Forum Features

Please feel free to send any questions or comments by e-mail to webmaster@buddhasvillage.com

Note on Cookies

Forum Features

How to Post

How to Edit or Delete a Post (your own)

How To Search All Messages for A Topic or Keyword

How To Upload A File

 

A Note on Cookies:

it is not necessary to have your browser accept cookies to use the Forum. However, you will have many more features available to you if you do accept them. The program uses them for many things. Both Netscape and Microsoft browsers accept cookies by default without notification.

Cookies are used here to enable the following features (and others):

  • Auto fill-in of your name and e-mail address after you login for each session.
  • Once logged in, user does not need to enter user name again during session.
  • The ability to edit your own posts.
  • The ability to delete your own posts.
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Forum Features:

The following features are enabled:

  • Multi-page threaded message board
  • Messages are organized in categories
  • Register and protect your identity with a password
  • Auto fill-in of your name and e-mail address after you login for each session.
  • Private discussions between any two registered users.
  • Chat function allows realtime communications between members.
  • Submit your links to the forums links section.
  • Once logged in, you do not need to enter your user name again during the session.
  • The ability to modify your own posts (if registered).
  • The ability to delete your own posts (if registered).
  • The ability to prevent replies to any of your posts (if registered).
  • The ability to collapse/expand, close/open your threads.
  • The ability to send/receive email notifications for new posts.
  • The ability to upload a file when you post, which is then automatically linked. If a .gif or .jpg image file, it will be displayed automatically as a thumbnail.
  • Identify new posts easily (by different color)
  • The ability to use HTML in the message body (HTML will not work in the Subject field).
  • The ability to add link URLs in message.
  • The ability to add image links.
  • The ability for the message body to be empty, sometimes called NT (No Text)  posts.
  • Posts with an image are so indicated on the main page.
  • See what's new since your last visit.
  • You can search message body (CPU intensive) as well as subject field for keywords (Find feature) within a date range.
  • You can use the Overview feature to read top level posts (without replies)
  • Easy access to information.Very readable layout. At a glance of the message line, a user knows whether the post is new (colouring), whether it has an image link inside, number of replies to it, and the number of visits to it. One can also collapse or expand the threading.
  • Modifiable user profiles. Registered users can create and modify their profiles and passwords.
  • Signatures (found in the profile section)
  • Spell checker (it links to an external site that has ad banners.  You may refuse all cookies from this site and it will not affect the spell checking).
  • The ability to see all messages at once in a particular thread.  Click on Top of thread and then View All to see them
  • Registered members can post links on our Links Page, and announce events on our Events Page (reached from the main menu).

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How to Post

  1. Click on Register and fill out the requisite fields if you wish to register.  There are some optional fields you may also wish to complete.
  2. Click on Login and do so. Now you can fill out your Profile if you want, there are many options.You can also upload a small picture of yourself.
  3. You may now Post a top level message or Post Reply to any other message. Welcome.
  4. Or, just click on Post Message.

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How to Edit or Delete a Post (your own)

  1. Login
  2. Go to the message you want to edit or delete
  3. Click on your name (not the subject)
  4. The modify screen will come up with the message. At the bottom, it gives you the option of deleting it.
  5. If you wish to edit the message, do so and click on Submit. If you wish to delete it, click on Delete and it will be gone. Remember to hit Reload or Refresh in your browser if you still see it before thinking it didn't work.

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How To Search All Messages for A Topic or Keyword

  1. Click on Find on the navigation bar.
  2. Enter the keyword(s) you want to search for.
  3. Click on Submit if you want to search the Subject field only. If you want to search the body of the message in addition to the subject field, click on the "Search in message body" box before clicking on Submit.

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How To Upload A File

If a photo or other image is already on an Internet server, just type the URL of the image (not the URL of the web page where the image is located) in the field that says "Image URL:".

If you wish to add a link to a site or page elsewhere (including one on Buddha's Village), type the URL in the "Link URL:" field and give it a name or title in the "Link Title:" field.

If the image or file you wish to share is not on a server, you may upload it directly to the forum.

  • When posting a message, click on Browse on the Upload file line.
  • Find the file on your hard drive and either double click on it or click once and then click on Open (in Windows)
  • Complete your message and click on Post


Images will be displayed on your message page.  Other types of files will be available for others to download.  Only the most common types of files can be uploaded.  If you have a file of a different type you would like to upload, check with the administrator.

Remember that spaces cannot be part of the file name. Windows 95/98 allows them, but Linux and Unix, what most Internet servers use, do not. Also, the only two image formats supported by web pages are .gif and .jpg, so images should be in either of those two formats. Linux and Unix are case sensitive and it may be best if you make file names all lowercase letters.

There is a file size of 200 kb for any uploaded file.

Some people have slower Internet connections, so it's nice to put the file size of the image in the subject line so they can choose to skip it or view it later, until such time as our program does it automatically.

There are many other features of our program and we will do our best to explain any here that are not readily apparent (like the chat rooms, events, and link submission).

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