How To's For The Beginner

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Kasakato

SatCan
Sep 24, 2004
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After seeing many, many "whats, hows, and huhs" about avaters, signature, amd members, I thought Id write a little How-To on them. This will explain everything step-by-step so that for even people who just started using online message boards can use these great features. Enougt talk lets get started!

Avatar
These things are little images displayed under your user name. They can be anything you like as long they are rated "PG" and follow the AC rules you have *read* at the time you signed up.

**You must have at lest 50 posts before you can do this**Please dont make pointless posts just to get this option**

Your avater must be 150x150 pixles at most. They also must not be anymore than 19.5kb (which ever is smaller). Just for you to get an idea a 150x150 box looks like:


Step-By-Step:


1) Find a picture you want to use


2) Resize it using a graphics program. Do a google search, because thats another how-to itself.


3) Its time to upload it on to the AC site. Place the image somewhere you can get to. I suggest your desktop


sublime1184 Adds:

Saving an image.
If you find an image online that you wish to have as an avatar, use your right-mouse button to click on the image and choose "Save Image As" (FireFox's Option) or "Save Picture As" (Internet Explorer's Option). Then save the image to the location that you want on your computer. Once saved, that is what Kasakato is meaning by placing the image.


4) Click to "User CP" at the top any AC page.


5) On the left hand side, click "Edit Avatar"


6) Slect "Custom Avatar, and then click "Browse"


7) Go to where you saved your avatar. It should be on you desktop, like I said in step 3. Then click "Open"


8) Click "Save Changes"


9) Enjoy your avatar! :)

From Dale W.: Thanks for adding this in, we do apreciate it. I would like to add that we ask you to not use animated avatars as they are very distracting when reading posts.
 
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Kasakato

SatCan
Sep 24, 2004
4,535
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Toronto, Canada
How To Make A Thread
This is something really basic for everyone. If you have a question about your tank you need to make a new thread. Please dont post it in others thread because they are getting their own help there. Also dont go to the chat room for help. It is really hard to help others due to the design of the chat room. That place is more for off topic talks.

Step-By-Setp

1) Go to the trend about what kind of help you need. A little decription is listed under each forums name.


2) Once you have clicked on the section you want to post in, click "New Thread"


3) Name your thread. This is done by placing the title in the title bar at the top


3) Type in the info you want to post. This should include the problem, Tank size, Other fish, Test results, and anything else that you think is important.


4) Edit and change anything you dont like. Then click "Submit New Thread" to post your brand new thread.


5) Wait for a responce. It may take a few minutes or a few days. It depends on what kind of question you have, and what members are online. If its beem a while and no one has repsonded you may say "bump" in your thread. This will bring it back up to the top of this list for all to see. One thing we do ask is that you dont do this a few minutes or hours after you have posted. Doing so may give you a smaller change of getting a reply because people dont like it, and sometimes will not post a reply. Also dont post your question in more than one section. (Ex. If you post "Plants" in the planted tank section, dont also post it in the Gereral Fresh Water Section) This will also reduce your change of getting a reply.

sublime1184 Adds:
Keep in mind that Threads go by so fast, especially in General FreshWater, where it seems that most members are viewing GFW at any given time. So if your thread is posted and you have not checked on it for an hour, it might have gone back a few pages. It is a simple matter of "bumping" your thread in order for it to be the most recent again. "Bumping" a thread is as simple as posting a reply with the word "Bump" in the message box. The most common reason that it might not have been responded to is that people may not have known the answer to your question. In my opinion, it is better to receive no advice than to get bad advice. If you wanted a tank mate for your Black Piranha and I suggested that you put a 10” Tiger Oscar and a 10 “Jack Demsey with your beloved 14” Black Piranha in a 10 gallon, and you went and did that, you would have some crowded, fighting fish very soon. It is not good advice at all! So please wait for the appropriate poster to help you.

Editing
Ok great. You have created a thread but have noticed a spell or info typo. No porblem! Just click "Edit" in anyone of you posts and do everything like you did starting in step 4.


Replying
Whoo! Someones posted in your trend and you have to respond. How? Read on. What you want to do is click on the small reply button in anyones post. Just click on it and go the the little box on the bottom. Put your message in there and click "Post Quick Reply"

If you click "Go Advanced" you will be broght to the reply window with more stuff. This is the same one you used when you were posting a new thread. Which ever one you use is up to you.


Enjoy Posting Here :)
 
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mishi8

Go fly a kite!
Jan 13, 2005
768
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Alberta
I'm all in favour of having some guidelines for newbies (and oldies as needed!) :D May I suggest checking out other websites for posting ettiquette & guidelines?...It would save on a lot of the groundwork, and info could simply be tailored for AC website & forum needs.

mishi8
 
Mar 24, 2005
153
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Canada
I'm curious about how to upload pictures to our member pages? Or do we have to place them elsewhere and then link them?
 

Kasakato

SatCan
Sep 24, 2004
4,535
1
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31
Toronto, Canada
Posting Pics Directly On A Page
Have you noticed people placing pictures directly on the page? Would you like to do this and stop attaching them? Well here is a step by step how to on how to do so:

Step-By-Step

1) First find the picture that you want to post. Save this is your desktop to make things eaiser. The picture I am going to use is my avatar.


2) Now you are going to have to upload you picture to the web. This means that you are going to copy the image from your computer, to a bigger computer some where else in the world. A list of site that will do this can be found here:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36256&highlight=Hosting+Images

3) I myself really like Imageshack. Its a free site, and you dont need to sign up. Just upload, and post.

4) Once you arrive at Imageshack, you will get something like this:


5) Now click on "Browse". A new window will pop up.


6) In this window you will have to find the picture on your computer. Click on the picture you want, then press "open.


7) Click "host it" and wait. Make sure your picture is under the 1024kb limit!


8) On the next screen you will see your picture and a bunch of URLs. Take the one that says "Direct link to image". Copy this link.


9) Push the mountain icon on the top of a reply page. Something like will show up. Past the link here. Then push the mountain and [/URL] should show up. The whole thing should look like:
[IMG]THE URL OF THE IMAGE


Enjoy posting pictures! :)
 
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sammarlowe

there's always a bigger fish
Apr 5, 2006
2
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www.gosafa.com
okay - how about the chat rooms? (yes, i'm a newbie) - when i click on the chat room link it goes to a blank page - is there a FAQ/troubleshooter just for chat?
 

slipknottin

the original legend
Jan 13, 2002
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Real Name
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sammarlowe said:
okay - how about the chat rooms? (yes, i'm a newbie) - when i click on the chat room link it goes to a blank page - is there a FAQ/troubleshooter just for chat?

maybe there is just nobody in the room talking?
 
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