I created a step-by-step guide for my classmates to use in navigating our site more easily. I thought I'd pass it on in case some of you wish to copy, or revise, it to use on your sites.

FORUM ETIQUETTE (Sticky Note)
FENGER FORUMS IS INTENDED for reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. All of us on the Reunion Committee welcome and encourage your use of these forums to share memories and stories as well as providing updates on your lives since leaving Fenger High School and Roseland.

Please use good judgment when posting messages. Personal attacks, political and religious
messages, as well as inappropriate language will be removed immediately.

PRINTING DIRECTIONS
I don't know about you, but I need directions in front of me for anything I want to do. I just can't remember them after one reading, or even two. Therefore, to print any of the directions on this forum, All You Want To Know But Are Too Shy To Ask, do the following:

1. Have the desired information on your computer screen
2. Choose FILE from the top bar (left-hand side) of your Internet connection. A "drop down" list will, well, drop down.
3. Hit PRINT and a large box will appear.
4. Choose PRINT again, and your directions will, you guessed it, print.

OR
1. Hold down the CONTROL key and hit the key "p."
2. The large box will appear. Choose PRINT, and your directions will print

SENDING MESSAGES TO SITE ADMINISTRATOR
The easiest way to send me a message (an email) is to use the black tab entitled CONTACT US at the top of the web page. A large message box will come up with my email address already in place. You can type in anything you need:
1. New information on a classmate
2. Corrections on any part of the site
3. Questions about how to do something on the site (I don't have all the answers, obviously; but Class Creator does.
4. Suggestions for improving the site
5. Material, or photos, you wish considered for a particular part of the site
6. Survey, page, or forum topics

I thank you for your participation and hope you'll help me make this the best class site out there.

COPY & PASTE MADE EASY
COPY and PASTE allows you to take printed material from one source and place it in another. In other words, should you find a particularly interesting article you wish to send to a colleague, you can "copy" the text and "paste" it into an email. Not all material on the Internet, however, can be copied; it will be easy to tell when this is the case.*

To COPY:
1. Place your cursor and the beginning of the text and hold down the left mouse button as you guide the cursor through the desired text. The writing will be highlighted will a background color, usually black or blue.
2. When you reach the end of the material you wish to copy, release the right mouse button.
3. Hold down the CONTROL key (Ctrl, lower left on the keyboard) and hit the key "c." The information will be magically transported to the unseen clipboard.

To PASTE:
1. Place your cursor on the page where you wish your text to appear and hit the right mouse button once.
2. Hold down the CONTROL key and hit the key "v." The information will magically move from the unseen clipboard to your chosen page.

Many pictures can be copied in the same manner; but, please note, you can NOT use this method to transfer photos to our web site.

*If you find that the information you desire does not highlight in step 1 under To COPY, this means the material can not be transferred.

OPENING OR VIEWING A PAGE
At this writing, there are 8 possible pages for the administrator to fill with content. All those in current use will be listed in the black, left-hand column of the Home Page. Survey topics, if there are any, come first; page topics come next; and Missing Classmates is usually last.

To view any of these, click on the topic of your choice; and the desired page will come up. You will be able to navigate through the entire content by the green sliding bar on the right-hand side of the page.

To go to another page, just choose the topic from the left side and click on it. It isn't necessary to close one page before going to another.

To leave the site altogether, hit the white "X" in the red box in the top right-hand corner.

SENDING EMAILS
To email a classmate, begin by clicking on the black tab at the top of the Home Page entitled CLASSMATE PROFILES. A list of all classmates will come up. Choose who you wish to email, and click on the name. His, or her, profile will appear. Then:

1. Go to the bottom of the page and you will find a box titled SEND A PRIVATE MESSAGE TO___________ (Your classmate's name will be filled in as well as your name in the FROM box.)
2. Type a topic in the SUBJECT box.
3. Type your message, or comment, in the large box below the FROM and SUBJECT sections.
4. Choose the SEND MESSAGE tab to get your email on its way.

Remember: Your message can only be read by the classmate you send it to, like any other email that is sent via the Internet.

If you wish to leave a comment on the profile page, choose TO LEAVE A COMMENT and type in your message.
Keep in mind that this comment can be read by anyone who pulls up the page.

If you wish notification when this, or any other profile is updated, check the box marked NOTIFY ME WHEN THIS PROFILE IS UPDATED. You can UNSUBSCRIBE, or cancel notification, any time you desire.

ANSWERING SURVEY QUESTIONS & READING SURVEY RESULTS
SURVEYS are listed at the top of subjects in the black, left-hand column of the Web Site. They are listed by topic.

To take part in a survey:
1. Click on the SURVEY TITLE. A box with an introductory sentence or two will appear. Below this you will find the actual question(s) with space(s) for your answer(s). (Some surveys may have multiple parts.)
2. Enter your response(s).
3. Click SUBMIT and a "thank you" message will appear plus a tab saying VIEW SURVEY RESULTS. If you wish to view the results, click on that tab.

NOTE: You can only answer the survey once, but you can view the results many times as others take part. Your answer will appear when you click on the SURVEY TITLE once you've given your response so just go to VIEW SURVEY RESULTS.

You can SUBSCRIBE to receive new survey results by email if you wish. This feature is at the bottom of the page, and all you have to do is check its box. You can Unsubscribe later should you desire.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: CHECK MESSAGES
On the left side of our web site is a black column with a green header entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of the topic, CHECK MESSAGES, follows:

This feature lists all the emails you have received (IN BOX) as well as those you have sent (OUT BOX) through this web site. Your messages will remain in their respective boxes until you delete them.

A KEY at the top of both the IN BOX and OUT BOX shows symbols representing the status of an email. You will find one of these symbols to the left of each email listed.

Each listed email shows: (1). A box to check, (2). Its status; (3). Either who sent it to you (IN BOX) or who you sent it to (OUT BOX), (4). Subject and date of email, and (5). A red "X."

In both the IN BOX and OUT BOX settings, clicking on sender's name brings up that person's profile page and clicking on the subject brings up the actual email.

Clicking inside the box on the far left or on the red "X" on the far right, will turn the background red. This means that the email can be deleted by choosing the tab at the bottom of the page that says DELETE CHECKED THREAD.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: EDIT CONTACT INFO
On the left side of the Home Page is a column entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of EDIT CONTACT INFO follows:

Choosing this feature will allow you to view all of your contact information that you entered into your profile page. You can add to, or change, any info you wish by retyping over the existing words or by deleting the original words and then typing in the new information.

Be sure to click the SAVE CHANGES tab at the bottom of the page when you have finished.

You can rewrite, or edit, your contact info anytime it is necessary.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: EDIT/UPLOAD (& DELETE PHOTOS)
On the left side of our web site is a black column with a green header entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of the topic, EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS, follows along with information on how to delete photos from your profile:

To add photos to your profile you must be able to locate exactly where the picture is on your computer. Most of the time, it will be in the folder titled MY PICTURES.

To UPLOAD a photo:
1. Choose EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS under MEMBER FUNCTIONS from the left column.
2. The page which comes up contains all the photos on your Profile Page. Choose UPLOAD NEW PHOTO
3. Next choose ADD FILES. This is where you must be able to find the file containing the picture you want to add to the profile page.
4. Find the photo and click on it, which will highlight it.
5. Choose UPLOAD FILE, and it will appear on your page.

To DELETE a photo:
1. Choose EDIT/UPLOAD PHOTOS under MEMBER FUNCTIONS from the left column; and, as before, all the photos on your profile page will be displayed.
2. Choose DELETE on top of the picture(s) you wish to zap. The background for the entire area will turn red.
3. Choose SAVE ALL CHANGES. A pop up box will ask if you're really sure you want to delete photos. If you are sure, proceed to step 5.
4. Click "OK" and the photo(s) will be removed from your Profile Page. (It will, however, remain on your computer.)

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: PROFILE SUBSCRIPTIONS
On the left side of our web site is a black column with a green header entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of the topic, PROFILE SUBSCRIPTIONS, follows:

Profile Subscriptions is a feature that sends you an email anytime a classmate adds new or changes information on his, or her, Profile Page. This is the easy way to keep up with your classmates. To do so:

1. Click on PROFILE SUBSCRIPTIONS and a list of all classmates and guests will appear. Next to each name is a box.
2. Click on the box, or boxes, of those you wish a subscription. Their name(s) will appear in the area to the right of the original list.
3. There is no need to save anything; you now have all the subscriptions you desire. Go on to another page by clicking another topic.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: CHANGE PASSWORD
On the left side of our web site is a black column with a green header entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of the topic, CHANGE PASSWORD, follows:

Should you wish to change your password, for any reason, click on CHANGE PASSWORD under Member Functions. A page with 3 sections for you to fill in will appear.

1. Type in your PRESENT password.
2. Type in your NEW password.
3. Type in your NEW password a second time.
4. Click on SAVE button.

Any password you use must have at least 5 characters.

For your information: If at anytime you forget your password and not be able to log on to the site, you must email me, as administrator. I will assign you a temporary password to use so you can log on. You can then change the temp to your own personal password.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS: LOG OUT
On the left side of our web site is a black column with a green header entitled MEMBER FUNCTIONS. It is directly under the Survey and Page topics.

An explanation of the topic, LOG OUT, follows:

The majority of our users select the "stay logged in" option when they log in. Therefore, they will always be logged onto the site until they click the LOG OUT link under Member Functions.

When somebody selects the option to stay logged in, our system allows the user to bypass the login screen when they come back to the site.

REPLYING, OR POSTING, IN FORUMS
To reply, or post, in FENGER FORUMS click on the black tab at the top of the Home Page. You will be asked to create a forum profile if you haven't done so already. This consists of answering 3 short questions, all optional. You will be able to edit your answers later if you desire by clicking on the button "MY SETTINGS."

Once that's out-of-the-way, you are ready to begin commenting on any topic. To do so:

1. Click on a CATEGORY title--chosen by the site administrator--to see all the TOPICS under it.
2. Click on a TOPIC to see all the messages posted there. There can be an infinite number of topics under each category.

3. To reply, or post, to a TOPIC:
a. Click on REPLY.
b. Type your message.
c. Click PREVIEW if you want to see how your message will look when posted.
d. Click SAVE when your post is complete.

Once your post is saved, you can edit or delete your own message.

Notice that you can SUBSCRIBE to receive new forum posts by email. This feature is at the bottom of the page and you just need to check its box. You can Unsubscribe later should you wish.

PLACING, OR POSTING, A PICTURE IN A FORUM
Placing, or posting, pictures on the Forum is fun and easy as long as you can locate them on your computer. Each photo or illustration should have a unique name and be in a file, such as MY PICTURES. Then:

1. Click on the IMAGE ICON (the little yellow square in the editor box above. It's at the top left and to the right of the word "source.")
2. In the pop-up, click BROWSE, find your picture, and click on the picture.
3. Click on UPLOAD NOW and then OK when you are told its uploaded and you can see your image in the review box.
4. Click OK at the bottom of the IMAGE BUTTON box, and your picture will appear in your message box.
5. Click PREVIEW to see how it will look.
6. Click SAVE when you are finished.

Once your post is saved, you can edit or delete your own message.

Notice that you can SUBSCRIBE to receive new forum posts by email. This feature is at the bottom of the page, and you just need to check its box. You can Unsubscribe later should you wish.

BEGINNING A NEW FORUM TOPIC
To begin a NEW TOPIC in Fenger Forums click on the black tab at the top of the Home Page. You will be asked to create a forum profile if you haven't done so already. This consists of answering 3 short questions, all optional. You will be able to edit your answers later if you desire by clicking on the button "MY SETTINGS."

Once that's out-of-the-way, you are ready to begin a topic of your choosing. To do so:

1. Click on one of the 3 category titles that best describes your topic. Most of the time it will be either "School Days, before 1958" or "After School Days, after 1958."
2. Click on POST NEW TOPIC
4. Enter a title for your topic.
5. Type your question, comment, or message.
6. Click PREVIEW if you want to see how your message will look when posted.
7. Click SAVE when your post is complete.

Once your post is saved, you can edit or delete your own message.

Notice that you can SUBSCRIBE to receive new forum posts by email. This feature is at the
bottom of the page, and you just need to check its box. You can Unsubscribe later should you wish.

ADDING PICTURES AND TEXT IN FORUMS
To have both text and pictures in the same post, choose the TABLE SYMBOL from above; it's the 4th symbol from the right. (It looks like a rectangle divided into smaller rectangles with the entire top section filled with blue.)

A TABLE PROPERTIES pop up box will appear. The only necessary boxes to fill in are "rows" (Indicate how many) and "columns" (Indicate how many.)

For example, if you have one picture and accompanying text, you would want 1 row and 1 column, forming 2 boxes side by side. If you have 2 pictures and 2 text paragraphs, you may want 2 rows and 2 columns, forming 4 boxes, 2 underneath 2 others. As always, you must be able to find the exact location of the desired picture on your computer. Usually it will be in MY PICTURES.

To PLACE TEXT, put the cursor in the box where you desire it and type what you wish.

To PLACE a PICTURE, put the cursor in the box where you desire it and:
1. Click on the IMAGE ICON (the little yellow square in the editor box above. It's at the top left and to the right of the word "source.")
2. In the pop-up, click BROWSE, find your picture, and click on the picture.
3. Click on UPLOAD NOW and then OK when you are told it's uploaded, and you will see your image in the review box.
4. Click OK at the bottom of the IMAGE BUTTON box, and your picture will appear in your chosen box.
7. Click PREVIEW to see how your post will look.
8. Click SAVE when complete.

Once your post is saved, you can edit or delete your own message.
Notice that you can SUBSCRIBE to receive new forum posts by email. This feature is at the bottom of the page, and you just need to check its box. You can Unsubscribe later should you wish.

Hope it helps,
Carole

Wow! Amazing amount of work to put that together. Thanks so much!

Glad you can use it too.
Carole

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!!

Mary

Great info. Thanks for spending the time creating this!!

You're welcome. I'm delighted you can use it.

Carole

Thanks so much!

Carole

Carole, this is awesome. Thank you. Maybe you know the answer to my question. I have been playing around with the forum capability and have successfully added text and pictures. HOWEVER, I do NOT want my picture displayed. I have updated the forum profile option and it just doesn't seem to take. Any thoughts?

Connie

1) Click on Edit/Upload Photos
2) Scroll to the bottom of the page to the Master Photo box
3) Click the "Don't Use a Master Photo" button

Sorry, Connie. I don't know the answer to this.

I've tried to eliminate my master photo by the method that Brad gives below and haven't been able to do so. When I go to edit/upload, it says "no photo" under Master Photo; and none of the photos that I have uploaded are checked, I still have my graduation picture shown as "master photo."

Hey Brad, where are we doing wrong? Help!

Carole

Oh I see, sorry. The Yearbook Photo is used as Master Photo in the forums if you don't have a Master Photo specified. This is a global setting that applies to your entire forums, but it can be easily disabled:

1) Enter your threaded forums
2) Click the Forum Preferences text link
3) Under the Forum Photos section look for this:

"By default the forums will display a Classmate's Master Photo if one has been added by the Classmate. If a Classmate has not added a Master Photo, the forums will substitute the Classmate's Yearbook Photo if one has been added by an Administrator. If you do not wish to display Yearbook Photos in the forums you can turn off this feature here."

I thank you very much, Brad.

Until I receive more response to the forums, I want to turn off my photo because I'm talking to myself most of the time, and it's really obvious if mine is the only picture. Hopefully, my classmates will start posting. They're looking but too shy, or something, to post so far, which is why I wrote the instructions on navigating the site.

Carole

Great job. Thanks. Edd

Thank you!

Carole

I have something like that on my website also. I used one of my Customizable links. Who knows if anyone is reading it. I posted the Forum Etiquette on my home page. Very similar to what you have. I will use some of your language. Our Reunion Committee has established a policy on offense profile posts and Forum posts. I am in the process of writing a disclaimer now. The Committee will ok it..then I will put it on the home page. We have had some problems with one individual who posted some inappropriate comments and slandered some teachers. It only takes 1 apple to spoil the whole barrel.
Good luck with your reunion and website.
Great instructions.javascript:addSmiley('');

Carole,

Would it be permissable to use your Instructions/Recomendations notes for my own class website (with needed modifications like school name)? You have done an outstanding job of collecting this valuable information.

Thanks,
Terri

Thank you for sharing !!!! Visited your site and love how easy to "walk around" and how uncluttered it is...

Jan

Hi Darlene,
I too had but 1 horrible comment out of 3000. That isn't bad. I was totally unprepared for that one. It was very simple from me. I removed him from my site forever. Turns out he was kicked out of our school for cursing, theft, you name it. He was a later graduate. One bad apple gone forever

Hi Terri!

Just found your note. Please do use any of the forum you need.

Carole

Thanks, Jan! Your kind words are truly appreciated. Too often I feel like I'm talking to myself as my generation doesn't post much.

Carole

Great job! Lots of ideas and helpful hints. We are just starting, so this was especially helpful. Also, enjoyed looking at some other sites for ideas.

Thanks,
Bart Carlson
www.RockfordEast62.com

Thanks for the kind words, Bart. And, good luck with your new site!

Carole

Wonderful! Thank you so much for doing this, Carole!

You are quite welcome. So glad you can use it.

Carole

Does anybody know exacty how to add a person to the in memory portion of the site. I have gone through the entire admin section and the persons profile and I cant seem to find out how to do it. I went to the In memory link, and all it did was send me a message that said to add him to the section any help on how and where to do it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Joe

Joe,

It is done through the Edit Site Pages, EDIT In Memory. There will be a search box or drop-down box where you find the classmate, then there will be an "Add Selected Deceased Classmate" button. After they are added, you can EDIT the contents to show obituary information and photos.

Thank You.. Getting to know a new program is tricky. how long have you been using this program.. is it really worth the 97 bucks a year?

I created my website in August 2008.

I think it is worth it because it is a private place where only your classmates and those you invite can share information.

Hi Joe,

It is good to have you join the rest of us here. Welcome!

In reply to your question, I agree with Kyle. Plus... I had a free site and was constantly looking for an add-on chat, maps and more. One day while searching for a free map, I found Class Creator. It did not take but an hour or so to copy a few pages over for a trial. A quick email to my classmates and within days, the first year was paid with their help! The year was 2009.

Many of us receive thanks, kudos and such at our reunions. Some classmates/reunion committees choose to fund our sites at the reunion, while others step up as soon as we send out a request. My single year class site is paid through our 2020 reunion!

Use your Message Forum as a guest book. This post from an alum (on my multi-year site) says it all:
"I love that you have this page. I have been able to find some old friends and lots of new ones. Keep up the great work"

You've joined us at a good time, Joe. New features are about to be released. If you have not read about them, follow THIS LINK to the thread.

I would like to ask another question, please.

Could the appearance of the featured video section on our home pages be made optional? Could we also substitute the video for one of our own, related to our classmates, for example?

No. All of that stuff is pulling straight form a third party feed. They control all content including video.

Figured it was worth a try to ask. These new page templates are still pretty cool! O.K. Thanks Brad!

I have opened up a page on FaceBook for our Class Reunion. I was trying to add a link to our web site FROM FB to our site. To my surprise, FaceBook put in the link for me. It's our URL and it's hot, so off they will go to our web site. We have almost 100 more people on FB than on our Web Site! Go Figure! Maybe now it will be easier for them to take a look at the site. Assuming of course they will go to the FB page. Love the info I get here. Generally if I stumble around enough I find what I need.

Oh, it sounds like there is magic happening!

Actually, almost all web site addresses you post in Facebook do open a link with an option to show a thumbnail. It certainly makes things easier, doesn't it?

Stay tuned, it will soon be even easier!

Thanks for your set of eyes! Glenda
Think I found the link or URL for TAP.

Carole
Great post, thanks for compiling it and offering for others to use.

Patrick

Thanks, Patrick. It's very kind and appreciated of you to write.

Carole

Carole Mackey, your list has always been helpful. I wonder... does it need updating? And maybe we need two lists to match the classic and responsive designs. Or is it close enough even a new admin will get it? Thoughts. Simply thoughts.

I haven't looked at it in a long time. I'll check it out and update it if necessary. Have you found something?
Carole