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Getting the best out of the 'New-Look' forums (2014)

This User Tip is now out of date. It was written in 2014 and the Apple Support Communities have moved on since then. Edited by Yellowbox on 20th March 2016.

 

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The forum 'Using Apple Support Communities' has many questions about how to best use the new-look forums.

 

I am publishing the following for consideration and comments...

 

Now edited to add acknowledgements. With apologies to those I have missed.

 

Gains:

Some of these may not be gains in the new-look forum. Some are merely "Aha! I didn't know that has always been there!" Please consider these tips as gains to your knowledge. Don't worry whether something is really a gain. Please post your ideas without fear. I have goofed on a couple of things I thought were gains. But in a way, if I can now find them, that is a gain of improved layout!

 

- Improved Spell checker in the Reply box.

- The Search feature automatically updates as you edit the search terms.

- Advanced Search automatically updates as you refine the search criteria.

- Advanced Search now allows you to choose only those questions that have been answered (but not necessarily 'Problem Solved')!

 

- Please insert any other 'Gains' you have found into a reply.

 

New ways of working:

- The blue dots have gone. I can't tell which discussions I have or haven't read.

From deggie and others. In the home page of a forum, click to the right of the address bar of your browser, type "/content" (without the double quotes) at the end of the URL. Press enter. You will see three options across the page just above the threads: All Content, User Tips and Discussions. Click on Discussions. Threads with new content will have titles that are in bold. Now save that page in your browser bookmarks. For example, a bookmark for the 'Using Apple Support Communities' forum, shows this URL:

https://discussions.apple.com/community/using_apple_support_communities/content? filterID=contentstatus%5Bpublished%5D~objecttype~objecttype%5Bthread%5D

And the view is Bold for unread.

 

- I added "/content" to an URL, but that doesn't stick!

Perhaps adding /content to an URL doesn't stick because clicking on the "Return to Numbers for Mac" button at the bottom of a discussion returns us to the default view.

Instead, use the back button in your browser to return to the previous forum view. (With apologies to all who know about the Back button in a browser; this tip is how return to your chosen view, instead of the default view set by the forum navigation buttons).

 

- I can't find my discussions

From gail from maine

Click on Content>Discussions>Participated (for discussions that you have replied in), or Content>Discussions>Authored (for discussions that you initiated).

 

- Incoming Links

R C-R The incoming Links button has always been there.

[Edit]. It is now at the bottom of a discussion and is more clearly marked than in the previous forums.

 

- Where is "My Discussion" list?

R C-R There is no "Your Discussions" as such in the new format. However, as has been mentioned, the "/content" suffix added to ASC URLs will get you something more like the old format.

 

For instance, I am using this to get to a list of all the discussions I have participated in:

https://discussions.apple.com/content?filterID=participated~objecttype~objecttyp e%5Bthread%5D

 

Obviously, this is not something I want to type in every time I want to see that list! So the workaround I use for that is to create a browser bookmark (which I named "My Discussions") with that URL as its address. I have done the same thing for quite a few other ASC links, so to keep things from getting out of hand I created a folder named "ASC" in Safari's "Favorites" bar & I keep all those links in it.

 

gail from maine I can find all of "My Discussions" when I go to Content>Participated.

 

- I've been looking for previous questions I posed and I haven't' been able to locate where they are yet.

ChitlinsCC Click on your name in a post.

When you do, I suggest that you make a Browser Bookmark for that page.

I use a bookmark folder with sub-folders

[Bookmarks] <= Browser Menu

         ||

         ||

   [APPLEƒ] ==== Your Stuff | Apple Support Communities

                              [Forumsƒ]====

                              [Usersƒ]   ====

 

- The forum software logs me out as I am composing a reply.
[Sorry, I can't find this post to give acknowledgement]. Compose your reply in TextEdit or a word processor, then Copy and Paste into a reply box after logging back in.
Hint: the default Lucida Grande font in these forums does not take italic or bold in a word processor. It must be a feature of the forum editor that mimics italic and bold. Compose your reply with a font such as Helvetica to see formatting in your word processor. Copy and Paste into a a reply.

(Note, automatic logout [timeout] may not be a permanent feature. We shall wait and see).

 

ChitlinsCC I don't know if this is New or Not...

Multiple Undo/Redo HISTORY in Editor -- This feature is common in many Applications and the Editor

We all know Command + Z = Undo ALWAYS

Traditionally, Command + Z Again = Redo (Undo the Undo)

In some Applications, traditionally, Command + SHIFT + Z =  Redo as well

In some Applications and fortunately in the Editor, Command + Z Repeatedly = Undo, Undo, Undo. etc. maybe until you get to your original starting point (there May be a limited number in the Editor -  In PhotoShop, for instance, the number of Undos is a 'History' User Preference)

In some Applications and forunately in the Editor, Command + SHIFT + Z = Redo

Repeat Command + SHIFT + Z = Redo, Redo, Redo, etc. until you reach your last keystroke

Handy.

 

- My View

ChitlinsCC Use the /content page as a kind of menu...
Control+[click the link] = opens the link in a new tab;
Do whatever;
Close the tab;
Back your makeshift menu.
Reload the page (command r) if you wish.

 

- Jump to Last Post?

ChitlinsCCI have a workaround for my own authored question "... Jump to Last Post ..." that you may wish to turn into a tip.

The workaround is in a reply to my own post that can be found here:

https://discussions.apple.com/message/26183354#26183354

 

- Advanced search
[Sorry, I can't find this post to give acknowledgement]. If you can’t find what you’re looking for with the Search or Ask a Question bar, try an advanced search. Click Search near the upper-right corner of any communities page. Type your search terms and press Return. Then use the advanced search tools to find what you need.

 

- Where is the Edit button?

stevejobsfan0123 For the original post, the edit option is under the Actions menu. For replies, it's near the bottom right of the post. The "breadcrumb" links are above the Actions menu. On the old forums, they were in the same place, but on the left hand side.

 

- From  https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6414838

When I use the 'View More' button, then the browser 'Back' button, then 'View More' again, I do not get the next oldest page but an older one. This makes viewing older posts very cumbersome.

ChitlinsCCClick the 'View More' as many times as you want, yielding a really long list.

Use that page as kind of a Base Camp.

Instead of a plain Click on a link and BrowserBack to navigate, try command Click to open a new tab with the target link.

When done, close the Tab - and you are back where you started.

The link you command Clicked will likely be Underlined to remind which you clicked.

You may even find that you like this better.

[Edit] I like the idea of a Base Camp. We can go 'Home'.

 

Ian.

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