Yellowbox

Q: Using the new-look forums, asking for positive comments

Dear Fellow Users,

 

I am starting a discussion on how to make the most of this revised website for Apple Support Communities. Please keep this discussion positive. Please confine complaints to one of the many negative threads.

 

Remember that many of these changes are the result of feedback to Apple. We may have got what we wished for.

 

Gains:

- Spell checker in the Reply box;

-

 

New ways of working:

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

Tip by deggie. In the home page of a forum, click to the right of the address bar of your browser, add /content 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, my 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

 

Screen Shot 2014-06-22 at 12.20.17 am.png

 

 

- The forums keep logging me off after a period of inactivity.

Good. That may stop the spammers posting multiple messages that have nothing to do with the purpose of a forum.

 

 

More gains or workarounds, anyone?

 

Regards,

Ian.

 

<Link Edited By Host>

Posted on Jun 21, 2014 9:55 AM

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Q: Using the new-look forums, asking for positive comments

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  • by ReWoP,

    ReWoP ReWoP Jun 26, 2014 7:47 AM in response to Yellowbox
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2014 7:47 AM in response to Yellowbox

    i know...looking for positive only but.......i dont understand how to use the new forum...before,,if i clicked on FCPX discussion i would see post from the most recent with how many views and replies.....now i cant get the same thing in the new forum...please help!!! this is frustrating ...........was so simple before,,,now its terrible...

  • by martin from,

    martin from martin from Jun 26, 2014 8:11 AM in response to ReWoP
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 26, 2014 8:11 AM in response to ReWoP

    There are better explanations on this thread, however, if after signing in you click on content, on the left hand side of the page there is a list of headings to direct you to various aspects of threads that you may wish to relate to. For example if you put FCPX on the search box in that section it comes up with one item.

  • by martin from,

    martin from martin from Jun 26, 2014 8:25 AM in response to martin from
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 26, 2014 8:25 AM in response to martin from

    Also on any thread if you look below heading there is "Latest Reply' link.

  • by PlotinusVeritas,

    PlotinusVeritas PlotinusVeritas Jun 26, 2014 8:42 AM in response to ReWoP
    Level 6 (14,806 points)
    Jun 26, 2014 8:42 AM in response to ReWoP

    ReWoP wrote:

     

    ..now i cant get the same thing in the new forum...please help!!! this is frustrating ...........was so simple before,,,now its terrible...

     

     

     

    Yes, this site is counter-intuitive and illogical now, nobody has a solution for you.

     

     

    Only those that created this new site, which is extremely counter-logical, and counter-intuitive.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 8:43 AM in response to Yellowbox
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 8:43 AM in response to Yellowbox

    Ian,

     

    Well, I will start by clicking delete nn times. BRB (24 I think , haven't counted visually, I may lost count in the deed) Whoooo!


    *I will begin my documentation with Grabs and when I think i'm ready, I will post a new thread, with this last bit as the finale)


    The good news is that I have become a reformed criminal. I bite my tongue for now, and maybe, over time, I will come to change my nature.


    Back to my original Reply to the Reply to the Reply, etc.


    On 25Jun2014, 22:30CST, I wrote


    Since one cannot Reply to or Comment on a Tip, is this fine conversation where you intended that Welcome Comments be made?


    You were very kind in your reply but didn't answer this question.

     

    Is did da place?

     

    CCC

  • by Yellowbox,

    Yellowbox Yellowbox Jun 26, 2014 9:14 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (10,455 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 26, 2014 9:14 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Hi CCC,

     

    You wrote (in reply to what I wrote), then he said, and she said and... but what you wrote was:

     

    ****

    On 25Jun2014, 22:30CST, I wrote


    Since one cannot Reply to or Comment on a Tip, is this fine conversation where you intended that Welcome Comments be made?


    You were very kind in your reply but didn't answer this question.

     

    Is did da place?

    ****

     

    Now I (Yellowbox, Ian) am writing:

     

    Yes, this is the place to comment on my User Tip. All comments on my User Tip are most welcome here. Go for it!

     

    Regards,

    Ian.

  • by ChitlinsCC,Solvedanswer

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 9:32 AM in response to ReWoP
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 9:32 AM in response to ReWoP

    ReWoP wrote:

     

    i know...looking for positive only but.......i dont understand how to use the new forum...before,,if i clicked on FCPX discussion i would see post from the most recent with how many views and replies.....now i cant get the same thing in the new forum...please help!!! this is frustrating ...........was so simple before,,,now its terrible...

    I feel your pain...

     

    This is my workaround posted in another thread and is helping me cope:

     

    Doctor9fan,

     

    You said (formatting is mine for comments in context):

    On a personal note the problems for me are as follows:can't see which are new posts or which have been updated,

     

    This frustrated me as well.My workaround, oddly enough, is eMail Client, eMail Foldering, eMail Rules and eMail Notifications from here.

     

    WorkFlow goes like this:

        1.    Turn on eMail notifications (duh)

        2.    Follow posts (ditto duh)

        3.    To organize latest replies, In eMail Client,

        1.    create Inbox folders to taste

        2.    create rules to sort incoming mail into tasty folders

        3.    sort views to taste

        4.    read the post

        5.    if I wanna reply, click link that jumps to the post on the page ( do my replying)

        6.    I choose to delete the email, which

        7.    selects the next email automatically

        8.    repeat 3.1 - 3.7 until

     

     

     

     

    Command + Click & Command + W are my best friends

    =====

    In case this issue rears its ugly head for you (i bet it will, has for nearly everyone else)

     

    The "View More" insect (I am watching my language, kinda over did it at first)

     

    From Ian's User Tip - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7311

     

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

     

    (This my workaround - CCC)

     

    PROBLEM: 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.

     

    Click 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. I like the idea of a Base Camp. We can go 'Home'.

     

    Happy Helping!!!

    CCC

  • by Yellowbox,

    Yellowbox Yellowbox Jun 26, 2014 9:47 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (10,455 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 26, 2014 9:47 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Hi CCC,

     

    in such a wide-ranging discussion such as this, there can never be a single reply that "Solved my question" (should read "Solved this problem"). Many have contributed positively, but your continuing support and creativity have kept me going through many snarky, negative replies.

     

    Thank you for your support. Thank you for your positive and creative replies. I admire your Base Camp idea. Green Tick to you!

     

    Regards,

    Ian.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 9:51 AM in response to martin from
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 9:51 AM in response to martin from

    martin from wrote:

     

    There are better explanations on this thread, however, if after signing in you click on content, on the left hand side of the page there is a list of headings to direct you to various aspects of threads that you may wish to relate to. For example if you put FCPX on the search box in that section it comes up with one item.

     

    Well martin from,

     

    What a concept! Who woulda thought to use a really basic search function (that we all must use in practically everything we do - online or not).

     

    We all seem to have become jaded and complain rather than use our heads.

     

    Great Point! Ian??

    CCC

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 10:08 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 10:08 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    ChitlinsCC wrote:

     

    ReWoP wrote:

     

    i know...looking for positive only but.......i dont understand how to use the new forum...before,,if i clicked on FCPX discussion i would see post from the most recent with how many views and replies.....now i cant get the same thing in the new forum...please help!!! this is frustrating ...........was so simple before,,,now its terrible...

    I feel your pain...

     

    This is my workaround posted in another thread and is helping me cope:

     

    Doctor9fan,

     

    You said (formatting is mine for comments in context):

    On a personal note the problems for me are as follows:can't see which are new posts or which have been updated,

     

    This frustrated me as well.My workaround, oddly enough, is eMail Client, eMail Foldering, eMail Rules and eMail Notifications from here.

     

    WorkFlow goes like this:

        1.    Turn on eMail notifications (duh)

        2.    Follow posts (ditto duh)

        3.    To organize latest replies, In eMail Client,

        1.    create Inbox folders to taste

        2.    create rules to sort incoming mail into tasty folders

        3.    sort views to taste

        4.    read the post

        5.    if I wanna reply, click link that jumps to the post on the page ( do my replying)

        6.    I choose to delete the email, which

        7.    selects the next email automatically

        8.    repeat 3.1 - 3.7 until

     

     

     

     

    Command + Click & Command + W are my best friends

    =====

    In case this issue rears its ugly head for you (i bet it will, has for nearly everyone else)

     

    The "View More" insect (I am watching my language, kinda over did it at first)

     

    From Ian's User Tip - https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-7311

     

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

     

    (This my workaround - CCC)

     

    PROBLEM: 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.

     

    Click 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. I like the idea of a Base Camp. We can go 'Home'.

     

    Happy Helping!!!

    CCC

    Thanx for the Tick(le) Ian

     

    I forgot my only drawback of my eMail Workflow system (happens to be a problem, in general, with following the flow of replies)

     

    The eMail quotes the reply post, but if you don't have a photgraphic memory, you most times can't relate the reply to the original post/reply.

     

    To help me keep sense of the conversation flow, I am starting to Insert Quote to that which I refering on all of my replies. Isn't perfect because some conversations are ongoing and pretty long. At least we can all tell not only to whom I am responding, but to what they had said.

     

    My OWN PERSONAL wish would for Replies to be "nested" on the page, instead of appended to the end of the thread, so that anyone can follow an entire conversation.

     

    Of course, for shorter threads nesting not as important

     

    CCC

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 10:07 PM in response to Yellowbox
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 10:07 PM in response to Yellowbox

    Ian

     

    In my First reply to this post, at the END I said:

     

     

    I forgot my only drawback of my eMail Workflow system (happens to be a problem, in general, with following the flow of replies)

     

    The eMail quotes the reply post, but if you don't have a photgraphic memory, you most times can't relate the reply to the original post/reply.

     

    To help me keep sense of the conversation flow, I am starting to Insert Quote to that which I refering on all of my replies. Isn't perfect because some conversations are ongoing and pretty long. At least we can all tell not only to whom I am responding, but to what they had said.

     

    My OWN PERSONAL wish would for Replies to be "nested" on the page, instead of appended to the end of the thread, so that anyone can follow an entire conversation.

     

    Of course, for shorter threads nesting not as important

     

    In troubleshooting an issue I was having with eMail notices and what appeared to dead links (turned out Quit Browser & start over solved it), I discovered that I was was disturbed about the appearance of my Prefs page. Am I alone in thinking this looks funky

    FunkyPrefsPageDraw.png

    OK, that's not the GOOD PART regarding wish from above...

     

    Under

    Hidden Activity Rules

    Discussion View Style

    We see (teeny-weeny) "Comment View Style".

    Flat is Default in the pull-down menu

    When one picks Threaded and [Save]...

    HAR_DVS_PickTHREADED.png

    ...then goes back to the Thread, the Genie has granted the WISH !!

    here is one from the 'View More' bug thread

    NestingON.jpg


    These are NOT in order earliest to latest, they ordered by who replied to who

     

    email notice link to reply might jump you to the middle  of this list

     

    The replies to the OP ARE in earliest to latest


    I am gonna have to un-learn  my recently aquired habits

     

    CCC

     

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 26, 2014 10:21 PM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 26, 2014 10:21 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Ooops. almost forgot the last funky bit.

     

     

    What's up with "Online Visibilty"? (teeny) Allow others to see when I am Online

     

    Is this just for looks? a former feature? a future feature? The On/Off 'switch' switches when clicked

    SEEmeOnline?.png

     

    Also, it just occured to me, Why aren't all the On/Off's the same KIND? Some radio buttons - some like the above?

     

    Methinks someone may have thought someone else was takin care of this page?

     

    Pretty important page as it will be visited by every one us for eMail Prefs reasons.

     

    gNite

    CCC

  • by Yellowbox,

    Yellowbox Yellowbox Jun 27, 2014 6:34 AM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (10,455 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 27, 2014 6:34 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Hi CCC,

     

    You have found some features that I did not know of. I like the idea of the threaded Discussion View Style. I have chosen this option, but so far it has not changed anything. Perhaps it will work after I Quit and reopen Safari. Or perhaps it works only in future replies in these forums.

     

    I remember a comment from Peter Breis PeterBreis0807 some time ago, in relation to some other update (I have paraphrased this, because I can't recall Peter's actual words):

     

    "When new software is released, it is like moving to a new neighbourhood. It is always a good idea to 'take a walk around the block' and see what is available."

     

    You are taking that walk around the new block. Bravo!

     

    May I suggest that you start a new discussion, called something like "Finding your way around the new-look forums."  You have a talent for that, and I will "follow" your progress.

     

    Be prepared for **lots** of negative replies. Don't answer them. Just ignore them and move forward to your main aim.

     

    Regards,

    Ian.

  • by R C-R,

    R C-R R C-R Jun 27, 2014 9:18 AM in response to Yellowbox
    Level 6 (17,633 points)
    Jun 27, 2014 9:18 AM in response to Yellowbox

    The threaded view style works until the discussion accumulates more than a set number of replies (I think it is 50, or at least it used to be), then it switches automatically to a paged, 'flat' (chronological) view. It has been like this for the last several versions of the ASC software -- it is not a new feature of this one.

     

    Aside from designing the site to allow unlimited page lengths (so discussions never would be broken up into separate, numbered pages) there is no good way to preserve the value of the threaded view that I'm aware of, & there is a different & probably much harder to resolve set of usability issues to deal with if unlimited page lengths were allowed. So in that respect, I think they have made the best choice for this option that they could have.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Jun 27, 2014 10:22 AM in response to Yellowbox
    Level 5 (7,605 points)
    Notebooks
    Jun 27, 2014 10:22 AM in response to Yellowbox

    Yellowbox wrote:

     

    Hi CCC,

     

    You have found some features that I did not know of. I like the idea of the threaded Discussion View Style. I have chosen this option, but so far it has not changed anything. Perhaps it will work after I Quit and reopen Safari. Or perhaps it works only in future replies in these forums.

     

    I remember a comment from Peter Breis PeterBreis0807 some time ago, in relation to some other update (I have paraphrased this, because I can't recall Peter's actual words):

     

    "When new software is released, it is like moving to a new neighbourhood. It is always a good idea to 'take a walk around the block' and see what is available."

     

    You are taking that walk around the new block. Bravo!

     

    May I suggest that you start a new discussion, called something like "Finding your way around the new-look forums."  You have a talent for that, and I will "follow" your progress.

     

    Be prepared for **lots** of negative replies. Don't answer them. Just ignore them and move forward to your main aim.

     

    Regards,

    Ian.

     

    Ian

     

    Right to it.

     

    I am in Firefox and did NOT require a restart of FF, Reload or go to another page probably. Some stuff happens on the fly and some dudn't, I guess.

     

    Keep in mind that you (as the OPer) may have difficulty trying to see the difference in this thread. Everything about the OPer is OP or Level 01. For others, there is two ways to Reply - to a specific "Previous Reply" - or to the "OP".

     

    My best guess is that many of the replies are to the OP. Makes sense especially if the replier is new participant, that "<= Reply to original post"

    link is the most readily available when NewPlayer  finishes reading the thread OR reaches the end of a particular page.

     

    Reply to the OP will appear at the same indent as the OP (Green Line). Many probable.

     

    I'll bet with some heavy scrutiny, an example could be found or even "created" by picking one of mine or yours to test with.- I'll play!

     

    My plan is to continue to quote to whom I am replying. Mostly for my own clarity of context, but maybe others reading it too.

     

    I wonder if the SiteWare is smarter than we are & would recognize replies with quotes embeded and treat them differently heirarchically? Would THAT be easier or harder to folllow? I'm not sure why I even contemplate that.

     

    Regarding "Walkabout", I am making a punch list of stuff as I discover things, Grabbing screens, documenting Action Flows, etc. - won't post anything until I have ducks in a row

     

    It probably won't be like this one of yours though. I think each Discovery will be its own thread. Tidier.

     

    No worries... haven't you noticed? I Am A NEW MAN !!

     

    CCC

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