2012 (Old) Forum Software Tips and Tricks

DWhatley

Kraken
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As our new software settles into place and we discover some of the new features and quirks, please think to record examples or ask questions in this thread.
 
Picture Upload Method #1 - Camera Icon
The newest method is to use the camera icon (new posts only, use the upload box below the post for edit). The images will be displayed as thumbnails at the bottom of the body of the post (currently only three thumbnails display but slide show can contain a total of 4). Clicking on the thumbnails will display a fixed sized slide show of all the images. Clicking within the slide show will NOT provide a larger image.
  • Click the camera icon
  • Click the Upload button
  • Select a photo from your computer
  • Wait while the picture is uploaded. When the upload finishes the upload box will display a thumbnail of the uploaded image and the "uploading" button will show "Upload More".
  • Click the Upload More button if you want to add more than one picture
  • Type a caption (optional) identifying the image in the box that says "Write something here about the photo"
    • Text will display in the yellow sticky that appear when the cursor is placed over the image
  • Click the Continue button when all your images are uploaded and captions added
  • Click the Preview button (optional) to preview the display before saving
  • To edit/remove an image or caption text, click the Edit Photos text link
    • To remove the image, place the cursor over the photo and click the garbage can icon
    • To add or edit the caption text, type over the existing text under the image.
  • Click the Post Reply button to save (this can be done from the preview or from the main editor
 
Picture Upload Method #2 - Attachment Icon Images can be attachments that are embedded in the text. There is some automated resizing to fit the screen (when necessary).The images will display as close to the original sizing as possible without skewing to fit within the boundaries of the current browser display. Enlarging or shrinking the browser window will effect the displayed size of the image. Clicking the image has no effect.
  • Click the paper with paperclip icon
  • Click the Upload Attachments button
  • Select the image from your computer
  • Wait for the image to upload (you will see a panel at the bottom of the display with the image)
  • Click the Upload Attachments button for additional images (currently does not work for multiple inserts)
  • To remove an image, click the Remove text link associated with the attachment
  • Place your cursor where you want the image to be displayed
  • Click Insert Image from the text list: Insert Insert Image Remove
  • To move the image select all the text from the [IMG to the /IMG] and use cut and paste to reposition
    • To keep text separate from the image(s), use the key after your text or after the /IMG]
 

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Picture Upload Method #3 - Editor Icon - Not recommended at the moment - (excessively slow in IE 10 but is quirky in all browsers) If you do not see the editor controls toolbar, click the A icon. To close the editor toolbar click the circled x. This is similar to one of the methods available in the older software but results in a link and no embedded display. Depending upon the browser, the attachment will either be downloaded or opened. In my configuration, Chrome downloads the picture and IE gives the option.
  • Add at least a line of text.
  • Position your cursor where the image should begin to be displayed
  • Click the icon with the mountain and sun (next to the broken link)
    • You will see a popup window titled Image Properties
  • Click the Upload tab
  • Click the Browse... button (this may be worded differently with different browsers in Chrome it will say Choose File)
  • Select the image from your computer
  • Click the Sent it to the Server button
  • Wait for the Image Properties window to disappear (DO NOT click the OK button)
  • The image will initially display at the original full size but will ultimately displayed as a link labeled filename.xxx and not be shown directly in the post. Clicking the link will open a new window (that may be blocked by the browser).
  • To move the image save the post then edit. Use the cursor to select all the text from the
 

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Formatting Text with the Toolbar

... or What happened to the editor?

The text formatting editor is still available but a little quirky. By default, the edit tool bar is not displayed but clicking on the A icon will provide the prior text formatting options. The toolbar can be closed by clicking the x enclosed in a circle.

Formatting can apply to the entire post or any part of the post. To modify letters, words, phrases or sentences, highlight them with the cursor and then click the desired effect. To turn off/deselect an effect, place the cursor where the effect is to end and click the desired option so that it is no longer displaying as selected.


Text Formatting Options

Font -Allows you to change the font face of the text (9 options)
  • Arial
  • Comic Sans Ms
  • Courier New
  • Georgia
  • Lucida Sans Unicode
  • Tahoma
  • Times New Roman
  • Trebuchet Ms
  • Verdana
Size - Sets the size of the text in varying increments from 8 to 72
  • size 8
  • size 14 (normal)
  • size 20
  • size 72
A - Sets the text color - standard colors and a color pallet are available

Arrow pointing left - Undo
Arrow pointing right - Redo

B - Sets the text to bold
I - Sets the text to Italic
U - Underlines the text


Paragraph Formatting Options

Blank Lines
To separate paragraphs click the Enter key twice.

This gives a separation of thoughts and works better than trying to use an indent.

You can also use the key to separate text from embedded photos. If text is to be place above a photo, click the key after the text and leave the cursor positioned on the new line when clicking the upload button. Alternately, add text after an upload by clicking the key by clicking key after the /IMG] tag before typing the text.

Alignment Group

Left align bar icon Aligns new lines to the far left
Center aligned bar icon Aligns new lines in the center

Right aligned bar icon aligns new lines on the far right





Indent Group
Numbered List Icon

  1. creates a numbered indented list
  2. Each click of the Enter key produces a new line and new number
  3. that continues until there are two blank lines or turned off manually
Bullet List Icon
  • creates a bulleted indented list
  • Each click of the Enter key produces a new line and new number
  • that continues until there are two blank lines or turned off manually
Outdent Icon
Further indents elements of an indented list (numbered or bullet)

  1. primary indent
    1. additional indent
      1. indent again
    2. pushed out one level with
 
Last edited:
And this might be the most useful topic of the last three weeks! Thank you D!!! And just for the sake of it: The tips Really work well!! (although let's see about the photo upload....)



Abdopus aculeatus, photo by Justin Allen.
 

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robyn said:
Hm paragraph formatting evidently still a work in progress?
Hey Robyn - nice photo!! I edited your post and helped with the formatting. I went into Editor mode, and inserted a couple of line breaks (just using the enter key to start a new line).
 
robyn said:
Hm paragraph formatting evidently still a work in progress?
Robyn,
What browser are you using and are you using a phone? The only issue I have found with the editor using a desktop is an occasional (though very annoying) problem with the cursor repositioning to the end of a post while editing long text using Chrome. Phones, however, may have issues I cannot test. Please let me know any issues to determine if I need to add additional tips or if there are issues with different browsers I may need to mention (I added a bit more to describe using the key to help with spacing around pictures).
 
Hi Tony and D - thanks for the help so far. I am using Firefox, so nothing uncommon.
For whatever reason that post did not display with the line breaks I had in it.
Let me see if this one is better...
 
robyn said:
Hi Tony and D - thanks for the help so far. I am using Firefox, so nothing uncommon.
For whatever reason that post did not display with the line breaks I had in it.
Let me see if this one is better...
Seems to be - perhaps the IMG tag in the previous one sent it a little strange.
BTW - I just used the 'edit' option to add this extra comment, and it doesn't display anywhere. Another quirk, or just me doing it wrong?
 
robyn said:
Hi Tony and D - thanks for the help so far. I am using Firefox, so nothing uncommon.
For whatever reason that post did not display with the line breaks I had in it.
Let me see if this one is better...
Everything looks good from here Robyn... I will say, I ran into a reformatting thing when editing my TONMOCON blog today... had to reinsert all formatting... :mad: The vb folks are working out some bugs... I think we've gone from "chronically unusable" to "functional with more than a few annoyances"... We'll get there... just swim with caution! :smile: And thanks for all the help and for hanging in!!
 
robyn said:
Hi Tony and D - thanks for the help so far. I am using Firefox, so nothing uncommon.
For whatever reason that post did not display with the line breaks I had in it.
Let me see if this one is better...
Robyn,
Thanks for experimenting!

Comments are new so I guess it would be a good idea to add a new info post on all the functions at the BOTTOM of the posting area. I mentioned quotes but should probably do a paragraph on each item for new and old users. To add a comment, click the comment icon in the bottom tool bar (to the right of edit) rather than using edit. It will pop up a box for text only (no formatting), however, I see Tony was able to manually add smilies so it may be possible to add Bold and other text formats IF you know the pseudo codes. If this works, I will include the list of pseudo codes in the new post.

Note on browsers though. For the last 5 or so years the common browsers do not all support the same formatting so even though you are using a common browser, does not mean that the issue is not browser related. I have to test on a minimum of 3 and usually 4 browsers before I know if a web page will display properly.
 
Referencing and Editing Existing Posts

Toolbar functions

Below each post is a tool bar related to the individual posting.

Edit (pencil icon)
Members can edit their own posts to make text or attachment corrections or additions or delete the entire post (this may require a minimum number of posts before eligibility). Modifying the original will not modify quoted text in other posts. Clicking the pencil icon will place the original text in the editor where it can be modified or deleted. There is an optional text box to add comments about the reason for the edit.

Staff can edit any post but refrain from doing so except to enhance the member's intent by fixing formatting (typically: photos not displaying, embedding vs linking videos or correcting problems caused by the software).

The last edit date and editing member name will be displayed on edited posts.

Flag (flag icon)

The staff attempts to spot spam (any off topic use of the forum) posts and remove them quickly but occasionally we miss one. Use the flag icon to request that staff review a post that appears to be inappropriate to the forum.

Quote (quote mark icon)

When referencing an earlier post in a thread it is helpful to display the referenced text. BEFORE TYPING ANYTHING to a new post, click the quote mark icon on the referenced post to create a full copy of the text, the TONMO name of the poster and a link to the post. NOTE: clicking the quote mark icon after beginning a new post will erase all typed text. The editor will allow you to modify the quoted material (information between the [QUOTE and \QUOTE] tags) if the entire post is not desired. See Formatting Text, Quotes for an alternate method of including partial text or adding to a post you have already started.

robyn;n339198 said:
Hm paragraph formatting evidently still a work in progress?

Comment (speech balloon icon)

To comment directly on a post other than the original topic entry, click the speeach balloon icon to attach comments directly below a posting. There is no displayed editor for this text area but manually typed formatting tags are honored.

Like (thumbs up icon)

Often it is desirable to acknowledge a post without adding a comment. Use the thumbs up icon to show acknowledgment or positive interest for a post. The number of likes a member receives factors into their ranking.


Referencing from the Editor
From within the editor there are several way to create internal or external references.

Linking (chain icon)
URL's can simply be pasted into the edit window but tend to be disruptive to the post. An alternate method is to highlight the text that is to be the clickable link, clicking the chain icon and pasting the URL into the provided pop-up box.

To reference specific posts, locate the post and click on the post number (upper right corner prefixed with a #). This will present a pop-up with the direct URL highlighed. Right click and copy the link. Paste (or control V) can be used to post it directly or using the chain icon.

To remove a link, highlight it and click the chain icon containing an x

Quoting (manual method)

The editor recognizes manually entered quote formatting.
Copy and paste the desired text to the new post, highlight it and click the quote " icon.

The simplest method will not include a reference to the original poster or the original post. To add the originating member reference:

DWhatley said:
type: =MemberId (ex:QUOTE=DWhatley) after the left QUOTE and before the end bracket (no spaces)
 
Formatting Text Manually

Occassionally it is desirable to format a small amount of text manually. vBulletin does not accept standard HTML coding but uses its own set of tags to protect the forum and still give basic text manipulation to the end user. vBulletin tag sets are similar to those used with HTML but utilize square brackets in stead of the greater and less than signs.

Listed are the simplest forms that may be handy in correcting errors:
PHP:
Tag sets start with a bracketed keyword [KEYWORD]
End with the same keyword preceded by a forward slash [/KEYWORD]
Text between the begin/end tags are effected by the keyword

Font:  [FONT=ariel]Ariel Text[/FONT]
Size:  [SIZE=18] Size18 text [/SIZE]
Color: [COLOR=#C0C0C0] Gray Text[/COLOR]
Bold:  [B]Bold Text[/B]
Italic:  [I]Italicized Text[/I]
Underline: [U]Underlined Text[/U]
Quote: [QUOTE]Quoted Text[/QUOTE]
Quote: [QUOTE=DWhatley]Quoted text with reference[/QUOTE]
 

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