Steve Posted April 13, 2005 Posted April 13, 2005 Hi all - As a result of some well justified pestering, I thought it might be a good idea to clarify the way the forum topic replies are laid out. A lot of confusion has arisen over the 'reply' buttons and how they should be used. This has meant that many posts now have the previous post included as a quote - frequently unintentionally. Here's a brief description of the difference between the two buttons you can find when making your replies. The Big Reply button at the end of a topic screen (or in fact at the beginning just for ease of locating it) - this is a brand new fresh empty box to type your words into .. this should be the "normal" mode if you are replying to the last post in the Topic or your response is clearly targetted to a previous post (especially if that post is still visible on the same screen as your Reply) The small Reply button after every post - this extracts the previous poster's words and adds them into a new box, such that you can respond to specific lines and statements. Please edit out the data not needed before adding the reply (NB: I've now turned off the ability to multi-embed quotes as this was making some posts very confusing, so if you are quoting a post that was also quoting yet another post, the previously quoted text is in fact removed ... again, you should be responding to the previous posters comments in your reply ..) It's probably worth pointing out that there is a point to this direct reply button, which is that if you're late into a conversation and want to reply to someone who posted a comment several posts earlier, you can do so by quoting that person directly. In this case, leave the post in and there will also be a link back to the place the post was originally made. The Quote button - it's probably also worth explaining that this button allows you to quote from several previous conversations - you'll see that when you click it in a number of previous posts it changes colour. These posts will all then be quoted when it comes to selecting the 'reply' button, and you can edit them as you wish. The button pulls in multiple postings into your Reply box, such that you can talk to several previous posts in one Reply .. and again, please edit out data not needed before making your own reply. I realise that I run the risk of confusing people with the above 'clarification'! Many of these features are relatively advanced and won't be required in normal use - but they can be very useful on occasions. As a rule of thumb, if you find you've clicked the wrong button and added the previous post as a quote unintentionally, just remember to delete that quote before adding your own reply! Quote
Guest Posted April 13, 2005 Posted April 13, 2005 Hi Steve, Yep, that is crystal now, Hope you had a gr8 holiday, and are raring to go again!!!! THANX, kizzy xx Quote
Steve Posted April 13, 2005 Author Posted April 13, 2005 thanks Kizzy, it was splendid. Glad my explanation made some sense at least... Quote
Guest Posted April 13, 2005 Posted April 13, 2005 Steve, Are you suggesting that some of us ( I own up) tend to highjack posts, go off track and totally lose the plot, therefore requiring someone to "reply" to specific comments, thus getting us back on track again. A useful tool, me thinks. Good explanation, I wouldn't have liked to try it I worked out the "reply" buttons, and learnt about the "quote" buttons, watch out everyone, multi quoting as well as multi attachments Peggy Quote
Rea Posted April 13, 2005 Posted April 13, 2005 Very clear explanation but I've only ever used the big reply button. The world could come to an end if I press things I dont know anything about. Quote
Guest Posted April 13, 2005 Posted April 13, 2005 and I hadn't even noticed the little reply buttons !!!!! Quote
mundia Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 Steve, now I know where Ive seen the fast reply buttons. Its very easy to use, why is it only there? Quote
Guest Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 Steve What is the difference between a "fast reply" and a "reply" and why does the former only appear occasionally? Thanks Linda Quote
Steve Posted April 14, 2005 Author Posted April 14, 2005 Hi Linda - I know you've asked me that question elsewhere before, and I didn't answer because I'm still trying to work out why it only sometimes appears! As to the difference, it can be quite handy if you want to make a very brief response with no formatting or smilies, to just type in the text at the bottom of the screen, and that's what fast reply enables - it's just a time saver for all you busy conversationalists who have starting overtaking me recently... BTW - if anyone comes across a fast reply example, can you point me to it please? I'm struggling to find one to play with at the moment! Quote
Beau Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 Topic C10 in the NVQ section posted by Cathy has a fast reply option. Quote
hali Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 steve ..you didnt add you can also use the BIG reply button at the bottom either...is that allowed!!!!!!!! Quote
hali Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 ooh steve theres a fast reply button on assesment in nurseries by Jenb too...... Quote
mundia Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 yes Hali, that's where I saw it this morning. . It is certainly easier for me to use. Quote
Guest Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 I think I'll need to re-read your post several times, Steve before it makes sense to me. Too many late nights with not enough brain power to compute at the moment! I'm not advanced enough to contemplate quoting, multi quoting and embedding. Just so long as the box is big enough to contain everything I want to say, that's fine by me. Perhaps I need to spend a little time looking at all the features and begin to use them properly. All I have to do is wait for some time when I don't have an opinion on anything, and have nothing to say. Can I post post-mortem? Maz (motto in life: never use ten words when 25 would easily do, and 100 is probably safer) Quote
Beau Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 steve ..you didnt add you can also use the BIG reply button at the bottom either...is that allowed!!!!!!!! 29356[/snapback] Hali, I think you'll find that he did mention the Big reply button at the bottom......... The Big Reply button at the end of a topic screen (or in fact at the beginning just for ease of locating it) - this is a brand new fresh empty box to type your words into .. this should be the "normal" mode if you are replying to the last post in the Topic or your response is clearly targetted to a previous post (especially if that post is still visible on the same screen as your Reply) 29314[/snapback] Very clear explanation but I've only ever used the big reply button. The world could come to an end if I press things I dont know anything about. :rolleyes: 29330[/snapback] Rea, please don't attempt to press unknown buttons!! I'm not advanced enough to contemplate quoting, multi quoting and embedding. Just so long as the box is big enough to contain everything I want to say, that's fine by me. 29378[/snapback] Maz, One day you'll be as advanced as me. :wacko: Quote
Guest Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 Hali, I think you'll find that he did mention the Big reply button at the bottom.........Rea, please don't attempt to press unknown buttons!! Maz, One day you'll be as advanced as me. 29386[/snapback] Oooh, something to aspire to indeed!! Maz Quote
Steve Posted April 14, 2005 Author Posted April 14, 2005 Topic C10 in the NVQ section posted by Cathy has a fast reply option. 29354[/snapback] Thanks Carol - that's useful! Quote
Rea Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 I sometimes feel people are deliberatly out to confuse me Quote
Steve Posted April 14, 2005 Author Posted April 14, 2005 Hi chaps! Always like to finish on a high note, and I've put the fast reply feature in properly. You should now see a 'Fast Reply' button at the bottom of topic pages. Click that and the fast reply box (into which I'm typing this post!) will open. If you want the box to show at the bottom of every page permanently, all you have to do is go to My Controls/Board Settings, and click the 'Open Fast Reply automatically when available?' option. You'll then have permanent access to it. For those who want to know what the problem was, it was Rea. She clicked a button she wasn't qualified to click... Quote
Guest Posted April 14, 2005 Posted April 14, 2005 For those who want to know what the problem was, it was Rea. She clicked a button she wasn't qualified to click... 29415[/snapback] Well there's nothing like labelling and stereotyping a person! I'll bet she's really got a degree in computer science and is just humouring you all!! Maz Quote
Rea Posted April 15, 2005 Posted April 15, 2005 I've got news for you Mr Steve, I've just used the quote button and the earths still spinning. (need a smiley with it's tongue sticking out) Quote
Guest Posted April 15, 2005 Posted April 15, 2005 I've got news for you Mr Steve, I've just used the quote button and the earths still spinning. (need a smiley with it's tongue sticking out) 29438[/snapback] Go for it Rea! Maz Quote
Guest Posted April 19, 2005 Posted April 19, 2005 Ok so you got me going now - am posting this in fast reply to see what happens - what changes - not too good at reading through lots of text. Nikki Quote
Sue R Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 How did i manage to miss this little gem!!!!!!!! I've laughed so much I need to go get changed now. Trust that Carol !(Beau) - I can be as rude as I like about her, 'cos she's in France ha ha But she will be returning - Sue Quote
Guest Posted July 22, 2005 Posted July 22, 2005 Quick, hide 35375[/snapback] Was that for stirring or beating? Maz Quote
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