Getting the most out of your "AO Forum" browsing experience.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Seems to be a lot of confusion/complaining about the new "time stamp" function of the AO forum here. As well, I think a lot of new members aren't sure how use some of the very useful functions of a "vBulletin" forum.

So here are a couple of tips on how not to miss any of the good info found on AO:

There are two basic methods of reading your forum. "Browsing" each sub-forum one at a time, and searching for any and all new posts.
When browsing a specific sub-forum:

• When a thread title is BOLDED, it means there are NEW posts in there that you haven't viewed. If the thread title is regular font, then there are NO new posts, and you're all caught up.
• To quickly go to the first UNread post in an updated thread, click on the little brown "down arrow" to left of the thread title.
• To quickly go to the very last post of the thread, click on the little "down arrow" to the right of the member in the "last post" column.

Here's a couple of screenshots with the different aspects highlighted:

When browsing each sub-forum, one at a time:





However, I find the easiest way not to miss anything is to just click on the "New Posts" quick-link at the top. This will pull up ALL posts made since I last logged onto the forum. That way I won't miss anything in any category. Any threads that I've already read, and have NO new posts, won't be bolded. Everything else that's new will be in Bold text:

Screenshot when you've clicked on the "New Posts" link

[DarkAisling]

Cool!

I just learned something. I'm not saying what though . . . it'd make me look like a noob.

[leeaspell]

Can you explain how the ignore function works?

[Okotokian]

Can you explain how the ignore function works?

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Can you explain how the ignore function works?

ROFL....I was just making up a screenshot to show the gist of your post! lol.
Well played.

[leeaspell]

I don't get it, what am I missing here lol

Or am I on Dave's ignore list and he can't see my post lol

[Taco]

Jesus Dave don't' y'all have something to tile??

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Taco

Jesus Dave don't' y'all have something to tile??

Nope. In between jobs. Waiting for a big one to start. ($60,000 residential floor job any day now).
I've been going to the gym, cleaning the garages, shovelling the walks, downloading movies.....

[waterninja]

thanks for going to all the trouble dave. i learned something about getting to a new post on a thread that i might be interested in following. little tips like that really help a computer challenged person.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Another cool feature is pulling up the info for just one particular thread. Want to see who's posted in a thread, and how often, and JUST want to see their posts?:




That will, in turn, bring up this window:

[Okotokian]

Here's another Q for ya Dave.... A "certain member" seems to show up really fast whenever you quote him or mention him. Coincidence, or is there a feature that would alert him?

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by waterninja

thanks for going to all the trouble dave. i learned something about getting to a new post on a thread that i might be interested in following. little tips like that really help a computer challenged person.

Here's a tip if you really want to follow a thread: "Subscribe" to it. AO will notify you (immediately if you want) whenever new posts are added to that thread.

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Here's another Q for ya Dave.... A "certain member" seems to show up really fast whenever you quote him or mention him. Coincidence, or is there a feature that would alert him?

Could be the user has no life and sits on the computer hitting "F5" every 60 seconds.


ORrrrrr.....he might have that person in his "contacts list" and then have his "contacts pop-up window" open.

[Smokinyotes]

Geez oky, wonder who that would be. 3,2,1

[Ruger1022]

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

Nope. In between jobs. Waiting for a big one to start. ($60,000 residential floor job any day now).
I've been going to the gym, cleaning the garages, shovelling the walks, downloading movies.....

Can you come help me tile some stuff??

[Gust]

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Here's another Q for ya Dave.... A "certain member" seems to show up really fast whenever you quote him or mention him. Coincidence, or is there a feature that would alert him?

What a funny question Okie; this thread isn't about browsing, browsing is akin to just meandering about, kicking tires, squeezing bread in the day old bread section. This thread it's about stalking or as the kids say CREEPIN.

[DustDee]

1 vote for a sticky on this thread! Good info to know.

[BeeGuy]

tl;dr

[Ruger1022]

Originally Posted by DustDee

1 vote for a sticky on this thread! Good info to know.

x2

[RandyBoBandy]

x3...epic work pal!!

[DarkAisling]

I've now learned three things.

Thanks, Dave.

[Jack&7]

Great work, Dave...I also vote for a sticky.

Truth be told, I actually didn't realize there had even been an update. I had noticed that the timestamp was different but just thought it was something screwy with my phone. I actually think I preferred the old timestamp better (eg: 23 minutes ago) but that is only because I have no idea what the date is half the time. If I saw a date on a post under the old style, I just knew it was an 'older' post...as in not within the last 24 hrs.

But whatever...as they say, change is good. Especially when you find the change in your jeans from that $100 you blew at the bar the night before.

On a side note: SHELLEY!!!! When are you ever coming fishing or out to the Wednesday Wing night? Haven't seen ya in a LONG time...

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by DarkAisling

I've now learned three things.

Thanks, Dave.

Cool! You're welcome

[RBI]

Thanks for all the info , but it just makes me wonder how much else I'm missing ( I know there is a lot ) but the way that you have shown it here makes it easy to understand. Now if I can only remember it . Is it just me , or have the " Memory Banks " started closing a bit earlier each day ? ( a question for those us who have seen a 50th birthday come and go ). Is there a way ( scratch that ) "simple " way to file T Dave's thread or to mark it , or whatever so that I can continue to bring it up whenever I need ? Any help would be appreciated Thanks RBI

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by RBI

Thanks for all the info , but it just makes me wonder how much else I'm missing ( I know there is a lot ) but the way that you have shown it here makes it easy to understand. Now if I can only remember it . Is it just me , or have the " Memory Banks " started closing a bit earlier each day ? ( a question for those us who have seen a 50th birthday come and go ). Is there a way ( scratch that ) "simple " way to file T Dave's thread or to mark it , or whatever so that I can continue to bring it up whenever I need ? Any help would be appreciated Thanks RBI

You can add your own unique "tag" to a thread, and then search by that "tag", bringing up that, or any other threads you've tagged similarly.
But subscribing to a thread will put it into your "subscriptions" folder, where it will remain:

Getting to your "Subscribed Threads" folder

[Jack&7]

Speaking of subscribed threads....

I noticed last week that all of my subcribed threads that were in my folder had disappeared...much to my disgust.

I wonder if this was related to the update??? Is there any way to get them back?

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Jack&7

Speaking of subscribed threads....

I noticed last week that all of my subcribed threads that were in my folder had disappeared...much to my disgust.

I wonder if this was related to the update??? Is there any way to get them back?

Hmm. No, any update wouldn't remove your subscribed threads. Did you click on "View all subscribed threads"? If Admin removed a thread, it would also disappear from your subscriptions. But other than that, I can't think of why they'd be gone. Unless you accidentally clicked on "Empty current Folder".

[RBI]

Oh OK , again thanks Dave

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by DarkAisling

Cool!

I just learned something. I'm not saying what though . . . it'd make me look like a noob.

x2. Thanks Dave.

[kevinhits]

Ok....finally I am going to ask for help after 6 years

I am trying to quote part of a post and have tried doing so many times...

How the hell do I do it...LOL

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by kevinhits

Ok....finally I am going to ask for help after 6 years

I am trying to quote part of a post and have tried doing so many times...

How the hell do I do it...LOL

The easiest way to do it, is to click on the quote/reply button:

And then just delete whatever text from the person you're quoting. You have to make sure you leave both "quote" tags surrounding his text though.

Example:



So that now, this:

[QUOTE=kevinhits;3282130]Ok....finally I am going to ask for help after 6 years:sHa_sarcasticlol:

I am trying to quote part of a post and have tried doing so many times...[/QUOTE]

Will look like this:

Originally Posted by kevinhits

Ok....finally I am going to ask for help after 6 years

I am trying to quote part of a post and have tried doing so many times...

And then you can type YOUR text after the "[/quote]" tag.