hp-ohio Forums

1. hp-ohio Forums Quick Overview

2. How to Sign Up • When you first open the forums (http://hpohio.proboards18.com) look at the very top of the screen. There will be two links, one for Login and one for Register. • Click on the Register link. • This will bring you to a page to fill out your username, password, email, birthday, and the terms of agreement.

3. How to Sign Up Cont • Username • Pick a name that is easy to remember, you can always change your display name later on if you decide on another name. For instance, my username is “admin” but my display name is “Generalmanda” • Password • Choose a password with a minimum of 6 characters. • Email • This email will be sent your Activation Code (very important!) and it will also be emailed when the admin uses the boards to email all membership. • Hide Email • If you do not want your email displayed in your profile (viewable to all members) click “yes”. Your address will still be visible to the admin. • Birthday • Put your correct birthday, you can always choose to hide this information. • Show Age • If you would like to keep your age hidden, choose no. Your age will be visible to the admin. • Security Check • Enter the letters/numbers you see in the image. • Terms of Agreement • Read through the agreement and if you agree, select “I agree” and hit the “CREATE ACCOUNT” button!

7. How to Sign Up Cont • After choosing to create an account you will be brought to a screen that says an activation code has been emailed to you. • When the code arrives to your email, log into the forums and you will be prompted to enter the code. • Hit the Activate Account button. • Your account will now go into the queue to be approved by a staff member. Usually this will only take 24 hours. If you don’t receive an approval (via email) in a reasonable amount of time, please email webmaster@hp-ohio.com • Once you receive your approval message via email, you may log back into the forums and use all of the functions open to members. Details on use of the board are on the next slides.

9. Follow the link or return to the log on page if you have it open

12. The Front Page • When you first log on, you’ll be on the main page of the forums. This will show you: • If you have any new Personal Messages • A list of all of the top level boards and who has posted last in it (each has a description and who their moderators are.) • The forum statistics • Posts • Last updated • Number of registered • Who is online currently • Who has a birthday

13. Personal Message Alert Bread Crumb Trail of where you are in the forum

14. Board Category Latest Post author and thread Board Name Board Description and Moderators

15. Board Categories and Boards • The forums have 7 board categories • General • Contains announcements, a suggestion board, the moderators board, and convention announcements • The Entrance Hall • An introduction to hp-ohio, helpful hints for using the board and working with the group, The Sorting where you can introduce yourself, and rules for the group/board. There is a lengthy description here about each board and what should be posted where. • Commons • Discussion boards for the books, movies, fandom, organizing our monthly huddles, organizing other meet-ups, shipping, etc. Each one has its own board.

16. Board Categories and Boards Cont • Fan Creations • Post fanfic, fanart, or recommend fanworks to everyone else. • Wizarding World • This category is broken up by geographic area so people in Dayton can talk to those near by, or Columbus can post other events local to them, etc. It also contains the Ohio Quidditch League board, SPEW and Nanowrimo for people who participate in that. • Messr. Reed's Tokens For All Occasions • For submissions and discussions of the cafepress shop. • Cupboard Under the Stairs • Archived threads and boards.

17. Breadcrumb Trail • The Breadcrumb trail at top of the boards shows you where you currently are, and how deep into a topic. • Each title is a link that will let you go backwards easily. Front Page Board Category Sub-Board Board Thread Page of Thread

18. Introduce yourself! Board and group rules, board descriptions Monthly Huddle discussions/planning

19. Talk to other Dayton folks! All things Quidditch – planning games, practices, equipment and uniforms

20. Info Center • Last Updated Topic • Clicking here will take you to the thread that was last updated. You will see the entire conversation chronologically. • View the latest 10 posts • Clicking here will take you to the last 10 posts made. They will not include the conversations or threads they pertain to, just the post. • Birthdays • Who is online • It will show members, staff and guests • Newest Member • Number registered

22. Sub-boards • Some of the top level boards will contain sub-boards • These relate to the overarching board, but warrant having their own board due to scale or amount of information. • E.g. there are large event sub-boards within the Harry Huddles board. Each have their own sets of threads or discussions. That way they don’t get mixed up in the other information.

23. Marcon Sub-board, used to plan our participation in MARCON.

24. Threads/Discussions

25. First Post inside a thread

26. Post a reply to the thread using the Quick Reply method at the bottom of the page

27. Post a reply to the thread using the regular Reply method by clicking “reply” at the bottom right of a post. This gives you more editing options to your post.

28. Quick Reply Vs Regular Reply • Quick Reply • Good for time restraint or if you want to make a very simple reply • No html unless you type it in yourself • Regular Reply • Gives you text font/size/color options easily • Smilies inserted by clicking • Message icons (exclamation points, etc)

29. Poll with discussion

31. Polls • Members can create Polls within boards or sub-boards. • Used to vote on dates for events, themes for huddles, or like the example for shirts or costumes. • Polls can be voted on and then the results can be discussed within the same thread. • Created can lock a poll when complete.