NetForum Documentation


Using Forums

Forums can be accessed by any browser that supports forms.

Topics:


Browsing

Forums are organized into topics, messages, and replies. When entering a forum, you are shown a list of topics. When you click on a topic, you are shown the most recent messages, newest at the top. There are two possible views: compressed mode where a single line consisting of the subject, author and date posted is presented for each message. To view more information about a message click on the subject. You can also expand all the messages by clicking on the expand button:

Expand Mode

The expanded view shows all of a messages fields, including poster name, subject, email address, and any possible web sites. To compress all of the messages click the compress button:

Compress Mode

In each view older messages can be seen by clicking on the link at the bottom of each page referring to older messages.

You can return to the topic listing for a particular forum by clicking on the list topics button:

List Topics

To view replies to a message, you may either click on list all replies, which displays all replies to a particular message within a window, or click on the individual reply title to view it alone.

When viewing single replies you can navigate from one reply to the next with the links above and below the reply. To view all of the replies at one time use the following button:

All Replies

The first will will take you to the previous reply to the message you were viewing, the last will take you to the next reply. The middle button will list all replies just like the list all replies command from the message list. Clicking on the return to message list button:

Back to message list

will take you back to the message list you were originally viewing.


Creating new topics

Posting a new topic to a forum can be done by clicking on the add topic button:

You will be presented a form for adding the topic, you will be required to enter your name and give a name to your topic.

Once you actually post the topic, you will be automatically taken to the list of topics for that forum.


Posting messages to a topic

You may post a new message to a topic by clicking on the add message button:

You will be presented a form for adding the message. You must include information in each of the required fields, this includes the message subject and your name. You also must provide a message in the large text area.

Once you actually post the message, you will be automatically taken to the list of messages for that topic. Your message will appear at the top of the page.


Posting replies to a message

Each message displayed will have a reply to this message button:

Reply to this message

Clicking on it will give a form similar to the add message form.

Once you actually post the reply, you will be automatically taken to a page that displays the original message, along with your reply listed.


Forum Description

If a forum has a description, you may view it by clicking on the About this forum toolbar item:

About this forum

This will display the forum description, its guidelines and group information. A forum's description will also be shown when viewing the list of topics for the forum.


Forum Owners and Contacts

Each forum has an owner and a contact; both are listed at the top of the page listing the topics. All contacts have email addresses listed; clicking on them will allow you to send them email directly.