How do I do ??? ?

[crfriend]

Every so often it comes up that folks comment that "I'm no good at {insert activity here}." This is almost always down to ignorance of how to do it right. The good thing about this is that ignorance is entirely innocent and entirely curable! This thread, which I am creating as a "sticky" so it stays at the top, aims to be a FAQ (Frequently Asked/Answered Questions) on the use (and sometimes abuse) of BBcode which is how to format things when posting messages to the community. Questions should be asked here on the thread, whereupon they will be answered in the main post and the question-post deleted to keep things clean.

Fancy formatting allows for elegant in-line link presentation, emphasis to be placed on things that warrant it, and can greatly improve overall readability and comprehensibility. Properly used it is an invaluable tool, improperly used, however it can detract from a presentation. Note that there's a batch of buttons that control this stuff that can be used as a shorthand if one doesn't want to type everything out; use those if you prefer, but typing them in works very well. Also note that judicious use of the "Preview" button will help isolate problems before one submits a post.

So, without further ado:

"How do I post a link to SkirtCafe?"

The short answer by way of example is:

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Here is an [url=http://www.example.org/target.html]article[/url] on men in skirts.

That will render on the reader's screen as a cohesive sentence with the word "article" highlighted as the the active link which will open in a separate tab or window when selected. Here it is in action (note that the link should not work): "Here is an article on men in skirts."

"How do I alter type-styles?"

Type-style e.g. italics, bold, and underlining) are altered using BBcode tags thusly:

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This is in [b]bold[/b] type.  This is in [i]italics[/i], and this is [u]underlined[/u].

Here that snippet is in action in the viewer's browser: "This is in bold type. This is in italics, and this is underlined." These can be combined by nesting them (that is, one contained entirely within the other like:

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This is [i][u]underlined italics[/u][/i].

which renders as: "This is underlined italics." (Note that the underlining format is contained entirely within the italics format.)

Font size (scaling) can be controlled by BBcode, e.g.:

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This is [size=85]small type[/size], and this is [size=150]large type[/size].

In action now: This is small type, and this is large type.

The number is a percentage with 100 being the default size; 50 is "half size" and 200 is "double size". Note that inappropriate use of this can be very annoying to readers in much the same way as typing IN ALL CAPITALS is equated to "shouting" and is much unappreciated.

The actual typeface (the font) cannot be altered using BBcode; that is a function of the viewer's browser, and it's up to each reader to have his browser set up so it is legible and easily readable (i.e. a good readable font along with a proper font size). All that can be done with BBcode is to offer rendering hints to the viewer's browser.

"How do I gracefully quote posts?"

First and foremost, there's a button for quoting a post one is reading from. That's the easiest starting point. However, there may come a time where one wants to quote -- and rebut -- more than one author in a single post. Here's how:

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[quote="John Q. Public"]John Q. Public said this.[/quote]

Note the use of quotation marks! Those are important.

Here's how it looks:

John Q. Public said this.

All highlighting and indenting are automatically taken care of. Note that proper on-line etiquette dictates that one quote the minimum quantity of text to retain context. Full-post quoting is generally frowned upon as it increases the amount of reading a viewer must do before getting to the new content. Use of the ellipsis is entirely appropriate to pare down quotes in this regard.

Quotes can be nested (see above for the definition of "nesting") up to (I think) three deep.

As always, the "preview" button is your friend.

[STEVIE]

Hi Carl,
Thanks for this one. I must confess that it is in the area of "quotes" that I have had a problem.
I can also remember that Chip/Since1982 said that he typed on a word document to use as a preview and editing tool.
Something that I have also used on a few occasions too.
Steve.

[Jim]

In html, one can use target="blank" to open a link in a new browser tab or window. How do you do this with BBcode?

[Jim]

How do I size a linked image? Some web images are too large for proper display. In html one uses hight= and width= tags sometimes rather than resizing the image.

[crfriend]

In html, one can use target="blank" to open a link in a new browser tab or window. How do you do this with BBcode?

That feature is coded into the BBcode -> HTML translator that's built into phpBB. A properly formatted url= link should automatically open up a new tab or window.

How do I size a linked image? Some web images are too large for proper display. In html one uses hight= and width= tags sometimes rather than resizing the image.

One can't. There's no mechanism to handle that case. In any event, gargantuan images should almost always have a moderate-sized "thumbnail" that can be displayed on an average screen and not take a lot of time to download.

[dillon]

In html, one can use target="blank" to open a link in a new browser tab or window. How do you do this with BBcode?

That feature is coded into the BBcode -> HTML translator that's built into phpBB. A properly formatted url= link should automatically open up a new tab or window.

How do I size a linked image? Some web images are too large for proper display. In html one uses hight= and width= tags sometimes rather than resizing the image.

One can't. There's no mechanism to handle that case. In any event, gargantuan images should almost always have a moderate-sized "thumbnail" that can be displayed on an average screen and not take a lot of time to download.

You can resize the image by pixels in Paint, if saved to file, then resave and upload it.

[weeladdie18]

Where do I find my P.M.s received ?

[shadowfax]

Where do I find my P.M.s received ?

User Control Panel --> Private messages tab --> Inbox

[weeladdie18]

Thank you shadow fax . Nice to see some active U.K. Members ....weeladdie

[shadowfax]

Here's how to add your location.
It'll then appear in the panel next to your posts, in the lines of information under your user name.

User Control Panel --> Profile tab --> Location:
Type a location in the box to the right of the word "Location:".
Click the Submit button to save the changes.

If I might offer a helpful suggestion, please add your country at the end of the location.

On some internet forums, I've noticed that some folks from the USA, finish off the Location line with the two letter abbreviation for their state, such as VT, for example (Vermont).
Some folks from outside of the USA, may confuse the two letters for the state as being the letters for a country.
May I suggest that a member from the state of Vermont, say, type "VT, USA".

[Sinned]

shadowfax, where in the UK are you resident? You've not exactly followed your own instructions. It's a big small island? Can we all follow the advice and update our domiciles?

[shadowfax]

shadowfax, where in the UK are you resident? You've not exactly followed your own instructions. It's a big small island? Can we all follow the advice and update our domiciles?

I've chosen to enter my location as UK. I will not be adding any more detail.

[Sinned]

Fairy snuff. But you seemed not to be following your own advice. Better not to have said it.

[shadowfax]

Fairy snuff. But you seemed not to be following your own advice.

Some folks have filled nothing into Location at all. Not even a country.

Better not to have said it.

I thought that folks might find the information useful but you are welcome to your own opinion.

[Fred in Skirts]

Fairy snuff. But you seemed not to be following your own advice.

Some folks have filled nothing into Location at all. Not even a country.

Better not to have said it.

I thought that folks might find the information useful but you are welcome to your own opinion.

I decided that I had nothing to hide and filled mine in with a lot more information when I joined. But I agree it makes it easier some times to understand what some are saying as they come from an area so much different from where I live. And their English may be so much better or worse than mine as well as the context they put on how they speak it.