How to: message others

Hey guys! So this is just a little guide on how to work the messaging system on this forum! I thought you might need help if you're new to role playing and don't know how to message or post new topics on this forum! So below is a picture, edited in photo shop (mind the crappiness xD), where each different aspect of creating a message is circled and then numbered. The numbers will be presented below; to describe what each button, the number is representing, means and its function. (Sorry the image is a little small, I couldn't fit it in without half of it being chopped off -.-")


So first of all, you have to create a topic title; otherwise the site won't let you post your message - even if it's a private message or a new topic. This is located at the top of the message box, obviously, where it says 'Title of the topic'.

1) Everyone knows these. Hopefully. Bold, Italics, Underlining and Striking text. So what you do, is you highlight the section (this can be the whole message, a sentence, or a few words, it's up to you) of the message you're sending and then you click either of those buttons to change your highlighted text to that specific format. You can use them all, you might want a word in bold and italics, on the section of the text you have chosen, it's up to you. Once you press the buttons for the format you want, an image like: [ i ], will show up before the first word and an image like [ / i ] will appear after the last word of your highlighted section. This is to show that the part of the text you have highlighted is going to be in that particular setting once you post the message. Do not remove these, unless you do not want that format on your text.

2) For those of you who don't know, these four buttons are to position the text in your message by either: moving it to the left, middle, right, or justifying it. Personally, I don't use these at all. I usually just leave the text to the left, which is the original setting, but you can do whatever you like. If you decide you want to align the text differently to that of the original setting, make sure you highlight the text before choosing which alignment you want to use. Once you click a different alignment, an image like: [centre], will appear. As explained in the step earlier, do not remove this unless you have decided you don't want it.

3) So the next three buttons are all a little different. The first one, on the left, is your basic dot point structure for when you are making a list. For example:

• Blanditia

• Academy

• Role play

With this, you have to make sure that when you're making a list, you enter down each word first. You then highlight each individual word in your list and press the '-List' button to create a dot point. You cannot highlight the whole list, because it will only create one dot point for the whole list instead of multiple ones. So, highlight each individual word in your list and press the dot point button. An image like: [ list ] [ * ] will appear before the word(s) you have chosen, along with [ / list ] coming after the chosen word(s). Again, do not remove these unless you do not want this function any more.

The button next to '-List' titled, 'Ordered List', is pretty much the same process as the one explained above, however it's using numbers instead of dot points.

The button on the right, and the last one for this step, 'Insert a line break', is basically splitting up your text. This you can do just by pressing enter, when you want to split up a paragraph. However, if you want to split up your paragraphs the hard way, all you do is highlight the sentence (or however many lines) you want separated from a particular section/paragraph and click the 'Insert a line break' button. This will make your sentence jump down, like when you press the enter command on your key board. An image like: [ hr ] will appear before the sentence you have highlighted, to show that this sentence, and all the ones after it, will move down a space. Again, don't remove this unless you want your sentence back to where it was set originally.

4) This next button, titled 'Quote', is for when you want to quote anything in your message. If, for some reason, you want to add a quote to your message, highlight the text you want to be quoted and press the 'Quote' button. An image will appear at the beginning of your quote: [ quote ] and one after your quote [ / quote ]. Do not remove these unless you do not want that section as a quote any more. If you do, the quote should appear like this:

Blanditia Academy Role play

5) I have never used the 'Code' button before... but anyway, what you do, is you highlight the section you want 'coded'. You then click the 'Code' button, and these will appear before and after your highlighted text: [ code ] ... [ / code ]. Do not remove these unless you do not want your text 'coded'. The section you want will then turn out like this:

Code:

Blanditia Academy Role play

6) The next button, 'Insert a table', I can't imagine anyone would need to use... so I'm not going to explain it, because I don't even know how it works xD

7) If you are wanting to insert an image into your message, as I have done at the beginning, you click on the 'Host an image' button. A white box will appear, saying 'Upload your image', with File, URL and Resize image listed underneath. If the image you want to upload is on your computer, then you click 'choose file' and pick the image saved in your documents. You would then click the 'Host it' button and wait for a moment as it uploads. Three links will appear, 'Thumbnail' 'Image' and 'Image URL'. You can click on the copy button located at the end of the link in the 'Image' box to highlight it, or just highlight the link with your mouse, before selecting copy with your mouse or keyboard. You then paste the link into the message box, wherever you want the image to be - whether it is above, below or in the middle of the message. I suggest clicking the preview button before you send your message, just so you know whether the image was cut off or whether it’s the image you want. If it's cut off, you will have to resize the image, or the person receiving your message can click on the photo and be taken to the website which hosts the full sized image you have uploaded. If the image you want to use is on the Internet, you choose the 'URL' selection instead of choosing a file from your computer. Right click on the image you want, located on the Internet, and select 'copy URL'. You then paste the URL that has been copied into the box provided before pressing 'Host it'. You then go through the same process as described above. The image will not appear in the message, a link will, for both options (choose file and URL). This is showing where the image will be once you finish and send the message - this is why you should preview the message first, to see the actual image, so you can position it to wherever you want. If you do not want the image in your message any more, simply delete the link that you have pasted. If you want your image in the centre of your message, then highlight the links provided and click the 'Centre' alignment button. Your image should appear like this:

8) This next button, 'Image', is what I use to upload GIFs into messages. The GIF must be on the Internet in order for it to be uploaded. You right click on the GIF you want to use and click 'copy URL', like in the previous step. Once you have done this, click the 'Image' button and paste the URL into the box provided. Then select ok. The link is normally located at the bottom of the message and images such as: [ img ] and [ / img ] are shown before and after the link. Leave those there, unless you don't want your GIF to appear. Like the image above, if you want the GIF in the centre, highlight the link and press the 'Centre' alignment button. The GIF should appear like so:


9) The next button titled, 'Link', is for copying and pasting URLs into your message. Any URL will work, whether it's for a web page, image, video on you tube, etc. So copy the link you want to send, click on the 'Link' button and paste it into the first box. Then press ok and your link should appear in the message box, like so:

https://blanditia-academy.forumotion.com/

10) I'm not sure what the next button does and I don't think it will be of any use for your messages.

11) This next button, titled 'Video', is pretty much the same procedure as uploading a GIF. You go onto YouTube, Daily motion or Google Video, choose which video you want to send and copy the link in the URL box at the top of the web page. You then paste this link into the box shown, once you've clicked the 'Video' button, and select ok. The link will be provided below the message. Depending on which site you used, images will appear: [ youtube ] ... [ / youtube ]. Delete these if you do not want the video in your message. If you leave the link without the images, [ youtube ] [ / youtube ], then a single link will remain, which is still able to direct you and the recipient of the message to the video, this is shown above the video displayed below. Your video will not show, until you hit the preview button and/or press send. If you press preview before you send the message, you will see that a box with the video you have chosen will appear where the link was in the text box. As done for the pictures and GIFs, you can also align your video in the centre of the message, or wherever else you want it, using the same procedure as explained in the above steps:

12) The next three buttons shown, 'Font size', 'Colour' and 'Font' are all pretty easy to work out. You must highlight the text before choosing a font size, colour and font, otherwise they won't appear. Again, images will appear beside the text you have highlighted, don't delete these unless you do not want a different font size, colour or font.

13) This isn't really something you need to worry about. They're automatically on when you make a message, so when you make a smiley face :) an 'emoticon' will appear. The next step will tell you how to disable the 'emoticons' if you do not wish to use them.

14) So finally! The last step will explain the three options provided underneath the preview and send buttons. The first one, I'm not too sure what that means, but it's unselected so just ignore it. The next one you can tick if you don't want the 'emoticons' (on the right) presented in your message. The last option you should keep ticked so that you are alerted via email when you get a response to your message.


Everything in this guide applies to private messaging, creating a topic and/or replying to a topic, since all messaging systems have the same options. Again, make sure you highlight the text you want to change, otherwise nothing will appear. Make sure the links you use are correct and that you haven't accidentally missed a section of the link, otherwise it will not work in the message. Make sure to preview your message before you send it, so that you can see what it will look like to the recipient.

I hope this has been helpful for you all! If you have any questions, just ask! I'd be glad to help out with anything else :)

Written by, Courtney c:

Youtube = YoulittleSQUID
Role play = Elijah Blake & John Silver

My only problem is is the forums new to me xD.;- As in this brand of forum, the layout is completely diffrent from the PHPBB setting im used too.x.x