Thanks for the feedback in post #23 regarding approximating the old "Today's Topics" by forum rather than by time.
But isn't there an easier way? Or can't all of FT revert to the old way? I used to be able to just skim through pages and pages when I knew they were all related to an airline I don't fly or hotel chain I don't frequent. Now I have to read *each and every line item*.
Thanks for the feedback in post #23 regarding approximating the old "Today's Topics" by forum rather than by time.
But isn't there an easier way? Or can't all of FT revert to the old way? I used to be able to just skim through pages and pages when I knew they were all related to an airline I don't fly or hotel chain I don't frequent. Now I have to read *each and every line item*.
There is a link at the top called New Posts which would seem to meet your objectives and answer your question, BingoSF. Unfortunately, unless someone can correct me, I do not believe there is a way to organize all of the threads to which new posts have been added other than chronologically.
I will try to investigate this further, unless someone else can come up with a better answer...
Another Way to View the First Unread Post in a Thread
I already extolled the virtues of View First Unread in Milepost 4 and Milepost 23 of this thread.
However, did you know that when viewing a list of forums (such as FlyerTalk forums or the cusomtized list of forums in your MyFlyerTalk area), you can jump directly to the first unread post in the thread listed under the Last Post column?
Place the cursor over the thread in the Last Post column. A little yellow note will automatically appear with the message Go to first unread post in thread, which alerts you that by clicking on the name of the thread (which is also a link to that thread), it will automatically direct the vBulletin bulletin board software that powers FlyerTalk to the first post in that thread which you have not yet read.
Cookies must be activated in the browser of your choice which is used to view FlyerTalk. If Cookies are disabled, this time-saving feature will not work.
This Thread is Not Stinky! Oh, Wait — You Wrote “Sticky”, Not “Stinky”. Never Mind...
Quote:
Originally Posted by John at Webflyer
Thank you for this excellent thread.
I've made a note that we make this a sticky topic when I get into the office tomorrow.
It has been my pleasure, John at Webflyer — especially after all that you and the rest of the staff have done for the members of FlyerTalk!
I am honored that this thread is now a “Sticky” topic.
I have one question, though — when you made that note to make this thread a sticky topic when you returned to the office, was it written on one of those Sticky notes?...
Please allow me to expand upon Milepost 24 in this thread by wideman concerning the new powerful Search feature.
Not only can one search within any or all forums, but one can also search within a thread also!
To access this feature:
Simply navigate into the thread of your choice.
Click on Search This Thread, which will be one of the choices that will appear at the top of the thread.
When one clicks on Search This Thread, one realizes it operates exactly the same way as when searching within any or all forums.
The end result is different, however. When the search results are found, every post in that thread that contains the word(s) to be searched will highlight the search results in red to make the results instantly stand out.
In the old days (!) of FlyerTalk, formatting code into a post had to be done manually. Cutting and pasting repetitive code for formatting saved a little time, but not much.
One can still manually format their own posts if one desires, but there is little reason to do so in the current version of FlyerTalk.
When typing a post, look at the top of the Message area. Notice that there are two modes:
Guided Mode — When choosing one of the formatting options at the top of the Message area, this mode pops up a JavaScript window that asks one to enter the desired text to be formatted. When one enters text and clicks the OK button, the text is pre-formatted. This option is excellent for text that needs only one style of formatting.
Enhanced Mode — When choosing one of the formatting options at the top of the Message area, this mode will enter the formatting desired directly into the Message area, where one can type in the desired text to be formatted. Click on the same formatting option again after the text has been written, and the Enhanced Mode will automatically “close” out the code so that it does not affect subsequent text in the Message area. This option is excellent for text requiring multiple formats, such as bold italicized underlined colorized text.
Whichever of the automatic formatting features one chooses, it will definitely save time.
One other note: one can still manually format the text in the Message area at any time, even after using the automated formatting features.
To expand upon Milepost 19 pertaining to the functionality concerning the use of individual posts:
When clicking on the post number and viewing the individual post in its own window, one may have the propensity to want to view other posts in the thread from which the individual post came.
To do this, look at the top-right corner of the window of the individual thread, where one will see the name of the thread from where that individual post came. The name of the thread also doubles as a link to that thread. Simply click on the thread name to immediately be transported to that thread.
If I want to look up an individual's profile, how do I do so? Perhaps this is someone that hasn't posted in awhile, so I don't have a recent post of theirs to click on. In the old FT version, I knew how to bring up a profile for someone - anyone - then delete their handle in the url and type in the handle of the person whose profile I wanted. We all seem to have numbers now, and that workaround no longer works.
Can I arrange forums in the order of importance to me in "My FlyerTalk"? For example, Community has now dropped to near the bottom of the pecking order - yet that is one of the most interesting forums to me. Is there a way to bring it near the top of the forums to which I subscribe? I have a number of forums of lesser interest and little activity to which I subscribe (various destinations) which all have a higher hierarchy in the new FT.
Accessing the Public Profile of a FlyerTalk Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
If I want to look up an individual's profile, how do I do so?
On the left of each post is the user name of the FlyerTalk member who is the author of that post.
Click on that name. A pop-up menu will appear with four choices. The first choice is to View Public Profile of that FlyerTalk member. Try this and see if this answers your question, SanDiego1K. If not, please let me know.
By the way, other choices in that pop-up menu include the ability to send that FlyerTalk member a private message (which I intend to extol its virtues at a later date, as I have been using this useful feature lately), find more posts by that FlyerTalk member, and adding that FlyerTalk member to your Buddy List.
Can I arrange forums in the order of importance to me in "My FlyerTalk"?
Unfortunately, no. The forums conform to the original arrangement found in the FlyerTalk forums area, despite the order in which one subscribes to the forums.
For example, if you decided to subscribe to the OMNI forum first and then subsequently subscribe to a dozen other FlyerTalk forums afterwards, OMNI will still appear at the bottom of your customized list of forums in MyFlyerTalk.
Green Boxes After the Post Count of a FlyerTalk Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SanDiego1K
Can you please explain the green boxes after our post count?
That is the gauge of your Reputation, which is similar to a Merit/Demerit system.
Green is good! When another FlyerTalk member approves of a post of yours, that member may feel compelled to award you a positive Reputation, which will usually add points to your Reputation point total. On the other hand, a FlyerTalk member may disapprove of a post of yours, in which case that member may feel compelled to “award” you a negative Reputation, which will usually subtract points from your Reputation point total.
Below the green boxes are three icons at the bottom. The middle icon resembles the “Scales of Justice.” Click on this icon to either approve or disapprove of the post of another FlyerTalk member, or to see how many Reputation points you have if the icon is beneath your FlyerTalk name.
On FlyerTalk, members begin with one green box with 10 Reputation points. After accumulating 100 positive Reputation points, a second green (what I call) “Chiclet” or “Jolly Rancher candy” is added.
In the Latest Reputation Received area at the bottom of your MyFlyerTalk area, you will find the five most recent Reputations received, from which thread the Reputation came from, as well as the date and time the Reputation was added and comments, if any.
For more detailed information and comments concerning Reputation, please refer to the following threads:
How do I find profile for someone who hasn't posted?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canarsie
On the left of each post is the user name of the FlyerTalk member who is the author of that post.
Click on that name.
Canarsie, thank you for this explanation - but I see I worded my question very poorly. It is very simple to find the profile for someone whose post I have in front of me - but how do I find the profile for someone without such a post? I knew easy workarounds for doing that in the old FT - but can't figure out how to do so now.
