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    • Registering lets you take full advantage of the community, enabling you to:
      • Post new messages and reply to other members' posts
      • Receive email when someone responds to a specific post or topic
      • Exchange private messages with other members
      • Personalize your community experience
      • Post comments on blogs that don't allow anonymous comments
      • Post ideas, vote on the ideas you like best, and post comments
      If you don't register, you can only browse, search for information, and read posts. You won't be able to give likes, vote on ideas, interact with other community members, or set customization preferences.
      Close

    • Registering is a cinch. All you need is SAS Profile and a SAS Support Communities username associated with an email address and a password. If you have a SAS Profile, then skip to How to Sign In. Need a SAS Profile? Just takes a minute.


      To create a SAS Profile:

      1. Click Register at the top of any page.
      2. Complete the form like so:
         

        Screenshot of SAS Profile webform

      3. When you click Create profile, you'll see this:
         

        Screenshot of SAS Profile notification

      4. Check your email for a message with the subject line, Please activate your SAS Profile.
      5. Click Activate my SAS Profile in the body of the message, then you'll be prompted to create a password.
      6. Choose Explore SAS Communities and sign in, following the steps below.

      Note: If anything goes awry, send email to our web team. Here's how the process looks after you receive the profile activation email:

       

      Animated gif of SAS Profile webform


      To sign in:

      1. Click Sign In at the top right of any page within the SAS Support Communities..
      2. Enter a username. (Your username appears whenever you post or send private messages.)

        Tip: Most people create anonymous names for the sake of privacy and to help them feel more comfortable participating. Be creative, have fun with it, but choose carefully: only one of our community managers can change your username after you're registered.

      3. Enter a Password.

        Tip: Passwords are case-sensitive. Include upper and lower case letters and numbers to make your password more secure.

      4. Enter your password again.
      5. Enter a valid email address, then enter it again.
      6. If you're the only one who uses this computer, click Remember me on this computer to be automatically signed in when you come to the community.
      7. If you want, enter your first and last name.
      8. Select a time zone that matches your location.
      9. Click Register.
      10. Check you email for a confirmation e-mail and click the activation link.

      Note: Cookies must be enabled in your browser to register and to sign in the community.
      Close

    • To get help with your password:
      1. Click Need help with your login name or password? at the bottom of the page.
      2. Enter the email address you used when you registered with the community.
      3. Click Reset Password.
      4. Check your email for your login name and a password reset link.
      Close

    • You can see the open questions in your area of expertise in the Questions I Can Answer tab on the My Questions and Answers page.

      To view and answer questions:

      1. Go to your profile page.
      2. Click the View All link under the My Questions or My Answers list.
      3. On the My Questions and Answers page, click Questions I Can Answer.
      4. Click the question to view it and then click Answer.
      5. Type your answer.
        You can answer using rich text or HTML and (if your community supports it) can include links to other web sites, images, or videos.
      6. Add attachments, format the text in your answer, and check your spelling, if needed.
      7. Click Post.
      Close

    • You ask your question in the Ask a Question component, which can be on any community page or even on another web site.

      To ask a question:

      1. Click in the Ask a Question box and start typing your question.
        As you type, the system suggests answered questions that contain the same subject matter.
      2. To view one of the suggested questions, click it. If none of the suggestions looks promising, click Continue.
      3. Edit the question subject as needed and ask your question.
        You can compose your question in rich text or in HTML and (if your community supports it) include links to other web sites, images, or videos.
      4. Add attachments, format the text in your question, and check your spelling, if needed.
      5. Click Post.

      After you post your question, category experts are notified. If they know the answer, they can jump right in and answer.

      Close

    • Answering a question is just like posting a reply or comment in the community. You might find a question to answer by browsing through a Q&A on a topic you're interested in, or you might click a link from a page where unanswered questions are listed.

      To answer a question:

      1. Click the question you want to answer.
      2. Click Answer.
      3. Type your answer.
        You can answer using rich text or HTML and (if your community supports it) can include links to other web sites, images, or videos
      4. Add attachments, format the text in your answer, and check your spelling, if needed.
      5. Click Post.

      To comment on a question or an answer:

      1. Go to the question or answer where you want to post a comment.
      2. Click Comments.
      3. Enter your comment and click Post Comment.

      Close

    • When one or more people reply to a particular message, a "thread" is created. A thread is a series of posts that go together. If you've ever heard of someone "following the thread of a conversation," you get the idea.

      If you post a new message, then that starts a new thread. If you reply to an existing message, then that message becomes part of the original message's thread.

      Close

      1. Sign in at communities.sas.com and click the orange down arrow next to your profile photo.
      2. Choose My Subscriptions, then Notification Settings.
      3. Under Email Notifications, select frequencies for each category.
      4. Scroll down and click Save.
      Close

    • You can create a search query subscription that sends you an immediate or digest email whenever a submitted message matches your search criteria. You can create one query for yourself.

      It can take about 15 minutes before you are notified about any new matching messages, and existing messages posted before you create a search subscription will not trigger any notification emails. Matches on terms used in author names, tags, labels, or attachments do not trigger any notifications.

      To create a search query subscription:

      1. Go to your profile page.
      2. Click My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
      3. Enter one search query.
      4. Click Save.

      When entering search queries, pay attention to the following:

      • Search queries are not case sensitive
      • Asterisks (*) and question marks (?) must be preceded by an alphanumeric character
      • Quotes (") can be used around multiple terms to search for an exact phrase
      • Special characters (%$#@) must be inside quotation marks ("%")
      • Parentheses must be closed on both ends
      • Using foreign characters in a search query is not supported
      Search queries can include one or more of the following operators:

      QUERY EXAMPLESEMAILS SENT WHEN
      Including/excluding specific terms or phrases
      milk AND honey
      milk honey
      +milk +honey       		Posts include both "milk" and "honey" in any field, in any order.
      milk OR honey Posts include either "milk" or "honey" in any field, in any order.
      "heavy metal" NOT "heavy duty" Posts include the exact phase "heavy metal" but no other combinations of the 3 words.
      +grain -rice
      grain NOT rice       		Posts use the term "grain" but not "rice".
      "milk honey"
      milk+honey       		Posts use the exact phrase "milk honey".
      +"blue bird" AND parrot Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" AND the term "parrot".
      +"blue bird" OR parrot Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" OR the term "parrot".
      (+"blue bird" AND parrot) -owl Posts use the exact phrase "blue bird" AND the term "parrot" but NOT the term "owl".
      (+blue +black) OR (+pink +purple) Posts include "blue AND black" in an order, in any field OR "pink AND purple" in an order, in any field.
      Using wildcards
      mi* Posts include words that start with "mi" (like milk) but not words that include "mi" in middle (dynamite) or end (demi).
      dy*mi* Posts include words that start with "dy" and include "mi" in the middle of the word (like dynamite).
      te?t Posts include a 4-letter word that starts with "te" and ends in "t" (like "text" and "test" but not "term" or "tested").
      Specifying fields to search in
      title:roses The word "roses" is used in the title (subject) field.
      teaser:roses The word "roses" is used in the Blog or TKB teaser field.
      body:roses The word "roses" is used in the body field.
      Close

    • Your Dashboard is a little window that displays a lot of information. It is launched when you click your boldface screen name (link) that appears near the top of most Forum pages. The Dashboard displays:
      • Your current icon.
        Click on it to choose another one.
      • Your current statistics.
      • A link to the Web Private Messenger.
        Click the envelope to launch the Private Messenger and reply to your messages.
      • Your Subscriptions and bookmarks, including recent activity.
        Click on a Subscription or bookmark to see what's new in those areas.
      • Quick links to Search, Chat, your Profile, and other things.

      To launch your Dashboard, log in, then click on your user name in the header bar, or click on Dashboard.

      Close

    • Changing your avatar is an easy way to personalize your community identity. You can change your avatar as often as you like. Your current avatar appears at the top of the Avatar page.


      To change your avatar:

      1. Sign in to your community account.
      2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
      3. Choose a new avatar in one of these ways:
        • Choose an avatar from the Community collection. (Choose an avatar collection and click the avatar your want.)
        • Use an image from your Image Gallery. (Click From Image Gallery and click the image you want.) You can only use this option if you have uploaded images that have been approved.
        • If you have been granted permission, use your Facebook profile photo as your avatar. (Click From Facebook and click Set Avatar.
        • If you have been granted permission, use an image from the web. (Click From the Web and enter the URL for the image. Then, click Set Avatar.
      Close

    • Your signature is text that appears at the bottom of your posts.


      To create your personal signature:

      1. Sign in to your community account.
      2. Go to My Settings > Personal Profile > Personal Information.
      3. Enter your signature text in the Signature box.
        Some communities let you use HTML in your signature. Check with a moderator if you have questions.
      4. Click Save.
      Close

    • To change your community username, visit your community settings by clicking My Settings from the menu on your community avatar. Your new username will be applied automatically to all of your posts and replies. You can also edit your full name and email address (private to you) by modifying your SAS profile: SAS Profile Settings Once you've made these changes in your SAS profile and visit the community site again, they will automatically update in your community account.
      Close

    • Your full name and email address are part of your SAS Profile. You can edit your name and email address here: SAS Profile Settings. Once your email address is changed, it will automatically become part of your community ID.
      Close

    • You can tell other community members as much or as little about yourself as you want. You can enter a short biography, your location, your interests, or anything else (within community guidelines, of course).

      To tell other community members about yourself:

      1. Sign in to your community account.
      2. Go to My Settings > Personal Profile > Personal Information.
      3. Enter information about yourself in the Biography field. You can also enter your name, location, company info, and any other information you want to share.
      4. Click Save.

      By default, all community users can see this information.

      To display your info only to people on your Friends List:

      1. Click Preferences > Privacy.
      2. Set show private information in profile to to friends only.
      3. Click Save.
      Close

    • You can customize the look and behavior of the community in many ways, including time zone and language preference, text size, menu behavior, message order, and privacy settings.


      To set your viewing preferences:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Go to My Settings > Preferences.
      3. Click through the various preference tabs and make the changes you want.
      4. Click Save on each tab where you make changes.
      Close

    • Communities provide a place for members or participants to search for information, read and post about topics of interest, and learn from each other. Depending on how the community is set up, you'll find:
      • boards where you can post questions and answers
      • blogs where you can read and comment on articles
      • idea exchanges where you can suggest ways to improve products and vote for ideas that other community members have posted
      • and more...

      Guests (unregistered visitors) can browse or search the community for information. Members (registered users) can post messages or comments, track discussions, and get email notifications on posting activity and other community actions.

      Close

    • You are essential to the community, even if all you ever do is read messages or articles that someone else has posted. Communities offer all kinds of contributions: posting questions and sharing answers, leaving comments on blog articles or ideas, voting for ideas you like, or just searching for answers to your questions.

      We encourage you to visit often and participate. Ask your toughest questions. Chances are someone has a solution or can point you in the right direction. If you find a solution that works, let others know and pass on your own tips and insights. You might just have the answer someone else needs.

      Remember to thank community members who have helped you. Show your appreciation by giving likes to helpful posts, accepting a solution that answers your question, or posting thank-you replies.

      We want the community to be appropriate, friendly, informative, and fun for everyone.

      Be sure to read the Community Terms of Service and the community's Rules and Guidelines so that you know what to expect and what is expected of you when you're here.

      Close

    • To post a message:

      1. Go to the board where you want to post.
      2. Click the New Message link.
      3. In the Subject field, enter your message title.
        Tip: Make your subject clear and concise, as it's the only part of the message that shows up on the message-listing page.
      4. In the Body field, type your message. Be sure to include all necessary details, especially for technical topics.
      5. Format and spell check your message, as needed.
      6. Click Submit Post.
      Close

    • Click Reply to respond to a particular post.

      The Reply Message screen is similar to the Post Message screen, with these differences:

      • When you reply to a post, the subject line is filled in automatically. You can change it if you want.
      • You can paste the message to which you are replying into the body of your reply by clicking Quote Message.

      Your reply is added to the existing thread. It won't create a new thread.

      Close

    • To add formatted SAS code to your post, click on the familiar "running man" icon in the editor toolbar.
       

      snipped image of the toolbar in the editor

      An empty box appears. Paste or type your program code inside the box, then click OK.

      The program text appears as plain text within your edited view of the post. Note that you won't see the syntax coloring take effect until after you publish your post.

      After you publish your post, your readers will weep with joy as they witness the glorious colors. Prepare yourself for many accolades.

      Close

    • Yes. You can use macros to create boilerplate text that you can paste into any message. You can create up to 9 macros.

      To set up a macro for boilerplate text:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Go to My Settings > Macros.
      3. Enter a short but memorable name in the Macro Title field.
      4. In the Macro box, enter your boilerplate text. (You can use HTML tags if your community allows it.)
      5. Click Save.

      Tip: To add text at the bottom of your posts, you can include that text as part of your signature instead of using a macro.

      To add your boilerplate text to a post:

      1. Go to a post.
      2. In the comment area, place your cursor where you want to add the boilerplate text.
      3. Open the Macros menu and select the macro you want to add.
      Close

    • Bookmarks enable you to list community content (boards, articles, ideas, topics, or individual posts) on a special page so you can easily find it again.

      To bookmark a piece of content:

      1. Go to the item you want to bookmark.
      2. To bookmark a location, choose (Location) Options > Bookmark.
        To bookmark a specific post, go to the post and choose (Post) Options > Bookmark.

      To view and manage your bookmarks:

      1. Go to My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
      2. Click My Bookmarks.
        You can click a bookmark to go to the item.
      3. To delete a bookmark, click the check box for the bookmark and click Bookmark Options > Delete Selected Bookmarks.
      Close

    • Subscriptions let you get email updates whenever new content appears in an area of the community that you're interested in. You can subscribe to a board, a blog article, an idea exchange, or any other location in the community. You can also subscribe to a specific post.

      To subscribe a piece of content:

      1. Go to the item you want to subscribe to.
      2. To subscribe to a location, click (Location) Options > Subscribe.
        To subscribe to a specific post, go to the post and click (Post) Options > Subscribe

      To view and manage your subscriptions:

      1. Go to My Settings > Subscriptions & Notifications.
      2. Click My Subscriptions to see a list of the items you've subscribed to.
        You can click a subscription to go to the item.
      3. To delete a subscription, click the check box for the subscription and click Email Subscription Options > Delete Selected Subscriptions.
      Close

    • RSS stands for "Really Simple Syndication." It is a way for you to get the latest content from this community, along with many other sites that you visit, all in one place. With an RSS feed reader, you subscribe to web sites, and those sites feed you new content so you can stay up to date.

      To use RSS, you need a feed reader, such as Google Reader, MyYahoo, or the Live Bookmarks feature of Firefox. There are many free options. After you have your feed reader set up, you can find RSS feeds in the community by going to a board, blog, thread, or message and selecting Subscribe to RSS Feed from the options menu. There you will see a preview of the feed. Most RSS readers give you a button to click at this point. After you click it, the RSS feed appears in your reader as well as new content from that section of the community whenever it becomes available

      Close

    • A library (also called a tribal library) is a collection of articles that captures and organizes helpful community information. Libraries are great community resources for several reasons:

      • You can search for library articles or use special navigation links that let you browse through the community's libraries.
      • After you find an article, you can add your comments and maybe even edit the article (if you have the right permission). If the article's publisher incorporates your comment into a later version of the article, you'll get credit as a contributor.
      • Articles can contain some of the same rich media as other posts, including images and attachments.
      • Each article contains lists of contributors and related links.

      Contributors could be community members whose posts or comments are used in the article, authors who put the article together, or editors who reviewed or refined it. Related links take you to posts that were used in the article or other posts that the authors thought you might find helpful or interesting, including forum messages, blog articles, and ideas

      Close

    • You can view a library article in a number of ways.

      To go to the library for a board or forum, click the book icon next to the forum name on the community page. Then, you can browse the list of articles and choose one to read.

      To search for a library article, enter a search keyword and choose Library in the list to the left of the Search button. Then, you can use search results filters to zero in on the article you want.

      To go to an article related to a post, click the Library links at the top of the article. You might find links to articles based on the post, links to articles related to the post, or both

      Close

      1. Write your article in Word, Notepad or some other word processing tool and save it on your hard drive.
      2. Save any images (screen shots, photos, etc.) on your hard drive.
      3. Navigate to the SAS Community Library.
      4. Click the blue New Article button.
      5. Keep the default Freeform format and click Start Article. (If you want to use a Q&A format, that?s fine too.)
      6. Enter your Subject where indicated.
      7. Click in the Editor window and cut and paste your article into the field.
      8. Choose a label from the list below the editor field. (You can't save or publish your article without one!)
      9. Attach any necessary files as PDFs or include links to GitHub.
      10. Click Save and Publish.

      Tips
      • For help editing your piece, choose Save and Ask for Review. Platform administrators will get an email notification and one of them will review your piece.
      • To track your article output, tag each article after you publish. Scroll to the end of the article after publication and add one or more tags.
      NOTE: Always include the text of your article in the editing field, rather than uploading your article as an attachment. If you must attach a larger written piece or slide deck as an appendix, attach as PDF. Readers are often reluctant to open native Office documents online.
    Close

  • To edit a library article:

    1. Click Edit on the article page.

      Note: You only see the Edit button if you have permission to edit the article.
    2. Click in the section you want to edit and make your changes.
      You can edit text, add text, or drag content from the clipping area on the right side of the Editor.
    3. To search for additional material, enter a search term and click Search.
    4. To find tagged material, click the Tags tab and click a related tag.
    5. Format text, spell check the content, and add contributors or related links as needed.
    6. Add a revision note that explains your changes.
    7. Click a save option: Save, Save & Request Review, or Save & Request Publication.
    Close

  • If you find great community material (helpful questions and answers or just plain useful information), you can nominate it as a library article. The people responsible for your community's library evaluate your nomination, and if it's accepted, library authors can use it as the basis for a library article.

    To nominate content:

    1. Go to the topic you want to nominate.
    2. Click Topic Options > Nominate to Library.
    Close

  • You can contribute to libraries by:

    • Writing good answers to questions posted in the community.
    • Marking good answers to your questions as "solved."
    • Nominating good posts you find in the community.
    • Publishing, reviewing or editing articles (if you have the right permissions.)
    • Commenting on published articles. Every time you contribute to an article (by adding more information, providing clarification, or just helping to keep published articles up to date), you receive credit for your contributions.
    Close

    • An idea exchange is a collection of ideas posted by community members. Ideas can include anything from new product requests to suggestions about how to improve a product or service. Everyone in the community can see and vote on the ideas. Idea exchanges offer 3 types of ideas:

      • Hot ideas (popular right now)
      • Top ideas (received the most likes)
      • New ideas (most recent)

      Adding an idea is just like posting a message on a board, and voting for ideas is like giving likes. You can post comments on ideas the same way you do on blog articles. Your community might use labels to help organize related or similar ideas, and assign a status to each idea so you know which ideas might be considered or implemented

      Close

    • Posting an idea is just like posting a message on a board.

      To post your idea:

      1. Go to the idea exchange where you want to post an idea.
        Tip: It's a good idea to search the idea exchange first to make sure that someone else hasn't already posted the same idea.
      2. Click New Idea.
      3. Type an Idea Subject and the body of your idea.
        You can use simple HTML, format the text, or add links or images. You can also preview your idea and check your spelling before you post the idea.
      4. To receive email when someone comments on your idea, click E-mail me.
      5. If labels are required, enter or choose one or more labels.
        The labels you can choose from are listed below the Label entry area. Click a label to choose it. Labels make it easy to find related or similar ideas.
      6. (Optional) Add one or more tags.
      7. Click Post.
      Close

    • You vote for an idea by giving it likes. Just click the Kudos! button next to the idea. If you change your mind, you can revoke your likes later.

      Close

    • To post your comment:

      1. Go to the idea exchange where you want to post an idea.
        Tip: Search the idea exchange first to make sure that someone else hasn't already posted the same idea.
      2. Click New idea.
      3. Enter your idea.
        You can use simple HTML, format the text, or add links or images.
      4. Preview and spell check your idea, if needed.
      5. To receive email when someone comments on your idea, click Email me.
      6. If labels are required, enter or choose one or more labels. The label options are listed below the Label entry area. Labels make it easy to find related or similar ideas.
      7. (Optional) Add one or more tags.
      8. Click Post.
      Close

    • No, you can't. Be sure to check your spelling and preview your comment before you post it.

      Close

    • To share ideas with friend, you can use any shared bookmarking, social network, or other tracking service, such as Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Facebook, MySpace, Google, StumbleUpon, Technorati, or Twitter. However, you must have a valid account with the service.

      To share an idea:

      1. Go to the article you want to share.
      2. Click Bookmark.
      3. Click the service you want to use.
        The next steps depend on the service.

      Close

    • Yes. You can subscribe directly to an idea or an idea exchange, or you can subscribe to their RSS feeds. If you subscribe to an RSS feed, you can use an RSS reader to view new content that's added to the idea exchange. If you subscribe directly to an idea or idea exchange, you receive an email alert when new ideas or comments are posted.

      ToDo this
      Subscribe to an idea exchange Go to the idea exchange page and click Idea Exchange Options > Subscribe to this Idea Exchange.
      Subscribe to an idea Go to the idea and click Idea Options > Subscribe to this Idea.
      Subscribe to an RSS feed     Go to the idea exchange or idea and click Idea Exchange Options > Subscribe to this Idea Exchange's RSS Feed or Idea Options > Subscribe to this Idea's RSS Feed.
      Then, save the live bookmark or whatever you usually do to add an RSS feed.

      Close

    • You can use any approved image you've uploaded as your personal avatar.

      To use an uploaded image as your personal avatar:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
      3. Click From the Community or From Uploaded Images.
      4. Click the image to use as your personal avatar.

      Close

    • You can insert images from your computer (this uploads the image to your gallery), from your image gallery (if the image has been approved), or from another location on the web.

      To insert an image in a post:

      1. Start a new post.
      2. Click Photo in the editor’s toolbar.
      3. Choose one of the image source options and follow the on-screen instructions.
      Close

    • For your protection, your community requires a moderator to approve all uploaded images before they can be displayed. Although you can see your uploaded images that are awaiting approval or flagged for review, other community members who view your images can only see the ones that have been approved.

      Close

    • There are now two versions of the image upload feature that communities can use. The choice is made by the community manager and applies to the entire community.

      In communities that use Images (Version 2) you can organize uploaded images into albums and images become more like posts: you can give likes to images you like and comment on images in your own albums and those of other community members.

      Here's what's new in Images (Version 2):

      • You can organize your images in albums. You start with default public and private albums that contain any images you might already have uploaded.
      • When you upload an image you can place it in an existing album or create a new one.
      • You change the privacy setting for images by moving them between private and public albums.
      • When you view the images in an album you can use a new carousel control near the top of the page to scroll through the images.
      • You can add a description and tags to an image and choose the one you want to use as the album cover.
      Close

    • To comment on an image:

      1. Go to the Albums and Images page of the image's owner.
      2. Open the album that contains the image you want to comment on and click the image.
      3. Click Likes.
      4. (Optional) Click Add Tag, enter the tag, and click Add.
      5. Click in the comment editor, type your comment, and click Post Your Comment.

      Close

    • Depending on your starting point, you choose one or more images, choose the album where they'll be located, and upload. There are size limitations, of course, and a community moderator must approve your images before others can see them. You can upload images from:

      • Your Albums and Images page
      • Any of your individual Album pages
      • Post Message, Answer, Comment, Article, and other Post pages
      Close

    • You can change the name, add a description, and apply tags to an image, but you can't edit the actual image in the community. If you want to edit the image, you need to do that outside the community and upload the edited image.

      To edit information about an image:

      1. Go to your Albums and Images page.
      2. Open the album that contains the image you want and click it.
      3. Click Edit to change the image title, add a description, and enter tags.
      4. To display an image on the front of the album, click Use this image for the album cover.
      5. Click Save.

      Close

    • To insert an image in a post:

      1. Start a new post.
      2. Click Insert Image.
      3. Choose an image source location.
      4. Follow the on-screen instructions

      Close

    • A private image is one that only you (and community moderators with permission) can see. When you upload an image, you can place it in a private album or public album. Moderators must approve all uploaded images before you can use them in a post or display them in your My Images list.

      To change the privacy setting for an image:

      1. Click the image to go to the image page.
      2. Click Image Options > Move Image.
      3. Choose an album and click Move. To make an image private, move it to a private album. To make a private image public, move it to a public album.

      Close

    • You use image albums to organize the photos and other graphics that you've uploaded to the community. By default, you start with two albums: Private and Public. Your community manager determines the number of albums you can create.

      To edit an image album:

      1. Go to your Albums and Images page.
      2. Choose an album.
      3. Edit the album name or description or change the privacy setting as needed.
      4. Click Save.

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    • For your protection, your community requires a moderator to approve all uploaded images before they can be displayed. Although you can see your uploaded images that are awaiting approval or flagged for review, other community members who view your images can only see the ones that have been approved.

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    • You can use any approved image you've uploaded as your personal avatar.

      To use an uploaded image as your personal avatar:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Go to My Settings > Avatars.
      3. Click From the Community or From Uploaded Images.
      4. Click the image to use as your personal avatar.

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    • An Accepted Solutions is a way for you to choose the reply that best answers a question that you've posted. When you accept a solution, both the question and the solution get special icons and links that take you directly from the question to the answer.

      An Accepted Solutions icon also appears on boards and in search results so you can see which messages have solutions.

      You can mark a solution as accepted only for questions that you've posted (you started the thread). Community moderators can also mark one of the replies to a message as an accepted solution

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    • To mark a message as a solution, click Accept as Solution on the reply.

      If you change your mind or if another reply provides an even better answer, you can revoke the first selection and accept the second reply.

      To revoke an accepted solution, click Options > Not the Solution.

      You can choose another solution or leave the question unsolved.

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    • Likes is a content rating system that lets you vote for the messages you think are the most useful or important.

      When you give likes to a message, you are giving a thumbs-up for good content and a pat on the back to its author. Your likes help to boost the value of certain messages and enhance the reputation of their authors.

      Giving likes is as easy as a single click, but the impact of likes ripples across the community.

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    • You can give Likes to any posts in the community except your own.

      To give likes to a message and its author, click Likes! on the message.

      If you change your mind about the quality of the message, you can revoke your likes.

      To revoke likes you've given, click Options > Revoke My Likes from this Message.

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    • Want to know who thinks a message is good? It's easy to find out which regular community members and community experts have given likes to a message. Likes from community experts carry more weight than those from brand new members.

      To see who's given you likes:

      1. Go to the message page.
      2. Click the Likes! total.
        The Who Liked this Message page shows you all the community members who've given likes to the message.
      3. Click Experts to see likes given by high-ranking members of the community.
        Experts are usually moderators and other users who had a likes weight of more than 1 when they gave the message likes.
      4. Click the user name or likes link to sort this page by the name of the user who gave likes or by the likes count.
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    • There are usually two likes leaderboards on the community's front page -- one for authors and another for messages. The author's leaderboard shows who has received the most likes. The message leaderboard showcases the most liked messages. Links from the front-page leaderboards take you to the full leaderboard pages.

      To view the Top Liked Messages leaderboard, click view all from the front page module.

      To view the Top Liked Authors leaderboard, click view all from the front page module.

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    • To see who's given you likes:

      1. Go to you profile page.
        Your Profile pages shows the names of community members who have given you likes, the messages they liked, your top liked messages, and the likes you've given.
      2. To see all of your recent likes activity in an area, click view all.
      3. Click the tabs to see more info about your likes activity.

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    • Your likes weight is the number of likes you give each time you click Like!.

      If you're new to the community, you're likes weight is probably 1 (each like counts as 1). More experienced community members might have a higher likes weight, so they could give two likes, ten likes, or more each time they click.

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    • There are a few reasons why you might not be able to give Likes to a post.

      • You've already given Likes to this message (you can only give them once).
      • You wrote the message (you can't Like your own messages).
      • Your community manager wants you to give Likes only to a message that starts a thread and not to replies.
      • Your community manager has turned Likes off for a message or a forum.
      • Your community manager has frozen Likes for this message. You can still see how many Likes the message has received, but you can't Like it any more.
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    • Sometimes a message gets so many likes that we run out of space to show the number. When that happens you'll see a Hot Likes symbol or icon instead of the likes count on the likes badge.

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    • A tag is a single keyword or phrase that describes the topic, theme, or subject of a post. You can add as many tags as you want and so can other community members. For example, in a post about a mouse, you might add these tags: mouse, USB mouse, optical mouse, wireless, DPI.

      Be sure to use commas between tags.

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    • A tag cloud displays tags used frequently within the community or within an area of the community. The more frequently a tag is used, the larger it appears in the tag cloud. By looking at a tag cloud, you can get a sense of what the hot topics are in a given area.

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    • Tagging is a way to help other users discover interesting posts. It's also a way to organize content in the community that you think is related. When you apply tags to a post, you add to the value by providing another way for people to find it.

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    • Some users will tag posts for their own convenience in finding them later. Other users enjoy helping categorize interesting posts for the benefit of the community. Users who tag lots of posts gain status by appearing on Tag Leaderboards.

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    • To add a tag:

      1. Navigate to an interesting post or comment.
      2. Click in the Add field and type your tags (separated by commas).
      3. Click Add Tag.

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    • You can find messages you've tagged by visiting your profile and clicking the tag. You can also click on a tag on any cloud and look at the Most Tagged section.

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    • Private Messenger enables you to send private notes to other community members. Private Messenger has two big advantages over email:

      • You don't have to know the other member's email address to send the note. (Also, you don't have to reveal yours.)
      • You can read and send private messages without leaving the community, making it easy to a quick conversation with another community member.

      To use the Private Messenger, you must be registered and signed in. You'll see a Private Message icon at the top of your page. If you have any new messages, you'll see the number of unread messages next to the envelope icon.

      Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.

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    • To send a private message:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. Click Compose New Message.
      4. Enter the recipient's name in the Send to area.

        Note: Depending on your role in the community, you might be able to send a message to a group of users based on their role or rank in the community. If so, you can choose a role or a rank.
      5. Enter the subject for the message in the Message Subject area.
      6. Type the reply in the Message Body editor.
      7. Click Send Message.
        You can look for the messages you've sent in the Sent tab.
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    • To read a private message:

      1. Sign in to the community.
        If you have any new messages, you'll see the number of unread messages next to the envelope icon.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. To read a message, click the message subject.
      4. To reply to a message, click Reply. Type the reply and click Send Message.
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    • To reply to a private message:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. To read a message, click the message subject.
      4. To reply to a message, click Reply.
        The recipient and subject are automatically entered for you, but you can edit them.
      5. Type the reply in the Message Body editor.
      6. Click Send Message.
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    • You can delete messages one at a time as you read them, or in bulk from your Inbox.

      To delete a private message:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. To delete a single message, click the message to view it and then click Delete.
      4. To delete all messages, click the Options menu and click Delete All.
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    • To see the private messages you've sent:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. Click Sent Messages.
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    • Your Friends List is a way to create your own community within a community.

      Depending on your privacy settings, the people on your Friends List can see your biography, other personal information, or online status. If you send private messages, you can choose friends from a list instead of typing their user names.

      Note: Your Friends List is available only if your community supports private messages.

      To add people to your Friends List:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the user name of a friend to see the friend's About user name page.
      3. Click Add user name to Friends.

      Note: You can remove a person from your Friend's List by clicking "Remove from Friends". Additionally, you can click "Ignore" to prevent specific users from contacting you.

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    • Most users in an online community get along very well. Sometimes, however, you might encounter someone you consider a nuisance. If you are receiving messages that you'd prefer not to receive, you can add the sender to your Ignored Users list. The system blocks all messages from users on your Ignored Users list.

      To add someone to your Ignored Users list:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click the message count or envelope icon to go to your Private Messages Inbox.
      3. Click a message from the user you want to ignore and click Ignore user name.

      To remove someone from your Ignored Users list:

      1. Sign in to the community.
      2. Click Ignored Users to see the list.
      3. Click Remove from Ignored list to begin receiving messages from this user again.

      You can also search for community members and add them to your Ignored Users list.

      To search for a user.

      1. On any page, enter a user name in the Search box.
      2. Choose Users and click Search.
      3. In the Search Results, click the user's name.
      4. Click Ignore user name in the Contact area

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