Instruction Manual for the new format

Bufford

Gold Member
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Mar 13, 2006
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Adjusting to the new format is like asking a truck driver to pull his truck over and fly the airliner instead. Another way of looking at it, its like going into the shop only to find out that someone rearranged all my tools and supplies and I cannot find anything.

I have questions about how to make quotes when replying to posts, starting new theads ( A big Thank You to those who helped me today in another thread) and various other tasks. I knew there were going to be problems when I encountered problems logging in, and trying to get around.

Where can I find the full detailed version of the instruction manual to learn about using this new layout? I cannot find it on this site, does the developer have it online.

Note, I went to the XenForo website but found nothing for membership users.
 
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I haven't sat down and done a step by step tutorial yet. I may when the fires die down
 
Make a list of your questions - maybe 3 to 5 at a time and some of us can chime in to help. Best in a numbered list than just a scrambled paragraph. In some respects this format is easier - maybe even more intuitive - than the old set up. BUT - yes there are some trouble spots - many fewer today than the first day - thanks to Spark's responsiveness to our feed back.

Let us help.

Ray
 
I have a couple questions

1) where is the button for the most recent posts on the entire forum?

2) How do I find my old threads (those I started and those I commented in)?


For the mods:
I am having a real hard time adjusting due to the "several step process" when before everything was right there and easy to find. Now everything seems several clicks away and you have to remember how to do it AND it is easy to forget how to find or do it a second or third time.

What happens if memeber numbers/activty here drops down and there aren't as many people using the forum?..Will you go back to the old format? I would much prefer that and would have no problem with late night shutdowns ect. I am not here to learn and try and figure things out . I am here for my enjoyment and if things are hard it no longer is enjoyment but is like WORK. SO most likely I will end up coming to visit here less and less as I had with other sites (unrelated to this one) which had a complete "new" makeover.
 
1) Click on NEW POSTS (2nd bar top right) and the very latest post is the first one up. PLEASE NOTE - this will NOT show new posts by you but ONLY new posts by others in threads that you may or may not have replied to. I believe the software "assumes" that if you have posted you have already read that thread. (Was the same before.)

Once someone has added a post - after yours -that thread will then appear in NEW POSTS.

2) See that little Exclamation point (kind of) icon on the very top right next to your name? Has a hole in it.
That is the ALERTS. Click on that and a drop down of other people's comments to your most recent threads will appear. Click on the SHOW ALL of the bottom of that window and you will see an entire list of all threads you have participated in. Click on any of the ALERTS to go to that thread.

I believe you need to be SIGNED IN for any of these to work.

There may be other ways to do this but if I understand your questions colubrid these 2 methods will give you the results you are asking about.


Ray
 
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We aren't switching back to the old software. The old software had massive problems and was no longer supported. The new software fixes most thought it has a few minor issues.

There should be much less late night outages now too
 
I'm absolutely LOVING the new interface. All the basic tasks are easy: They are just in different places now.

Things like when someone 'QUOTES' someone else's post: it minimizes the photos and lengthy texts. EXACTLY. Who needs to read all of that again. :eek:

Look at how legible the spacing between lines is. It used to be a WALL OF TEXT if someone didn't hit the return. Now I can read them.

Colobrid: I don't understand your missing these. Really. At the menu bar above is a button 'New Posts'. ALL latest BF posts.
I clicked your profile avatar and then clicked 'Postings' on your tab bar. All your posts three clicks away.

I'm certain I haven't figured out half of the new features, but I can't muck anything up by exploring.
 
I'm really enjoying a lot of the new features with this software! I do have a couple of suggestions that would make the new software more similar to the old software in terms of layout for those who prefer that.

Would it be possible to make the "new posts" section the homepage of bladeforums?
I also much prefer the compact "forums" layout of the flat awesome style to the xenoforo default. Could the xenoforo be compacted?
It's easier to tell when there are new posts (in a forum not a thread) on the xenoforo style because it has the 2 toned quote icon instead of just being bold. Not really an issue on the flat awesome style, but the FA Dark it is.
I also think the time stamp and post # location should be changed on the xenoforo to match FA.

All that said both the xenoforo and FA work for me perfectly fine I just think I'd prefer a mixture of the 2.
Thank you Spark for all of the hard work you have put into this!
 
Would it be possible to make the "new posts" section the homepage of bladeforums?
Something I'm already looking at
I also much prefer the compact "forums" layout of the flat awesome style to the xenoforo default. Could the xenoforo be compacted?
It'd take custom CSS that I haven't had time to drill down to yet.
It's easier to tell when there are new posts (in a forum not a thread) on the xenoforo style because it has the 2 toned quote icon instead of just being bold. Not really an issue on the flat awesome style, but the FA Dark it is.
I'll see what I can do.
 
I'm absolutely LOVING the new interface. All the basic tasks are easy: They are just in different places now.

Things like when someone 'QUOTES' someone else's post: it minimizes the photos and lengthy texts. EXACTLY. Who needs to read all of that again. :eek:

Look at how legible the spacing between lines is. It used to be a WALL OF TEXT if someone didn't hit the return. Now I can read them.

Colobrid: I don't understand your missing these. Really. At the menu bar above is a button 'New Posts'. ALL latest BF posts.
I clicked your profile avatar and then clicked 'Postings' on your tab bar. All your posts three clicks away.

I'm certain I haven't figured out half of the new features, but I can't muck anything up by exploring.

The quote question I had I seem to have figured out. Yesterday, I was making multi quotes of the same one not knowing what I was doing which is not fun. The old format was much easier with only one click. I found that many functionalities in the past required only one click, but now many require multiple clicks and its confusing. Navigating the site is more work, and tiring. I will still come here, but I can guarantee that I will spend less time because of the extra trouble getting around.
 
I found that many functionalities in the past required only one click, but now many require multiple clicks and its confusing.
Such as?
 
Spark a good example is when I log in and then go into my profile to see my recent posts. I was baffled at first trying to find them. On the old format I only had to click on my username once and a list of options showed up including 'new posts'. Now I had not only had to click my user name to open one window with a menu, but have to again click which brings up a second menu, then click on recent activity before finding the recent posts button. Maybe I am doing it wrong?

Logging out one has to again click on one's user name, then choose logout instead just hitting the log off function at the top of the page.

Its growing pains for us to get used to the new format, but one would have figured that improvements would come with new software, which would be simplicity with fewer steps to navigate. This is not.
 
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Are you using a mobile phone or a PC?
 
Touch screen?
 
I am using a PC windows 7 with a large screen. I can't even see the second bar where the "New Posts" are because of the white backround...I searched and searched after someone told me where it was supposed to be and it is totally washed out.,*
sigh*
 
I am using a PC windows 7 with a large screen. I can't even see the second bar where the "New Posts" are because of the white backround...I searched and searched after someone told me where it was supposed to be and it is totally washed out.,*
sigh*

Sounds like you might still be using the very original browsing format (XENFORO) for this new BF - WHICH NOW HAS BEEN MUCH IMPROVED by using another default browsing preference FLAT AWESOME + BETA.

Start by changing your browsing preference. Click on your name at the top right.
• From the drop down menu select PREFERENCE
• from there at the top of the page the very first option will be BROWSING PREFERENCE
• Select STYLE and from the menu there select DEFAULT - FLAT AWESOME + BETA.
MAKE SURE YOU SAVE - at the bottom of the open window select save. There are other browsing options but keep it simple and go with the much improved DEFAULT. Once you save you will se your viewing window format change almost immediately. If you don't see a change - assume you haven't saved and so do it again. Well worth the effort.

Most of us are giving instructions based on that version. If this does not improve things for you I'm at a loss - other than to suggest that you update your WINDOWS 7 operating system to the highest level of free upgrades available.

Hope this helps. Frustrating to be so frustrated :(.

Ray
 
Or for that matter, if the white background is too bright he can switch to the Flat Awesome + Dark style too
 
RayseM said:

"Most of us are giving instructions based on that version. If this does not improve things for you I'm at a loss - other than to suggest that you update your WINDOWS 7 operating system to the highest level of free upgrades available."

I don't think the WINDOWS 7 OS has anything to do with any of the members issues. I use WINDOWS XP (older than 7) and have no issues as to the mechanics of the new format.

I'll just say to some members that experimentation is King! Wanna know what some button means when you click on it? Just click on it and see what happens. If you don't like it, hit the back button (arrow) or select cancel.

Experiment - that's the key. Looking for something specific? Hover the cursor over every option, button, etc. and most likely you'll find what you're looking for.

I know this seems simplistic but Hey! I'm a simplistic guy and I seem to be doing ok with the new format. If at a desktop, keep a piece of paper next to you and keep notes on procedures etc. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll get the hang of the new format.
 
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