# Features of the new bbs



## admin

There are lots of features to this new bbs software that we have not had available on the old bbs, among them:
*Sticky notes* - A moderator can configure a topic as "sticky", which will keep it at the top of the topic list in a forum, even when there are other topics/threads with newer posts.  In the forum's topic list, the topic title will begin with "Sticky:".

"*UBB code*" on the old bbs is replaced by "*vB Code*" here.  The message editor makes it very easy to insert vB Code into  your messages without having to remember the code syntax.  The syntax itself is very similar to what you are used to on the old board.

You can now *preview* what your message will look like before actually posting it, via a *Preview Post* button below the message entry window.  If you need to make any changes just scroll down to a reproduced message entry window where you can edit your text.  This is especially helpful in checking whether your vB Code was entered correctly.  Further, you can go back into your message and edit it within 2 minutes after posting to correct typos, etc, without getting an "edited by" line tacked onto the post.

In the topic list any thread which has *new posts* since your last visit will have a downward-pointing arrow icon 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 in the subject line.  Click on this icon to take you directly to the first new post in the thread.  If you want to go to the beginning of the thread, click on the thread title text instead.  Once in the thread, there is another link to take you to the first new post above the first displayed message.

*Email notification* of new posts can be set for any thread you wish to follow.  For this to work, you must have a valid email address in your bbs profile.  Please use this sparingly.  If it creates too much of a load on our server, we may have to turn this feature off.

You can send *private messages* to any registered user of the board (unless they choose to opt out of receiving private messages).  These do not get posted in a thread but go directly into the addressee's private mailbox. Just click on the poster's name in any of their messages, then select "Send a Private Message from the popup menu.

There are lots of other little features scattered around.  Feel free to  post messages and play around with them.


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## admin

*Marker for threads to which you've posted*

Another feature just noticed.  On any forum index page with list of threads, the little envelope icon at the left will have an arrow on it if it is a thread you have posted to, like this: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.


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## admin

*New Post List*

This is one people have been clamoring for for a long time.

Note the blue navbar near the top of the page. Near the middle of this bar is a "New Posts" link.  By clicking on this link, you will have the board do a search for all new posts entered since your last login in all forums.


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## Courts

*Find Posts*

My favorite feature is finding posts by a certain member. For some reason I can remember who posted a good subject, but not the title or forum.
Jack


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## taffy19

*Buddy List*

Where is the buddy list?  I have been putting TUGgers, who I know, in my buddy list but cannot find the list.


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## ouaifer

iconnections said:
			
		

> Where is the buddy list?  I have been putting TUGgers, who I know, in my buddy list but cannot find the list.




 Go to the _User CP_  at the top on the blue banner; scroll down to _Miscellaneous_ , and voila!  Once established, it can be accessed via _Quick Links._ 

The best thing to do, is to _*explore* _ the _new_  board in its entirety!  That way you can familiarize yourself with all the new features.  Enjoy.


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## Makai Guy

ouaifer said:
			
		

> The best thing to do, is to _*explore* _ the _new_  board in its entirety!  That way you can familiarize yourself with all the new features.  Enjoy.



Excellent advice.  Heck, I'm STILL discovering things, and I've been working with this for months ...


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## pedro47

The new BBS board is like a new toy with so many new features.


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## carpediem

Just an observation after viewing several posts - 

It seems it takes quite a bit more "white space" to go through all of the posts.  The reply to a thread may be short but the user information on the side of each post causes more space than is needed to be used.  Perhaps a smaller font on the left hand where the user information resides can be used to condense the actual thread length.  This will help when trying to print a thread and will allow users to view more information on their screen.

Overall, the change is positive


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## MULTIZ321

*Can I turn off the View Post Feature while scrolling?*

Can I turn off the the View feature which displays posted messages in a yellow box while I scroll throught a message board without clicking on the message hyperlink? 

I find this automatic view feature too distracting.

Thanks
Richard


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## T_R_Oglodyte

*Go directly to last post in a thread.*

I'd been looking for this feature and just found it.

When you're viewing a list of threads, it shows who the user was who made the last post.  Just to the right of their bame look for this icon: 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




. If you click  on this icon, you go directly to the last post in the thread?

*Why is this so neat??*

When you get to the BBS, click on the "New Posts" link.  That calls up all of the threads with posts since your last visit.  Then you can scan through all of the new threads and threads with new posts and look for threads you want to visit.  (And as someone else pointed out, if you hover your cursor over the link, you will see the first line of so of the first post in the thread.)  Then, when you see a thread that you want to visit that you've previously viewed, just click on that "last post" image.  That way you bypass all of the posts you read previously.  

If there have been several posts since your last visit, you will have to scroll up to catch them, but it's a lot faster than trying to navigate to the end.

[Edit by Makai Guy:  If you want to see all new posts instead of just the last one, a better method is to click on the 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




 icon to the left of the topic name.  It will take you directly to the FIRST unread message.]

Love it!!


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## Cotswolder

Great comment.

Saves a lot of time scrooling through long threads


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## Cheapseater

*R.i.p. Old New Tug Board*

Rest In Peace old new Tug Board. Born  December 2000 Died June 2005.


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## MULTIZ321

*Tug Features - Plus Reply*

On the old BBS there was a Section called "Tug Features". If one posted a comment/query on that board, there was a usually a quick reply.

I assume this TBBS section replaces the "Tug Features" - is this accurate?

Also, I'm curious why I haven't received a reply to me query earlier in this post string - is it because it's in the wrong location?  If so, I don't want to double post.

Thanks 
Richard


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## JimJ

MULTIZ321 said:
			
		

> Can I turn off the the View feature which displays posted messages in a yellow box while I scroll throught a message board without clicking on the message hyperlink?
> 
> I find this automatic view feature too distracting.
> 
> Thanks
> Richard



I found that if I place my cursor to the far left of the screen and then do the scrolling from there that the distracting message box doesn't pop up.


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## TTom

Richard:

You are right that this forum replaces the old "TUG Features" one, although it has been split into the BBS and TUG (in general).

As far as not getting a response to your initial query in this thread, the initiation of this BBS has had Doug jumping around all over the place trying to keep up with the barrage of questions which have been posted (some several times) in the past few days.  I'm sure the oversight is not intentional.  If you give it a few days to quiet down, I'm sure an answer to your question will be available (although you may have to post it again).

Just to put it into perspective, here are the current stats from the home page:

Threads: 787, Posts: 4,522, Registered Users: 2,035

That's after less than a WEEK!

In another thread, it was noted that TSTIPs took over six months to get 1000 users, and there are other sites where it has taken over a year!

Since this is a major upgrade for TUG, there are TONS of questions.  Everyone seems to want someone to tell them how to do something, and there are a WEALTH of features in the new software.  Some people have been using it for quite a while and are still learning new things.  The best suggestion I have heard so far is to play around with it and see what it can do.

Hope I'm not sounding TOO hard on you (or anyone else)!

Tom


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## bigfrank

TTom said:
			
		

> Richard:
> Threads: 787, Posts: 4,522, Registered Users: 2,035
> 
> That's after less than a WEEK!
> 
> In another thread, it was noted that TSTIPs took over six months to get 1000 users, and there are other sites where it has taken over a year!
> 
> Tom



Tom yes that was me that posted that. Keep in mind that there are right now over 2,000 members but there were and I could be wrong 30,000 members at one time.


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## MULTIZ321

*No Offense Taken*

Tom,

Thanks for your answers.

No offense taken. Congratulations to all the moderators and everyone behind the scenes to make the transition happen!  It will take me awhile to learn all the new features and the new enhancements are impressive. 

Richard


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