Frequently Asked Questions
Login and Registration Issues
- Why can’t I login?
- There are several reasons why this could occur. First, ensure your username and password are correct. If they are, contact the board owner to make sure you haven’t been banned. It is also possible we have a configuration error on our end, and we need to fix it.
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- Why do I need to register?
- Most importantly, registration keeps you and any personal information you post safe from email harvesters. Registration keeps crawlers from finding your email address and using it to send junk email to. Additionally, registration gives you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, emailing of fellow users, usergroup subscription, etc.
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- Why do I get logged off automatically?
- If you do not select the Log me in automatically box when you sign in, the board will only keep you signed in until you close your browser. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay signed in, select the box during login. This is not recommended if you access the board from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university computer lab, etc.
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- I’ve lost my password!
- While your password cannot be retrieved, it can easily be reset. Visit the login page and click I’ve forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be able to log in again shortly.
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- I registered in the past but cannot login any more?
- First, double-check you are using the correct user name and password. (You may need to locate the email sent to you when you first registered to find this information). It is also possible that we have deactivated or deleted your account for some reason. We periodically remove users who have not posted for a long time to reduce the size of the database. If this has happened, try registering again and being more involved in discussions.
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- Why can’t I register?
- It is possible we have banned your IP address or disallowed the username you are attempting to register. Contact a board administrator for assistance.
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- What does the “Delete all board cookies” do?
- “Delete all board cookies” deletes the cookies created by phpBB which keep you authenticated and logged into the board. It also provides functions such as read tracking. If you are having login or logout problems, deleting board cookies may help.
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User Preferences and settings
- How do I change my settings?
- If you are a registered user, all of your settings are stored in the board database. To alter them, visit your User Control Panel; a link can be found at the top of board pages. This system will allow you to change all your settings and preferences.
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- The times are not correct!
- It is possible the time displayed is from a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, visit your User Control Panel and change your timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc.
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- I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!
- If you are sure you have set the timezone and DST correctly and the time is still incorrect, then the time stored on the server clock is incorrect. Please notify an administrator to correct the problem.
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- How do I show an image below my username?
- The image that can appear below your user name is known as an avatar and is generally unique or personal to each user. To add an avatar to your profile, visit the User Control Panel. At the Profile tab, click Edit avatar.
Please do not post any pictures that are vulgar or violate copyright laws. We reserve the right to remove any avatars we deem inapprpriate.
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- When I click the email link for a user it asks me to login?
- Only registered users can send email to other users via the built-in email form. This is to prevent malicious use of the email system by anonymous users.
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Posting Issues
- How do I post a topic in a forum?
- First you must be registered and signed in to post in a forum. Then, to post a new topic in a forum, click the New Topic button on the main forum page. To post a reply to a specific thread in the forum, click the Reply button at the top of that thread.
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- How do I edit or delete a post?
- Unless you are a board administrator or moderator, you can only edit or delete your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the edit button for the relevant post, sometimes for only a limited time after the post was made. If someone has already replied to the post, you will find a small piece of text output below the post when you return to the topic which lists the number of times you edited it along with the date and time. This will only appear if someone has made a reply; it will not appear if a moderator or administrator edited the post, though they may leave a note as to why they’ve edited the post at their own digression. Please note that normal users cannot delete a post once someone has replied.
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- How do I add a signature to my post?
- To add a signature to a post you must first create one at the User Control Panel. Once created, you can check the Add signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your posts by selecting the appropriate option in the Board Preferences section of the User Control Panel. If you do so, you can still prevent a signature being added to individual posts by clearing the Attach a signature box on the posting form.
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- Why can’t I access a forum?
- Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post or perform another action you may need special permissions. Contact a moderator or board administrator to grant you access.
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- Why can’t I add attachments?
- Attachments are not allowed on this forum.
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- Why did I receive a warning?
- If you have broken a rule, you may be issued a warning. Please note that this is the board administrator’s decision, and the phpBB Group has nothing to do with the warnings on the given site. Contact the board administrator if you are unsure about why you were issued a warning.
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- How can I report posts to a moderator?
- You should see a button for reporting posts next to the post you wish to report. Clicking this will walk you through the steps necessary to report the post.
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- What is the “Save” button for in topic posting?
- This allows you to save topics you are drafting so they can be completed and submitted at a later date. To reload a saved topic, visit the User Control Panel and click Manage Drafts at the Overview tab.
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Formatting and Topic Types
- What is BBCode?
- BBCode is a special implementation of HTML, offering great formatting control on particular objects in a post. BBCode can also be disabled on a per post basis from the posting form. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML, but tags are enclosed in square brackets [ and ] rather than < and >. For more information on BBCode, click the Help link for BBCode on the posting page.
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- Can I use HTML?
- No. It is not possible to post HTML on this board and have it rendered as HTML. Most formatting which can be carried out using HTML must be applied using BBCode instead.
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- Can I post images?
- Yes, images can be shown in your posts. You must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.example.com/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor images stored behind authentication mechanisms, e.g. hotmail or yahoo mailboxes, password protected sites, etc. To display the image use the BBCode [img] tag.
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- What are announcements?
- Announcements often contain important information about a HotDocs product or about the forum you are currently reading. You should read them whenever possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. Announcements are posted by board administrators and moderators only.
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- What are sticky topics?
- Sticky topics within the forum appear below announcements and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them whenever possible. As with announcements, sticky topics are posted by board administrators and moderators only.
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- What are locked topics?
- Locked topics are topics where users can no longer reply and any poll it contained was automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons and are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator.
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User Levels and Groups
- What are Administrators?
- Administrators are members assigned with the highest level of control over the entire board. These members can control all facets of board operation, including setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderators, etc.
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- What are Moderators?
- Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) who look after the forums from day to day. They have the authority to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally, moderators are present to prevent users from going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material.
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- What are usergroups?
- Usergroups are groups of users that divide the community into manageable sections board administrators can work with. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual permissions. This provides an easy way for administrators to change permissions for many users at once, such as changing moderator permissions or granting users access to a private forum.
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- Why do some forum members' names appear in different colors?
- Color is used to identify certain subscribers to the forum. Moderators appear green, HotDocs Gold Partners appear in gold, and HotDocs Platinum Partners appear in blue.
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HotDocs Gold and Platinum Partners User Groups
- How do I join the HotDocs Gold and Platinum Partners usergroups?
- If you are current HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partner, you can join the HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partners usergroup. To do this, go to the User Control Panel, click the Usergroups tab, select the Join option button, verify the Select dropdown reads Join Selected and then click Submit. HotDocs will then verify that you are a current HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partner, and you will be added to the user group.
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- What does being a member of the HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partners usergroup entitle me to?
- Being listed on the forum as a HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partner means your name will appear in a special color and the HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partner avatar will appear underneath your name, which identifies you to other users as one knowledgeable and experienced in using HotDocs, which hopefully will increase visibility for your consulting business.
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- I am not a HotDocs Gold or Platinum Partner, but I am interested in learning more. Where can I find more information?
- Please visit http://www.hotdocs.com/Partners.aspx to learn more about the HotDocs Gold and Platinum Partners programs.
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Searching the Forums
- How can I search a forum or forums?
- Enter a search term in the search box located on the index, forum or topic pages. Advanced search can be accessed by clicking the “Advanced Search” link which is available on all pages on the forum. How to access the search may depend on the style used.
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- Why does my search return no results?
- Your search was probably too vague and included many common terms which are not indexed by phpBB3. Be more specific and use the options available within Advanced search.
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- Why does my search return a blank page?
- Your search returned too many results for the web server to handle. Use “Advanced search” and be more specific in the terms used and forums that are to be searched.
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- How do I search for members?
- Visit the “Members” page and click the “Find a member” link. If you are entering only the first or last name of a member, include an asterisk (*). For example, john* would return all members beginning with "john", while *smith would return all members ending with "smith."
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- How can I find my own posts and topics?
- Your own posts can be retrieved either by clicking “View your posts” within the User Control Panel or via your own profile page. To search for your topics, use the Advanced search page and fill in the various options appropriately. Finally, all posts you make in the forum are marked using the following icon:
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Topic Subscriptions and Bookmarks
- What is the difference between bookmarking and subscribing?
- Bookmarking in phpBB3 is much like bookmarking in your web browser. You aren’t alerted when there’s an update, but you can come back to the topic later. Subscribing, however, will notify you when there is an update to the topic or forum on the board via your preferred method or methods.
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- How do I receive email notifications of posts to specific forums or topics?
- To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link upon entering the forum. To subscribe to a topic, reply to the topic with the subscribe checkbox checked or click the “Subscribe topic” link within the topic itself. When topics or forums are posted to, you will receive an email with instructions for accessing the topic or forum.
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- How do I remove my subscriptions?
- To remove your subscriptions, go to your User Control Panel and follow the links to your subscriptions.
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Icons
- What do the member status icons represent?
Member is online.
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- What do the post status icons represent?
- You have posted to this topic.
This topic is locked.
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- What do the topic icons represent?
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Unread/Read topic.
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Unread/Read announcement.
Sticky topic.
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Newsfeeds
- Is this forum accessible as a newsfeed using RSS and Atom protocols?
- Yes. This site has installed the Smartfeed phpBB modification for phpBB 3, which allows access to our forum. This will require registration to access. Click the "RSS" link in the header or here to access.
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- How do I subscribe to an RSS feed?
- RSS readers (sometimes called news aggregators) are programs that can subscribe to RSS feeds and let you easily browse the articles contained in them. Many web browsers and email programs have RSS capabilities built in, such as Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, and Outlook 2007. There are also many stand-alone RSS readers and websites available, such as Google Reader, NewzCrawler, and others. Some stand-alone readers can be integrated with Outlook 2003. Some are free, while others can be purchased for a minimal price. If none of the options described here meets your needs, we encourage you to find another one that does.
When you click on an RSS feed in your web browser, the browser will often display instructions for subscribing to that feed. The documentation for your reader should also contain the information necessary to subscribe to a feed. Following are some specific instructions for popular RSS readers.
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- How do I set up an RSS feed for Outlook* 2007?
- Sign in to the forum.
- At the forum, click the RSS button located in the main navigation bar. You are taken to the HotDocs Forum RSS Feeds page.
- Click the forum to which you want to subscribe. For example, if you want to subscribe to both the General HotDocs Topics forum and the HotDocs Server Topics forum, click General and HotDocs Server Topics Combined. A new Web page opens and shows the RSS feed information.
- In the Web address bar, highlight and copy the URL for the page you are viewing. You will use this URL in step 9 of this process. (You may want to leave this browser window open in case you need to recopy the URL.)
- Start Outlook 2007 if it is not already running.
- At the Tools menu, choose Account Settings.
- Click the RSS Feeds tab.
- Click New. The New RSS Feed dialog box appears.
- Click in the field and press Ctrl+V to paste the URL you copied in step 4.
- Click Add. The RSS Feed Options dialog box appears.
- Change any of the options listed on this dialog. (Refer to the Outlook Help file for explanations or instructions.)
- Click OK, and then click Close. Outlook adds the HotDocs Forum folder to the location in Outlook you specified in Step 11.
TIP: Once the folder is created in Outlook, you can drag the folder to move it to any location in the Folders list you choose.
When new posts are made to the forum, those posts will be sent to Outlook. To respond to a particular topic, click the View article link in the email message.- Top
- How do I set up an RSS feed for Outlook* 2003?
- Microsoft Outlook 2003 does not include direct support for RSS feeds. However, several third-party applications can be used in conjunction with Outlook 2003 to provide this support. We recommend using the free application, NewsGator* for Outlook. Following are basic instructions for installing and setting up NewsGator to work with Outlook 2003:
Part 1: Generate the URL for the feed- Sign in to the forum.
- At the forum, click the RSS button located in the main navigation bar. You are taken to the HotDocs Forum RSS Feeds page.
- Click the forum to which you want to subscribe. For example, if you want to subscribe to both the General HotDocs Topics forum and the HotDocs Server Topics forum, click General and HotDocs Server Topics Combined. A new web page opens and shows the RSS feed information.
- In the Web address bar, highlight and copy the URL for the page you are viewing. You will use this URL later in the process. (You may want to leave this browser window open.)
Part 2: Install NewsGator- Close Outlook.
CAUTION: It is important that you not start the Newsgator installation before Outlook is completely shut down, which can take up to a minute, even after Outlook is no longer displayed on your screen. To be certain, check for Outlook.exe in the Processes tab of Task Manager. (To open Task Manager, press Ctrl+Alt+Delete.) When Outlook.exe is gone, you can proceed.
- Download the NewsGator installation file. (Click here to download it. When prompted, choose to save the file to disk. If Windows prompts for permission to download the file, you may grant it.)
- Run the installation file and complete the installation. (Accept any default settings it suggests.)
- Once the installation has finished, start Outlook.
- As Outlook is starting, the Setup NewsGator Synchronization dialog box appears. You do not need to create a NewsGator account, so just click Cancel.
- The Getting Started with NewsGator Inbox dialog box appears. This message box includes help for managing RSS feed subscriptions. Click Close.
In Outlook, you will notice there is a new folder (NewsGator Inbox) in the folders list of Outlook. By default, topics from this feed will be stored here in a HotDocs Forum subfolder. You will also notice a NewsGator Inbox button in the Outlook toolbar. In the next part of these instructions, you will use this button to define the subscription properties for the forum.
Part 3: Subscribe to the Forum- In Outlook, click the NewsGator Inbox button on the toolbar.
- Choose Add Subscriptions from the drop-down list. The Add Subscriptions dialog box appears.
- Paste the URL from Step 4 of Part 1 in the Enter a keyword, phrase or URL box.
- Click Next. NewsGator verifies that you want to add the forum and takes you to the Select Folders page of the subscription wizard.
- Accept the default folder suggestions and click Next. (You can move or customize the folder later by working with it directly in Outlook. This is covered in the NOTE, below.) The New Subscriptions Added page appears.
- Click Finish. NewsGator imports the posts made to the forum(s). You can access these posts by navigating to NewsGator Inbox > My News.
NOTE: To move the HotDocs Forum folder, select it in the NewsGator Inbox > My News folder and then drag it to a new location in the Outlook Folders list. To change the folder name, right-click on the HotDocs Forum folder, and choose Rename HotDocs Forum from the shortcut menu.
When new posts are made to the forum, those posts will be forwarded to Outlook. To respond to a particular topic, click the Comments link in the email message.
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- How do I set up an RSS feed for Internet* Explorer 7?
- Sign in to the forum.
- At the forum, click the RSS button located in the main navigation bar. You are taken to the HotDocs Forum RSS Feeds page.
- Click the forum to which you want to subscribe. For example, if you want to subscribe to both the General HotDocs Topics forum and the HotDocs Server Topics forum, click General and HotDocs Server Topics Combined. A new Web page opens and shows the RSS feed information.
- At the top of the Web page, in the yellow box, click Subscribe to this feed. An Internet Explorer dialog box appears.
- Enter a name for the forum and then specify the Internet Explorer folder in which you want contents from the feed saved. (To save the feed to the main Feeds folder, do nothing.)
- Click Subscribe. The feed is created.
To view feeds, click the Favorites Center button, next to the row of Web page tabs. Then click the View Feeds button.
When new posts are made to the forum, you can read them by viewing this folder in Internet Explorer. To respond to a particular topic, click the Comments link for that topic.- Top
- How do I set up an RSS feed for Mozilla* Firefox using Live Bookmarks?
- Sign in to the forum.
- At the forum, click the RSS button located in the main navigation bar. You are taken to the HotDocs Forum RSS Feeds page.
- Click the forum to which you want to subscribe. For example, if you want to subscribe to both the General HotDocs Topics forum and the HotDocs Server Topics forum, click General and HotDocs Server Topics Combined. A new Web page opens and shows the RSS feed information.
- At the top of the Web page, in the yellow box, make sure the Subscribe to this feed using drop-down list shows Live Bookmarks.
- If you want all feeds to which you subscribe to use Live Bookmarks, select Always use Live Bookmarks to subscribe to feeds. (Otherwise, you will be prompted each time you subscribe.)
NOTE: If you have already subscribed to other RSS feeds from Firefox and specified the default feed reader, you will not be prompted for any of this information. You will simply be asked to specify specific information about the feed for setup purposes.
- Click Subscribe Now. The Add Live Bookmark dialog box appears.
- Specify a forum name and browser folder location. (The default, Bookmarks Toolbar Folder, creates a button on the bookmarks toolbar. You can click this button and see the different threads for the forum listed.)
- Click OK.
When new posts are made to the forum, you can read them by clicking the HotDocs Forum bookmark in the bookmark toolbar. Then select the topic you want to read. At this point, you are taken directly to the forum so you can read the post.- Top
*HotDocs only recommends using the above-named applications for subscribing to an RSS feed. We do not accept any responsibility for failure on the part of these applications to work, nor do we offer support for installing or using them.