The Questions Thread

[Biochemkris]

First and foremost, before you ask a question in this thread, please be sure you've read through the The SS Board Rules and FAQ to make sure your question hasn't already been answered.

Other frequently asked questions can be found in this and other posts in this thread. Make sure you give this thread a quick browse before asking your question to make sure it hasn't already been answered. It can get tedious answering the same questions over and over and you never know what other things you might find out during your browse. I try very hard to clean this thread out every so often so you only have a couple pages to skim through.


To make it easier for you to find the answers to your questions, we've broken up the Rules and FAQ into several sections which I've listed below. There is no reason for you to repeat any questions that have already been answered.

General Rules and FAQ breakdown:

• The SS Board Rules should be read by everyone in their entirety, period.
• Multiple Accounts
• Account Deletion
• If you delete my posts, does that mean my posts count goes down?
• I had 1000 posts yesterday and now I only have 500. WTF?
• I have 10 posts, why aren't I member yet?
• My password hasn't come in! My user name doesn't work!
• Posting and Thread Questions/Problems
• Sorting Questions
• Signature and Avatar Questions
• Can I be/How can I become a mod/staff/admin?
• Other Questions
• Hogwarts School FAQ
• vBulletin FAQ
• Gallery Rules
• Chatroom Rules and FAQ

School Rules and FAQ breakdown:

• Sorting and Term Information
• The sorting starts today but, I can't find the link!!!
• General School FAQ
• The Hogwarts Express
• Diagon Alley
• Hogsmeade
• How to become a professor or prefect
• Role Playing in the School
• School History
• What year am I?

One of the common questions we see in this thread, over and over and over, despite the fact that the answer is easily found in the FAQ through the above links is: "I posted a thread in ____ forum and it disappeared. What happened?" The answer to this question is that in many forums, threads need to be approved by moderators BEFORE they appear in the forum. You even get a nifty message after you post the thread telling you this but, I guess people don't really notice it or read what it says. For future reference, I've listed the forums where you currently need to have your threads approved:

Forums Requiring Thread Approval
(Please be patient with the moderators, it could take up to 24 hours to approve your thread. If it isn't approved by then, you can PM one of the mods for that forum to check on the status of the validation or ask why it wasn't approved. Mods will not contact you when your thread is approved/disapproved.)

Flourish and Blotts and its subforums
Ollivanders Wand Shop and its subforums
Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor and its subforums
Knockturn Alley and its subforums
Gringotts Wizarding Bank and its subforums
Weasleys Wizard Wheezes
Magical Menagerie
Leaky Cauldron and its subforums
Aragog's Web and its subforums
Charing Cross Road and its subforums

Mods for these sections can be found here.

Some people are unable to access the links in the Sections tab at the top of the screen. Unfortunately, this is a glitch that affects some people and it's javascript related. We haven't been able to fix this problem and there are a few places which only have easy access through the Sections tab. Here are those links: SS Chatroom SS Howarts RPG SS Calendar SS Member List


The dates for the next sorting, Hogwarts Express, start of term, final exams, end of term, etc can be found on the front page in the School RPG block toward the bottom with the house points counter.


If you couldn't find the answer to your question in the Rules and FAQ (shortcuts to the various sections are listed above), you may post your answer in here for a staff member to answer.


If you ask a question that has already been answered, your post will be deleted and your question left unanswered. If you can't be bothered to read the faq and other posts in this forum, we can't be bothered to answer you.


Please do NOT answer questions if you are not a member of the Snitchseeker Staff Team.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by tonks26

Just a minor question: here at home there are three of us who are members on SS. Whenever I log out, and my sister (jade_weasley) logs in, the format of the forums is...I guess I could say the other way around. Normally for me, the first post on a thread is on the top of the page, but when she logs on its the other way around. The first posts can be seen on the bottom of the page. Does that make sense? Sorry if I sound confusing, but yeah it happens--it this normal, or is this something that can be fixed?

If you go into the user cp there's an option under "EDIT OPTIONS" where you can change the "Thread Display Mode". This will enable you to decide if you want to see newest or oldest posts in a thread first.

Originally Posted by piperhalliwell13

I have a question about subscibed threads. How do you subscribe?

Piper

When you're viewing a thread, there's a link at the top right hand side immediately above the first post on any page, called "Thread Tools". Click on it and a drop box will appear, offering a few options. One of those is "Subscribe to this thread".

Originally Posted by Kasia

I've got a question too. Every time I post in some thread, it becomes a subscribed thread even if I don't want it! All those e-mail notifications I don't need are annoying. I have to delete the threads manually in my User CP, but it shouldn't happen, should it?

Man, that's SO annoying. It was happening to me for a while, too. I'm not sure why the board decides to randomly enable the "subscribe to all threads" thing in the user cp when we have the default set to "do not subscribe". You can change this setting yourself by clicking on "user cp" in the top menu bar. Then, go to "edit options" and scroll down to "Default Thread Subscription Mode" and use the pulldown menu to find "do not subscribe". Then, just click "save changes" at the bottom of the screen and you should be set. Should you decide you want to subscribe to a thread, all you need to do is click on "thread tools" and "subscribe to thread".

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by lala_favehp

who have the most current no. of post here in ss and what is he/she now?

We don't have an over top posters ranking on the site at the moment so, I'm not really sure.

[Rovie]

Originally Posted by Cloryan Broadbeam

is there a place where we can post things we'd think would be good for SS?

Start a thread in this forum.

[evlpez]

Originally Posted by allucha

Hey
I was just wondering is there a place to discuss the HP Video Games?
Thanks

Those discussions should be taking place in Zonko's Joke Shop. If there isn't a thread for the game you want to discuss, make one and a Zonko's mod will validate it as soon as they're able.

Originally Posted by Cloryan Broadbeam

how do i find out what moderators or admins are incharge of what sections?

On the forum index page, directly above the online members list is a link to the list of Forum Leaders. It lists all staff and the forums they work in.

Originally Posted by SnoggingLupin13

Just out of curiosity, what is the difference between a mod and an admin?

Moderators moderate threads and posts as well as siggies and avatars (school staff are also moderators but, in addition to moderating, they teach). Administrators are in charge of the moderators in their sections as well as making sure their forums are ship shape. It has to do with the amount of 'power' (for lack of a better term). We used to have a thread where all the mods, admins, and what they do were listed and I plan on posting something similar in here as a sticky topic soon.

Originally Posted by Jonsie B.

How is all of this stuff paid for, or is it simply volunteerers? Are they paid positions? Or if not, do you guys need some help?

Dumbledore pays for the servers, domain and such from his own pocket (and a small income from advertising banners). All of the staff here are volunteers, and no, we're all set for staff at the moment. Thanks for offering.

[evlpez]

Originally Posted by iluvron

hi umm i was just wondering how do you post pictures??? ive been trying to figure it out for the longest time but i cant figure it out!!! thanx

Originally Posted by *Dark Angel*

I think you do like this:
When you are writing a message to someone...you click on the button that sais "go avanced" and then you look at the top of this little square there you see lots of small images..and there is an image <--- this one...and you click on it..

Yes, or you can type in the BB code for images, like so (without spaces):
[ img ]URL_of_the_image_you_want_to_post[ /img ]

Someone on SS made me an siggy but how do i actually use it?

There have been siggy questions answered in The FAQ. All questions about signatures and avatars can be answered by visiting the Madame Malkin's (Signatures and Avatars) forum.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by Peter Potter

where can I play the RPG? Thanks again!!!

There are several places to RP (Knockturn Alley, Salazar's Lair) but, if you're talking about our Hogwarts School RPG, first you need to be sorted and then, you'll receive a PM with some links. The school is currently between terms but, we have Diagon Alley where you can 'buy supplies', warm up your RP skills, and just get familiar with our RP. A great place to start would be the Hogwarts, A History, in the "ooc: suggestion box" forum within the school. To get there, click sections at the top left of your screen and then click 'school'.

Originally Posted by Lily Potter

How do you make a link (like on you're siggy) and how do you name it?
thanks a bunch!

You'll be very limited on what you can do in your signature yourself so, I'll just direct you to Madam Malkin's now, just in case you get that pesky error message saying you can't have more than 50 characters (you need to submit your signature after that). But, in order to make links that you can name, here's the code:

[ url=http://www.snitchseeker.com]SnitchSeeker[ /url]

(just take out the spaces between the brackets)

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by starryeyedenchantress

i have a friend who recently joined but she has a problem. she has posted her ten posts, and has taken the sorting quiz. however, when i checked the members list it said she only had five posts. i know it takes a while to sort and for your number of posts to change. but why was she allowed to take the quiz if she only had five posts? thanks.

This is actually a very common problem during sorting time. A lot of times people end up spamming their way out of the newbie hut. By the time a moderator finds the spam and deletes it (effectively lowering that member's post count), the member has taken the sorting quiz. Those members who spam their way out of the newbie hut are placed back into the newbie usergroup until they post a legitimate 10 posts. They will need to retake the sorting quiz after becoming members because we delete the quizes of spammers.

Originally Posted by Ravenclaw6

I have the 10 required posts. I was visiting Hagrid's Newbie Hut and I was going to post a new topic, but according to the thing near the bottom of the page I can't post new threads on that newbie forum. Why am I not allowed to do that? Please respond ASAP, thx

There are some forums where we don't allow members to post new threads. There are other forums where threads need to be validated first. The Newbie Hut is one of those forums where members cannot post new threads.

These and many other school-related questions can be asked in the ooc: Suggestion Box forum in the School which you can access after being sorted.

[Leeness]

Originally Posted by Ginevra

Is there a section where I can post some non HP related poems?

Unfortunatley there isn't, our site is HP related and there would be really no point in invading it with Non-HP stuff.

Originally Posted by sunbabe

i'm wondering if there was a place i could possibly go to make a suggestion about the rpg forum? I'm not sure where that would be. Can you tell me?

You can either make suggestions about a particular forum to one of the forum mods or you can start a new thread in this forum for it.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by lavoni

Do you have to take exams?Is there any thing you have to get from diagon alley. also how do you find hogsmead?

thanks

Well, right now you can't do any of those things as you haven't been sorted yet (the next sorting will be taking place in March- see the front page for the exact date). However, to answer your questions:

Taking exams or doing homework is not mandatory as stated in the School FAQs.

There is nothing that you HAVE to get at Diagon Alley however, we do encourage new students to have a go at RPing there before the school term begins so that you can get a feel for our RPG. Diagon Alley is only open in between terms after you've been sorted.

Hogsmeade is open on some weekends. It is located within the school so again, you have to be sorted, first.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by Drusilla Black

I don´t know whether it is left out on purpose or not, but would it be absolutely impossible to put Hogwarts School for Witchcraft & Wizardry into "Search in Forum(s)"-section in the Search? That way it would be easier to find all your school-posts. Now that the school pretty soon ends again ...

If it is not possible, I would be delighted if someone told me the easiest way to find them all as soon as possible ... Or do I just have to stare at my post list and try to find them there?

Unfortunately, since we don't include the school in the jump menu (the pulldown one at the bottom of the page) it isn't shown in the search bar.

If you're looking for a post within a certain thread, you can just use the "Search this Thread" tool at the top page of every thread. If you're looking for a post within a certain forum of the school, use the "Search this Forum" tool at the top of the forum view.

Originally Posted by Drusilla Black

The advanced search didn´t work. That way it found my all posts in all the forums And same goes with that "search this thread". And I guess the plain "search" didn´t find posts by user, but the posts where the username was mentioned.

Right, the search thread or forum would be for keywords, not by user. The advanced search uses the same info as the regular search.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by lychan14

Could we post a sort of shout out to other members or if we were allowed where do we post? (The shout out would be if you want to have friends in the site you could interact with...)

We don't really have a specific shout-out type thread and chatting is frowned upon anywhere except in the designated chat thread. If you want to chat and interact, you can either PM your friends, go to the SS Chat, or head on over to St. Mungo's, the only thread where you're allowed to chat and spam.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by whende

Is there a difference between the RP diagon alley and the general hp diagon alley?

Yes, there's a big difference. The Diagon Alley in the School RPG is just that, Diagon Alley where you RP your school character getting their supplies in between terms. The Diagon Alley in the forums is the forum where you discuss general hp stuff. The school is completely seperate from the regular forums. Everything in the school is in character with the exception of the OOC and RPG Fan Club forums.

[evlpez]

Originally Posted by brina63

I can't seem to find out the answer to this question anywhere but I was wondering about quoting other posts. Is it possible to quote just part of a post or do you have to quote the whole thing? Also, how do you qoute, just by hitting the quote button under that post?
Thanks!

The code tags you use to quote text are:
[QUOTE*] - desired text - [/QUOTE*] (without the *)

You can use these code tags to put any text inside a quote box.

Clicking the quote button on a post will insert ALL of the content of the post into the [QUOTE*] tags in a new reply field. You can manually (backspace or delete key) delete parts of the post you don't want to quote. OR you can highlight just the words you want to quote and press Ctrl + C to copy them, and Ctrl + V to paste them into your new reply field inside the quote code tags.

Above your reply field there is a little caption box that looks like this: . Clicking that will insert the [QUOTE*] to the reply field code for you.


Kris edit: Since upgrading the forums you have more options for quoting posts now. If you'd like to quote more than one post, just click the multi-quote icon (the one next to the quote button) on each thread you want to quote, then click on 'reply'. You'll see the quote code mentioned by evlpez for each of the posts. You can edit out any of the text you don't need and type in your reply.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by slytherin_gal

can your character be mean?

Yes, but you'll want to be careful because you can be punished in the school RP and being too mean ruins the fun of the RP and labels you as a nuisance to the staff. Punishments include loss of house points and/or detentions (where you won't be able to RP anywhere in the school except the detention room).

[evlpez]

Originally Posted by Vanilla Sky

Hi all... just a quick question, I have gone through the thread and couldn't see anything similiar to this, so forgive me if I've missed it.

Between last night and when I logged on this afternoon, i've not been able to change my font, colour, size etc in the "Go Advanced" tab... there's nothing there. Even in the Quick Reply space there's usually a bold and italic thing to click, but it's not on my screen anymore.

Would that be a problem with my computer, a system glitch or something else?

You might've mistakenly changed your Message editor interface. You can fix it by going to your Edit Options in your user control panel. Scroll down to Miscellaneous Options and change your Message editor interface selection to the one you want. If you have no features above your reply field, you're in 'basic editor'. There is also 'standard editor' and 'enhanced interface' to choose from. 'Save changes' and away you go.

[Biochemkris]

Originally Posted by oja

I posted a thread . how do you delete posts in the thread

Contact a mod if you need posts deleted in a thread. If you are a moderator for a particular forum (language mod or school prefect) then, drop me a PM and I can explain how to do it.