| • User Options |
|
You can store several default options
such as sort order, view filters for category, topic and message
lists, number of messages displayed per page and expanded or collapsed
message view. |
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| • User
Profile |
|
| You can store a nickname and signature for each forum
that you visit. You can also store a default nickname and signature
to be used in all forums where you have not already specified a nickname
or signature. Nicknames are shown beneath your account name in forum
posts. Signatures are added to the text box of your posts so you may
delete it if you wish to not use the signature for certain posts. |
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|
|
| • Themes |
|
Users can choose from several different
themes which modifies background colors and fonts to better suit reading
preferences. These are selectable on the
options page.
Forums Using the "Bright" Theme |
Forums Using the Default Theme |
|
|
|
| • Ignore
List |
|
You may now add other forum posters to an ignore
list. To add someone to the list, click the Ignore Author link displayed
under the authors name of any post. You may view or remove authors
from your ignore list on the
options page. Once in the list all posts from those users will
not be sent to you.
(There is one exception: if you follow a link to a single post
and the author of that post is in your list, it will still be displayed.) |
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|
|
| • Paged
Message Reading |
|
Message reading is now done via X number of messages
per page (user selectable, default 25) and standard page navigation
links are given. When viewing a topic, the topic is cached so that
you may return to previous pages while still having marked new messages
as read. Changing topics resets this cache.
You can change the number of posts displayed per page on the
options page. |
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|
|
| • Collapsed
View |
|
For Internet Explorer 5+ and Netscape 6+ Users:
For those that preferred the framed view, we provide a collapsed
option which will show only the subject headers. Clicking on the
subject or author name will expand that message for display and
mark it as read while keeping the others collapsed. Clicking an
expanded message in the same manner will collapse it.
You can store which type of view to use by default on the
options page. |
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|
|
| • New/Watched/All
Filters |
|
These filters are first read from your stored options.
If you make a change, the setting is remembered in the following
manner: If you change the messages filter from new to all, the filter
remembers the all setting until you change topics or return to the
topics page. If you change the topic filter from new to watched,
the setting is remembered while you view messages, but returns to
your default if you change categories or return to the category
list.
This option only appears for logged in users. You can set
the default on the
options page. |
|
|
|
| • Deep
Linking |
|
You can now link to individual posts in public forums.
The link may be obtained in two ways. The first is to click the
Generate a Link icon 
which opens up a pop-up window that contains the link to the message
in a textbox allowing you to copy and pasted as needed.
The second method is to right click the message number in the upper
right section of the message. From the resulting menu, click Copy
Shortcut (MSIE) or Copy Link Location (Netscape) to copy the link
into your clipboard. |
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|
|
| • View
Last Page |
|
When attempting to view new messages in a topic
that has no new messages, you are given the options to view the
last page of this topic. The link will determine the last page based
on your messages per page setting. |
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|
|
| • View
All Since |
|
When viewing a single message via the direct link
to that message, you have the option of viewing all messages posted
after that message. This can be done with any message using the
Show Messages filters by entered a message number in the from
field and leaving the to field blank. |
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|
|
| • Viewing
a Range of Messages |
|
You can view a specific range of messages by entering
the message numbers in the Show Messages From and To
fields. |
|
|
|
| • Viewing
All by Author |
|
You can view all messages in a topic by a specific
author by using the Show Messages filter. Leave the from
and to fields blank and enter the author's name in the by
field. |
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|
|
| • Mark
Category/Topic as Read |
|
You may now mark entire categories or topics as
read. |
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|
|
| • Anonymous
Reading |
|
You no longer have to be signed in to read messages
in the public forums. Private and subscription forums (staff forums,
platinum and Fallen) still require sign in. Naturally, when viewing
messages without logging in, you can only view ALL messages as your
read markers and ignore settings are stored with your account. |
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|
|
| • Read
All New in Category or Topic |
|
| These two options are also displayed in a paged fashion
plus they now correctly mark messages displayed as read. The forums
remember you last highest read message thus you can still read just
the last message to mark all in the topic as read. |
|
|
|
| • Sort
Options |
|
| Eight sort options are available, all maintain the
paged views and you may change the sort while viewing new messages
without losing those messages which you have already read. |
|
|
|
| • Posting
enhancements |
|
| The subject line is highlighted so you may begin typing
immediately (and thus erase the default subject line). For users of
IE 4+ and some Netscape browsers, tabbing out of the subject line
sends focus to the message text box where your stored signature is
already included. As before, the default message text is highlighted
and will disappear upon typing. The message box expands as you expand
the browser window. No more tiny text boxes. When message is
posted or previewed, your message text is copied to the clipboard
to help avoid occasional timeouts or errors encountered in the rocky
world of the Internet. |
|
|
|
| • Markup
Enhancements |
|
| Email addresses are now marked up as are links in
addition to links beginning with http:// or https:// |
|
|
|
| • Format
Enhancements |
|
| A carriage return is now a carriage return! The new
forums will no longer "wrap" text or require users to put
a space at the beginning of a sentence to force a new paragraph (so
you can now have one line break after another). |
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|
|
| • Forum
Groupings |
|
| Forums are grouped by product allowing for display
of the chosen group at the top of page. Example, if choosing forums
from the Modus main page, the Modus forum will be listed on top. |
|
|
|
| • New
Look |
|
| Pages have been updated up to look more like modern
styles. |
|
|
|
| • Enhanced
navigation |
|
| Dropdown links allow you to switch to different forums
easier. |
|
|
|
| • ASP
codebase |
|
| Allows for quicker enhancements and new features to
the forums. |
|
|
|
| • Mobile Mode |
|
| Reformats the forums to be viewed on small screen mobile devices. There are three ways to activate Mobile Mode.
- The quickest is to use the url http://play.net/mobile. This sets you up in mobile mode and takes you to the forums home page.
- You may also use the Mobile Mode / PC Mode link to switch back and forth from Mobile and normal modes.
- Finally, if you prefer to always use mobile mode, go to your Options menu and choose the Theme called Small Screen.
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|
|
| Administration and Moderation Improvements |
|
|
| • Private
Categories |
|
| Categories can be marked as private to allow only
users specifically invited to view and post within. Tools for administering
private cats are built-in, functional and easier to use. |
|
|
|
| • Admin
Commands |
|
| Administration tools are now integrated into the web.
If you have admin privileges, you will see an Admin Button in the
upper right of the page. Clicking it will cause a drop down menu of
options to be displayed. On the message display page, you may choose
to hide admin commands so that message listings appear less cluttered. |
|
|
|
| • Move
Related Messages |
|
| When you choose to move a message, all messages with
the same subject or Re:'s of that subject are also displayed with
the option of moving some or all of them at the same time. |
|
|
|
| • Enhanced
Email and Notification Tools |
|
| Moderators now have advanced tools to help reduces
the steps necessary to notify users when a post has been hidden. |
|
