|
Join
Log in |
 |
Home
Blinks
Blinkers
|
 |
| Blink Index » FAQ | May 13, 2008 11:29 am |
 | FAQ |  |
 | |  |
 | Login and Registration Issues | |
| Why can't I log in? Have you registered? Seriously, you must register in order to log in. Have you been banned from Blink Bits? (A message will be displayed if you have.) If so, you should contact us to find out why. If you have registered and are not banned and you still cannot log in then check and double-check your username and password. Usually this is the problem; if not, contact us. Back to top |
 |
| Why do I get logged off automatically? If you do not check the Log me in automatically box when you log in, the board will only keep you logged in for a preset time. This prevents misuse of your account by anyone else. To stay logged in, check the box during login. This is not recommended if you access Blink Bits from a shared computer, e.g. library, internet cafe, university cluster, etc. Back to top |
|
| How do I prevent my username from appearing in the online user listings? In your profile you will find an option Hide your online status; if you switch this on you'll only appear to Blink Bits administrators or to yourself. You will be counted as a hidden user. Back to top |
|
| I've lost my password! Don't panic! While your password cannot be retrieved it can be reset. To do this go to the login page and click I've forgotten my password. Follow the instructions and you should be back online in no time. Back to top |
|
| I registered but cannot log in! First check that you are entering the correct username and password. If they are okay then one of two things may have happened: With our COPPA support enabled and if you clicked the I am under 13 years old link while registering then you will have to follow the instructions you received. If this is not the case then maybe your account need activating. We also require all new registrations be activated. If you were sent an email then follow the instructions; if you did not receive the email then check that your email address is valid. One reason activation is used is to reduce the possibility of rogue users abusing Blink Bits anonymously. If you are sure the email address you used is valid then try contacting Blink Bits administrator. Back to top |
|
| I registered in the past but cannot log in anymore! The most likely reasons for this are: you entered an incorrect username or password (check the email you were sent when you first registered) or the administrator has deleted your account for some reason. If it is the latter case then perhaps you did not add any Bits so we removed your account to reduce the size of the database. Back to top |
| | |
| User Preferences and settings | |
| How do I change my settings? All your settings (if you are registered) are stored in the database. To alter them click the Profile link (generally shown at the top of pages but this may not be the case). This will allow you to change all your settings. Back to top |
|
| The times are not correct! The times are almost certainly correct; however, what you may be seeing are times displayed in a timezone different from the one you are in. If this is the case, you should change your profile setting for the timezone to match your particular area, e.g. London, Paris, New York, Sydney, etc. Please note that changing the timezone, like most settings, can only be done by registered users. So if you are not registered, this is a good time to do so, if you pardon the pun! Back to top |
|
| I changed the timezone and the time is still wrong! If you are sure you have set the timezone correctly and the time is still different, the most likely answer is daylight savings time. Blink Bits is not designed to handle the changeovers between standard and daylight time so during summer months the time may be an hour different from the real local time. Back to top |
|
| How do I show an image below my username? There may be two images below a username when viewing Bits. The first is an image associated with your rank; generally these take the form of stars or blocks indicating how many Bits you have made or your status. Below this may be a larger image known as an avatar; this is generally unique or personal to each user. It is up to Blink Bits administrator to enable avatars and they have a choice over the way in which avatars can be made available. Back to top |
|
| How do I change my rank? In general you cannot directly change the wording of any rank (ranks appear below your username in topics and on your profile depending on the style used). We use ranks to indicate the number of Bits you added and to identify certain users. For example, Captains and administrators may have a special rank. Please do not abuse Blink Bits by adding Bits unnecessarily just to increase your rank -- you will probably find the Captain or administrator will simply lower your post count. Back to top |
|
| When I click the email link for a user it asks me to log in. Sorry, but only registered users can send email to people via the built-in email form. This is to prevent malicious use of the email system by anonymous users. Back to top |
| | |
| Adding Bits Issues | |
| How do I add a topic in a subject? Easy -- click the relevant button on either the subject or topic screens. You may need to register before you can add a Bit. The facilities available to you are listed at the bottom of the subject and topic screens (the You can add new topics, You can vote in polls, etc. list) Back to top |
|
| How do I edit or delete a Bit? Unless you are Blink Bits admin or Captain you can only edit or delete your own Bits. You can edit a Bit (sometimes for only a limited time after it was made) by clicking the edit button for the relevant Bit. If someone has already replied to the Bit, you will find a small piece of text output below the Bit when you return to the topic that lists the number of times you edited it. This will only appear if no one has replied; it also will not appear if Captains or administrators edit the Bit (they should leave a message saying what they altered and why). Please note that normal users cannot delete a Bit once someone has replied. Back to top |
|
| How do I add a signature to my Bit? To add a signature to a Bit you must first create one; this is done via your profile. Once created you can check the Add Signature box on the form to add your signature. You can also add a signature by default to all your Bits by checking the appropriate radio box in your profile. You can still prevent a signature being added to individual Bits by un-checking the add signature box on the form. Back to top |
|
| How do I create a poll? Creating a poll is easy -- when you add a new topic (or edit the first Bit of a topic, if you have permission) you should see a Add Poll form below the main box. If you cannot see this then you probably do not have rights to create polls. You should enter a title for the poll and then at least two options -- to set an option type in the poll question and click the Add option button. You can also set a time limit for the poll, 0 being an infinite amount. There will be a limit to the number of options you can list, which is set by Blink Bits administrator Back to top |
|
| How do I edit or delete a poll? As with Bits, polls can only be edited by the original Blinker, a Captain, or administrator. To edit a poll, click the first Bit in the topic, which always has the poll associated with it. If no one has cast a vote then users can delete the poll or edit any poll option. However, if people have already placed votes only Captains or administrators can edit or delete it; this is to prevent people rigging polls by changing options mid-way through a poll Back to top |
|
| Why can't I access a subject? Some subjects may be limited to certain users or groups. To view, read, add, etc. you may need special authorization which only the Captain and administrator can grant, so you should contact them. Back to top |
|
| Why can't I vote in polls? Only registered users can vote in polls so as to prevent spoofing of results. If you have registered and still cannot vote then you probably do not have appropriate access rights. Back to top |
| | |
| Formatting and Topic Types | |
| What is BBCode? BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square braces [ and ] rather than < and > and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed. For more information on BBCode see the guide which can be accessed from the add a Bit page. Back to top |
|
| Can I use HTML? That depends, Only certain tags work. This is a safety feature to prevent people from abusing Blink Bits by using tags which may destroy the layout or cause other problems. Back to top |
|
| What are Smileys? Smileys, or Emoticons, are small graphical images which can be used to express some feeling using a short code, e.g. :) means happy, :( means sad. The full list of emoticons can be seen via the adding a Bit form. Try not to overuse smileys, though, as they can quickly render a Bit unreadable and a Captain may decide to edit them out or remove the Bit altogether. Back to top |
|
| Can I add Images? Images can indeed be shown in your Bits. However, there is no facility at present for uploading images directly to Blink Bits. Therefore you must link to an image stored on a publicly accessible web server, e.g. http://www.some-unknown-place.net/my-picture.gif. You cannot link to pictures stored on your own PC (unless it is a publicly accessible server) nor to images stored behind authentication mechanisms such as Hotmail or Yahoo mailboxes, password-protected sites, etc. To display the image use either the BBCode [img] tag. Back to top |
|
| What are Announcements? Announcements often contain important information and you should read them as soon as possible. Announcements appear at the top of every page in the subject to which they are added. Only administrators and Captains can add announcements. Back to top |
|
| What are Breaking News topics? Breaking news topics appear below any announcements in viewforum and only on the first page. They are often quite important so you should read them where possible. As with announcements only Captains and Blink Bits administrator can add or classify a Bit as breaking news. Back to top |
|
| What are Locked topics? Locked topics are set this way by either the administrator. You cannot reply to locked topics and any poll contained inside is automatically ended. Topics may be locked for many reasons. Back to top |
| | |
| User Levels and Groups | |
| What are Administrators? Administrators are people assigned the highest level of control over the entire board. These people can control all facets of board operation which include setting permissions, banning users, creating usergroups or Captains, etc. They also have full moderator capabilities in all the forums. Back to top |
|
| What are Captains? Captains are individuals (or groups of individuals) whose job it is to look after the running of a Blink from day to day. They have the power to edit or delete Bits and lock, unlock, move, delete and split topics in the Blink they lead. Generally Captains are there to prevent people going off-topic or adding abusive or offensive material. Back to top |
|
| What are Groups? Groups are a way in which administrators can group users. Each user can belong to several groups and each group can be assigned individual access rights. This makes it easy for administrators to set up several users as Captains of a Blink, or to give them access to a private area, etc. Back to top |
|
| How do I join a Group? To join a usergroup click the group link on the page header and you can then view all groups. Not all groups are open access -- some are closed and some may even have hidden memberships. To join you can request to join it by clicking the appropriate button. The user group leader will need to approve your request; they may ask why you want to join the group. Please do not pester a group leader if they turn your request down -- they will have their reasons. Back to top |
|
| How do I become a Group Moderator? Groups are initially created by Blink Bits administrator who also assigns a leader. If you are interested in creating a group then your first point of contact should be the administrator, so try dropping them a private message. Back to top |
| | |
| Private Messaging | |
| I cannot send private messages! There are potential reasons for this; you are not registered and/or not logged on or Blink Bits administrator has prevented you individually from sending messages. If it is the latter case you should try asking the administrator why. Back to top |
|
| I keep getting unwanted private messages! In the future we will be adding an ignore list to the private messaging system. For now, though, if you keep receiving unwanted private messages from someone, inform Blink Bits administrator -- they have the power to prevent a user from sending private messages at all. Back to top |
|
| I have received a spamming or abusive email from someone on this board! We are sorry to hear that. The email form feature of this board includes safeguards to try to track users who send such email. You should email Blink Bits administrator with a full copy of the email you received and it is very important this include the headers (these list details of the user that sent the email). They can then take action. Back to top |
| | |
| All times are GMT - 4 Hours |
| Blink Index » FAQ | May 13, 2008 11:29 am |
TOOLS: convert any RSS Feed to Javascript | Add save to BlinkBits to your website | Google Toolbar Buttons
ABOUT: about BlinkBits | about me | advertise | disclaimer | privacy
User-posted content, unless source quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Some Open Source Code by phpBB © with design from phpBBStyles.com. All Other Content & Code © BlinkBits 2007.
