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• Guide to the New Look Site

TSR Wiki > About TSR > Guide to the New Look Site

I'm sure you can't help but notice that there there have been more than few changes around here recently. Here's I'll try to tell you about some of the major changes (or things which have actually remained the same!) I've got some of the images uploaded now, hopefully there might be a few more soon too. If there is anything you think I should include that I've missed out, please get in touch Roger Kirk 11:32, 20 September 2007 (BST)

The Home Page and User CP

If you enter the site to the home page you no longer get to the list of all forums. Instead you get to what is essentially the old 'User CP'. Here you can see your reputation received (and given if you're a sub) and subscribed threads. Also moved in here are

• the latest wiki updates box
• 'who quoted me' box
• 'latest posts from across the site
• 'current features' - links to some of the new/updated/most relevant areas of the site.

The sub-navigation links on this page lead you to:

• reputation - received and given
• buying subscriptions
• options about riches
• the societies pages
• your post reports

Subscribed forums aren't currently in here - but it is planned they will be. Links to your subscribed forums can currently be found in the 'My Forums' drop down menu at the top of every page. Also, personal messaging features have been moved to their own dedicated page. See below for more details.

My Account

You will also remember a list of account options in 'User CP' - things like changing your site, account setting etc. These are now available in the 'My Account' drop down menu on the top of every page. The features here include:

• edit profile setting
• preferences (change email and password, options, signatures)
• images (change your profile pic and avatar)
• buddy and ignore lists
• manage your usergroups
• manage your attachments
• change your username

All Forums - the Old View

Some of you might want to view all the forums on one page, like before. This is still possible and really easy to get to. Simply click on the 'All Forums' tab near the top right of the screen. That will take you to the page with all the forums set out link on the old main page.

TSR Wiki

Yep, that is right TSR has it's own wiki with loads of user generated content on issues from applying to university to dealing with hangovers. It's always been there, only not everyone knew about it. Now you can access it from a clear and easily found link up on the top right of every page: the 'Wiki' tab.

The look of the wiki has also been brought in to line with that of the forum - no longer does it look like a separate site tot eh main forums. Another bonus is that you now only need to long in once to access both the forums and wiki - before each required their own separate log-in.

Channels

The channels are something new to the site. You probably can't have missed the 'Study Help', 'University', 'Careers' and 'Life' tabs towards the top left of the page. These are where you get to the main channel pages. So what is a channel I hear you ask? Well a channel is simply page bringing together the best content from across the site on a particular topic in one place. It's a mix of both forum content and wiki content to ensure you don't miss something from either place which might be useful for you.

As well as the four main channels, the subnaviagtion links take you to around 12 more 'subchannels' covering topics like exams and choosing a university to applying for jobs and gap years. Why not take a look through then to see the full range of content we have on offer?

Though the channels are developed on the wiki side of the site, they are currently locked from editing bu most users. Every other page on the wiki is still accessible for editing however.

Future Developments

I think now is the time to speak a little about the future before we go on to look other changes. What you see around you is not a finished product. It never will be. Over the coming months and years the forums will continue to have changes and additions. Some minor, some a little more noticeable. Over the coming weeks expect to see a large number of changes still. Since the launch feedback has been gathered and J has drawn up a to-do list of problems, errors and changes which need to be made. Over the last month fleur de lis has been sorting out a development wish list of features the users would like to see. Now that main launch is out of the way some development time can be allocated to these features to make the site even better. Your suggestions and constructive criticism on all this is very much welcomed so follow those two links above to have your say.

Other Navigation and Page-header Options

My Forums

The my forums section will eventually be a drop down menu to replace the quick links which used to go along the top of the old site. Currently there is some mix up between personalised links and subscribed forums. But soon the subscribed forums will move on to the 'user home page' and this drop down menu will be for your personalised links!

Quick Links

Before you might have used the 'quick links' drop down menu to access many areas of the site. The menu is still there - look to the very top right of this page. You'll see it's essentially the same. One addition is of the 'Wiki Watch List' - the place where you can select pages on the wiki to watch for any changes to them.

New Posts

The new posts link was one I used a great deal so I was initially concerned that this didn't appear to be there, but don't worry - it still is. To view all the most recent posts on the open the 'Quick Links' menu and select 'today's posts'. new posts

Search

The search is still there. Look to to the top right of your screen for the orange search button. Simply type your search term in the empty box, select if you want to search the forum content or the wiki content and click on the orange button. Couldn't be easier! It's hoped that one day soon a combined forum-wiki will be available too.

We also have a page explaining the wiki search options if you are unsure about carrying out an advanced wiki search.

About Us

You will also be the 'About Us' link at the top of the page. This leads you to the 'About TSR' channel where you can find all sorts of other information, like the site rules, terms and conditions, TSR History, where to get help, info on subscriptions and details in the privacy statements and keeping safe online - basically all the same stuff we had before just together linked to from one place.

Posts and Threads

It might look like a lot has changed here, but really the layout is very similar to have we had before. It's just a few new colours and new icons to get used to.

New post

When viewing a thread some posts will have a little red sheet of paper at the top left of them while others will have a little pale blue one. Red means it's a new post you've not read while blue means you've already viewed it.

Reputation

You can still give and receive rep as before. The only change is the look of the rep icon in the posts. You'll find it in exactly the same location (top right of every post) only now instead of being the scales it is now a 'thumbs up, thumbs down' symbol.

Reputation you've received can be seen on the user home page while subs still have the option there to view reputation given too. There have been no changes to the rep gems, the rep levels nor the way rep is calculated.

Give reputation button.

Post Reports

Like with reputation, there have been few changes here. Posts can be reported in the same way as before - simply click on the 'exclamation' warning sign at the top right of the post you want to report. Then leave your message as before. To view the status of your reported posts there is a link on the user home page.

Post report button.

Online Status

Gone are the status circles. We now have a funny little man to tell you if someone is online.

	The person is offline
	The person is online
	The person is hiding their status (only subs see this)

That's about it in the post view - all other features are essentially the same and can be found in the same places. Let's now look at the thread views in each forum...

Forum, Thread and Post Icons

Below we have a list of the main icons used on the site with a description of what they mean. I've also added in their location of where you will see then - either when viewing the whole site/section (a forum icon), when viewing a forum (a thread icon) or when viewing a thread (a post icon). Pictures are to follow in this section to make it easier to follow - I hope the descriptions make sense at the moment!

	The thread has new posts in it since you last viewed it.	Thread Icon
	The thread has no new posts since you last viewed it	Thread Icon
	The thread is locked - you cannot post in it.	Thread Icon
	You have posted in this thread, but there are no new posts in it.	Thread Icon
	You have posted in this thread and there are new posts in it.	Thread Icon
	The thread has been moved to another forum or merged.	Thread Icon
	This is just a discussion thread. This is the default setting.	Thread Icon
	This thread has a poll in it.	Thread Icon
You will also see the use of smilies and other icons in place of the above 2 icons just as you did before.
	The subforum has unread posts	Forum Icon
	The subforum has no unread posts	Forum Icon
	This section links to a forum elsewhere or a section of the site which is not a forum.	Forum Icon
	The post is new - you've not read it before	Post Icon
	The post is old - you've viewed it before	Post Icon

Personal Messages

The personal message area works the same as it always did. To access it, click on the 'messages' button right at the very top of every page. It will still take you to your inbox. There you will have options to 'send new messages', 'track messages' and 'edit folders' - essentially all the options you had before in 'User CP' but now in their own dedicated page.

Let's have a quick look at the new PM icons:

	The link to get to PMs.
	The links to get to PMs if you have new messages.
	The message is unread.
	The message has been read.
	You have replied to this message.
	You have forwarded this message