This guide covers our old ProBoards v4 software. Click here for the ProBoards v5 Help Guide.
Since participating in forum discussions is the main reason to join a forum, replying to threads and posts is the primary communication activity for forum members. To reply to other members, you'll need to familiarize yourself with the following forum features:
Reply
One of the most common methods of posting on a forum is to use the reply function. When you create a reply, you're adding to an ongoing discussion in the thread you're viewing. Once a reply is submitted, it can be viewed as a post by other forum members and they can then reply to your comments.
At most times, the reply button can be found in the top-right corner of the first post in the thread you're viewing. Clicking the reply button will take you to the posting page where you'll create your message. If a thread is locked or you don't have permission to post in that topic, you may not be able to see or use the reply button due to posting restrictions. For more information on the posting page and the formatting options available there, refer to the Creating a Forum Thread section of the help guide.
Quote
Occasionally, when reading through an interesting thread, you'll find a specific post you'd like to respond to; this is when you'll use the Quote feature. After clicking the Quote button in the top-right corner of the post, you'll be taken to the standard posting page where the quoted content will already be included in your reply. Begin your message by clicking into the message area immediately after the last [/quote] tag.
Modify
If you've already submitted a post and decide you'd like to change it; either to correct a misspelled word or add a few additional comments, click the Modify button in the top right corner of the post. Once clicked, you'll be taken to the standard posting page where you can update your post. When the modifications have been made, a Last Edit message will automatically be applied to the bottom of your post to let others know modifications have been made.
Quick Reply
If you don't wish to respond to any specific posts in a thread or just want to submit a quick comment, use the quick reply function. When enabled, the Quick Reply box can be found at the bottom left of every thread you view on the forum. Quick Reply allows you to reply and post directly to message board threads without ever leaving the page (to go to the posting page mentioned above).
Just type your message in the box and click the Post Reply button. While this feature is intended for quick posts, you can also use BBCode or smileys to dress up your message. For more robust customization, you'll want to use the discussion forum posting page for additional formatting features.