How do I use this forum?

marknumberm · 2005-12-21 09:31:18

I have a little note on the bottom telling me bbcode is off; how do I turn it on?

Same question about smilies and image tags.

I searched all around for answers to these questions, and I couldn’t find anything. I also looked all over for a way to enter code into a forum post and have it show up, before I tried out the good ol’ code /code tags. (I didn’t figure they would work, since there’s no note at all about whether html is on or off…)

Perhaps there should be an FAQ about how to actually use the support forum in addition to the FAQ posts that answer all the newbie questions about textpattern itself.

I’d be happy to write something like that, once I had these questions answered and knew where I could submit it.

NXArmada · 2005-12-21 13:13:35

These options are set by the admins.

To enter code in the forums put the at symbol on either side of the code.

Last edited by NXArmada (2005-12-21 13:14:51)

Elenita · 2005-12-21 13:23:27

As noted above, the options are set by the admins and can’t be turned on by individual users. HTML and Textile are the only things turned on, and HTML can’t be turned off. Textile can be escaped by wrapping your text in < notextile > and < /notextile > tags (sans spaces).

Last edited by Elenita (2005-12-21 13:25:02)

marknumberm · 2005-12-21 16:46:54

Simple enough, once you get to know it.

But I still think it would be a good idea to offer newbies a better way to figure out what code they can use.

If BBCode is always off, for example — and I, the user, can’t control that — what’s the point in including the ‘<u>BBCode</u>: off’ note at the bottom? It looks like something that is user-controlled. And why link to a page that tells you how to use BBCode if you can never use BBCode?

It’s great to know that wrapped @ symbols allow code to show up, but there is nothing I could find anywhere that tells the user that. If that’s a textile code, the page linked to by the ‘<u>Textile</u>: on’ note doesn’t tell you that.

If they never change, I think that “off” “on” notes should be removed, and they should be replaced with a link that says something like “What tags can I use?” and links to a page explaining that Textile and HTML tags are allowed while BBCode isn’t; it could also offer some common tips such as the ways to allow code to be written and how to escape textile.

As I said, I’d be happy to work on that if the administrators would like some help.

zem · 2005-12-22 00:10:41

But I still think it would be a good idea to offer newbies a better way to figure out what code they can use.

It’s in the FAQ.

Mary · 2005-12-22 05:55:17

That’s because it’s shipped with PunBB that way, and no one has removed those links. There is the “off”/“on” because it is foremost an admin setting, as well as an admin setting for allowing users to override it. So having off/on is helpful, because forum markup that’s allowed can be different from forum to forum, so at least you’re given a clue.

BBCode is enabled for the signatures (because I begged for it on more than one occasion), but not anywhere else. Everywhere else uses Textile (but a newer testing version than the one shipped with Textpattern). Which is why there is Textile: on, with a link to see how to use it.

Honestly: I think this isn’t so good an idea, using Textile on the forum that is. Mind you, I also don’t like PunBB very much, but the powers-that-be apparently do, or at least did when the forum software choice was made.

I have recently been given access to the files and the forum admin, but not the database(s). Even if I did, you understand I wouldn’t change it without an ok from above. I can ask Dean about it, but he may be too busy to reply right away/at all.

marknumberm · 2005-12-22 07:27:41

Thanks, Mary. You raise some good points.

And now that I’ve had a chance to try out a few posts, the forum is really not that hard to use. I still think, however, that at some point down the line it would be a good idea to simply offer a link directly under the forum text-field to a page something like the FAQ page that Zem mentioned. There’s something to be said for putting things where people can find them when they’re needed.

But, all things considered, no big deal. Textpattern, the textpattern community, and this forum, are all awesome.

hcgtv · 2006-02-24 14:16:49

Though I’m getting used to Textile, I’m more familiar with BBCode across the many forums I frequent.

Is there a technical reason we can’t have both Textile and BBCode turned on?

neutrino · 2006-02-24 16:14:39

> mary wrote:

Mind you, I also don’t like PunBB very much

What would you use, Mary? BTW, good to see you back. :o)

maniqui · 2006-02-24 16:27:36

Isnt BBCode more “difficult” to use? (ok, it depends of each person)

I mean, if you want something bold in BBCode, you must use [B][/B]… to make a link you need [URL][/URL]…

But in Textile is (at least for me) far more easy: <notextile>**bold**</notextile> or <notextile>*strong*</notextile> or a <notextile>Textpattern;

Or do you have any extension to add BBCode quickly?
There is a Contextile extension for Firefox to quickly use Textile.

OK, the point of the thread is to have both options.
Maybe a per-user option. But the problem here is, for example, if you quote someone that has used BBCode and you post using Textile…

Jeremie · 2006-02-24 16:43:56

mary wrote:
Honestly: I think this isn’t so good an idea, using Textile on the forum that is.

You are not much a fan of Textile anyway.

Mind you, I also don’t like PunBB very much, but the powers-that-be apparently do, or at least did when the forum software choice was made.

Do you know another good lightweighted standard compliant open source non ruby forum ?

maniqui wrote:
Isnt BBCode more “difficult” to use? (ok, it depends of each person)

Yes it is.

Or do you have any extension to add BBCode quickly?

There is, but even with training it’s still like 4 or 5 times slower than textile.

Maybe a per-user option. But the problem here is, for example, if you quote someone that has used BBCode and you post using Textile…

We could have both, I believe the PunBB version at Textdrive does this.

Mary · 2006-02-24 16:45:40

> “Isnt BBCode more ‘difficult’ to use? (ok, it depends of each person)”

BBCode is more familiar to you (and hence, easier) if you’ve ever used any other forum, that’s all. Posting code is my main concern, it’s a little tricky to do with Textile.

It’d be helpful for newbs if we had a little Textile help that was local (like in Textpattern’s write tab), rather than just a link to Textism.

> “Is there a technical reason we can’t have both Textile and BBCode turned on?”

Well, you could conceivably have posts parse for both, but it’d mean an either/or kind of thing (i.e: when you post, pick just one format to use for that post, otherwise you could have unexpected results). Making it a user-toggled action is possible, but would require a little more work (but isn’t impossible), and again with unexpected results.

> “What would you use, Mary? BTW, good to see you back.”

Thanks. :)

PunBB isn’t “bad” per se, it just doesn’t have some built-in features I always like the use of (customizable date format as just one example). I didn’t have any particular software in mind. I know there are actually quite a few choices available as to forum software now, but switching isn’t likely to happen any time soon (or maybe not at all), simply because it’s what we’re all used to and migrating can be difficult.

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#1 2005-12-21 09:31:18

How do I use this forum?

#2 2005-12-21 13:13:35

Re: How do I use this forum?

#3 2005-12-21 13:23:27

Re: How do I use this forum?

#4 2005-12-21 16:46:54

Re: How do I use this forum?

#5 2005-12-22 00:10:41

Re: How do I use this forum?

#6 2005-12-22 05:55:17

Re: How do I use this forum?

#7 2005-12-22 07:27:41

Re: How do I use this forum?

#8 2006-02-24 14:16:49

Re: How do I use this forum?

#9 2006-02-24 16:14:39

Re: How do I use this forum?

#10 2006-02-24 16:27:36

Re: How do I use this forum?

#11 2006-02-24 16:43:56

Re: How do I use this forum?

#12 2006-02-24 16:45:40

Re: How do I use this forum?

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