It's about time some of the basics are fully explained all in one easy to read thread. I'll try to cover everything as best I can.
Admins and Mods please feel free to edit, correct, or add to this guides OP.
Forum users please post any questions, or additions you'd like to see.
Ok.

Here we go.

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Before I begin, I will use this space to remind everyone to go through their preferences and make any adjustments you would like. Click:
Profile> Information: Preferences.

Here is where you can turn on and off notifications, adjust timezones to be displayed, etc.
Always SAVE YOUR CHANGES

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Avatar and Signature Features

The Signature
feature is active.
Tinypic is always the best option for a host site.

Also, make sure you have the attach my signature to all my posts option checked to yes in your profiles preferences.

To actually add the signature:

Click the Profile button in the navigation bar
then in the INFORMATION nav click Signature.
Enter your text or image url in the box provided.
Be sure to use open and closing image tags.
BBC and HTLM are accepted
Be sure to SAVE your changes.

So Profile>Information>Signature


If you have made posts prior to activating your signature, the image may NOT show up in those posts unless you individually edit each one and click the attach my signature in the box below your text field.

Whats that? You dont have a signature but would like one. No problem.
Visit The Graphx Request Thread and we'll get ya set up as best we can.


Avatar
To change your avatar click
Profile
Information: Avatar

You can upload from your computer, an off site link, or an image code like your signature.
If you do not have an avatar, we do have an avatar gallery.
The button shows below the Upload options.

Avatars can be added to the gallery, and hey, I'm always up for donations.
If you have some you'd like added, or in general would like to request some be added please personal messages me.

After you have made your changes, always remember to save!!

If you have any problems or issues with your signature or avatar, please personal message a moderator or admin.
Please DO NOT create a topic.

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Nation Reputation and Points

Nation Reputation



Look at this as a Like and Dislike button.
If you notice in the top right had corner of anyone's post there is a + sign, and a - sign.
These are used by all registered forum members to either add or decrease reputation points of their fellow forum users.

So as an example...

If I come across a post by..oh, lets say Monkey, that seems to be helpful, or answers someones question, or adds something positive to the forum in general, I would click the + sign in that post of his. That adds one point to his over all Nation Reputation. A fill meter appears in place of your voting options. Any additional positive votes will maintain a green bar.



So on the opposite side of the voting, If I come across a post of Monkeys that seems to be rude, talking down to someone, or is just a negative post in some way, I would click the - sign in that post thus decreasing his Nation Reputation Points. Negative votes will in turn change the bar to red.



This is a way to put some control into the hands of all forum users to lift or lower their fellow members status in the community. It highlights the better posters, and spot lights the trolls.
These points are used to gauge the content and quality of a users posts and do become a factor when deciding who may enter The Loyalist Group.

A user will NOT be able to vote a post plus or minus until they have

1. A post count of at least 75 messages (Second Nation)
2. 5 of their own Nation Reputation Points

Please do not use these points to war with one another. Admins have no control over these points, so we cant not add them or remove them. To be able to do so would defeat the purpose of the feature.


Points
Normal points are earned by posting
As of now, it is set as
+3 Points for every topic created by the user
+1 Point for every post
These points are used to gauge a users quantity of input placed in the messages of the forum, and are what raises your Nation Rank

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The Report Feature

Please note: this report button is used for Nominating good posts AND Reporting Abuse.
When you click the image you will see at the top of the Reason for editing: window, a drop-down menu with three options:

* Nominate this post
* Report Abuse
* Forum maintenance (Move, Mod, Lock requests)


Start here by clicking the Stop Sign (It looks more evil than it is.)




The page loads to this:



As you can see there are a few options.
Please choose the appropriate category, type your reason for the report in the text field along with any other info you would like the admins and mods to have, and click Save.
Your report will be sent by email and PM to all Admins and Mods

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Friends and Foes

Also inside the information section of your profile is the friends and foes feature.
Here you can send friend invites and place members on your foes list. It is here you also can accept any pending requests of your own.
Your friends list allows a rapid access to the members profiles with whom you often discuss.

Once you have sent a request, that person will not show in your list until they accept the invite.
Same the other way. You must accept any invites you have received to show on that users lists.
To accept invites, click on the arrow icon next to the users name.
To deny, click on the X

To enter someone into the foes list, place their name in the text field and click Add
Foes/ Ignored members are members whose messages will not be made visible to you and of which you will not receive any more private messages.
Note that you cannot ignore the moderators or the administrators

You can quickly add members to either list by simply clicking on their name. An option to add to either the friends or foes list appears in the right hand corner of their profile page.

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Leaving Visitor Messages

You can leave a message on a users profile. To do this...
Click the users name> Visitors Messages> New Post

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The Gallery

The Gallery is where you can upload your own phots to share with all in the Nation. A few categories are already made, and more will follow as needed.
Before you will be able to upload a picture, you will first need to enter the album before the Upload Button is visible.
Click on the name or image of the album you wish to enter/view.
In the top left corner you will now see the Button.
Browse your computer files and upload. Here you can also write a description or caption of the picture.
Max size for images uploaded to the gallery are: 4.00 Mo / 1280 x 1024 px

While viewing the gallery, you can also leave comments on other photos, and even rate them!!!
Click on the image you would like to rate or comment on.
Below the image links is the drop down bar of numerical ratings, and a field for text to leave your comment.

Users can also view or create their own and other users' personal albums.
No one will be able to upload pictures into your personal gallery. You have moderation like controls.

All images uploaded will first have to be cleared by an admin before they will show in the gallery

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Share
Not only do we have a Share button to Facebook (that will bring anyone to the portal page) but if you notice while inside a thread there is a share button in the top right corner. Clicking this button will display a pop up box with a variety of the Social networking Sites. This way if want to share the thread with your friends elsewhere, you can do it in one easy click.

Actions
Next to the Share button is the Actions button. Clicking this link will display the following options
-View your posts
-View unanswered posts
-Topics being watched
(Adds the topic to a list of threads upon which you will be notified of if any new replies are made. This list can also be found in your profile>Information>Watched topics)
-Add to your favorites (Creates a list of your favorite topics.)
-Send to a friend
-Copy BBCode URL
-Print this page

Personal Messages and your Save Box

If you receive (or send) a private message, you can save it to your Savebox. Now, once it's in your Savebox, you have two options:

1. You can delete the message.
2. You can "Move to profile".

If the message you're moving was sent BY you, it will appear in the RECEIVER's visitor messages.
If the message you're moving was sent TO you, it will appear in YOUR visitor messages.

Basic Posting Layout
Below is the layout and an accompanying list of the basic posting buttons
I should mention that clicking a button once will place the opening tags, and clicking it again will add the closing tags.

To code text you have already typed, you must first highlight the text and then click the button in the editor of the bbcode you want to use.

Otherwise, it will place the single tags at the bottom so you can type new text between the opening and closing.

I'll use the bold button as an example.

Clicking the B button once will place an opening tag. You can now type the text you want to be bolded out.
Clicking the button again, closes the tag. So its a dual function button.

But if you type a whole paragraph, and the decide you want this word to be bold here ,in the middle, just follow theemphasized step above.

Once the text is highlighted, clicking the button places the opening AND closing tag around the highlighted text in one click.




Spoiler (hide) Tags
To hide anything inside a post you need to use what we have as spoiler tags.
I'll replace the tags with parentheses to show you, but you would use the normal [brackets] when posting...

(Spoiler)WHAT YOU WANT TO HIDE HERE (/spoiler)

It will show like this. To open the hidden content simply click on the bold white word Spoiler

Spoiler:

Spoiler tags are better because unlike other forums that require you to have posted in the thread to open the tag, this has no prerequisites.

You can also change the "title" on the spoiler.

Code:

[spoiler=Hello]Content Here[/spoiler]

Hello:

Multi Quote

So you are reading a thread, and along the way find yourself wanting to make specific points to multiple posts.
If you have an evil memory like mine, the two more pages to the threads end is a long drive down Alzhiemer Avenue.
No sweat. Break out...
The Multi-Quote.

Look at him. Doesnt he look all big and bad a$$ there.

To quote all the posts you'd like to comment on, click the multi quote button found on EACH individual post you'd like to quote.
The button will turn a shade of red.

You can now continue reading in confidence and click more of that handy guy along the way if you must.
When ready to post yourself, click the Post Reply Button like you would if making a normal post.
Just like a single quote, already placed in your text field is every post you multi'ed along the way.


It is asked here that you edited out what does not pertain to your comment, or other quotes that are needless to your post. Building "Quote Pyramids" is not advised and can even grant you a warning by the admin or mod staff. Quote Pyramids ensure extra scrolling of pages for all, and can become an unpleasent experience to one who is looking for only certain things from a thread.
In general, they take up space and are a nusaince for all.

Polls

Polls can only be added to a topics original post.
It can be found below the text field you type into just under the calendar options.
The set up is pretty self explanatory.

The forum has a feature where polls can be placed on the Portal. If you have one you'd like out in the open, or want to advertise one of your threads with use of this feature just let me know, and I'll be more than happy to get it on the home/portal page for you.

Editing Your Topics Title

If you look just under the preview and Send buttons while editing the OP, you will see the

Modify topic title option.

Just enter the new / edited topic title in the line provided, and SEND.

The Calendar

The button marked calendar in the navigation bar will bring you to the calendar page. All SixthNation members can add an event to the calendar by simply clicking on the white box found next to the date. This, in turn, creates a thread in the Calendar Boards where a discussion of the event can take place. Feel free to add anything. A game night you have planed. A games realease that has you all tingley on the inside. Me?? Im gonna mark the date Strangey writes a complete sentence.

Ok its not done. I need to take a break.

McDonalds is calling me!!

Closer to done.
What am I missing?

Usergroups?

I can explain usergroups I suppose.

Most of them are closed to applications but eh...why not.

Will have to wait until later today.

LOL!

maybe the rules on like double posting
Spam
the 'quote' button

lawl idk?

but yeah.. *high five* its awesome so far ;D

Saying LOL for the first word of a post shouldn't be acceptable.

But spam, quotation button. And maybe the gallery is a good idea.

SayberLeigh wrote:

LOL!

maybe the rules on like double posting
Spam
the 'quote' button

lawl idk?

but yeah.. *high five* its awesome so far ;D

The forum rules could use an over haul, but that I would do in a different thread. Most likely edit the one I have.

TRVJAG1 wrote:

Saying LOL for the first word of a post shouldn't be acceptable.

But spam, quotation button. And maybe the gallery is a good idea.

T, the gallery is the last section of this OP.

But I could do multi quote.
Thanks

I can tell there is something missing, just don't no what? * Thinks *

Search button... No, FAQ's.... No, Profile.... No, how 'bout the calendar... unless already there. Clan Directory... Possibly?

No, the calendar has been there for a while. We actually didn't take anything, but we added a button: "clan directory". This was done a couple of months or so, and as a consequence of that the buttons aligned themselves in 2 lines,. However, the bottom one only has 3 buttons, and that's why I think it feels as if something were missing. But it is everything there.

on my comp there is only one button on the second line. its the calendar button

Me too

The forum changes its width to match your screen resolution, the wider the screen, the more buttons can fit on the top line and therefore less have to be dropped onto the second.

lol i knew that i thought the forum had a set width but i was clearly wrong

The following editions have been added to the OP

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Share
Not only do we have a Share button to Facebook (that will bring anyone to the portal page) but if you notice while inside a thread there is a share button in the top right corner. Clicking this button will display a pop up box with a variety of the Social networking Sites. This way if want to share the thread with your friends elsewhere, you can do it in one easy click.

Actions
Next to the Share button is the Actions button. Clicking this link will display the following options
-View your posts
-View unanswered posts
-Topic being watched Add to your favorites
-Send to a friend
-Copy BBCode URL
-Print this page

Spoiler:

Basic Posting Layout
Below is the layout and an accompanying list of the basic posting buttons
I should mention that clicking a button once will place the opening tags, and clicking it again will add the closing tags

Crap. I almost forgot this one too (added to OP )


Spoiler (hide) Tags
To hide anything inside a post you need to use what we have as spoiler tags.
I'll replace the tags with parentheses to show you, but you would use the normal [brackets] when posting...

(Spoiler)WHAT YOU WANT TO HIDE HERE (/spoiler)

It will show like this. To open the hidden content simply click the gray bar

Spoiler:

Spoiler tags are better because unlike other forums that require you to have posted in the thread to open the tag, this has no prerequisites.

remove the chat box

please could also go in that sentence
i actually like the chat box spot

I was just about to post on this is the Activated Today thread.

Top or bottom?

I'll let the members decide. I'll create a poll in the AT thread.

Bottom.

If it has success, members will only chat and the threads will remain inactive.
If it hasn't, it is a pain to have to scroll down to find the threads.
It is fine to have it just in case... but I prefer threads and posts. Those stay there and you can read back what you have missed while away.

Finally adding to OP


Multi Quote

So you are reading a thread, and along the way find yourself wanting to make specific points to multiple posts.
If you have an evil memory like mine, the two more pages to the threads end is a long drive down Alzhiemer Avenue.
No sweat. Break out...
The Multi-Quote.

Look at him. Doesnt he look all big and bad a$$ there.

To quote all the posts you'd like to comment on, click the multi quote button found on EACH individual post you'd like to quote.
The button will turn a shade of red.

You can now continue reading in confidence and click more of that handy guy along the way if you must.
When ready to post yourself, click the Post Reply Button like you would if making a normal post.
Just like a single quote, already placed in your text field is every post you multi'ed along the way.


It is asked here that you edited out what does not pertain to your comment, or other quotes that are needless to your post. Building "Quote Pyramids" is not advised and can even grant you a warning by the admin or mod staff. Quote Pyramids ensure extra scrolling of pages for all, and can become an unpleasent experience to one who is looking for only certain things from a thread.
In general, they take up space and are a nusaince for all.

Added to the OP


The Calendar


The button marked calendar in the navigation bar will bring you to the calendar page. All SixthNation members can add an event to the calendar by simply clicking on the white box found next to the date. This, in turn, creates a thread in the Calendar Boards where a discussion of the event can take place. Feel free to add anything. A game night you have planed. A games realease that has you all tingley on the inside. Me?? Im gonna mark the date Strangey writes a complete sentence.

I dont see many of these and wonder if everyone knows where to find it.
Editing into the OP


Polls

Polls can only be added to a topics origional post.
It can be found below the text field you type into just under the calander options.
The set up is pretty self explanitory.

The forum has a feature where polls can be placed on the Portal. If you have one you'd like out in the open, or want to advertise one of your threads with use of this feature just let me know, and I'll be more than happy to get it on the home/portal page for you.

We have new 'smileys' in the Nation... Which means we had to shift out some old ones. A new category added "Ps buttons" which will allow you to explain various button presses on the Ps3 controller without having to rely on "[]" to mean square and stuff.

Vewy pwitty buttons, they are.