if you have any one of the following:

• Unread Private Messages (?)
• Unread Profile Visitor Messages (?)
• Incoming Friend Requests (?)
• Unread Picture Comments (?)
• Quotes and Mentions

By clicking on the 'Your Notifications' link, you will be able to quickly see how many of each type you have received. Clicking on any of the links in the menu will take you to the relevant page within the User Control Panel or elsewhere in the system.

If there are no notifications, then this link will be replaced by a link to 'Private Messages' (?).

Can I see email addresses?

For privacy reasons, email addresses are only visible to account owners and staff.

What is private messaging?

Registered members may also be able to send messages to other members of this forum using the private messaging system. For more information about private messaging, click here.

What are visitor messages?

Registered members may leave messages for other members on their profile page. These messages can generally be viewed by all visitors, including members, guests and search engine spiders. For more information on visitor messages, click here.

Can I block posts and messages from specific users?

If there are particular members that bother you and you do not want to see their posts or receive messages from them, then you can add these members to your 'Ignore List'.

To do this, go through your User Control Panel: User CP, Settings & Options, Edit Ignore List. Then, type their name into the empty text box and click 'Okay'.

What if I see something offensive?

You will find 'Report' links in many places throughout the forum. These links allow you to alert the staff to anything which you find to be offensive, objectionable or illegal.

Do not reach out to users yourself. For your safety, please avoid confronting other users over rule violations, and leave it to the staff.