Welcome! New to the forum? Help is at hand!

[admin]

Welcome to the new look SRGC forum. I  know, it's a pain  changing but this new forum offers a whole lot more than the old one. You can send other members private messages, attach images and documents for a start then, just when you think you're mastering it,  we can add  loads more  really confusing stuff just to keep you on your toes. 

It's easy really, we had to change sooner or later and we just know you will learn to love  this new set up!

You will have to register to post. Simply follow the registration link / button, fill in the boxes, then follow the (very simple)  instructions  in the email you receive – you MUST use a valid email address to register!

To attach images, documents etc to your post  look in Additional Options when you post. It'll be obvious enough. Please note that images are added to the end of your post. They are also automatically thumb-nailed  and click-able so they can be viewed full size, which is rather a cool    feature as it helps prevent cluttering.
Wherever possible,  plant names should be written in text to enable searching.

Good luck, remember there is a Help button on the menu  bar near the top of the page if you get really stuck, but it is an unwritten rule, indeed a code of honour,  that one should only read instructions if  really   stuck! 

[Maggi Young]

Hi, Folks! We're delighted that you are all making the effort to join or re-join the SRGC Forumists.
It seems that since the new set up only shows your "username" whereas the old system showed both that and your "actual" name that it would be a good idea if those of you with more quirky user names would go into your profiles and add your "actual" name and location as a courtesy to readers: for instance, your username might be Piglet, but most of us would hesitate to address you as such:  so add a "signature" to your profile, to let us know that you are, in fact,  Abigail Anderson from Anstruther in Fife, East Scotland. 

[Maggi Young]

Maggi Young here, wrestling with the new forum pages!

I have collated the following snippets from posts of the last few days, to have them all in one place to aid any new members having bother getting going with the new forum system.
I would stress that the new methods, while differing slightly from the old forum are generally user friendly and simple to navigate. As I am often heard to say; “there’s often a clue”… please read the pages carefully and remember that there are the HELP pages to come to your rescue, too.
That being said, there are always little snags in anything new ( just ask Alan and Brenda Newton about their new oven!) so I hope that I have gathered here quite a lot of questions and answers to assist anyone struggling with  posting.


Here are some questions, Q, posed by Members about posting to the forum and answers, A, given either by the Web Team or by other users:

Q: “Can I have a little help with posting pics, please?
What is the 'best' image size?  I presume it is no longer quite as small as it used to be.
I have got as far as downloading the images but they did not show up in the preview and there is no indication that I can see as to why.  They are indicated below this box as I type this but do not show in the posting. Help!!”


A: Admin has set the max size for an image (for any type of attachment in fact) at 200K and a max of 10 attachments per post. New limit: Allowed file types: doc, gif, jpg, pdf, png, txt
Restrictions: 5 per post, maximum total size 1000KB, maximum individual size 200KB
 Members are encouraged to make the attachment file sizes smaller though, for practical reasons.
Pictures /  attachments don't show in the preview - that's just a limitation of the software.

I would suggest re-sizing all your pics  to a max width / height 760 x 560 pixels for landscape format and 560 x 418 for portrait format.


Q: “So I see the pic I posted (one of two, the other the same but with 284KBs) but where's the text that went with it?”

A: “If you want to immediately see your post in the thread after you've posted, I found that you need to do this: Click 'profile' to go to your profile section, under 'modify profile' click 'look and layout', then tick the box that says 'return to topics after posting by default' then click 'change profile'.
Then, when you've posted, your screen immediately goes back to the thread and you can see your post, check photos have appeared etc.”


Q:”I had tried to attach 4 images which would have exceeded the 200Kb limit and that was my problem, obviously. Hard to upload  multiple images then?”

A: Not correct.
Each image can be 200k 5 images max.  per post.  Within these  limits, user  are asked to act responsibly as you can imagine it would be possible to use up  vast resources.

A:“For multiple pics, try after you attach the first pic, pressing the blue more attachments next to the browse button.
I had the same problem at first.”

A:  When you click 'Additional options' you get the Attach: box with the browse button to the right.
Clicking on the (more attachments) opens another browse box, the more you click the more boxes open, up to a maximium of 10 per post. You then browse each box and attach the pictures you want.


Q: “What's the “insert image” button do?”

A: Allows you to upload an image from elsewhere on the internet, as far as I can see! To UPLOAD an IMAGE, click Additional options, below left of the post reply text box: among other things, this will offer you the chance to BROWSE your files to attach a picture etc.
Multiples can be posted by further clicks on MORE additions button.


Q:”By the look of things, we can post pics with larger file sizes than before. Can anyone tell me what the maximum file size is for uploading pics on this new system?”

A:I have set the max size for an image (for any type of attachment in fact) at 200K and a max of 5 attachments  / post. Members are encouraged to make the attachment file sizes smaller though for practical reasons.
You can attach the following file types : doc  gif  jpg  pdf  png  txt .


Q: “I don’t even know how to add images”
A: “When you click 'reply' at the top of the thread and get the 'post reply' box up for typing into, the 'additional options' button just below to the left opens up a browse and attach facility for uploading pics etc. (where I now see the very info I asked for - max file size - is clearly set out; if only I'd looked more carefully. Anyway, thanks admin for the reply. 200kb max should make things easier for people who have probs resizing pics to very small files and keeping the quality)”

Q:”Not sure how to select boards that I want to be advised of in my e-mail inbox?”
A: Yes, I was a bit stumped too, but I'm learning fast!
Emails of posts can be activated by the "Notification" button at the top of each page/thread.
If you look at the buttons at the top of each board (when opened)  there is a notify button. Click that and you will be notified of all posts to topics on  the board. You can also do it with individual topics.


Q:“I need help please. How can I get pictures into the preview because there's no way to know where to write the text which applies to individual pictures. I open the attachment and don't know whether it has uploaded (no upload instruction) until the post appears in the thread, so I can't see in the reply box, where the text should go. And every pic wants to be a separate post, instead several in a column in one post.”

A/comment :  “I have started to rename files for posting with a short descriptor.  This way they can be referenced back to the text which appears above the thumbnail pics.  Also I have started to post just a few at a time to help keep the text closer to the pics.  See the crocus thread ... I would have put all the pics in one post on the old forum but chose to split them this time.”
Please note: plant names should be written in text to enable searching

A:The pictures do not appear in the preview like the old forum but they do appear in the post. At the moment all the pictures appear at the end of your post and the caption that appears with them is the actual file name. The suggestion on naming the picture is a good one as we cannot insert the pictures into the text yet. We are looking into this and it may be possible for us to change the settings.
Q:” I keep getting a “time out” message when I’m posting and am asked to try again”
A: Yes, this happens to me as well and there is a reason for it, which escapes me momentarily! You do not have to retype your message, just hit the post button again.


 Q:“How can I add pictures into the body of my post and not have them all at the end of the text ?”

Ian tried several ways to find the solution to this problem, which was taxing a few members and was rescued by Admin, who came up with this remedy:
A: “I modified your post to put the first two images in line……..”

The first was done by adding

attachthumb=1   (put this in square brackets) *** see below
where I wanted the first image to go

The next was done by adding
attach=2  (put this in square brackets) ***
this put the full size image in this place

You just keep adding 3,4,5 etc and attach the images in the same way as before

*** That is [xxxxx]  - can't enclose the commands in this example because it starts looking for images that are not there!
You won't find this in the help as it is a non-standard addition.

Q: “Thanks to Mr. Admin for the secret of how to post photos within the text.
But now I can't see, how many times the pictures have been opened”

A: Congratulations for using this system, Admin has custom added that into the forum.
I will look into the loss of the counter “thingie”.  Meanwhile, if you leave the last image of the post below the line as previously, then it will have the counter and so give you a total views figure for that image as a guide.

This is a new forum to all of us and it will take us a while, as users, to work out how to navigate around and use all the features.
From the administration side we are also learning and we will have an ongoing programme of adjusting settings and features within the limits of the software to best suit all our needs.
Thanks to you all for your support, please keep your comments and problems coming and be patient as we try and sort them all out.

[Maggi Young]

newly added :

Q/Comment: "I've been moaning (quietly) about the size of the pictures on the new Forum but now realize (Maggi again) that I can see them bigger by clicking on the file name under the picture. Thanks Maggi (again).

A/comment: "I can see them bigger by clicking on the file name under the picture".... or by clicking in the  thumbnail picture itself.
You are most welcome, Lesley (again)

[Maggi Young]

 Q:I am not getting the e-mails! How can I survive? Help!

A:
 Okay, you want email notification of the threads you are interested in?  Have you ticked the box in your profile to show that you want to get emails? Click 'profile' (on the blue bar between 'search' and 'my messages'), then, under 'modify profile' click 'notifications and emails'. There you can set your email preferences: I recommend ticking the first, third and fourth boxes for the best set-up (not the second box). Remember to click 'save settings'.
That will ensure you get emails in the way you prefer, but you will still need to click NOTIFY at  the tops of the pages of your favourite thrads, as opposed to having a complete list of threads shown in your profile to choose from in the first place in the old forum. Once you have clicked those pages you are interested in receiving emails about, then a list of those pages will appear in your profile under the notifications and emails button, so you can easily change the settings there, as you wish.
Once you have elected to receive emails, please note that when each arrives, it will contain an option to unsubscribe to notifications from that topic in a message such as this: "Unsubscribe to this topic by clicking here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?action=notify;topic=17.0   "

 

[Maggi Young]

NEW POST FLAGS AND CHANGING PROFILE DETAILS:
Q from David S. :
who wrote" I can't find the perfect spot for my question but I notice that most threads have been hijacked by technical queries."
 A: Well, yes, to a point, but if you care to view this page: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=41.0
you will see many of these technical questions brought together. You may not post there, but an email
to info@srgc.org.uk will get to me, and I can post your query there, get it answered and have it along with other questions where everyone can find it.

Q: Sorry to admit it, but I don't always open every thread  . Is there a way such that when I leave the forum I can choose to delete the 'new' flags of the posts I have not visited?
(Just to be contrary, on the old forum I got anoyed if I accidentally click on the close button and lost the 'new' flags part way through a visit!)

A: Well,  the only way way round the "new flag thing" is :  On the main forum index page click  "Mark ALL messages as read"  near the bottom right. (just above the Scottish Rock Garden Club Info Center box.)

I would have thought it was handy to have, in case you wanted to read those pages on another visit!

I would suggest that you view those pages you are interested in and ignore any other, flagged or otherwise.

Q : Second question; when I newly open the forum page and scroll down to the bottom I see that David Shaw is 'in the building'. Is my name permanently there or does it automatically pop up when I open the forum pages - a bit like the light in a fridge?

A:  When you see "DavidShaw is online", (This is the small note showing which members are online at any given time ( well, any given 15 minutes in time, if we want to nit pick)) ... Yes, it shows when you are online IF THAT IS THE OPTION YOU HAVE CHOSEN IN YOUR PROFILE !

 You may disable that from displaying your presence by entering your PROFILE via the button in the range at the top of the page... and then clicking ACCOUNT RELATED SETTINGS in the MODIFY PROFILE box to the left of the profile page that has opened and make what changes you wish to the settings therein. There are options such as:
Hide email address from public? 
Show others your online status?  THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT!!
Then Click CHANGE PROFILE at the  lower right side of the page and it is done!

[Maggi Young]

A very Happy New Year to all our Forumists. We wish a particularly warm welcome to all those of you who have joined us in the last couple of weeks. We hope you will enjoy the SRGC Forum and be encouraged to join the SRGC, if you have not done so already.
May all your plants grow well in 2007!

[Maggi Young]

A hint about posting photos: please include the name of the plant in the text of your post. Plant names will show in file names displayed beneath some picture posts, depending on how they are loaded, but such names are not picked up be the search facility.  As John Finch repiled to a post:
"Hi,
lovely pictures - thank you.
I wonder if you may have time to edit your post to include the names of the flowers that you have shown as text.  When someone uses the search facility within the forum they do not find words that are only included as part of the image names.  The search only looks at the actual typed text within a post.

Just thinking of the future and making the SRGC forum as useful and searchable for others as possible.
cheers, John.



Well said, John. A useful point. Please take note , everyone! M

[Maggi Young]

Since so many Forumists tend not to add their location to their signature bars, or anywhere else in their profile for that matter, can I make another plea here for all forumists to make their location known..... preferred method is by adding it to your name in the signature bar of your profile, so that when a post is made, all reading it can see where you live... and so make more reasoned comments to your posts.  This addition to the signature bar area of your profile will show at the end of any post you make,  as in my case,  " Margaret Young in Aberdeen, North East Scotland"......see below!

[Maggi Young]

Q : How do you insert a link to a message in another thread? For example, someone has a problem for which I described a solution elsewhere. Rather than repeating the solution, I would prefer to say: "take a look at this", where this is the link to the previous message.

I see other people managing this, but I need a little help, please.



A: So, I'm writing a post and I want to make a link to Maren's last post

There must be one of the buttons that does this.... Ashley used this a lot so he may be able to tell me!
Failing a button... type this.... but use the square brackets ( of course if I use the square brackets here here it will not show the actual process! I will use the main SRGC url)

(url=http://www.srg.org.uk)super website (/url)  which would "translate, in the square brackets, to....
super website

Techie stuff not my strong point so I hope Ashley or one of the other clever souls will help!

[Maggi Young]

Okay.... a bit of experimentation has shown that simply clicking on the "world" symbol ( fourth from the left in the second row of buttons above the text box) which highlights as "Insert hyperlink) does not quite do what Maren's looking for, but it is an easier way to get to the finished effect.....  click on the "world" button....{url}{/url} appears ( in the square brackets!)
type = after the first url and then insert your destination link then type the words you want to act asthe hyperlink between the two sets of brackets
{url= www.srgc.org.uk}please visit here{/url}
Now, you will see that the system already recognises, in this form that the www bit is a link, but the coding when given in the square brackets, turns the wording PLEASE VISIT HERE into a link  for us.

[Maggi Young]

For the avoidance of doubt:

If you see a note on a post that says : "last edit by maggi at x time "

this is most likely because I went to the post.... a)  to correct a spelling mistake in a plant name.
Edit by maggi 02:48 PM : or to add the file name of a photo to the text to allow search faciltiy to find it.
b)  to make a correction that had been requested by a forumist, not realising that they can edit their own posts or to make a photo resize for them.
c)  remove a photo link or website link that was no longer active.
d) clicked on the wrong button by mistake!

In other words, such "notice" of an edit need not imply that the text or meaning or content of the post has been altered or censored in any way.

Such actions are, thanks to the general courtesy of the forumists, very rarely necessary.

This brings up the question of Forum practice and good manners.

I would remind you all that comments likely to cause offence to others, whether personally or as a group, are not welcome!

I am a "moderator" : I seek to ensure moderation.... mostly in matters of common courtesy.

I very much appreciate the thousands of you who realise that and act accordingly!

This forum began as a way to bring together the far-flung members of the SRGC and others, to exchange views and enjoy social discourse with friends. In the process we have developed an enormous site with hundreds of thousands of plant related threads and some wonderful  pages where friends can enjoy fun chats with friends.....  Enjoy!

[Maggi Young]

A few reminders and suggestions for forumists :

Please give your location in your signatuue box so we can see where you garden - this does not have to be exact -  SW Idaho  or  North Lincolnshire  will do - we don't need 52 Acacia Avenue!
Only registered members can see your profile and since some folk do not bother to add their location even there, many readers would not search to see if there is a location given. It makes one's posts much more relevant for all forumists to have a location in the signature box.

Thinking of joining the forum:  Please use a "name" rather than a cryptic statement  as the name displayed for your posts - we are a friendly community and it makes more sense to be "speaking" to  Ann or Jim than to "Internal Combustion Engine"

Choosing a password: Whether you are just joining the forum or have cause to  change an existing password, please be aware that the system now requires  that passwords be at least 6 characters long and include upper and lower case letters and numerals   e.g. coRnus57

[Maggi Young]

A few reminders about  membership of the forum and help  you may need ....

Need help with joining/using the forum ? http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?action=help

Getting started on the forum:    https://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/Getting_started

Notice that before your registration moves forward you must agree to the terms and conditions of use:

Registration Agreement

You agree, through your use of this forum, that you will not post any material which is false, defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, profane, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, adult material, or otherwise in violation of any International or United States Federal law. You also agree not to post any copyrighted material unless you own the copyright or you have written consent from the owner of the copyrighted material. Spam, flooding, advertisements, chain letters, pyramid schemes, and solicitations are also forbidden on this forum.

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A further reminder of  the ease of posting photos:  the SRGC Forum has undergone some changes recently and if using the  (attachimg=1)  code ( " inline full-size image option" )  - with the square brackets (rather than the ones I've used to allow you to see without confusing the system with code) it is possible to attach  larger photo sizes which will be automatically resized to the page and open in the  text box.

These are  the square  brackets  [  ]

This  first screengrab shows what a post will look like when this method is  used to add photos in the text - using pretty much any device it seems, i-pad, smartphone, whatever!

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Ian Y]

Fred is carrying out essential work on the forum applying security updates etc. so some of the normal functionality may not be working for a while.
He will try to reinstate as much as is possible but it will take time.

Once again we are indebted to Fred Carrie for all his work.