explanation of new features

**Sara Noel** · 05-28-2008, 03:49 PM

I'll try and explain as many as possible and as soon as I can. I'll update this thread and in the near future, I'll be implementing a comprehensive FAQ section soon. I'll add a list of the old features, too. A lot of people forget or don't know about all the features there are.

Photo gallery

For starters, we have the new photo gallery.
The old gallery is here:
https://www.frugalvillage.com/photopost/
If you'd like to transer your pictures to the new photo gallery, you can. The old gallery won't have a link on the forums, but there is a link to it on the main page. I won't get rid of it any time soon. But eventually I'm sure we'll want to ditch it since they're so similar.

We changed it because the current one comes built into the forums and integrates with some other features that show up in your profile (usercp)

So the new album can be located on the top navigational bar under the link called "all albums." It's also accessible in your usercp. Random recent photos are featured on the top of the forums.

I'll edit posts in this thread as I think of anything I have left out.

**Sara Noel** · 05-28-2008, 04:52 PM

Invitation system

This features lets you send an invite to a friend to come and join us here on the forums. It's located in the top navigational bar and in your usercp.
https://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/...?do=invitation

If you like FV, please tell a friend.

**Sara Noel** · 05-28-2008, 04:57 PM

Thank you feature

One problem with a forum this large, is the amount of thank you posts that are in a thread. For some members, it takes a long time to load a thread and when the first 5 replies are thank you posts, it can be frustrating.

Also a lot of times, someone might not post thank you because they see 10 other people already have. This feature lets you simply press a button to express your thanks.

The amount of thanks you've given and have received shows in your forum posting profile under your avatar.

If you haven't tried it, give it a try whenever you see a post that you appreciate. The thank you button is located on the bottom right of a post.

This feature replaces numerous replies that only say thanks. Please use it.

**Sara Noel** · 05-28-2008, 05:47 PM

Arcade

Arcade features have come and gone through the years here on FV. We improved the arcade and added more games. We'll probably add more in the upcoming weeks. High scores are now reflected in your post profiles with an icon. And also still on the arcade page. The arcade has over 3300 games.

**Sara Noel** · 05-29-2008, 05:30 PM

Tags, tag search and tag cloud

Think of tags as labels or classifications. At the bottom of each thread you'll see a box you can add a tag to. Anyone can add a tag to a thread. So in a way, threads are placed into forum categories which are like file folders in a cabinet, and tags are like labels on the folder. Each person is able to label a thread the way they want to.

This forum is large, so obviously thousands of posts aren't tagged. But if we use tags from this point on or whenever we read a thread from the archive, quite a bit will be tagged, so it will become more useful.

Tagging is going to help you find threads when you search. Firstly, there's the tag cloud. It shows tags for threads here on the forums. The font size of tags increases the more times a tag title/label/identifying word is used. You can click on the tags in the tag cloud or you can do a tag search.

Or you can just search like you normally would. If you look under the search link on the top navigational bar, you'll see the regular search and underneath it is tag search. If you click tag search, you'll see you can click tags or search for tag words.

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 12:16 AM

Mood

You can now have your mood reflected in your posts. We had this feature a few years ago and are bringing it back.

To update your mood, look under your welcome and last visit box. It's located at the upper right of the forums.

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 12:22 AM

Most recent forum searches

In the advanced search, there is now a section that shows the most recent searches members have made. This is really nothing more than curiosity candy. LOL

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 12:27 AM

Auto birthday wishes

We've always had auto birthday wishes sent via e-mail. Now we have auto birthday wishes on the forums. Sometimes people feel left out or invisible when their birthday passes by and no one remembered.

A thread will automatically be posted for everyone to reply to if they want.

It's going to group all birthdays on a given day (for active members) into one post, so it's lacking a little personalization, but no one will be left out.

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 01:09 AM

Real time posts

This shows posts as they're posted. You can see it by clicking "quick links" on the top navigational bar and then clicking "real time."

Here's a link, too.
https://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/vaispy.php

I like to use it if I go make lunch. I click it and I have a quick glance of what was posted since I left.

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 01:14 AM

Help Center

If you have a forum related problem, please use the help center. Often times, I miss things that are posted to the forums and as pitiful as this is, my pm box fills up to a point where I am overwhelmed.

The help center is located on the top navigational bar. It's a trouble ticket system. I'll try to address your problem asap.

**Sara Noel** · 05-31-2008, 10:22 PM

Unanswered threads

Years ago, we had this this add on. Not sure why it didn't get put back. Sorry. Here it is again. This lets you search the forums for threads that have gone answered. Maybe you'll find a post you're interested in, maybe not. LOL I like it because well hey, no one likes to have their posts go unanswered, right?

You can find this feature on the top navigational bar. It's under "search." So click search and you'll see a link that says "unanswered threads." It's also located under the top nav bar under "view."

**Sara Noel** · 06-01-2008, 10:30 AM

Top Posters

We've had this feature before. Not sure what happened to it. It's back and working. It shows the top posters in the past 24 hours, week, 28 days, month and overall.

It can be found under the top navigational menu under the "quick links."
Or click here: https://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/...?do=topposters

**Sara Noel** · 06-01-2008, 10:45 AM

The thank you feature is back. Unfortunately in fixing it, the thanks already made are gone. My apologies.

**Sara Noel** · 06-02-2008, 04:58 PM

FV Community Cookbook

Our old cookbook is here: https://www.frugalvillage.com/recipes/recipe.cgi

It's really outdated, so I'll be moving all the recipes from that cookbook to the new cookbook on the forums.

This new cookbook is to be for only tried and true recipes. Any recipes that are merely suggestions or links are to be placed in their regular forum categories. Tried and true is so if members have questions, they can ask. Pictures are encouraged, too.

The new FV Community Cookbook is located under the main forum Kitchen Basics. Click through the FV Community Cookbook link and you'll find all the recipe categories. [ame="https://www.frugalvillage.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=234"]FV Community Cookbook - Frugal Village Forums[/ame]

These cookbook forums have a recipe format. Replies can be made as usual. The recipes can be printed, emailed and rated.

A special thanks to Michelle. Her donation sponsored this feature. THANK YOU!

**Sara Noel** · 06-06-2008, 06:24 PM

Favorites/FV bookmarks

You can add your favorite posts and threads to your own bookmarks here on the forums. Simply click the link that says "add post to favorites" in the upper left of a post you'd like to save or use the "thread tools" link and you'll have a dropdown menu of options. One of those options is "add thread to favorites." To access your bookmarked posts and threads, there's a link on the top navigational bar called "Favorites."