Please Note: auto self closes after 2 minutes

Why can't I log in?

Have you registered? - Seriously, you must register before you can log in.

Have you activated your account? - you were sent an email with activation instructions

Have you been banned from the board? If so, you should contact the webmaster or board administrator to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, contact the board administrator.

Why do I need to register at all?

You may not have to -- it is up to the administrator of the board as to whether you need to register in order to post messages. However, registration will give you access to additional features not available to guest users such as definable avatar images, private messaging, emailing to fellow users, usergroup subscription, downloads etc. It only takes a few minutes to register so it is recommended you do so.

I've lost my password!

Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and/or click Forgotten Password?. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time.

I registered but cannot log in!

First check that you are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then one of two things may have happened: if COPPA support is enabled and you clicked the I am under 13 years old link while registering then you will have to follow the instructions you received. If this is not the case then maybe your account need activating. Some boards will require all new registrations be activated, either by yourself or by the administrator before you can log on. When you registered it would have told you whether activation was required. If you were sent an email then follow the instructions; if you did not receive the email then check that your email address is valid. One reason activation is used is to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing the board anonymously. If you are sure the email address you used is valid then try contacting the board administrator.

I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore!

The most likely reasons for this are: you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or the administrator has deleted your account for some reason. If it is the latter case then perhaps you did not post anything? It is usual for boards to periodically remove users who have not posted anything so as to reduce the size of the database. Try registering again and get involved in discussions.

How do I change my settings?

All your settings(if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Settings link (generally shown to the right of your username) when you have Logged in This will allow you to change all your settings.

The times are not correct!

The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered, this is a good time to do so!

I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong!

If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different, the most likely answer is daylight savings time (or summer time as it is known in the UK and other places). The board is not designed to handle the changeover between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time.

What is an 'Avatar' and how do I add one?

An avatar is a character or image that represents you in the forums is this is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to the board administrator to enable avatars and they have a choice over the way in which avatars can be made available. You can add an avatar from within your personal user settings which are only available when you are logged in as a member. You can choose from ones already saved on site, upload one to use, or link to one that is hosted elsewhere, but NOT your PC. Maximum size is 100 pixels wide and 100 pixels high, anything larger will be declined or deleted.

How do I change my rank?

You cannot directly change the wording of any rank (ranks appear below your username in topics and on your profile depending on the style used). Most boards use ranks to indicate the number of posts you have made and to identify certain users. For example, moderator's and administrators may have a special rank. Please do not abuse the board by posting unnecessarily just to increase your rank -- you will probably find the administrator will simply lower your post count or worse... temporary ban you.

How do I post a topic in a forum?

Easy! -- click the relevant button on either the forum 'View Forum' or 'View Topic' screens. You need to register and log in before you can post a message then go to an appropriate forum for your request for support. The facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the forum and topic screens (the You can post new topics, You can vote in polls, etc.) If you have the correct permissions the relevant buttons will appear and
How do I edit or delete a post?

Unless you are the board admin or forum moderator you can only edit your own posts. You can edit a post by clicking the button for the relevant post. If moderator's or administrators edit the post (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why).

How do I add a signature to my post?

To add a signature to a post you must first create one; this is done via your User Settings when you are Logged In Once created you can check the Add Signature box on the posting form to add your signature. You can link to an image hoseted elsewhere on the web, but NOT on your own PC. The size is restricted to 180 pixels high as too many large signature images makes threads hard to read.

How do I create a poll?

Creating a poll is not enabled on site due to previous abuse.

Why can't I access a forum?

Some forums may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, post, etc. you may need special authorization which only the forum moderator and board administrator can grant, so you should contact them.

How do I attach an image to a forum post

There are 2 ways, 1. Link to an image hosted elsewhere on the web i.e. flickr or Photobucket or 2. upload one. To upload an image or file you have to use the full forum reply section using the button to get access to the BBcode editor bar and the 'Choose File' button. To add an image, click 'Choose file' and navigate to the image on your PC. and click 'open' that will fill in the file to upload. You can add more than 1, but the size is limited to 2 mb. (instructions are on the screen in the upload area). Once the files are listed, click 'Preview' to upload them and edit your post to add a title etc. before committing the post by clicking the 'Reply to thread' button.

What is BBCode?

BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. Whether you can use BBCode is determined by the administrator. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. In forum reply (NOT Quick Reply) or when you preview your post you will see a small toolbar with images on them which are self explanatory

For example If you click on the small 'Tree' it will add [ img ] [ /img ] tags just paste the path to your offsite hosted image and it will appear in your post - don't worry if it's large - ideally it should be no wider than 700px and preferably a jpg or gif format but it will auotmatically re-size down to 680 px wide. Clicking on it will then show the full size image

How Do I add a 'YouTube video' to my forum post?

There is now a new You Tube button on the editor toolbar when you 'create new thread' or 'reply to thread' - all you do is put the YT code between the tags, no url etc. like this

[ youtube ] H2BjkL5mJ1 [ / youtube ] (H2BjkL5mJ1 is simply an example) and do it with no spaces (I had to add them or it would show a video)

How Do I use 'Shadowbox' to add images?

You can simply click a button on the Toolbar and fill in a couple of lines

Shadowbox has been improved
There is an image on the toolbar which when clicked opens the window on the right
Simply fill in or paste the image location in.
If there is no thumbnail leave that blank and type a link word in box 3
If you want it floated left or right with your text wrapped around it choose that or leave it blank
Click OK and return to adding your text then post the thread
That's it!

Can I use HTML?

That depends on whether the administrator allows you to; they have complete control over it. If you are allowed to use it, you will probably find only certain tags work. This is a safety feature to prevent people from abusing the board by using tags which may destroy the layout or cause other problems.

What are Smileys?

Smileys, or Emoticons, are small graphical images which can be used to express some feeling using a short code. The full list of Emoticons can be seen via the posting form. Try not to overuse smileys, though, as they can quickly render a post unreadable and a moderator may decide to edit them out or remove the post altogether.

What are Announcements?

Announcements often contain important information and you should read them as soon as possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the forum to which they are posted. Whether or not you can post an announcement depends on the permissions required, which are set by the administrator.

What are Sticky topics?

Sticky topics appear below any announcements in forums and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements the board administrator determines what permissions are required to post sticky topics in each forum.

What are Locked topics?

Locked topics are set this way by either the forum moderator or board administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons.

What are Administrators and Moderators?

Administrators are people assigned the highest level of control over the entire board. These people can control all facets of board operation which include setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or moderator's, etc. They also have full moderator capabilities in all the forums.

Moderators are individuals (or groups of individuals) whose job it is to look after the running of the forums from day to day. They have the power to edit or delete posts and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the forum they moderate. Generally moderator's are there to prevent people going off-topic or posting abusive or offensive material.

What are Usergroups?

Usergroups are a way in which board administrators can group users. Each group can be assigned individual access rights. This makes it easy for administrators to set up several users as moderator's of a forum, or to give them access to a private forum, etc.

I cannot send private messages!

There are three reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on, the board administrator has disabled private messaging for the entire board, or the board administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. If it is the latter case you should try asking the administrator why.

I keep getting unwanted private messages!

You can now block users from sending you private messages. If you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, inform the board administrator -- they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages at all.