Using the new HCEA Forums
The HCEA Forums are available for viewing and comments by the general public. If you would like to post a new topic, you will need to register as a user if you are not an HCEA member.
Does registering to use the forums make me an HCEA member?
I’m already an HCEA member; do I still have to register me to use the forums?
I was a registered user of the old forums; why do I have to register again?
What happened to the content of the old forums?
Why can’t I select a username?
How do I edit or delete a post?
How do I subscribe to a forum?
How do I subscribe to a topic?
How do I change the frequency of e-mail notifications?
How do I change forum subscription settings?
What do I do if I forgot my password?
Where do I find a list of forum users?
Does registering to use the forums make me an HCEA member?
No. Forum registration is not the same as joining the HCEA. But if you’ve only registered to use the forum, we’d love to have you join us.
I’m already an HCEA member; do I still have to register to use the forums?
Yes. HCEA membership is in no way related to access privileges to the forums.
I was a registered user of the old forums; why do I have to register again?
Because this forum is operated by software that is incompatible with the old forums. The good news is that, unlike the old forums, it incorporates the forums into the rest of our online presence.
To access your Profile, simply click on [View Profile] in the log-in box at the bottom of the menu at left.
What happened to the content of the old forums?
Due to the incompatibility of the old forum software with the new, there was no way to transfer the content of the old forums across to the new ones.
Why can’t I select a user name?
According to our web wizard, most modern forum administration software, including this, is set up only for real names or "anonymous." The situation is explained in detail in the second paragraph under Adding Topics, immediately below.
If you are authorized to create a new forum topic, a Create topic button will appear above and below the topic list. After clicking this button, you can enter the subject and the body of the new topic. You can use the edit toolbar to format the text and add pictures, document, or links. Once you are done composing the topic, click Create. The topic will now appear on the main forum page.
Normally, the topics you post will identify you using your first and last name. If member pictures are enabled, your picture will be displayed unless the picture field is restricted under your privacy settings. If you chose to hide your entire profile from others in your privacy settings, the topic will identify you as Anonymous. If you restricted access to both your first name and last name in your privacy settings, you will be identified as Anonymous member.
To reply to a topic, display the topic then click the Reply button. After clicking this button, you can enter the body of your reply. You can use the edit toolbar to format the text and add pictures, document, or links. Once you are done composing your reply, click Post.
To comment on a particular reply within a topic, click the Quote link above the reply. This will include in your message the text of the reply that you are commenting on. Once you are done composing your comment, click Post.
Modifying and deleting topics and replies
After you've posted a topic or reply, you can modify or delete it.
To modify a reply, display it then click the Edit link.
To modify a topic (change the title, for example), click Edit above the first message in the topic thread. You'll be able to change the topic title as well as your message.
To delete a reply, display it then click the Delete link. To delete an entire topic, including all replies, click Delete above the first message in the topic thread.
You can only modify or delete the topics or replies that you posted. Only an administrator can modify or delete topics or replies posted by others.
On each forum page, topics are ordered by the date of the most recent message. If there is an important topic or announcement that you want everyone to see, you can make it "stick" to the top of the forum – appear ahead of all other topics.
You can make a topic sticky when you are creating or modifying it, but only from admin view. To do so, click the Stick topic to top of forum checkbox. You can also set a time limit after which the topic will no longer be sticky.
Making a forum topic sticky
Within the list of forum topics, sticky topics are marked by a pushpin icon.
Sticky topic in forum list
Please note that the Administrator reserves the right to stick or un-stick a post.
Members can subscribe to a forum, or to individual topics within the forum, so that they receive email notifications of updates. After receiving the notification, a member can visit the forum to view the new topics or replies.
Only members can subscribe themselves to a forum or forum topic – the subscription cannot be set up by an administrator. However, once the member has subscribed, either the member or an administrator can set the frequency of the email notifications.
Subscribing to the entire forum
To subscribe to the entire forum, a member visits the forum page and clicks the Subscribe to forum link above the topic list.
The member will subsequently receive email notifications of updates to any of the topics in the forum, with links to the new or updated topics.
Forum update notification
To unsubscribe to a forum, the member clicks the Subscribed (Unsubscribe) link that appears in place of the Subscribe to forum link, or clicks the Unsubscribe link in the email.
To subscribe to just one topic in a forum, the member views the topic then clicks the Subscribe to topic link above the topic messages.
The member will subsequently receive email notifications of replies or updates to this forum topic alone, with the full text of the reply or update.
To unsubscribe to a forum topic, the member clicks the Subscribed (Unsubscribe) link that appears in place of the Subscribe to topic link, or clicks the Unsubscribe link in the email.
Frequency of email notifications
By default, email notifications of forum updates are sent on a daily basis. Either the member or an administrator can change the frequency of the email notifications from daily to weekly or immediately.
Daily forum notifications contain a summary of the previous day's updates. Weekly forum notifications are sent on Sunday night/Monday morning, and contain a summary of the previous week's updates. For more information on the timing of forum notifications, see Automatic emails schedule.
The forum date, time, and format shown to the public are also based on the HCEA being in the Eastern time zone and our date/time format.
Changing forum subscription settings
Either the member or an administrator can change the member's forum subscription settings.
To change their forum subscription settings, members:
- Go to their profile.
- Click the Email subscriptions link.
- Click the Edit profile button.
- In the Forum subscriptions section, members can unsubscribe their existing subscriptions and change the frequency of forum update notifications.
To unsubscribe to a forum or forum topic, members uncheck the checkbox beside the forum or topic name.
To change the frequency of the update notifications, members click the dropdown and choose one of the following options:
|
Option |
Description |
|
Daily |
A summary of forum updates for each day is sent the following day. |
|
Weekly |
A summary of forum updates for each week is sent on Sunday night/Monday morning. |
|
Immediately |
Notifications are sent immediately after an update is made (though the actual delivery could be delayed a few minutes or longer depending on the email server load). |
- Once finished making changes, the member clicks the Save button.
What do I do if I forgot my password?
Go to the LOG-IN box below the menu at left and hit [FORGOT PASSWORD]. The software will e-mail you a link to reset the password.
Where do I find a list of Forum users?
Registered users of the Forums are listed here.
Despite our best efforts, the Forums still get some spam postings. If you see a posting that is inappropriate, please report it by e-mailing us. Please include the date of the posting and its subject and url in your report. Thank you.