Getting Started > Technical Support/Testing

F.A.Q. : Posting

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Sylvia:
Within this topic you will find explanations on how to post replies, make new topics and also how to get maximum use of the many features available in the post screen. :)9

Simply click on each of the links given directly below (the blue text), and either a new window will open showing the relevant area in the SMF Help Guide or you will be guided to another post in this topic containing the information available on that particular subject. :)


General info:
Posting a reply to an existing topic
Inserting multiple quotes in a single post
Creating a new topic for discussion
Making a poll
How to use Spell Check

Including Photos and Graphics:
Attaching pictures to a post
Inserting an image from the web
Smileys... Why, where and how!

BBC tags:
What they do & how to use them
Chart showing all the BBC buttons with examples of output
Changing the color, style or size of text
Creating hyperlinks which appear as alternate text or images



If you need help with anything that is not included here, please start a new topic in the Technical Support board, and we will answer your query as soon as possible. :)

Sylvia:
You can easily add one or more quotes by different members to your post even after you've already opened the "Post reply" page! 8-)

Scroll to the Topic Summary below the post screen and you will see a small blue text link titled Insert Quote in the top right corner of every post that has already been made in the topic you are replying to.
(see faq_quote_01.jpg)

When you click this link, it automatically inserts the code required to quote the individual posts in your own message. Click "enter" on your keyboard to leave a small space below the quote and type your reply.
(see faq_quote_02.jpg)

To insert further quotes in your post, just follow the same method again and click the Insert Quote link on another of the posts in the Topic Summary, remembering to leave a bit of space in the message panel after your first response (It's also a good idea to quote the older posts first when doing more than one).
(see faq_quote_03.jpg)

After you have finished typing your response to each additional quote, press Preview before you post to check that the codes are working. If something doesn't look right, the chances are high that part of the code is either missing or in the wrong place.
(see faq_quote_04.jpg)


When you're happy with what you have written, simply click Post at the bottom of the "Post Reply" screen, and you're done! :D

Sylvia:
After you've drafted a post, you can use the in-built Spell Check system before submitting it via the button at the bottom of the "Post Reply" screen. This pops up in a new window.

The program highlights words that it thinks might be spelt wrong and gives you a list of alternate words to change them to. If you want to change a highlighted word in your reply to one it has supplied in the list, you simply click on the correct alternative given and press Change. If there's more misspelled words in your post, it will then highlight the next one and so on until it can't find any more. If you want to ignore a suggestion for a word but still want to check others, just press Ignore for that particular highlighted word to continue. Then you simply press OK to close the window after it says "Spell Checking Complete".  :)

Sylvia:
This is how to post a picture that exists on your hard drive, a CD, or other removable media.
Many thanks go to Serenity for writing the explanation and providing the graphics.  :-*

From the bottom of your ‘Post Reply’ window, click on Additional Options
(see PhotoFAQ01.jpg)

This will add a bit more to the window at the bottom, including Attach with a text box and a Browse button.
(see PhotoFAQ02.jpg)

Click on the Browse button to search for the photo you wish to attach.  Select the picture you wish to post, then click on Open.
(see PhotoFAQ03.jpg)

If you only want to post one photo, you’re all done.  Type your message in the message box, and click on Post.
(see PhotoFAQ04.jpg)

The maximum file size allowed for a single attachment is 100kb, but if you want to add more than one picture to your post (up to four) they should not total more than 300kb. Click on (more attachments), and then use the Browse button and Open to attach an extra pic. The code for each additional image will be placed in a separate field to the left of the Browse button.

Sylvia:
Sometimes it can be fun and/or effective to insert an image from the web into your post, rather than adding it as an attachment.
This is done by using the Image button on the "Post Reply" screen . This only works with pictures that have been uploaded to a web space as you input the address (URL) of an image between the tags and the code creates a direct link to it. 

For example, this code...

--- Code: ---[img]http://www.justforklicks.com/j4k/pics/main/ccompany.jpg[/img]
--- End code ---

produces this:


If you are using Internet Explorer as your browser, you can find out the exact URL of an image on any webpage, unless the webmaster has placed a block on it. Right click on the pic (not the page) and select "Properties" from the drop-down menu. Another window will open and you'll see the URL listed about halfway down. Simply copy it and paste it between the Image tags and there you have it!

It's a good idea to not link directly to any really, REALLY big pics as it draws bandwidth from the server hosting the pic every time someone opens the topic page containing the embedded image. Images with large file sizes can also have the unwanted side effect of making the topic page download less quickly and frustrating people who are using slower modems.

Also, please be aware that some hosting companies (especially those that offer free services to their customers, such as Tripod) do not allow direct linking to images and will replace your graphic with something else such as their own logo in order to prevent this happening.

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