FAQ - 2.8.1 Settings & Options

[bkochmc]

2.8.1 Settings & Options


Figure 1

The Settings & Options section of the User CP (Figure 1, #2) allows you to edit many options from your profile to the look and feel of the forums.

2.8.1.1 Edit Signature


Figure 2

You may notice that many of the BuckeyePlanet users have a picture, quote, or message at the end of every post they publish. This is their signature. The signature can be changed at any time. Any changes made will reflect to all of your posts, both past and future. BuckeyePlanet does not archive signatures.

New users start out with a blank signature. To create a signature, go to the User CP then in the Settings & Options section click Edit Signature (Figure 1, #3). Figure 2 (below) will appear. The signature is entered into the Edit Signature section (Figure 2, #2) then can either be saved by pressing the Save Signature button (Figure 2, #4) or can be previewed by pressing the Preview Signature button (Figure 2, #1 will appear and preview your signature). The signature text area (Figure 2, #2) has the same rules as posting a message in the forums (see section 4.1.1.2).


2.8.1.2 Edit Email & Password


Figure 3

This section allows you to change your email address and/or password. To do this click the Edit Email & Password link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #4). In order to change either your email or password you must first enter your current password for security purposes (Figure 3, #1). Once you enter your current password you can then change your password (Figure 3, #2) and/or email address (Figure 3, #3). Once all changes are made click the Save Changes button (Figure 3, #4) to commit the changes.


2.8.1.3 Edit Arcade Options


Figure 4

This section allows you to change your settings for the Arcade. To do this click the Edit Arcade Options link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #5).

2.8.1.3.1 Challenge Options

Challenges are contests between two players, initiated from one user to another. Allowing challenges means that other players can send you invitations to participate in these events.

2.8.1.3.1.1 Allow Challenges

If you wish to take part in challenges have this option (Figure 4, #1) checkmarked.


2.8.1.3.1.2 Auto Accept Challenges

If you wish to accept challenges from other BuckeyePlanet members have this option (Figure 4, #2) checkmarked.

2.8.1.3.2 Notification Options

If you wish to be automatically notified about changes or challenges in the Arcade section of BuckeyePlanet there are a few options to do so.

2.8.1.3.2.1 Notification Methods

There are two options on how you can be notified (Figure 4, #3): By your email on file or by private message. These selections are not mutually exclusive (you can have both notifications if you so choose).


2.8.1.3.2.2 Notification Events

There are a number of events that you can be notified about (Figure 4, #4):

• If you have a high score for a game and someone else beats that score
• If someone has challenged you
• If your challenge to someone has been accepted
• If your challenge to someone has been declined
• Final scores from a completed challenge

You can select as few or as many of these options as you want.

2.8.1.4 Edit Profile

Figure 5

The profile section allows you to tell other BuckeyePlanet users a little bit about yourself in a standardized format. This section is accessed by clicking the Edit Profile link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #6).

2.8.1.4.1 Registration Required Information

When you registered on BuckeyePlanet the only information that is required is your email, a screenname, and a password. Pressing the Edit Email & Password button in this section (Figure 5, #1) will allow you to change these items. See section 2.8.1.2 Edit Email & Password for more information.


2.8.1.4.2 Optional Information

This section allows you to tell the other BuckeyePlanet registered users a little bit about yourself. All the information in this section is visible by all forum members.

2.8.1.4.2.1 Custom User Title
(Figure 5, #2) This is the title that appears beneath your name on your posts. Check the 'Reset' box if you wish to use the default title for your usergroup and post count.


2.8.1.4.2.2 Date of Birth

(Figure 5, #3) Your date of birth and age are displayed in several places on the forum. Only the administrator will have access to your date of birth should you choose to hide it via the privacy option below.


2.8.1.4.2.3 Home Page URL
(Figure 5, #4) If you would like to let other forum members know the URL of your own web site, enter in this section.


2.8.1.4.2.4 Instant Messaging

(Figure 5, #5) You may enter your registered identity for the instant messaging networks if you would like other visitors to be able to contact you using that medium. The instant messaging networks available in this feature are:

• AIM (America Online's messaging service, screen name)
• ICQ (ICQ number)
• MSN (Microsoft Network's messaging service, screen name)
• Yahoo! (screen name)
• Skype (screen name)

2.8.1.4.3 Additional Information

This section, like the Optional Information section, allows you to tell the other BuckeyePlanet registered users a little bit about yourself. This information is more personal than the Optional Information section. All the information in this section is visible by all forum members and is optional.

2.8.1.4.3.1 Biography

(Figure 5, #6) This section allows you to tell a little bit about yourself.


2.8.1.4.3.2 Location

(Figure 5, #7) This section allows you to enter where you live.


2.8.1.4.3.3 Interests

(Figure 5, #8) This section allows you to list any interests, hobbies, ect. that you want other forum members to know about.


2.8.1.4.3.4 Occupation

(Figure 5, #9) This section allows you to share your career/job.


2.8.1.4.3.5 Favorite Program

(Figure 5, #10) This section allows you to enter your favorite progam. This field is especially helpful if you are a fan from a team other than Ohio State.

2.8.1.5 Edit Options


Figure 6

The Edit Options section allows you to change the look and feel of BuckeyePlanet forums, private messages, privacy concerns, date & time options, and other features to best suit your forum habits. This section is accessed by clicking the Edit Options link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #7).

2.8.1.5.1 Login & Privacy

The Login & Privacy section is a set of options regarding your online status on BuckeyePlanet.

2.8.1.5.1.1 Use Invisible Mode

(Figure 6, #1) Invisible mode allows you to browse the forums without appearing in the 'Currently Active Users' lists. If you would like to be invisible check this option.


2.8.1.5.1.2 My Donor Status

(Figure 6, #2) If checked and you have donated money to BuckeyePlanet you will have a little symbol on your posts that designate you have donated to BuckeyePlanet. If you do not want others to know this uncheck this box.


2.8.1.5.1.3 Show My Reputation Level
(Figure 6, #3) Your current reputation level is displayed to other users whenever you post a message. If you would like to hide your reputation, disable this option.


2.8.1.5.1.4 Allow vCard Download

(Figure 6, #4) Your vCard is like a digital business card that contains your username and email address. You may choose to allow other users to download your vCard by checking this option.

2.8.1.5.2 Messaging & Notification

This section allows you to choose which types of messaging and notifications you would like to receive, if any.

2.8.1.5.2.1 Receive Email

(Figure 6, #5) There are two options in this section:

1) From time to time, the administrators may want to send you email notices in regards to events on BuckeyePlanet. If you would like to receive these notices check the opton Receive Email from Administrators.

2) If you want other BuckeyePlanet members to be able to email you check the option Receive Email from Other Members.


2.8.1.5.2.2 Default Thread Subscription Mode
(Figure 6, #6) When you post a new thread, or reply to a topic, you can choose to automatically add that thread to your list of subscribed threads, with the option to receive email notification of new replies to that thread. The following are the options that you can choose from the dropdown in this list:

• Do not subscribe (default)
• No email notification
• Instant email notification
• Daily email notification
• Weekly email notification

2.8.1.5.2.3 Private Messaging

(Figure 6, #7) There are three options in this section regarding the usage of Private Messages:

1) You may or may not want to send or receive private messages. If you would like to use Private Messages check the Enable Private Messages option. If you do not want to use this system uncheck this option.

2) The forum can send a message to your email address to inform you when someone sends you a private message. If you would like to receive this email check the Receive Email Notification of New Private Messages option.

3) If you are browsing the forums when you receive a new private message, the system can pop-up a notification box informing you of the new message. If you would like to receive this notification check the Show New Private Message Notification Pop-up option.

2.8.1.5.3 Thread Display Options

This section allows you to change how the forums look and act.

2.8.1.5.3.1 Visible Post Elements

(Figure 6, #8) You have the option to show or hide various elements of messages, which may be of use to users on slow internet connections, or who want to remove extraneous clutter from posts. These options are:

• Show Signatures
• Show Avatars (picture by the username)
• Show Images (including attached images and images in [IMG] code)

2.8.1.5.3.2 Thread Display Mode

(Figure 6, #9) When viewing a thread, you will be able to view the thread from a choice of four modes:

1. Linear Mode (Oldest First) - In this mode, posts are displayed chronologically from oldest to newest. Posts are shown in a flat mode so that many posts can be viewed simultaneously.
2. Linear Mode (Newest First) - This is the same as the above mode, except that posts are ordered in an opposite way (newest first).
3. Threaded Mode - In this mode, a tree is shown along with every post. This tree allows you to see the relationship each post has to others, in terms of who responded to whom. Only one post is shown at a time.
4. Hybrid Mode - This mode is a mixture of the linear and threaded modes. The post tree is displayed like in the threaded mode, but multiple posts are displayed simultaneously like in the linear modes.

2.8.1.5.3.3 Number of Posts to Show Per Page

(Figure 6, #10) Use this option to set the number of posts to show in a thread before splitting the display into multiple pages. The forum default is 15 posts per page. You also have the option of displaying 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50 posts per page.


2.8.1.5.3.4 Default Thread Age Cut Off

(Figure 6, #11) You may specify a time period from which to display threads. Threads older than the age you specify will not be shown. The forum default is to show all threads. You also have the option of showing threads from the last day, two days, week, 10 days, 2 weeks, month, 45 days, 2 months, 75 days, 100 days, or the last year.


2.8.1.5.3.5 Thread Display (Top/Left)

(Figure 6, #12) You can decide whether you would rather have the poster info and avatars above the post (default), or to the left of it, as it was in the previous version of BuckeyePlanet's software.

2.8.1.5.4 Date & Time Options

This section allows you to change date and time options.

2.8.1.5.4.1 Time Zone

(Figure 6, #13) All timestamps displayed on the forums can be automatically corrected to show the correct time for your location in the world. Simply select the appropriate time zone from the dropdown list. Columbus, the heart of the college fooball world, is located in the GMT -5:00 Eastern Time zone.


2.8.1.5.4.2 Start of the Week

(Figure 6, #14) Different parts of the world traditionally use a different day as the start of the week. Select the appropriate day for your region here, in order to have the calendar appear correctly. The default is Sunday.

2.8.1.5.5 Miscellaneous Options

This section houses options that are not standard for the forum software.

2.8.1.5.5.1 Message Editor Interface

(Figure 6, #15) When posting messages to the forums or other members, there are three interface types available to you. The simplest of these is a simple text box, while the last is a fully-fledged WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, which allows you to format your text as you want it and see the results immediately.

Depending upon the capabilities of your web browser, you may not be able to use all of these options. If you experience problems when posting messages, try switching to a different interface type.

The options you can select are a Basic Editor (text only), Standard Editor (Standard formatting like text size and fonts), or WYSIWYG Editor.


2.8.1.5.5.2 Forum Skin

(Figure 6, #16) There is more than one skin in which you can view the forums. If you would like to switch to a different skin, select it from this list. For more information on Forum Skins see section 2.7 Forum Styles.

2.8.1.6 Edit Avatar


Figure 7

An avatar is a small picture that you can display by your username. Some users use an avatar as a part of their forum identity, others change theirs constantly. This section is accessed by clicking the Edit Avatar link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #8).

2.8.1.6.1 Your Current Avatar

(Figure 7, #1) This section displays your current avatar, if you have one. If you choose not to use an avatar select the Do not use an avatar option.


2.8.1.6.2 Pre-defined Standard Avatars

(Figure 7, #2) BuckeyePlanet has 30+ pre-loaded avatars, all releated to the Ohio State University, for you to use. To select one simply click the radio button below the picture and press the Save Changes button at the bottom.


2.8.1.6.3 Custom Avatar

(Figure 7, #3) You may upload a new custom image using the controls below. Either enter the URL to the image you wish to use in the Enter Avatar URL field, or use the upload control to upload an image directly from your own computer. Note: The maximum size of your custom image is 150 by 100 pixels or 50.0 KB (whichever is smaller).

2.8.1.7 Edit Profile Picture


Figure 8

This section (Figure 8, #1) allows you to upload a picture to your profile that will only be visible if a user looks at your profile. This section is accessed by clicking the Edit Profile Picture link on the Control Panel (Figure 1, #9).

2.8.1.7.1 Custom Profile Picture

You may upload a new custom image using the controls listed below:

(Figure 8, #2) Enter the URL to the image you wish to use
(Figure 8, #3) Use the upload control to upload an image directly from your own computer. Click Browse and find the picture you wish to upload.

Once you have selected your image click the Save Changes button. Note: The maximum size of your custom image is 300 by 200 pixels or 100.0 KB (whichever is smaller).