MY OPTIONS FOR DISCUSSION FORUMS
This guide will help explain the Ultimate Rollercoaster® Discussion Forum layout and sorting options that you may set to your liking.
My Options
To change and save your options look for this icon at the top of the message board index. You will need to update and save your options for each individual forum.
Message Board Layouts
You can select one of two different layout styles for each discussion forum. The style you choose will not affect the content, but it will change the appearance, layout and functionality of the message board.
Collapsed Bulletin Board
With the Collapsed format (Bulletin Board style) selected the topic message of each thread is displayed as a link on the message board index. Additional information is shown beside it, including the user who posted it, starting date and time, number of views, number of replies and the date and time of the last reply. To read the thread click on the linked title.
When reading a thread in the Collapsed format the starting (topic) message and all replies will be displayed on the same page.
Expanded Threads
Select the Expanded format (threaded style) and the message board layout will be similiar to a newsgroup with the original topic message of each thread and all replies shown as links on the message board index.
When reading a thread in this format each posted message in a thread appears on its own page. You will navigate to each reply using the links that are displayed below the message or on the message board index.
Topic Sorting Choices
There two different topic sorting choices for the message board index.
Active First
This option is recommended as it will sort all new and active threads to the top of the message board index. You'll easily see what's new and what threads have the most recent replies.
Thread Start Date
This choice will sort the threads on the message board index in descending order based on the date the topic was started. If you select this option you must also select how many topics you'd like to display (Messages Displayed) from the past number of days, weeks or months.
Messages Displayed
This option only works if you're using the Thread Start Date sorting order. If you select the Active First sort then there is page-by-page navigation at the bottom of the message board index to view all of the threads.
If you use the Thread Start Date sort with either the Collapsed or Expanded Threads layout then you may set the number of topics or threads to display on the message board index.
