Forum Help Files

[lostlakebear]

Does such a thing as a help file exist? I would find it helpful. I am good with basic navigation and posting, but I have two things I can't figure out:
1) The list of notification under "Alerts": can I/how can I clear this? "Mark All Read" isn't doing it. I am finding it hard to track where I have/have not responded because it doesn't appear to track with this activity.
2) When I go through recent posts and try to make responses, I sometimes get a countdown timer that tells me I must wait x minutes and y seconds before I can post. Is this because I am still throttled as a newbie or is this a anti-bot "feature" that will always be here. Thank you!

 

[fatty33]

Does such a thing as a help file exist? I would find it helpful. I am good with basic navigation and posting, but I have two things I can't figure out:
1) The list of notification under "Alerts": can I/how can I clear this? "Mark All Read" isn't doing it. I am finding it hard to track where I have/have not responded because it doesn't appear to track with this activity.
2) When I go through recent posts and try to make responses, I sometimes get a countdown timer that tells me I must wait x minutes and y seconds before I can post. Is this because I am still throttled as a newbie or is this a anti-bot "feature" that will always be here. Thank you!

I have had the timer too and I have been here I think for a couple of months. You can tell the alerts that are read because they are no longer blue in color. I do not know if you can clear them.

 

[lostlakebear]

I have had the timer too and I have been here I think for a couple of months. You can tell the alerts that are read because they are no longer blue in color. I do not know if you can clear them.

Thanks. This helps!

 

[ZippityDooDah]

Does such a thing as a help file exist?

Basically, no. There is some very basic information under the Help section, but it's mostly just stuff related to posting like smilies, fonts, formatting, etc.

Because the Xenforo software powering the forum is typically customized to the needs of the community using it, especially with the various add-ons, etc., they've never created a generic user guide since the way one forum works may be completely different than another. It's mostly just a "figure it out as you go" think which usually starts to 'click' for most people after a few visits.

1) The list of notification under "Alerts": can I/how can I clear this? "Mark All Read" isn't doing it. I am finding it hard to track where I have/have not responded because it doesn't appear to track with this activity.

I just tested this on both desktop and mobile and it works fine for me. There is some JavaScript behind the function which if you have JS disabled in your browser might explain why it's not working as expected for you.

2) When I go through recent posts and try to make responses, I sometimes get a countdown timer that tells me I must wait x minutes and y seconds before I can post. Is this because I am still throttled as a newbie or is this a anti-bot "feature" that will always be here. Thank you!

The post timer is a recent add-on to throttle newbies who think their post count controls their advancement up the user permissions ladder (post count is only one of several factors) and keep posting one and two word replies in rapid succession in an attempt to "beat" the system.

The users, user groups, and forum sections configured to use the timer are a work in progress, and mostly effect users at or below the "GLP-1 Apprentice" level. I've also enabled it on specific threads here and there both as a test as well as to slow things down if there is a controversial discussion such as when politics start to creep in.

 

[fatty33]

The post timer is a recent add-on to throttle newbies who think their post count controls their advancement up the user permissions ladder (post count is only one of several factors) and keep posting one and two word replies in rapid succession in an attempt to "beat" the system.

I spend a lot of time reading and I sometimes asking questions in different threads and it has slowed me down one night. I think the time limit only happened to me one day in particular.

Also the other day when I posted in a thread something came up and stated it had to be cleared by a moderator. I am assuming it may have been something in the post needed to be cleared. Who know. I just appreciate the opportunity to be here.

 

[desinr-gal]

I spend a lot of time reading and I sometimes asking questions in different threads and it has slowed me down one night. I think the time limit only happened to me one day in particular.

Also the other day when I posted in a thread something came up and stated it had to be cleared by a moderator. I am assuming it may have been something in the post needed to be cleared. Who know. I just appreciate the opportunity to be here.

It has happened to me too. 🙄

 

[ZippityDooDah]

I spend a lot of time reading and I sometimes asking questions in different threads and it has slowed me down one night. I think the time limit only happened to me one day in particular.

Also the other day when I posted in a thread something came up and stated it had to be cleared by a moderator. I am assuming it may have been something in the post needed to be cleared. Who know. I just appreciate the opportunity to be here.

Every post made in the reviews section requires moderator approval before being visible to the public, regardless of how long someone's been a member, their post count, or anything else.

As I start experimenting with adding some AI wizardry to review posts in real time, if SkyNet detects potential issues with a post regardless of the user or forum section people are likely to see posts being placed in the moderation queue for review as well.

 

[lostlakebear]

Basically, no. There is some very basic information under the Help section, but it's mostly just stuff related to posting like smilies, fonts, formatting, etc.

Because the Xenforo software powering the forum is typically customized to the needs of the community using it, especially with the various add-ons, etc., they've never created a generic user guide since the way one forum works may be completely different than another. It's mostly just a "figure it out as you go" think which usually starts to 'click' for most people after a few visits.


I just tested this on both desktop and mobile and it works fine for me. There is some JavaScript behind the function which if you have JS disabled in your browser might explain why it's not working as expected for you.


The post timer is a recent add-on to throttle newbies who think their post count controls their advancement up the user permissions ladder (post count is only one of several factors) and keep posting one and two word replies in rapid succession in an attempt to "beat" the system.

The users, user groups, and forum sections configured to use the timer are a work in progress, and mostly effect users at or below the "GLP-1 Apprentice" level. I've also enabled it on specific threads here and there both as a test as well as to slow things down if there is a controversial discussion such as when politics start to creep in.

Got it. Thank you. I am figuring it out - and getting help from the community!

Basically, no. There is some very basic information under the Help section, but it's mostly just stuff related to posting like smilies, fonts, formatting, etc.

Because the Xenforo software powering the forum is typically customized to the needs of the community using it, especially with the various add-ons, etc., they've never created a generic user guide since the way one forum works may be completely different than another. It's mostly just a "figure it out as you go" think which usually starts to 'click' for most people after a few visits.


I just tested this on both desktop and mobile and it works fine for me. There is some JavaScript behind the function which if you have JS disabled in your browser might explain why it's not working as expected for you.


The post timer is a recent add-on to throttle newbies who think their post count controls their advancement up the user permissions ladder (post count is only one of several factors) and keep posting one and two word replies in rapid succession in an attempt to "beat" the system.

The users, user groups, and forum sections configured to use the timer are a work in progress, and mostly effect users at or below the "GLP-1 Apprentice" level. I've also enabled it on specific threads here and there both as a test as well as to slow things down if there is a controversial discussion such as when politics start to creep in.

Much appreciated. I appreciate all your work here. I'll figure it out as I go too. And I

 

[lostlakebear]

..reserve the right to screw up just when I post "I am figuring it out." How perfect!