vBulletin 3 Discoveries - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

***Mister Underhill*** · 03-24-2004, 11:57 AM

Now that vBulletin 3 is here, there are a lot of new features and gadgets. You can share discoveries of neat and useful items here. I'll get the ball rolling with a couple of my favorites:

If you float your cursor over a thread title on the index pages, you get a preview of the first post in the thread.
You can use a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) Text Editor to creat your posts. This option can be set in the "Edit Options" section of your User CP. Now you can type your posts like you're using Word and do away with having to fuss with most of the tags.

What features have you discovered?

alaklondewen · 03-24-2004, 03:43 PM

Here are a couple of things I've found and enjoy:

When you click on a poster's name at the top of the post, you get a great little menu with several options, including viewing the profile and sending a PM.

The Quick links menu is very handy..

We are now able to report offensive posts just by the click of a button. (The hazard icon at the bottom of every post.).

***Mister Underhill*** · 03-26-2004, 09:06 AM

One new feature is the ability to download your private messages in various formats, including plain text. That limit on your mailbox size should feel less burdensome now.

***Sharkû*** · 03-26-2004, 09:29 AM

Normal users no longer have the option to physically delete anything, i.e. mods and admins can still see and retrieve deleted posts and edits (if they want to). We haven't had any problems with people deleting posts and retracting comments on this board so far, but I've seen it happen on other boards, where people would flame and later go back to make that post completely innocent. This seems a good preventive method.

The Perky Ent · 03-27-2004, 08:11 AM

What i've discovered which really annoys me is that some Thread titles are in bold which irritates me because then i make a thread and it comes out rugular looking. So, just a discovery!

Also, when you manage your PMs, there's a graph showing the space you use. I like it a lot!

Firefoot · 03-27-2004, 08:15 AM

Perky Ent - they're in Bold because you haven't read them yet. I personally like this feature a lot because it lets me know which threads have new posts to read.

I also like the nice menu on the left of the User CP.

On the whole I like this new format much better!

Belin · 03-27-2004, 08:53 PM

I've also noticed that when you're in a forum menu, you can click on the number of posts in a thread to see who's posted there, and how often. Very useful when trying to figure out who's still in your RPG, or when deciding whether to read a thread with an intriguing title...

Elennar Starfire · 03-28-2004, 08:18 PM

You can preview your signature!

Luthien_ Tinuviel · 03-29-2004, 03:10 PM

I haven't needed to use it yet, but I think I'll really enjoy being able to search within a thread without having to bring up the little "Find" box (ctrl+F), and also being able to make use of all the new and spiffy search options!

Lindolirian · 03-30-2004, 09:44 AM

Something random and quite funny that I found:

Quote:

Gimli Son Of Gloin
Banned
Last Activity: 12-31-1969 07:00 PM
Offline

Last active in '69, eh? Considering the poor dude registered in 2002... Hahaha O well, I thought it was a funny glitch

Mad Baggins · 03-31-2004, 10:31 PM

I noticed that there is a little coloured dot which tells you if someone is online or offline. Also, there is a calendar feature.

Luthien_ Tinuviel · 04-01-2004, 01:25 PM

I love the little white dot that tells you whether you've posted on that thread- it's so handy. No more wracking your brain to remember whether you posted on a thread months ago and forgot about it!

Imladris · 04-03-2004, 05:57 PM

I have discovered something that I think is totally nifty. When you paste something from the BDs to a word document, the pasted word shows upon the document in the font and size you have set on Word. Before, the word would copy in the BDs font and size and I would have to change it. Now, I no longer have to do that.

Cheers,
Istawen

Elennar Starfire · 04-08-2004, 09:18 AM

Not only can you now preview your siggie, you can preview PMs!

doug*platypus · 04-11-2004, 10:49 PM

When I use the "bold" and "italic" buttons in messages, a space automatically appears after the "/B" bit. An UNWANTED space, usually!!

Great news is, one of my former gripes has been wiped away. The friendly little ghost icon now appears in his right place, wherever a thread has been closed. Ahh...

Bêthberry · 04-13-2004, 09:05 PM

At the start of a thread, there are options now, Thread Tools, Search Thread, Rate Thread.

The printable thread option under Thread Tools is tremendous. I can see the value also of the email and unsubscribe options too. Great stuff!

bilbo_baggins · 04-30-2004, 01:15 PM

I like the new buttons for posting posts or threads. I also enjoy the posting area, as it looks more professional, and feels sorta homey.

Except that the toggle buttons for the Bold, Italics, Underline, etc. on that row, are covered in black until you hover your mouse over them. A little annoying.

mark12_30 · 05-03-2004, 08:11 AM

I was surprised to see posts by people with the status of "guest"; how does that happen? Don't you have to register to post?

Legolas · 05-03-2004, 10:57 AM

Lindolirian's post about '12-31-69' comes about in other places to, like the member list. That's the earliest date the forum will allow, and is default for things that happened before we moved to this software. If you check out the member list, the only real dates given are for members who joined after this software was installed. There was apparently no way to move over the old dates to the list, though the real register dates still appear on each profile.

mark12_30 · 05-03-2004, 11:41 AM

So
If you joined before the VB move
And
you have no personal Title, then
you show up as a guest?
... But if I sort on last post (using the blue arrow to inver the sort) then I see various status'es (stati?) " like Pile-O-Bones or wight, as well as Gilthalion's personal title and others too. And when I go to those people's posts I see the same (wight, pile o'bones, titles.) So it's a special case, somehow.

Maybe I just answered my own question: if they're in the database as "guest" they won't appear in the member's list...

Still I'm curious (being a software type myself, I've run into Unix time Zero often enough...)

Luthien_ Tinuviel · 05-03-2004, 01:05 PM

Doesn't "guest" occur after a person's been banned?

mark12_30 · 05-03-2004, 01:30 PM

Well, actually, they show up as "Banned". I went to look....

I guess the guests will remain a mystery.

Legolas · 05-03-2004, 09:18 PM

Sorry - my last post was not in response to you, mark12_30.

The answer to your question is that 'guests' are users whose memberships have been deleted and their login names freed. It has not been done in a while, but user accounts are occasionally deleted after a long period of inactivity (0 or very few posts).

Iarwain · 05-05-2004, 01:59 PM

I have a question: how does the scale icon "reputation" meter work as a replacement (I assume) for our old bone ratings?

Iarwain

Novnarwen · 05-05-2004, 02:12 PM

There is a nice thread about Reputations here: Reputations

Hope you figure it out.

HerenIstarion · 07-02-2004, 07:35 AM

do weird things count?

That is, I've just seen

'MSNBot Spider Sending Thread to a Friend

and

'MSNBot Spider Viewing User Profile

in Who's Online

Do robots have friends? Do the register on the BD and have their own profiles?

um, robots are coming...

mark12_30 · 11-05-2004, 07:34 AM

Within the “Members List” page, there is a link named “Search Members” located just above the “Avatar” column. If one chooses the “Advanced Search” link, a wealth of options presents itself.

03-24-2004, 11:57 AM	#1
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,743	vBulletin 3 Discoveries Now that vBulletin 3 is here, there are a lot of new features and gadgets. You can share discoveries of neat and useful items here. I'll get the ball rolling with a couple of my favorites: If you float your cursor over a thread title on the index pages, you get a preview of the first post in the thread. You can use a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) Text Editor to creat your posts. This option can be set in the "Edit Options" section of your User CP. Now you can type your posts like you're using Word and do away with having to fuss with most of the tags. What features have you discovered?

03-24-2004, 03:43 PM	#2
alaklondewen Song of Seregon Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Following the road less traveled Posts: 1,193	Here are a couple of things I've found and enjoy: When you click on a poster's name at the top of the post, you get a great little menu with several options, including viewing the profile and sending a PM. The Quick links menu is very handy.. We are now able to report offensive posts just by the click of a button. (The hazard icon at the bottom of every post.). __________________ At last I understand why we have waited! This is the ending. Now not day only shall be beloved, but night too shall be beautiful and blessed and all its fear pass away!

03-27-2004, 08:11 AM	#5
The Perky Ent Maniacal Mage Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Setting sail for Umbar, with Firefoot at my side! Posts: 3,297	What i've discovered which really annoys me is that some Thread titles are in bold which irritates me because then i make a thread and it comes out rugular looking. So, just a discovery! Also, when you manage your PMs, there's a graph showing the space you use. I like it a lot! __________________ 'But Melkor also was there, and he came to the house of Fëanor, and there he slew Finwë King of the Noldor before his doors, and spilled the first blood in the Blessed Realm; for Finwë alone had not fled from the horror of the Dark.'

03-27-2004, 08:53 PM	#7
Belin Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: all the wide unfriendly pathways of the world Posts: 330	I've also noticed that when you're in a forum menu, you can click on the number of posts in a thread to see who's posted there, and how often. Very useful when trying to figure out who's still in your RPG, or when deciding whether to read a thread with an intriguing title... __________________ "I hate dignity," cried Scraps, kicking a pebble high in the air and then trying to catch it as it fell. "Half the fools and all the wise folks are dignified, and I'm neither the one nor the other." --L. Frank Baum

03-28-2004, 08:18 PM	#8
Elennar Starfire Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: Nowhere...now here Posts: 952	You can preview your signature! __________________ Don't let me die!

03-26-2004, 09:06 AM	#3
*Mister Underhill* Dread Horseman Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Behind you! Posts: 2,743	One new feature is the ability to download your private messages in various formats, including plain text. That limit on your mailbox size should feel less burdensome now.

03-26-2004, 09:29 AM	#4
*Sharkû* Hungry Ghoul Join Date: Jun 2000 Posts: 1,719	Normal users no longer have the option to physically delete anything, i.e. mods and admins can still see and retrieve deleted posts and edits (if they want to). We haven't had any problems with people deleting posts and retracting comments on this board so far, but I've seen it happen on other boards, where people would flame and later go back to make that post completely innocent. This seems a good preventive method.

03-27-2004, 08:15 AM	#6
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	Perky Ent - they're in Bold because you haven't read them yet. I personally like this feature a lot because it lets me know which threads have new posts to read. I also like the nice menu on the left of the User CP. On the whole I like this new format much better!

03-29-2004, 03:10 PM	#9
Luthien_ Tinuviel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: A very lovely tree-hut in the Chunnel. Posts: 804	I haven't needed to use it yet, but I think I'll really enjoy being able to search within a thread without having to bring up the little "Find" box (ctrl+F), and also being able to make use of all the new and spiffy search options! __________________ I am a nineteen-year-old nomad photographer who owns a lemonade stand. You know what? I love Mip.

03-31-2004, 10:31 PM	#11
Mad Baggins Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: A place where after thunder golden showers come falling like a rain of flowers. Posts: 371	I noticed that there is a little coloured dot which tells you if someone is online or offline. Also, there is a calendar feature. __________________ I like buying snacks from a vending machine because food is better when it falls. Sometimes at the grocery, I'll drop a candy bar so that it will achieve its maximum flavor potential.

04-01-2004, 01:25 PM	#12
Luthien_ Tinuviel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: A very lovely tree-hut in the Chunnel. Posts: 804	I love the little white dot that tells you whether you've posted on that thread- it's so handy. No more wracking your brain to remember whether you posted on a thread months ago and forgot about it! __________________ I am a nineteen-year-old nomad photographer who owns a lemonade stand. You know what? I love Mip.

04-03-2004, 05:57 PM	#13
Imladris Tears of the Phoenix Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Putting dimes in the jukebox baby. Posts: 1,453	I have discovered something that I think is totally nifty. When you paste something from the BDs to a word document, the pasted word shows upon the document in the font and size you have set on Word. Before, the word would copy in the BDs font and size and I would have to change it. Now, I no longer have to do that. Cheers, Istawen __________________ I'm sorry it wasn't a unicorn. It would have been nice to have unicorns. I'm your huckleberry.

04-08-2004, 09:18 AM	#14
Elennar Starfire Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: Nowhere...now here Posts: 952	Not only can you now preview your siggie, you can preview PMs! __________________ Don't let me die!

04-11-2004, 10:49 PM	#15
doug*platypus Delver in the Deep Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Aotearoa Posts: 960	[B][I]Quirky.[/I][/B] When I use the "bold" and "italic" buttons in messages, a space automatically appears after the "/B" bit. An UNWANTED space, usually!! Great news is, one of my former gripes has been wiped away. The friendly little ghost icon now appears in his right place, wherever a thread has been closed. Ahh...

04-13-2004, 09:05 PM	#16
Bêthberry Cryptic Aura Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 5,996	Great Thread Tools At the start of a thread, there are options now, Thread Tools, Search Thread, Rate Thread. The printable thread option under Thread Tools is tremendous. I can see the value also of the email and unsubscribe options too. Great stuff! __________________ I’ll sing his roots off. I’ll sing a wind up and blow leaf and branch away.

04-30-2004, 01:15 PM	#17
bilbo_baggins Shade of Carn Dûm Join Date: May 2003 Location: In my front hallway, grabbing my staff, about to head out my door Posts: 275	I like the new buttons for posting posts or threads. I also enjoy the posting area, as it looks more professional, and feels sorta homey. Except that the toggle buttons for the Bold, Italics, Underline, etc. on that row, are covered in black until you hover your mouse over them. A little annoying. __________________ "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, and with more knowledge comes more grief."

05-03-2004, 08:11 AM	#18
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	I was surprised to see posts by people with the status of "guest"; how does that happen? Don't you have to register to post? __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

05-03-2004, 10:57 AM	#19
Legolas A Northern Soul Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Valinor Posts: 1,847	Lindolirian's post about '12-31-69' comes about in other places to, like the member list. That's the earliest date the forum will allow, and is default for things that happened before we moved to this software. If you check out the member list, the only real dates given are for members who joined after this software was installed. There was apparently no way to move over the old dates to the list, though the real register dates still appear on each profile. __________________ ...take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art. Last edited by Legolas; 05-03-2004 at 11:03 AM.

05-03-2004, 11:41 AM	#20
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	So If you joined before the VB move And you have no personal Title, then you show up as a guest? ... But if I sort on last post (using the blue arrow to inver the sort) then I see various status'es (stati?) " like Pile-O-Bones or wight, as well as Gilthalion's personal title and others too. And when I go to those people's posts I see the same (wight, pile o'bones, titles.) So it's a special case, somehow. Maybe I just answered my own question: if they're in the database as "guest" they won't appear in the member's list... Still I'm curious (being a software type myself, I've run into Unix time Zero often enough...) __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

05-03-2004, 01:05 PM	#21
Luthien_ Tinuviel Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2002 Location: A very lovely tree-hut in the Chunnel. Posts: 804	Doesn't "guest" occur after a person's been banned? __________________ I am a nineteen-year-old nomad photographer who owns a lemonade stand. You know what? I love Mip.

05-03-2004, 01:30 PM	#22
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Well, actually, they show up as "Banned". I went to look.... I guess the guests will remain a mystery. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve. Last edited by mark12_30; 05-03-2004 at 01:40 PM.

05-03-2004, 09:18 PM	#23
Legolas A Northern Soul Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Valinor Posts: 1,847	Sorry - my last post was not in response to you, mark12_30. The answer to your question is that 'guests' are users whose memberships have been deleted and their login names freed. It has not been done in a while, but user accounts are occasionally deleted after a long period of inactivity (0 or very few posts). __________________ ...take counsel with thyself, and remember who and what thou art.

05-05-2004, 01:59 PM	#24
Iarwain Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Birnham Wood Posts: 800	I have a question: how does the scale icon "reputation" meter work as a replacement (I assume) for our old bone ratings? Iarwain __________________ "And what are oaths but words we say to God?"

05-05-2004, 02:12 PM	#25
Novnarwen Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: In your mouth... Eeeew, by the way. :P Posts: 517	There is a nice thread about Reputations here: Reputations Hope you figure it out. __________________ Scully: Homer, we're going to ask you a few simple yes or no questions. Do you understand? Homer: Yes. (Lie dectector blows up) AUS Blog

07-02-2004, 07:35 AM	#26
HerenIstarion Deadnight Chanter Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,244	do weird things count? That is, I've just seen 'MSNBot Spider Sending Thread to a Friend and 'MSNBot Spider Viewing User Profile in Who's Online Do robots have friends? Do the register on the BD and have their own profiles? um, robots are coming... __________________ Egroeg Ihkhsal - Would you believe in the love at first sight? - Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time!

11-05-2004, 07:34 AM	#27
mark12_30 Stormdancer of Doom Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Elvish singing is not a thing to miss, in June under the stars Posts: 4,349	Within the “Members List” page, there is a link named “Search Members” located just above the “Avatar” column. If one chooses the “Advanced Search” link, a wealth of options presents itself. __________________ ...down to the water to see the elves dance and sing upon the midsummer's eve.

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