Forum FAQ

Forum FAQ
Welcome to the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page. This is a compilation of members' most frequent problems with the forum. We have supplied the answers. We also outline many of the forum's special features. <u>GETTING STARTED</u> <b>What is Yanks Down Under?</b> Yanks Down Under (or YDU, as we often call it) is an online community created especially for the support and friendship of Americans living in, moving to, or thinking of moving to Australia. Of course, anyone and everyone with any interest in this site is welcome to join. <b>How do I contact Yanks Down Under?</b> You can contact YDU administrator at yanksdownunder(at)yahoo(dot)com <b>How do I join YDU?</b> Just come on in! Anyone is welcome to read the public forums, but in order to post messages or vote in polls, you must REGISTER. Registered users are able to customise their experience by changing forum settings and adding an avatar. <b>How do I register for the Yanks Down Under community?</b> Registration is completely free! Just click on the "Register" link at the top of the index page and follow the prompts. You will need to provide a valid email address in order to confirm your registration. For more info, read <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?act=Help&CODE=01&HID=1">this page</a>. <font color="red">Unfortunately, due to ongoing problems with spam, all new registrations must be approved by the Administrator. You should receive a confirmation e-mail within a few hours of registration. If not, please send an e-mail to yanksdownunder(at)yahoo(dot)com for assistance. </font> <b>I lost my username and/or password. How can I recover it?</b> On the login page, you'll see a link for recovering a lost password. The information will be sent to your e-mail address. It's important to keep your forum e-mail address up-to-date, otherwise you will not be able to retrieve your login information. If you have any trouble, e-mail the administrator for help. <u>USERS & GROUPS</u> <b>What are the different "member levels"?</b> Every registered member is given a special user title based on how much they've participated in the community via posting messages and topics. You can see this title right under your username in each post you make, or in your Profile. Here's a list of all the member levels: Piker: Up to 10 posts Anklebiter: 11 to 24 posts Yacker: 25 to 49 posts (Plus! Access to the Photo Album!) Chinwagger: 50 to 99 posts True Blue Mate: 100+ posts! (Plus! Access to The TBM Lounge.) After hitting 1000 posts, you can create your own custom title. <b>Where is my Control Panel?</b> After logging in, you'll see a link marked "My Controls" at the top left-hand side of the main page. From there, you can compose and manage your private messages (PMs), change your profile info, and adjust custom board settings. <u>FORUM HOW-TOs</u> <b>How do I post a topic?</b> Just click on the button that says "New Topic", located at the top of every forum. By the way, it's important to be sure that you post your topic in the appropriate forum -- for example, "Links" is probably not the best place to introduce yourself. Each forum has a short description of what its theme and subject matter are all about. Give your topic a title and, optionally, a short description of what it's about. <b>How do I reply to a topic?</b> There are three ways to do this: -- Click the "Add Reply" button at the bottom of the page in the topic that you want to reply to. This will bring up a new reply window with full options. -- Click the "Fast Reply" button, located next to the Add Reply button. This will bring up a small reply window at the bottom of the page. -- Click the "Quote" button located at the top of every individual post. This is handy if you want to reply directly to a specific person's comments. <b>How do I format my posts and use the smilies?</b> There are many formatting tools available in the message posting window. For example, using the [B ] tags will created bold text, [I ] will create italics, and so forth. Smilies are listed on the left-hand side of the page, just click on the one you want to use. Be sure to check out the "Show All" link for more options! <b>I see some members using emoticons that are not available in the list. Where can I find these?</b> If you're using the Mozilla Firefox browser, there is a special smiley add-on pak which you can download <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/375/">here</a>. <b>How do I edit my posts?</b> Click the edit icon on the post you wish to change. No one else can edit your posts except the forum moderators and administrator. You can only edit your posts; you cannot delete them. <b>Can I attach a file to my posts?</b> No, for security reasons we do not allow attachments. However, you can post a direct link to files and images which have been uploaded to the 'net. <b>How do I create a poll?</b> Click on the New Poll button. Enter your topic title, poll question, and poll options as appropriate. You can have up to 10 poll options. You can also choose how many options each person can vote for: "Single Choice(1)" means one choice only, "Multi-Choice(2)" means 2 options, etc. If you wish to disallow replies to your poll, check the box marked "Make Poll Only?" <b>How do I search for a particular post or topic?</b> Click on the Search button located under the banner at the top of most pages. It's best to search before posting a question, you may find that it has already been "asked and answered"! <b><font color="red">Are there any rules regarding what I can/can't post?</b> Yes, they can be found in the <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?showtopic=6">YDU Forum Guidelines</a>. It's highly advisable to read this before posting.</font> <u>PHOTOS, AVATARS, & SIGS</u> <b>Can I post photos & images in my messages?</b> Yes, you can! Just put the address of the image in your post and put the [ img] [/img] tags around it (no spaces). <b>How can I add an avatar to my posts?</b> Just go into your Control Panel and click on "Edit Avatar Settings". You have 3 choices: use one of the pre-installed gallery avatars, upload an image from your computer, or link to an image from somewhere on the Internet. The last one should <i>only</i> be done if you are using your own webspace, or you have express permission from the owner/website to link that picture. Recommended Internet sites for (free) avatars can be found in the Fun Forum Stuff thread. <b>Are there any special rules or instructions regarding avatars?</b> Your uploaded avatar must be no more than 100 X 100 pixels. This is a family site, so no obscene or vulgar images, please. <b>What is a "signature"?</b> A signature can be anything (for example, a favorite quote) that you want to appear at the bottom of each post. To create one, go to your Control Panel and click on "Edit Signature". You may use HTML. <u>SPECIAL FEATURES</u> <b>Where is the Photo Album?</b> The YDU Photo Album is now in its own on-site forum. It's designed to be a safe place where members can share their photos without having them be viewed by just anyone who happens to visit the site. To participate, you must have at least Yacker status (25 posts). <b>Where is the YDU Calendar? Can I add my own events?</b> The YDU Calendar can be accessed by clicking the "Calendar" link on the top right-hand side of the main index page. To add your own events, click on the date and fill in the information as appropriate. You can choose to create a public event (viewable by everyone) or a private event (viewable only by you). To see an event, click on the date. <b>What is My Assistant?</b> My Assistant is a handy tool that allows you to see "at a glance" any activity since your last visit (e.g. new posts, new members). In the future, it will also be configured to allow you to search your own posts. <b>I see a link at the top of the page called "Portal". What is that?</b> The Portal is inactive at the moment, but will eventually become YDU's official interactive homepage. <a href="http://support.invisionfree.com/index.php?act=site">Click here</a> for a demo of what a portal can look like. <b>What happened to the Chat Room?</b> It's still available for use, although we have not had an "official" chat session in some time. <b>What is the YDU Webring? How can I add my site?</b> <a href='http://the-ydu-webring.blogspot.com'>The YDU Webring</a> is an index of websites, blogs, anything on the Internet having to do with Americans in Australia or authored by Americans in Australia. To join, just post a comment with the link to your personal website. Or, you can post it in the YDU Webring thread in the Links forum. <u>MISCELLANEOUS</u> <b>Why does it ask me to log in again whenever I try to post a message?</b> For security reasons, the forum software will automatically log you out after five minutes of inactivity. To prevent this, make sure the "Remember Me?" option is set to YES when you log on to the forums. <i>Note: if you use the Quick Login at the bottom of the main page, you will not have this option.</i> <b>I want to browse the forums anonymously. How do I do this?</b> Check the box marked "Don't add me to the active users list" in the login screen. <i>Note: if you use the Quick Login at the bottom of the main page, you will not have this option.</i> <b>I posted a message, but now I can't find it! Where did it go?</b> If your post is missing, it's probably because: -- it was moved to the appropriate forum. To see where it went, go into My Assistant and click on "My Last 10 Posts". -- it was deleted for violating forum rules (e.g. copyright, spam, advertising) -- it may not have been "posted" in the first place. When you submit a post, you should get a screen saying "message has been submitted". If you don't get this, check again to make sure your post was actually posted. <b>I accidentally posted the same message twice. What can I do?</b> Just edit one of the messages to say something like "duplicate" or "posted twice, please delete" and the moderators will delete it. <b>Can I make the advertisements at the top & bottom of the page go away?</b> At the moment, no. But we do have the option of getting rid of them (for a fee, of course) and will probably do it in the near future. <b>How do I delete my user account?</b> You cannot delete your own user account. Only an administrator can do this. If you would like to be deleted, you must submit your request via PM to TerritorianTori. Please read the User Account Deletion Request policy in the <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?showtopic=6">Forum Guidelines</a> for more information. <b>What if I don't see the answer to my question here?</b> Please post all questions not covered here in the Support & Feedback forum, or send them directly to the administrator.

Welcome to the FAQ (frequently asked questions) page. This is a compilation of members' most frequent problems with the forum. We have supplied the answers. We also outline many of the forum's special features.

GETTING STARTED

What is Yanks Down Under?
Yanks Down Under (or YDU, as we often call it) is an online community created especially for the support and friendship of Americans living in, moving to, or thinking of moving to Australia. Of course, anyone and everyone with any interest in this site is welcome to join.

How do I contact Yanks Down Under?
You can contact YDU administrator at yanksdownunder(at)yahoo(dot)com

How do I join YDU?
Just come on in! Anyone is welcome to read the public forums, but in order to post messages or vote in polls, you must REGISTER. Registered users are able to customise their experience by changing forum settings and adding an avatar.

How do I register for the Yanks Down Under community?
Registration is completely free! Just click on the "Register" link at the top of the index page and follow the prompts. You will need to provide a valid email address in order to confirm your registration. For more info, read <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?act=Help&CODE=01&HID=1">this page</a>.
Unfortunately, due to ongoing problems with spam, all new registrations must be approved by the Administrator. You should receive a confirmation e-mail within a few hours of registration. If not, please send an e-mail to yanksdownunder(at)yahoo(dot)com for assistance. 

I lost my username and/or password. How can I recover it?
On the login page, you'll see a link for recovering a lost password. The information will be sent to your e-mail address. It's important to keep your forum e-mail address up-to-date, otherwise you will not be able to retrieve your login information. If you have any trouble, e-mail the administrator for help.

USERS & GROUPS

What are the different "member levels"?
Every registered member is given a special user title based on how much they've participated in the community via posting messages and topics. You can see this title right under your username in each post you make, or in your Profile. Here's a list of all the member levels:

Piker: Up to 10 posts
Anklebiter: 11 to 24 posts
Yacker: 25 to 49 posts
(Plus! Access to the Photo Album!)

Chinwagger: 50 to 99 posts
True Blue Mate: 100+ posts!
(Plus! Access to The TBM Lounge.)

After hitting 1000 posts, you can create your own custom title.

Where is my Control Panel?
After logging in, you'll see a link marked "My Controls" at the top left-hand side of the main page. From there, you can compose and manage your private messages (PMs), change your profile info, and adjust custom board settings.

FORUM HOW-TOs

How do I post a topic?
Just click on the button that says "New Topic", located at the top of every forum. By the way, it's important to be sure that you post your topic in the appropriate forum -- for example, "Links" is probably not the best place to introduce yourself. Each forum has a short description of what its theme and subject matter are all about. Give your topic a title and, optionally, a short description of what it's about.

How do I reply to a topic?
There are three ways to do this:
-- Click the "Add Reply" button at the bottom of the page in the topic that you want to reply to. This will bring up a new reply window with full options.
-- Click the "Fast Reply" button, located next to the Add Reply button. This will bring up a small reply window at the bottom of the page.
-- Click the "Quote" button located at the top of every individual post. This is handy if you want to reply directly to a specific person's comments.

How do I format my posts and use the smilies?
There are many formatting tools available in the message posting window. For example, using the [B ] tags will created bold text, [I ] will create italics, and so forth. Smilies are listed on the left-hand side of the page, just click on the one you want to use. Be sure to check out the "Show All" link for more options!

I see some members using emoticons that are not available in the list. Where can I find these?
If you're using the Mozilla Firefox browser, there is a special smiley add-on pak which you can download <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/375/">here</a>.

How do I edit my posts?
Click the edit icon on the post you wish to change. No one else can edit your posts except the forum moderators and administrator. You can only edit your posts; you cannot delete them.

Can I attach a file to my posts?
No, for security reasons we do not allow attachments. However, you can post a direct link to files and images which have been uploaded to the 'net.

How do I create a poll?
Click on the New Poll button. Enter your topic title, poll question, and poll options as appropriate. You can have up to 10 poll options. You can also choose how many options each person can vote for: "Single Choice(1)" means one choice only, "Multi-Choice(2)" means 2 options, etc. If you wish to disallow replies to your poll, check the box marked "Make Poll Only?"

How do I search for a particular post or topic?
Click on the Search button located under the banner at the top of most pages. It's best to search before posting a question, you may find that it has already been "asked and answered"!

Are there any rules regarding what I can/can't post?
Yes, they can be found in the <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?showtopic=6">YDU Forum Guidelines</a>.
It's highly advisable to read this before posting.

PHOTOS, AVATARS, & SIGS

Can I post photos & images in my messages?
Yes, you can! Just put the address of the image in your post and put the [ img] [/img] tags around it (no spaces).

How can I add an avatar to my posts?
Just go into your Control Panel and click on "Edit Avatar Settings". You have 3 choices: use one of the pre-installed gallery avatars, upload an image from your computer, or link to an image from somewhere on the Internet. The last one should only be done if you are using your own webspace, or you have express permission from the owner/website to link that picture. Recommended Internet sites for (free) avatars can be found in the Fun Forum Stuff thread.

Are there any special rules or instructions regarding avatars?
Your uploaded avatar must be no more than 100 X 100 pixels. This is a family site, so no obscene or vulgar images, please.

What is a "signature"?
A signature can be anything (for example, a favorite quote) that you want to appear at the bottom of each post. To create one, go to your Control Panel and click on "Edit Signature". You may use HTML.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Where is the Photo Album?
The YDU Photo Album is now in its own on-site forum. It's designed to be a safe place where members can share their photos without having them be viewed by just anyone who happens to visit the site. To participate, you must have at least Yacker status (25 posts).

Where is the YDU Calendar? Can I add my own events?
The YDU Calendar can be accessed by clicking the "Calendar" link on the top right-hand side of the main index page. To add your own events, click on the date and fill in the information as appropriate. You can choose to create a public event (viewable by everyone) or a private event (viewable only by you). To see an event, click on the date.

What is My Assistant?
My Assistant is a handy tool that allows you to see "at a glance" any activity since your last visit (e.g. new posts, new members). In the future, it will also be configured to allow you to search your own posts.

I see a link at the top of the page called "Portal". What is that?
The Portal is inactive at the moment, but will eventually become YDU's official interactive homepage. <a href="http://support.invisionfree.com/index.php?act=site">Click here</a> for a demo of what a portal can look like.

What happened to the Chat Room?
It's still available for use, although we have not had an "official" chat session in some time.

What is the YDU Webring? How can I add my site?
<a href='http://the-ydu-webring.blogspot.com'>The YDU Webring</a> is an index of websites, blogs, anything on the Internet having to do with Americans in Australia or authored by Americans in Australia. To join, just post a comment with the link to your personal website. Or, you can post it in the YDU Webring thread in the Links forum.

MISCELLANEOUS

Why does it ask me to log in again whenever I try to post a message?
For security reasons, the forum software will automatically log you out after five minutes of inactivity. To prevent this, make sure the "Remember Me?" option is set to YES when you log on to the forums. Note: if you use the Quick Login at the bottom of the main page, you will not have this option.

I want to browse the forums anonymously. How do I do this?
Check the box marked "Don't add me to the active users list" in the login screen. Note: if you use the Quick Login at the bottom of the main page, you will not have this option.

I posted a message, but now I can't find it! Where did it go?
If your post is missing, it's probably because:
-- it was moved to the appropriate forum. To see where it went, go into My Assistant and click on "My Last 10 Posts".
-- it was deleted for violating forum rules (e.g. copyright, spam, advertising)
-- it may not have been "posted" in the first place. When you submit a post, you should get a screen saying "message has been submitted". If you don't get this, check again to make sure your post was actually posted.

I accidentally posted the same message twice. What can I do?
Just edit one of the messages to say something like "duplicate" or "posted twice, please delete" and the moderators will delete it.

Can I make the advertisements at the top & bottom of the page go away?
At the moment, no. But we do have the option of getting rid of them (for a fee, of course) and will probably do it in the near future.

How do I delete my user account?
You cannot delete your own user account. Only an administrator can do this. If you would like to be deleted, you must submit your request via PM to TerritorianTori. Please read the User Account Deletion Request policy in the <a href="http://yanksdownunder.net/index.php?showtopic=6">Forum Guidelines</a> for more information.

What if I don't see the answer to my question here?
Please post all questions not covered here in the Support & Feedback forum, or send them directly to the administrator.