Lurker in the Mirk
Valinor
Sep 17 2014, 9:34am
Views: 14030
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IMPORTANT README for TA posters: Information on posting, and adding images
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Fellow Thralls, and non-Thrall appreciators of Thranduil,
Truly, we all know, or should, the aim of TA is FUN and communal appreciation of Thranduil. Far be it for any of our posts and replies to be regimented, for style defies cramping. But even so, we have to toe some TORn lines, and be good TORNsibs; lines that may be particular to TA due to the nature of the TORn boards and the TA threads being a running thread artificially broken into multi-parts for server and system performance reasons (and perhaps reading convenience).
In that light, and in response to the second general reminder-to-all from the MODs through 13 threads we've got, this consolidation of how-tos and wherewithal will hopefully keep our little corner of TORn haven compliant and free of Wrath of Mod.
The TA (very) Quickie Help/TIPS for adding IMAGES and POSTING
The TORn FAQ on the "Welcome To TORn" forum is a great start for all questions actually, from making a post, adding Pretty! to asking for post edit and MUCH MUCH more.- First, check the editor mode you're on when posting, Basic or Advanced. Ref 2.8 Replying to posts seems slower than on the old boards. Can I speed it up?
- Specifically for image posting, ref 2.20 How do I add a picture to a post? and 2.21 How do I upload an attachment? Also, read 2.22 How do I add a link to a post? (NOTE: It's a lot easier to use Advanced Editor unless you're familiar with HTML and webpage coding. Then Markup Help is your friend. See also 2.9 How can I get markup help?
- For help with post edit/deletion, ref 2.24 Oops! I made a mistake in my post … can I fix it? and 2.25 Why can’t I edit and/or delete my post?
That's the longcut.
IMAGES
In summary:
- DON'T hotlink images aka use a non TORn url to directly add an image in your post. If the source image's URL changes, we lose Pretty! view in a snap
- Upload images to your post, AND THEN add them in the places where you want Pretty! to show; ALWAYS bearing in mind TORn guidelines on size and numbers of Pretty! allowed per post
If you want a shortcut on how to post images, do as Kim sez in her post. If you want to get fancy on the Pretty! check out Avandel's post with information on software and options for image manipulation. Avandel's post also has information on TORn's guidelines about image size and so on. Still, it's recommended that you're on Advanced Editor mode to help doing any of these things less painful.
[TIP: To check if the image you see online needs to be resized to fit TORn guidelines, rightclick on the image. Depending on your browser, you should see an option to the effect of "View Image Information" or "Properties". Click on it and a new little window pops up. Somewhere on it you will see the image size.]
As for making an image clickable, it's easy - basically it's the same process as making text a clickable link. As you would with making clickable text in your post, you need to have an image you can select in your post. So:
- Get your image onto your post
- Select/highlight the image. Make sure you're selecting the right thing
- Click on the "Link" icon on the edit bar, and paste the url of the image in the pop up window, then click Submit
- Viola!
POSTING-REPLYING TO THE APPROPRIATE POST vs CONTINUING A CONVERSATION FROM LOCKED TAs
Basically, you can click the "Reply To This Post" link on any post. But, and this will make more sense if you view in Threaded Mode, your reply is appended to the post you replied to. So if you're not replying to the topic in the particular sub-thread, your response might get lost in the clutter.
So, and this is particular to TA, if you're continuing a conversation from the last thread, the best option, imo, is to click the "Reply To This Post" link on the current thread's OP, as you would when starting a new TA discussion topic. This makes your post a starting point right under the OP, and is more visible in the nested view of the Threaded Mode. Additionally, to help others understand the background of the ongoing conversation, you could also post a link back to the post your post is addressing. To do so:
- Go to the post you are replying to in the old TA.
- On the left column of the post, under the poster's avatar, you should see a "Shortcut".
- Right-click on that and copy the link.
- Then paste that link as desired into the post you are composing.
SPACE
The void is your friend. Kim mentioned in her post one important trick is to hit the space bar a few times before adding an image. I find this helps when using the other tools on the edit bar too. Specifically the "Quote" icon. Always be sure you have an <Enter> before AND after your quote. So basically you will hit <ENTER> 3 times, place your cursor on the middle <ENTER> line before you do a quotey. That way, you can add more stuff before and after your quote instead of having everything in a quote mosh.
AVOIDING GENERIC POST-DEATH
The ether throws a tantrum at times. The worst that can happen is have your lovingly composed post that you spent the last 3 hours on swallowed up when you click "Post Reply", or even just "Preview". My suggestion is to make a habit of copying your post before you hit either button. That way, you're not thrown into anguish from something beyond anyone's control.
AVOIDING POST-DEATH FROM THREADLOCK
Threadlock is the other possible cause of post-death. And threadlock is realz. When we get near or past the 200post count, posting can be quite the walk on the ledge, because at anytime a mod may swoop in and close it forevah. We can still post until then, but if you don't want to chance losing your post before it's seen light of day, in addition to copying it to a word processor first, check the status of the thread and also "Who's Online" before you hit the "Post Reply" button. That way, even you were visited with the misfortune of cosmic confluence, you can still post, but in the new thread.
How to check thread status and "Who's Online" at the same time you're writing your magnus opus? Simple, open 2 additional tabs on your browser, and set one to view the forum (or the thread itself), and the other to view "Who's Online". I call them my watch pages
[TIP: Remember to refresh those watch-pages for the latest status if you've got them open for a while.]
Finally, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Posting and adding images/links can be daunting at first, (and I considers meself good with getting tech stuff). But isn't everything? So hang in there and just try again if the first try didn't work.
Thanks for helping make Thranduil Appreciation an ongoing enjoyment for all, even those TORnsibs who want nothing to do with us.
humbly,
lurker in the mirk
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Fan of both books and movies; I am a lurker by nature though it seems I have severely misnamed myself... for the moment.
 Thranduil Appreciation
Tis true: more appreciation threads for Thranduil exist than ME movies. Threadcount: XIII
I | II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X | XI | XII
 Thrall Wars!: What business do Elves, Dwarves or Men(?) have with drooling thralls, yea, with smartphones in tow, unto the slopes of Erebor? ... oh, yes, the Hobbit's lingering in some shadows, ever ready to swoop to the hairy rescue. Take cover if you dare!. (A writing triangle with Avandel and Kerewyn)
Teh partsies: Prologue (aka the 'tater-mash of whatever came before), two, three, three-appendix: An Unexpected Flashback, four, five (new, posted 20 August)
"BoFA"= The Battle || "BotFA"/"tBotFA" = The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
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 Middle-earth dispatches out of the lurkmirk
(This post was edited by Lurker in the Mirk on Sep 17 2014, 9:38am)
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Think of it as vicarious authorly pretensions in miniature ping-pong mode, usually between Avandel and yours truly... Morphing into a 3-player mahjong game with Kerewyn dipping her toes in
(Con't from TAXII) Elves going West... as it applies to Thranduil
# XIII and still going strong
Yeah, LP misled us
