Help

• Getting Started

  • Why should I register with the community?

    Registering lets you take full advantage of the community, enabling you to:
    

    • Post new messages and reply to other members' posts
    • Receive email when someone responds to a specific post or topic
    • Exchange private messages with other members
    • Personalize your community experience
    • Post comments on blogs that don't allow anonymous comments
    • Post ideas, vote on the ideas you like best, and post comments

    If you don't register, you can only browse, search for information, and read posts. You won't be able to give Likes, vote on ideas, interact with other community members, or set customization preferences.

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  • How do I register?

    Registering takes only a minute; all you need is a login name, a password, and an email address.

    
    To register:

    1. Click Register at the top of any page.
    2. Enter a Login name. (Your login name appears whenever you post or send private messages.)
       
       Tip: Most people create anonymous names for the sake of privacy and to help them feel more comfortable participating. Be creative, have fun with it, but choose carefully: you can't change your login after you're registered.
    
    
    3. Enter a Password.
       
       Tip: Passwords are case-sensitive. Include upper and lower case letters and numbers to make your password more secure.
    
    
    4. Enter your password again.
    5. Enter a valid email address.
    
    You'll be asked to confirm your email before you sign in.
    6. Enter your email address again.
    7. If you're the only one who uses this computer, click Remember me on this computer to be automatically signed in when you come to the community.
    8. If you want, enter your first and last name.
    9. Select a time zone that matches your location.
    10. Click Register.
    11. Check you email for a confirmation e-mail and click the activation link.
        
        Note: You must have cookies enabled in your browser to register and to sign in the community.

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  • How do I sign in?

    After you've registered and confirmed your registration, you can sign in and start participating.

    
    To sign in:

    1. Click Sign In at the top of any page.
    2. Enter your Login name and Password.
       
       Tip: If you're the only one who uses this computer, click Keep me signed in to sign in automatically next time you visit.
    
    
    3. Click Sign In.

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  • What do I do if I forget my login or password?

    To get help with your password:

    1. Click Need help with your login name or password? at the bottom of the page.
    2. Enter the email address you used when you registered with the community.
    3. Click Reset Password.
    4. Check your email for your login name and a password reset link.

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• My Settings

  • How do I change the image (avatar) next to my name?

    Changing your avatar is an easy way to personalize your community identity. You can change your avatar as often as you like. Your current avatar appears at the top of the Avatar page.

    
    To change your avatar:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
    3. Choose a new avatar in one of these ways:
       • Choose an avatar from the Community collection. (Choose an avatar collection and click the avatar your want.)
       • Use an image from your Image Gallery. (Click From Image Gallery and click the image you want.) You can only use this option if you have uploaded images that have been approved.
       • If you have been granted permission, use your Facebook profile photo as your avatar. (Click From Facebook and click Set Avatar.
       • If you have been granted permission, use an image from the web. (Click From the Web and enter the URL for the image. Then, click Set Avatar.

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  • How do I create a signature for my posts?

    Your signature is text that appears at the bottom of your posts.

    
    To create your personal signature:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Personal Profile > Personal Information.
    3. Enter your signature text in the Signature box.
       Some communities let you use HTML in your signature. Check with a moderator if you have questions.
    4. Click Save.

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  • How do I tell other community members about me?

    You can tell other community members as much or as little about yourself as you want. You can enter a short biography, your location, your interests, or anything else (within community guidelines, of course).

    To tell other community members about yourself:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Personal Profile > Personal Information.
    3. Enter information about yourself in the Biography field. You can also enter your name, location, company info, and any other information you want to share.
    4. Click Save.

    By default, all community users can see this information.

    To display your info only to people on your Friends List:

    1. Click Preferences > Privacy.
    2. Set show private information in profile to to friends only.
    3. Click Save.

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  • What is a Profile Card and how do I create one?

    Your profile card displays information about yourself and your community achievements. You can include your avatar, Likes count, community rank, post count, and latest post. You can also create badges for Blogger and Wordpress.

    To create a profile card:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Personal > Profile Cards.
    3. Click Display your profile card on your posts.
    4. Choose one of the themes provided or, if you can upload images without moderator approval, click Browse to choose a background image.
    5. Click the items you want to display on your card.
       The Preview shows you what your card will look like.
    6. Click Save.

    To create a Blogger card:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Personal > Profile Cards > Blogger Profile Card.
    3. Choose one of the themes provided or, if you can upload images without moderator approval, click Browse to choose a background image.
    4. Click the items you want to display on your badge.
       The Preview shows you what your badge will look like.
    5. Click Upload to Blogger.
    6. Follow Blogger's instructions for incorporating the card.

    To create a Wordpress or web site card:

    1. Sign in to your community account.
    2. Go to My Settings > Personal > Profile Cards.
    3. Click Wordpress Profile Card or Website Profile Card.
    4. Choose one of the themes provided or, if you can upload images without moderator approval, click Browse to choose a background image.
    5. Click the items you want to display on your card.
       The Preview shows you what your card will look like.
    6. Copy the URL (for Wordpress) or code (for website) at the bottom of the page and paste it on your Wordpress or web site page.

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  • What is my Friends List and how do I add people?

    Your Friends List is a way to create your own community within a community.

    Depending on your privacy settings, the people on your Friends List can see your biography, other personal information, or online status. If you send private messages, you can choose friends from a list instead of typing their user names.

    Note: Your Friends List is available only if your community supports private messages.

    To add people to your Friends List:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the user name of a friend to see the friend's About user name page.
    3. Click Add user name to Friends.

    Note: You can remove a person from your Friend's List by clicking "Remove from Friends". Additionally, you can click "Ignore" to prevent specific users from contacting you.

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  • How do I set my viewing preferences?

    You can customize the look and behavior of the community in many ways, including time zone and language preference, text size, menu behavior, message order, and privacy settings.

    
    To set your viewing preferences:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Go to My Settings > Preferences.
    3. Click through the various preference tabs and make the changes you want.
    4. Click Save on each tab where you make changes.

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• Community Basics

  • How do communities work?

    Communities provide a place for members or participants to search for information, read and post about topics of interest, and learn from each other. Depending on how the community is set up, you'll find:

    • boards where you can post questions and answers
    • blogs where you can read and comment on articles
    • idea exchanges where you can suggest ways to improve products and vote for ideas that other community members have posted
    • and more...

    Guests (unregistered visitors) can browse or search the community for information. Members (registered users) can post messages or comments, track discussions, and get email notifications on posting activity and other community actions.

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  • What is my role and responsibility in the community?

    You are essential to the community, even if all you ever do is read messages or articles that someone else has posted. Communities offer all kinds of contributions: posting questions and sharing answers, leaving comments on blog articles or ideas, voting for ideas you like, or just searching for answers to your questions.

    We encourage you to visit often and participate. Ask your toughest questions. Chances are someone has a solution or can point you in the right direction. If you find a solution that works, let others know and pass on your own tips and insights. You might just have the answer someone else needs.

    Remember to thank community members who have helped you. Show your appreciation by giving Likes to helpful posts, accepting a solution that answers your question, or posting thank-you replies.

    We want the community to be appropriate, friendly, informative, and fun for everyone.

    Be sure to read the Community Terms of Service and the community's Rules and Policies so that you know what to expect and what is expected of you when you're here.

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• Searching

  • How do I search for information?

    To search the Community, enter your search in the search field and click Search. A page of search results is displayed. Browse the search results in the same manner you would a message board.

    To perform a more in-depth search, click the Advanced link next to the Search button. Here, you can limit your query to a specific board, specific parts of the message (subject vs. body), and other advanced parameters.

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  • How does auto-suggest work?

    Auto-suggest accelerates your search by displaying results as you type search terms. When you see the post or user you're looking for, just click it.

    To turn auto-suggest off, click Turn off suggestions in the auto-suggest list.

    To turn auto-suggest on, click Turn on suggestions below the search entry area.

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  • How do I filter search results?

    You can refine your search using one or more filters (location, author, date).

    Want to limit your search results to accepted solutions? Click the Solved check box under the Metadata filter. Want only the most recent results? Use one for the date filters to see results for a day or a week ago. You can also filter your results by individual authors or members who have the same rank.

    Most search filters work together to narrow the possible results. For example, you can search for accepted solutions in the last month. However, the filters for the type of post work a little differently. If you choose Forums and Blogs, you see results from either forums or blogs (not results that are both forum and blog posts).

    Active filters appear at the top of the results list. To turn off a filter, click the X to the right of the filter.

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  • How can I customize search results?

    You can customize your search results to make them more meaningful in several ways:

    • Use the interactive filters on the left side of the page to refine the search results based on a variety of criteria: location, author, date, and others.
    • See which filters are active at the top of the results list.
    • Turn an active filter off by clicking the X button to the right of the filter.

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  • How do I search for posts?

    You can search for posts and knowledge base articles at any level of the community. When you type a search term, the system automatically searches at the current level. For example, if you're on the community front page, the system searches the entire community. If you're looking at a forum or blog page, the system searches that forum (and the associated knowledge base, if any) or blog.

    Tip: Searches for posts always include relevant knowledge bases. However, you can also search just in knowledge bases.

    To search for posts:

    1. Choose the scope of the search in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
       You can search at the current level and above in the community.
    2. Start typing the search term.
       Auto-suggest shows the topics that match the term you're typing.
       Tip: You can enter the full search term, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
    3. If you don't see the term you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.

    When you get your search results, use the filters on the left side of the page to refine your results.

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  • How do I search for people?

    You can search for community members by name or by rank. The name you search for must be at least three characters long.

    To search for users:

    1. Click Users in the drop-down list to the left of the Search button.
    2. Start typing the name of an individual user or the name of a rank.
       Auto-suggest shows the names of users who match the name you're typing. When you enter a rank, auto-suggest lists all users who have that rank.
       Tip: You can enter the full user or rank name, or use an asterisk as a wildcard in your search.
    3. If you don't see the user you're looking for in the auto-suggest list, click Search to see the full search results.

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• Posting Messages

  • How do I post a message?

    To post a message:

    1. Go to the board where you want to post.
    2. Click the New Message link.
    3. In the Subject field, enter your message title.
       Tip: Make your subject clear and concise, as it's the only part of the message that shows up on the message-listing page.
    4. In the Body field, type your message. Be sure to include all necessary details, especially for technical topics.
    5. Format and spell check your message, as needed.
    6. Click Submit Post.

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  • How do I reply to a message?

    Click Reply to respond to a particular post.

    The Reply Message screen is similar to the Post Message screen, with these differences:

    • When you reply to a post, the subject line is filled in automatically. You can change it if you want.
    • You can paste the message to which you are replying into the body of your reply by clicking Quote Message.

    Your reply is added to the existing thread. It won't create a new thread.

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  • Can I create "canned" or "boilerplate" responses?

    Yes. You can use macros to create boilerplate text that you can paste into any message. You can create up to 9 macros.

    To set up a macro for boilerplate text:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Go to My Settings > Macros.
    3. Enter a short but memorable name in the Macro Title field.
    4. In the Macro box, enter your boilerplate text. (You can use HTML tags if your community allows it.)
    5. Click Save.

    Tip: To add text at the bottom of your posts, you can include that text as part of your signature instead of using a macro.

    To add your boilerplate text to a post:

    1. Go to a post.
    2. In the comment area, place your cursor where you want to add the boilerplate text.
    3. Open the Macros menu and select the macro you want to add.

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• Bookmarks, Subscriptions, and RSS

  • How do I use bookmarks?

    Bookmarks enable you to list community content (boards, articles, ideas, topics, or individual posts) on a special page so you can easily find it again.

    To bookmark a piece of content:

    1. Go to the item you want to bookmark.
    2. To bookmark a location, choose (Location) Options > Bookmark.
       To bookmark a specific post, go to the post and choose (Post) Options > Bookmark.

    To view and manage your bookmarks:

    1. Go to My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
    2. Click My Bookmarks.
       You can click a bookmark to go to the item.
    3. To delete a bookmark, click the check box for the bookmark and click Bookmark Options > Delete Selected Bookmarks.

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  • How do I use subscriptions?

    Subscriptions let you get email updates whenever new content appears in an area of the community that you're interested in. You can subscribe to a board, a blog article, an idea exchange, or any other location in the community. You can also subscribe to a specific post.

    To subscribe a piece of content:

    1. Go to the item you want to subscribe to.
    2. To subscribe to a location, click (Location) Options > Subscribe.
       To subscribe to a specific post, go to the post and click (Post) Options > Subscribe

    To view and manage your subscriptions:

    1. Go to My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
    2. Click My Subscriptions to see a list of the items you've subscribed to.
       You can click a subscription to go to the item.
    3. To delete a subscription, click the check box for the subscription and click Email Subscription Options > Delete Selected Subscriptions.

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  • What is RSS and how do I use it?

    RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It is a way for you to get the latest content from this community, along with many other sites that you visit, all in one place. With an RSS feed reader, you subscribe to web sites, and those sites feed you new content so you can stay up to date.

    To use RSS, you need a feed reader, such as Google Reader, MyYahoo, or the Live Bookmarks feature of Firefox. There are many free options. After you have your feed reader set up, you can find RSS feeds in the community by going to a board, blog, thread, or message and selecting Subscribe to RSS Feed from the options menu. There you will see a preview of the feed. Most RSS readers give you a button to click at this point. After you click it, the RSS feed appears in your reader as well as new content from that section of the community whenever it becomes available

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  • How can I get emails when messages include specific words or phrases?

    You can create a search query subscription that sends you an immediate or digest email whenever a submitted message matches your search criteria. You can create one query for yourself.

    It can take about 15 minutes before you are notified about any new matching messages, and existing messages posted before you create a search subscription will not trigger any notification emails. Matches on terms used in author names, tags, labels, or attachments do not trigger any notifications.

    To create a search query subscription:

    1. Go to your profile page.
    2. Click My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
    3. Enter one search query.
    4. Click Save.

    When entering search queries, pay attention to the following:

    • Search queries are not case sensitive
    • Asterisks (*) and question marks (?) must be preceded by an alphanumeric character
    • Quotes (") can be used around multiple terms to search for an exact phrase
    • Special characters (%$#@) must be inside quotation marks ("%")
    • Parentheses must be closed on both ends
    • Using foreign characters in a search query is not supported

    Search queries can include one or more of the following operators:

    QUERY EXAMPLES	EMAILS SENT WHEN
    Including/excluding specific terms or phrases
    milk AND honey milk honey +milk +honey	Posts include both "milk" and "honey" in any field, in any order.
    milk OR honey	Posts include either "milk" or "honey" in any field, in any order.
    "heavy metal" NOT "heavy duty"	Posts include the exact phase "heavy metal" but no other combinations of the 3 words.
    +grain -rice grain NOT rice	Posts use the term "grain" but not "rice".
    "milk honey" milk+honey	Posts use the exact phrase "milk honey".
    +"blue bird" AND parrot	Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" AND the term "parrot".
    +"blue bird" OR parrot	Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" OR the term "parrot".
    (+"blue bird" AND parrot) -owl	Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" AND the term "parrot" but NOT the term "owl".
    (+blue +black) OR (+pink +purple)	Posts include "blue AND black" in an order, in any field OR "pink AND purple" in an order, in any field.
    Using wildcards
    mi*	Posts include words that start with "mi" (like milk) but not words that include "mi" in middle (dynamite) or end (demi).
    dy*mi*	Posts include words that start with "dy" and include "mi" in the middle of the word (like dynamite).
    te?t	Posts include a 4-letter word that starts with "te" and ends in "t" (like "text" and "test" but not "term" or "tested").
    Specifying fields to search in
    title:roses	The word "roses" is used in the title (subject) field.
    teaser:roses	The word "roses" is used in the Blog or TKB teaser field.
    body:roses	The word "roses" is used in the body field.

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• Blogs

  • What's a blog?

    A blog is an online journal written by one or more authors. Blog articles usually appear in reverse-chronological order, so you see the most recent article first, followed by earlier articles. Some blogs have comments from readers, which you can read by clicking the Comments link at the bottom of the article.

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  • How do I post a comment on a blog?

    Posting a comment on a blog is a lot like replying to a message on a board. If the blog is open for comments, you'll see a post a comment link or a comment count link at the bottom of the article.

    To post your comment:

    1. Click Comment or Post Your Comment.
       You can post a comment to an article or to someone else's comment.
    2. Type your comment in the comment area.
       You can use simple HTML and quote the article you're commenting on.
       
       Tip: Unless you have special permissions, you can't edit or delete a comment after it's posted, so be sure to preview your comment and spell check first.
       
    3. Click Post Your Comment.

    Some blogs display new comments almost immediately. Other blogs don't display new comments until the blog author or a moderator approves them.

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  • Can I post a blog comment without registering or logging in?

    Yes, however, you must provide your name (which we'll show) and your email address (which we won't). You might also be able to enter a web site URL to display with your comment. Then, simply type your comment and click Post Your Comment.

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  • Where is my blog comment? I posted a comment, but don't see it.

    Some blogs display new comments almost immediately. Other blogs don't display new comments until the blog author or a moderator approves them.

    If your comment doesn't appear immediately, check back in a few minutes. If it still doesn't appear, your comment is most likely in the approval queue.

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  • Can I edit or delete my blog comments?

    No, you can't. Be sure to check your spelling and preview your comment before you post it.

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  • How do I share a blog article with friends?

    To share blog articles with friend, you can use any shared bookmarking, social network, or other tracking service, such as Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Facebook, MySpace, Google, StumbleUpon, Technorati, or Twitter. However, you must have a valid account with the service.

    To share a blog article:

    1. Go to the article you want to share.
    2. Click Bookmark.
    3. Click the service you want to use.
       The next steps depend on the service.

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  • Can I subscribe to a blog?

    Yes. You can subscribe directly to a blog or an article, or you can subscribe to their RSS feeds. If you subscribe to an RSS feed, you can use an RSS reader to view new content that's added to the blog. If you subscribe directly to a blog or article, you receive an email alert when new articles or comments are posted.

    To	Do this
    Subscribe to a blog	Go to the blog page and click Blog Options > Subscribe.
    Subscribe to an article	Go to the article and click Article Options > Subscribe.
    Subscribe to an RSS feed	Go to the blog or article and click Blog Options > Subscribe to RSS Feed. Then, save the live bookmark or whatever you usually do to add an RSS feed.

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  • What's a Permalink?

    A permalink, short for permanent link, is the URL for a specific blog article. In an active blog with lots of entries, a particular article stays on the blog's front page for a short period of time. It becomes hard to bookmark a specific blog article or to email a link when the article you want is replaced with something new.

    This is where permalinks come in handy. They take you directly to an article, rather than to the blog's front page, which typically shows only the last few articles.

    To use a permalink:

    1. Click Permalink at the bottom of a blog article.
    2. Copy the URL that appears in your browser's navigation toolbar.
    3. Paste the link wherever you need it.

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• Ideas

  • What's an idea exchange?

    An idea exchange is a collection of ideas posted by community members. Ideas can include anything from new product requests to suggestions about how to improve a product or service. Everyone in the community can see and vote on the ideas. Idea exchanges offer 3 types of ideas:

    • Hot ideas (popular right now)
    • Top ideas (received the most Likes)
    • New ideas (most recent)

    Adding an idea is just like posting a message on a board, and voting for ideas is like giving Likes. You can post comments on ideas the same way you do on blog articles. Your community might use labels to help organize related or similar ideas, and assign a status to each idea so you know which ideas might be considered or implemented

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  • How do I post an idea in an idea exchange?

    Posting an idea is just like posting a message on a board.

    To post your idea:

    1. Go to the idea exchange where you want to post an idea.
       Tip: It's a good idea to search the idea exchange first to make sure that someone else hasn't already posted the same idea.
       
    2. Click New Idea.
    3. Type an Idea Subject and the body of your idea.
       You can use simple HTML, format the text, or add links or images. You can also preview your idea and check your spelling before you post the idea.
    4. To receive email when someone comments on your idea, click E-mail me.
    5. If labels are required, enter or choose one or more labels.
       The labels you can choose from are listed below the Label entry area. Click a label to choose it. Labels make it easy to find related or similar ideas.
    6. (Optional) Add one or more tags.
    7. Click Post.

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  • How do I vote for an idea I like?

    You vote for an idea by giving it likes. Just click the Likes! button next to the idea. If you change your mind, you can revoke your likes later.

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  • How do I post a comment on an idea?

    To post your comment:

    1. Go to the idea exchange where you want to post an idea.
       Tip: Search the idea exchange first to make sure that someone else hasn't already posted the same idea.
    2. Click New idea.
    3. Enter your idea.
       You can use simple HTML, format the text, or add links or images.
    4. Preview and spell check your idea, if needed.
    5. To receive email when someone comments on your idea, click Email me.
    6. If labels are required, enter or choose one or more labels. The label options are listed below the Label entry area. Labels make it easy to find related or similar ideas.
    7. (Optional) Add one or more tags.
    8. Click Post.

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  • Can I edit or delete my ideas comments?

    No, you can't. Be sure to check your spelling and preview your comment before you post it.

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  • How do I share an idea with friends?

    To share ideas with friend, you can use any shared bookmarking, social network, or other tracking service, such as Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Facebook, MySpace, Google, StumbleUpon, Technorati, or Twitter. However, you must have a valid account with the service.

    To share an idea:

    1. Go to the article you want to share.
    2. Click Bookmark.
    3. Click the service you want to use.
       The next steps depend on the service.

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  • Can I subscribe to an idea?

    Yes. You can subscribe directly to an idea or an idea exchange, or you can subscribe to their RSS feeds. If you subscribe to an RSS feed, you can use an RSS reader to view new content that's added to the idea exchange. If you subscribe directly to an idea or idea exchange, you receive an email alert when new ideas or comments are posted.

    To	Do this
    Subscribe to an idea exchange	Go to the idea exchange page and click Idea Exchange Options > Subscribe to this Idea Exchange.
    Subscribe to an idea	Go to the idea and click Idea Options > Subscribe to this Idea.
    Subscribe to an RSS feed	Go to the idea exchange or idea and click Idea Exchange Options > Subscribe to this Idea Exchange's RSS Feed or Idea Options > Subscribe to this Idea's RSS Feed. Then, save the live bookmark or whatever you usually do to add an RSS feed.

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  • What's a Permalink?

    A permalink, short for permanent link, is the URL for a specific idea in an idea exchange. In an active idea exchange with lots of entries, a particular idea will only stay on the New Ideas tab for a short period of time. It becomes hard to bookmark a specific idea or to email a link when the idea you want is replaced with something new.

    This is where permalinks come in handy. They take you directly to a specific idea, rather than to the idea exchange's front page.

    To use a permalink:

    1. Click Permalink at the bottom of an idea.
    2. Copy the URL that appears in your browser's navigation toolbar.
    3. Paste the link wherever you need it.

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• Images

  • What is an image gallery and how do I view it?

    An image gallery is a collection of images that you or other community members have uploaded. Each community member who has permission to upload images has an image gallery. You can view your own image gallery as well as the image galleries of other community members. When you look at another user's gallery, you see the approved images that the user has chosen to share

    To view your image gallery:

    1. Go to your profile page.
       A preview of your image gallery appears on the right.
    2. Click View Image Gallery.

    To view another user's image gallery:

    1. Click the community member's user name to go to that user's profile page.
       A preview of that user's shared images appears on the right.
    2. Click View Image Gallery.

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  • How do I upload an image to my image gallery?

    Starting from your image gallery, you choose the image and name it. There are size limitations, of course, and a community moderator must approve your image before it appears in your gallery or you can insert it in a post

    To upload an image to your image gallery:

    1. Go to your profile page.
    2. Click View Image Gallery.
    3. Click Browse and select an image file to be uploaded.
       A preview of the image.
    4. Type a title for the image.
    5. Click Hide in Gallery (Private) to make this image private.
       Private images never appear when other community members view your image gallery. They only appear if you insert the image in a post.
    6. Click Save to Gallery.

    Close

  • How do I use an uploaded image as my personal avatar?

    You can use any approved image you've uploaded as your personal avatar.

    To use an uploaded image as your personal avatar:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
    3. Click From the Community or From Uploaded Images.
    4. Click the image to use as your personal avatar.

    Close

  • How do I insert an image in a post?

    You can insert images from your computer (this uploads the image to your gallery), from your image gallery (if the image has been approved), or from another location on the web.

    To insert an image in a post:

    1. Start a new post.
    2. Click Photo in the editor’s toolbar.
    3. Choose one of the image source options and follow the on-screen instructions.

    Close

  • My friends can't see the images I've uploaded. Where are they?

    For your protection, your community requires a moderator to approve all uploaded images before they can be displayed. Although you can see your uploaded images that are awaiting approval or flagged for review, other community members who view your images can only see the ones that have been approved.

    Close

  • What is a private image?

    A private image is one that only you can see. Each time you upload an image, you can decide whether you want that image to appear in your image gallery. If you choose no, the image is private. Remember, a moderator must approve all uploaded images before your can use them in a post or display them in your gallery.

    To change the privacy setting for an image:

    1. In your gallery page, click the check box below the image you want to change.
    2. Click Image Options > Make All Checked Images Public or Private.

    Close

• Images (Version 2)

  • Introducing Images (Version 2)

    There are now two versions of the image upload feature that communities can use. The choice is made by the community manager and applies to the entire community.

    In communities that use Images (Version 2) you can organize uploaded images into albums and images become more like posts: you can give Likes to images you like and comment on images in your own albums and those of other community members.

    Here's what's new in Images (Version 2):

    • You can organize your images in albums. You start with default public and private albums that contain any images you might already have uploaded.
    • When you upload an image you can place it in an existing album or create a new one.
    • You change the privacy setting for images by moving them between private and public albums.
    • When you view the images in an album you can use a new carousel control near the top of the page to scroll through the images.
    • You can add a description and tags to an image and choose the one you want to use as the album cover.

    Close

  • How do I view images?

    You can view all photos and graphic files you upload to the community on your Albums and Images page. This page displays images in two ways:

    • The Albums tab displays all of your image albums, including the default Public and Private albums that contain any images you might have already uploaded. You can create new albums when you upload images and move images between albums as needed.
    • The All Images tab displays all of the images you have uploaded

    To view your images:

    1. Go to your profile page.
       A preview of your uploaded images appears on the right.
    2. Click View My Images.
    3. To view all the images in an album, click the album. Click an image to see more about it.
       To view all of your images, click All Images.

    To view another user's public images:

    1. Click the community member's user name to go to that user's profile page.
       A preview of that user's shared images appears on the right.
    2. Click View My Images.

    Close

  • How do I comment on an image?

    To comment on an image:

    1. Go to the Albums and Images page of the image's owner.
    2. Open the album that contains the image you want to comment on and click the image.
    3. Click Likes.
    4. (Optional) Click Add Tag, enter the tag, and click Add.
    5. Click in the comment editor, type your comment, and click Post Your Comment.

    Close

  • How do I upload images?

    Depending on your starting point, you choose one or more images, choose the album where they'll be located, and upload. There are size limitations, of course, and a community moderator must approve your images before others can see them. You can upload images from:

    • Your Albums and Images page
    • Any of your individual Album pages
    • Post Message, Answer, Comment, Article, and other Post pages

    Close

  • How do I edit an image?

    You can change the name, add a description, and apply tags to an image, but you can't edit the actual image in the community. If you want to edit the image, you need to do that outside the community and upload the edited image.

    To edit information about an image:

    1. Go to your Albums and Images page.
    2. Open the album that contains the image you want and click it.
    3. Click Edit to change the image title, add a description, and enter tags.
    4. To display an image on the front of the album, click Use this image for the album cover.
    5. Click Save.

    Close

  • How do I insert an image in a post?

    To insert an image in a post:

    1. Start a new post.
    2. Click Insert Image.
    3. Choose an image source location.
    4. Follow the on-screen instructions

    Close

  • What is a private image?

    A private image is one that only you (and community moderators with permission) can see. When you upload an image, you can place it in a private album or public album. Moderators must approve all uploaded images before you can use them in a post or display them in your My Images list.

    To change the privacy setting for an image:

    1. Click the image to go to the image page.
    2. Click Image Options > Move Image.
    3. Choose an album and click Move. To make an image private, move it to a private album. To make a private image public, move it to a public album.

    Close

  • What are image albums?

    You use image albums to organize the photos and other graphics that you've uploaded to the community. By default, you start with two albums: Private and Public. Your community manager determines the number of albums you can create.

    To edit an image album:

    1. Go to your Albums and Images page.
    2. Choose an album.
    3. Edit the album name or description or change the privacy setting as needed.
    4. Click Save.

    Close

  • My friends can't see the images I've uploaded. Where are they?

    For your protection, your community requires a moderator to approve all uploaded images before they can be displayed. Although you can see your uploaded images that are awaiting approval or flagged for review, other community members who view your images can only see the ones that have been approved.

    Close

  • How do I use an uploaded image as my personal avatar?

    You can use any approved image you've uploaded as your personal avatar.

    To use an uploaded image as your personal avatar:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
    3. Click From the Community or From Uploaded Images.
    4. Click the image to use as your personal avatar.

    Close

• Video

  • What is a video gallery and how do I view it?

    A video gallery is a collection of videos that you or another community member has uploaded. Each community member who has permission to upload videos has a video gallery. You can view your own video gallery as well as the video galleries of other community members. When you look at another user's gallery, you see the approved videos that the user has chosen to share.

    To view your video gallery:

    1. Go you your profile page or the profile page of another user.
       A preview of your video gallery appears on the right side.
    2. Click View Video Gallery.

    To view another user's video gallery:

    1. Click the community member's user name to go to that user's profile page.
       A preview of that user's shared videos appears on the right side.
    2. Click View Video Gallery.

    Close

  • How do I upload a video to my video gallery?

    To upload a video to your video gallery:

    1. Go to your profile page.
    2. Click View Video Gallery.
    3. Click Upload a Video.
    4. Click Browse to select a video file to be uploaded.
       If the video is small enough (the size limit is set by your community), the video is uploaded.
    5. Enter a title and description for the video.
    6. Click Hide in Gallery (Private) to make this video private.
       Private videos never appear when other community members view your video gallery. They only appear if you insert the video in a post.
       Click Upload.

    Close

  • How do I insert a video in a post?

    To insert a video in a post:

    1. Start a new post.
    2. Click Insert Video.
    3. Choose one of the sources and follow the on-screen instructions.

    Close

  • My friends can't see the videos I've uploaded. Where are they?

    The two main reasons why you might not be able to view videos are:

    • Your videos are still being processed after uploading.
    • The site moderator hasn’t approved your videos.

    Close

  • What is a private video?

    A private video is one that only you can see. When you upload a video, you can decide if you want that video to appear in your video gallery. If you choose no, the video is private.


    Remember, a moderator might need to approve your videos before your can use them in a post or display them in your gallery.


    To change the privacy setting for a video:

    1. In your gallery page, click the check box below the video you want to change.
    2. Click Video Options > Make All Checked Videos Public or Private.

    Close

• Contests

  • What's a contest?

    Contests are a fun way to share content with your community. Anyone in the community can see and vote on your contest entries. Entries are organized into three groups:

    • Hot Entries (popular right now)
    • Top Entries (received the most Likes)
    • New Entries (most recent entries)

      Adding an entry is just like posting a message on a board, and voting for entries is just like giving Likes.

    Close

  • How do I post an entry in a contest?

    To post your entry:

    1. Go to the contest you want to enter.
    2. Click New Entry.
    3. Enter your subject and description.
       You can use simple HTML and format the text. Depending on the contest rules, you can also add links, images, or videos.
    4. To receive email when someone comments on your entry, click Email me.
    5. If labels are required, enter or choose one or more labels.
       Available labels are listed below the Label entry area. Labels make it easy to find related or similar entries.
    6. Click Post.

    Close

  • How do I vote for an entry I like?

    You vote for an entry by giving it likes. Just click the Likes button next to the entry. If you change your mind, you can revoke your likes later.

    Close

  • How do I post a comment on an entry?

    Posting a comment on an entry is a lot like replying to a message on a board. If the entry is open for comments, you'll see a post a comment link or a comment count link at the bottom of the entry.

    To post your comment:

    1. Click the Comment or the Comment count link.
       You can post a comment to an entry, but not to other comments.
    2. Type your comment in the Comment area.
       You can use simple HTML and quote the entry you're commenting on. You can't edit or delete a comment after it's posted.
    3. Click Post Your Comment.

    Close

  • Can I edit or delete my contest entry comments?

    No, you can't. Be sure to check your spelling and preview your comment before you post it; you can't edit a comment once it's posted.

    Close

  • How do I share an entry with friends?

    To tell your friends about a contest entry, you can use any of dozens of shared bookmarking, social network, or other tracking services, such as Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Facebook, MySpace, Google, StumbleUpon, Technorati, or Twitter.

    To share a contest entry:

    1. Go to the entry you want to share.
    2. Click Bookmark.
    3. Click the service you want to use.
       The next steps depend on the service.

    Close

  • Can I subscribe to a contest entry?

    Yes. When you subscribe, you will receive an email alert when new entries or comments are posted.

    To	Do this
    Subscribe to a contest	Go to the contest page and click Contest Options > Subscribe.
    Subscribe to an entry	Go to the entry and click Entry Options > Subscribe.

    Close

  • What's a Permalink?

    A permalink, short for permanent link, is the URL for a specific contest entry. In an active contest with lots of entries, a particular entry will only stay on the New Entries tab for a short period of time. It becomes hard to bookmark a specific entry or to email a link when the entry you want is replaced with something new.

    This is where permalinks come in handy. They take you directly to a specific entry, rather than to the contest's front page.

    To use a permalink:

    1. Click Permalink at the bottom of an entry.
    2. Copy the URL that appears in your browser's navigation toolbar.
    3. Paste the link wherever you need it.

    Close

• Accepted Solutions

  • What is an Accepted Solution?

    An Accepted Solutions is a way for you to choose the reply that best answers a question that you've posted. When you accept a solution, both the question and the solution get special icons and links that take you directly from the question to the answer.

    An Accepted Solutions icon also appears on boards and in search results so you can see which messages have solutions.

    You can mark a solution as accepted only for questions that you've posted (you started the thread). Community moderators can also mark one of the replies to a message as an accepted solution

    Close

  • How do I mark a message as a solution?

    To mark a message as a solution, click Accept as Solution on the reply.

    If you change your mind or if another reply provides an even better answer, you can revoke the first selection and accept the second reply.

    To revoke an accepted solution, click Options > Not the Solution.

    You can choose another solution or leave the question unsolved.

    Close

• Likes

  • What are Likes?

    Likes is a content rating system that lets you vote for the messages you think are the most useful or important.

    When you give likes to a message, you are giving a thumbs-up for good content and a pat on the back to its author. Your likes help to boost the value of certain messages and enhance the reputation of their authors.

    Giving likes is as easy as a single click, but the impact of likes ripples across the community.

    Close

  • How do I give Likes?

    You can give Likes to any posts in the community except your own.

    To give likes to a message and its author, click Likes on the message.

    If you change your mind about the quality of the message, you can revoke your likes.

    To revoke likes you've given, click the Kudos button again.

    Close

  • How can I see who's given me Likes?

    Want to know who thinks a message is good? It's easy to find out which regular community members and community experts have given likes to a message. likes from community experts can carry more weight than those from brand new members. (Community administrators can choose to have likes granted by experts carry more weight than likes granted by regular members.)

    To see who's given you likes:

    1. Go to the message page.
    2. Click the Likes total.
       The Who Liked this Message page shows you all the community members who've given likes to the message.
    3. Click Experts to see likes given by high-ranking members of the community.
       Experts are usually moderators and other users who had a likes weight of more than 1 when they gave the message likes.
    4. Click the Date Liked, User ID, or or likes link to sort this page by the date the likes were given, the name of the user who gave likes or by the likes count.

    Close

  • How can I see which messages or authors have received the most Likes?

    There are usually two likes leaderboards on the community's front page -- one for authors and another for messages. The author's leaderboard shows who has received the most likes. The message leaderboard showcases the most liked messages. Links from the front-page leaderboards take you to the full leaderboard pages.

    To view the Top Liked Messages leaderboard, click view all from the front page module.

    To view the Top Liked Authors leaderboard, click view all from the front page module.

    Close

  • How can I see who has given me likes?

    To see who's given you likes:

    1. Go to you profile page.
       Your Profile pages shows the names of community members who have given you likes, the messages they liked, your top liked messages, and the likes you've given.
    2. To see all of your recent likes activity in an area, click view all.
    3. Click the tabs to see more info about your likes activity.

    Close

  • What is Likes weight?

    Your likes weight is the number of likes you give each time you click Likes!.

    If you're new to the community, your likes weight is probably 1 (each like counts as 1). More experienced community members might have a higher likes weight, so they could give two likes, ten likes, or more each time they click.

    Close

  • Why can't I give Likes to some messages?

    There are a few reasons why you might not be able to give likes to a post.

    • You've already given Likes to this message (you can only give them once).
    • You wrote the message (you can't Like your own messages).
    • Your community manager wants you to give Likes only to a message that starts a thread and not to replies.
    • Your community manager has turned Likes off for a message or a forum.
    • Your community manager has frozen Likes for this message. You can still see how many Likes the message has received, but you can't Like it any more.

    Close

  • Where did the Likes number go?

    Sometimes a message gets so many likes that we run out of space to show the number. When that happens, you'll see a Hot Likes symbol or icon instead of the likes count on the kudos badge.

    Close

• Tagging

  • What is a tag?

    A tag is a single keyword or phrase that describes the topic, theme, or subject of a post. You can add as many tags as you want and so can other community members. For example, in a post about a mouse, you might add these tags: mouse, USB mouse, optical mouse, wireless, DPI.

    Be sure to use commas between tags.

    Close

  • What is a tag cloud?

    A tag cloud displays tags used frequently within the community or within an area of the community. The more frequently a tag is used, the larger it appears in the tag cloud. By looking at a tag cloud, you can get a sense of what the hot topics are in a given area.

    Close

  • What can I do with tags?

    Tagging is a way to help other users discover interesting posts. It's also a way to organize content in the community that you think is related. When you apply tags to a post, you add to the value by providing another way for people to find it.

    Close

  • Why do people tag?

    Some users will tag posts for their own convenience in finding them later. Other users enjoy helping categorize interesting posts for the benefit of the community. Users who tag lots of posts gain status by appearing on Tag Leaderboards.

    Close

  • How do I tag?

    To add a tag:

    1. Navigate to an interesting post or comment.
    2. Click in the Add field and type your tags (separated by commas).
    3. Click Add Tag.

    Close

  • Where are my tags?

    You can find messages you've tagged by visiting your profile and clicking the tag. You can also click on a tag on any cloud and look at the Most Tagged section.

    Close

• Labeling

  • What are labels?

    Labels are used within a community to help categorize articles in a variety of discussion styles; forums, blogs, Q&A, ideas, TKBs. Labels enable you to categorize the content you write based on the themes or content in the article. For example, in a support Q&A for troubleshooting connectivity issues with your smart phone, you might apply labels like "iPhone", "Galaxy", "AT&T", or "Verizon".

    Unlike tags, labels are created by the Community Admin and typically controlled for consistency and need. Authors must choose/apply labels from a pre-defined list for the node in which the article appears. Tags are more freeform and can be created by authors.

    Close

  • How do I add a label to my post?

    To add a label:

    1. Navigate to the post you authored.
    2. Open the post to edit it.
    3. In the Labels field, start typing the label or choose one from the list. If you add multiple labels, you must separate them with commas.

    Close

  • Who can create labels?

    Typically, only administrators or permissioned members can create new labels or edit the label list. When the use of labels is enforced, members must apply a label when submitting posts. Labels can be optionally predefined, giving administrators complete control over exactly which labels are used in their community.

    Labels are applied at node (board) level, so different settings can be applied at different boards. One board might be mandatory with a predefined pool of labels, while another can be completely optional and enable users to create their own labels.

    Close

  • How do I subscribe to a label?

    When you subscribe to a label, you will be notified by email when a new post is created with the label.

    To subscribe to a label:

    1. From a particular post with a label, click on the label to filter by that label. (You can also do this from the labels component.)
    2. Click Subscribe.

    Note:Your community users can configure their own subscription settings under My Settings > Subscriptions and Notifications > My Subscriptions and My Settings > Subscriptions and Notifications > Notification Settings.

    One thing to note about labels is that they are applied at node level. Thus, predefined labels and subscriptions to labels exist only at the node at which they are applied. For example, if you subscribe to a label named 'contest' at board 1, it will not automatically subscribe you to an identically named label at board 2. You will have to subscribe twice, once at each board. This also applies if you add a labels component to your page to display the most popular labels, these are also designed to work at node level.

    Close

• Direct Messenger

  • What is the Private Messenger?

    Direct Messenger enables you to send Direct Notes to other community members. Direct Messenger has two big advantages over email:

    • You don't have to know the other member's email address to send the note. (Also, you don't have to reveal yours.)
    • You can read and send Direct Messages without leaving the community, making it easy to a quick conversation with another community member.

    To use the Direct Messenger, you must be registered and signed in. You'll see a Direct Message icon at the top of your page. If you have any new messages, you'll see the number of unread messages next to the envelope icon.

    Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Direct Messages Inbox.

    Close

  • How do I send a Direct Message?

    To send a Direct Message:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Direct Messages Inbox.
    3. Click Compose New Message.
    4. Enter the recipient's name in the Send to area.
       
       Note: Depending on your role in the community, you might be able to send a message to a group of users based on their role or rank in the community. If so, you can choose a role or a rank.
       
    5. Enter the subject for the message in the Message Subject area.
    6. Type the reply in the Message Body editor.
    7. Click Send Message.
       You can look for the messages you've sent in the Sent tab.

    Close

  • How do I read a Direct Message?

    To read a private message:

    1. Sign in to the community.
       If you have any new messages, you'll see the number of unread messages next to the envelope icon.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
    3. To read a message, click the message subject.
    4. To reply to a message, click Reply. Type the reply and click Send Message.

    Close

  • How do I reply to a Direct Message?

    To reply to a Direct Message:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Direct Messages Inbox.
    3. To read a message, click the message subject.
    4. To reply to a message, click Reply.
       The recipient and subject are automatically entered for you, but you can edit them.
    5. Type the reply in the Message Body editor.
    6. Click Send Message.

    Close

  • How do I delete a Direct Message?

    You can delete messages one at a time as you read them, or in bulk from your Inbox.

    To delete a private message:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
    3. To delete a single message, click the message to view it and then click Delete.
    4. To delete all messages, click the Options menu and click Delete All.

    Close

  • How do I see Direct Messages I've sent to others?

    To see the Direct Messages you've sent:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Direct Messages Inbox.
    3. Click Sent Messages.

    Close

  • What is my Friends List and how do I add people?

    Your Friends List is a way to create your own community within a community.

    Depending on your privacy settings, the people on your Friends List can see your biography, other personal information, or online status. If you send private messages, you can choose friends from a list instead of typing their user names.

    Note: Your Friends List is available only if your community supports private messages.

    To add people to your Friends List:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the user name of a friend to see the friend's About user name page.
    3. Click Add user name to Friends.

    Note: You can remove a person from your Friend's List by clicking "Remove from Friends". Additionally, you can click "Ignore" to prevent specific users from contacting you.

    Close

  • What is my Ignore Users List and how do I add users to it?

    Most users in an online community get along very well. Sometimes, however, you might encounter someone you consider a nuisance. If you are receiving messages that you'd prefer not to receive, you can add the sender to your Ignored Users list. The system blocks all messages from users on your Ignored Users list.

    To add someone to your Ignored Users list:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
    3. Click a message from the user you want to ignore and click Ignore user name.

    To remove someone from your Ignored Users list:

    1. Sign in to the community.
    2. Click Ignored Users to see the list.
    3. Click Remove from Ignored list to begin receiving messages from this user again.

    You can also search for community members and add them to your Ignored Users list.

    To search for a user.

    1. On any page, enter a user name in the Search box.
    2. Choose Users and click Search.
    3. In the Search Results, click the user's name.
    4. Click Ignore user name in the Contact area

    Close