Faq:using the site

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Using the site




New Site Features: Overview of the new design launched Feb, 2005

Question: New Site Features: Overview of the new design launched Feb, 2005

Answer: (By Wolfman, VROC #3):

The new site (released February 7,2005) is similar in many respects to the old one (released March 15, 2000) to avoid a big transition problem for the old timers and those who don't like change; yet, there have been many new things added to update the site for better use. It shouldn't be too difficult to get the hang of it.

Many of the site's new features are based on a survey taken some time ago where 5% of the numerical (not just of the active) membership responded (pretty good in statistical terms, since 4% of a target audience is usually considered a valid sample).

Among the many new features of the new web site:

  • removal of the frame design (Hooray!) in favor of standard, stand-alone web pages.
  • easier, clearer navigation: you're just 1 click away from most places, no matter where you are on the site.
  • better organization of related features.
  • much faster loading of all pages.
  • "Double Opt-in/out" method for the mailing list: just fill in a form, respond to the confirming email, and you're on or off the list. (Dancing naked in a cornfield at midnight with a frozen chicken strapped to your genitals may finally be a thing of the past. Sorry about the upcoming loss in revenue, Wiliedog. If you have no clue as to what I'm talking about, visit the Folklore FAQ page.)
  • better and clearer event calendar.
  • much easier access to vendor and parts/accessories information.
  • a new classifieds section for "For Sale" and "Wanted to Buy" listings.
  • a common, unified log-in process to your web's member profile, newsgroup posting, web forum

New Site Features: Member's Area

Question: New Site Features: Member's Area

Answer: (By Wolfman, VROC #3):

The Member's Only functions have been totally revamped:

  • more convenient access: just log in once per session and move around anywhere on the site without losing connection to your profile and other member-only areas. You can even elect to have the site log you in automatically every time you visit.
  • faster, modular, and easier-to-use profile system, letting you update only that which has changed, rather than deal with one large profile page.
  • easier to use location assignment.
  • easier bike update form, especially if you have multiple bikes.
  • ability to enter and manage your own upcoming rides and events on the event calendar.
  • ability to let people know about your expected attendance at events (posted and updated in real time).
  • ability to see who's coming to events.
  • ability for you to upload pictures to your own profile, letting you store up to 25 VROC-related pictures (4 albums of up to 5 pictures each to make viewing them reasonable in terms of download speed, as well as photos for your classifieds items, with the remaining photos in a working/staging area) on your profile.
  • automated "I forgot my password" system.

You can read the newsgroup and the web forum without being logged in; however, you will need to use your VROC # and profile password to log into each system in order to post. This process follows the practice of almost all membership sites on the Internet: any guest can read the messages, but you must provide a valid username or member number in order to post messages.

New Site Features: Browser Compatibility

Question: New Site Features: Browser Compatibility

Answer: (By Wolfman, VROC #3):

The new site is created in accordance with current Internet standards as put forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (http://www.w3c.org). It is meant to be accessed using modern industry-standard browsers. It's been tested on various browsers: Internet Explorer 5.5+, Opera 7.0+, Mozilla 1.4+, Firefox 1.0 (Windows platform); Mozilla 1.2+ (Linux platform).

Sorry, I have no access to any kind of a Macintosh, so I have no idea how the site will work on one. Also, no attempt has been made to make the site work in any of the older 4.x browsers; if it does, take it as a pleasant surprise. I understand, though, that if you are using any browser on any platform that is based on the current Mozilla code engine (e.g., Netscape 7), things should work fine.

AOL, MSN, WebTV, MSNTV, and other proprietary-system users may experience problems with some aspects of the site. It can't be helped; I don't have the time to research all the weird things these non-standard programs do to access the Internet, at least not for free. However, if those of you who use these access methods want to take up a collection and hire me to do the job, I'll be very happy to take on the challenge. Cautionary note: such work doesn't come cheap.

In the meantime, if you don't have a computer with a standard browser on it, visit your local library and use theirs.

New Site Features: Photo Uploading

Question: New Site Features: Photo Uploading

Answer: (By Wolfman, VROC #3):

Special notes on the new member-upload photo album feature:

  • Up until now and for the past 8 years, all member photos were sent directly to me. I manually changed them to a uniform size, gave them non-conflicting names, put them into a web page, created thumbnail images, uploaded everything to the web site, and updated the member's profile accordingly. Obviously, it was easy to prevent questionable photos from being posted since I saw every photo before it was posted.
  • The general access photo archive we used to have on the old site didn't have any way of validating who was posting pictures, or blocking an individual's ability to post photos, or even limiting its use to VROC members. Plus, removing objectionable photos was tedious at best. When it got to be too much trouble to administer due to user abuse, the feature was removed. I'm hoping the new member-based photo album feature will work better all around.

On the photo upload page it says, in bright red letters so you can't miss it, that "Posting of objectionable photographs will result in the removal of all of your membership privileges." We're not kidding. We don't even want to deal with the "I'll post this picture just this one time as a funny ha-ha joke" posts; it ain't funny.



You may ask, "Why the restriction on pictures? Aren't we a big, bad, biker group?" Well, the web site is publicly accessible by anyone in the world; thus, all photos are publicly viewable. Our site purports to be about Vulcan motorcycles; it should therefore reflect that intent. If you feel the need to post pictures that don't fit VROC, post them elsewhere; it's a big Internet.


You may ask, "Who's to say a photo is 'objectionable'?" The Administrators, that's who: Ken Bass, VROC #1; Wolfman, VROC #3; Toj, VROC #13; Coyote, VROC #350; as supported by the ERC (see the FAQs for more info), and most of the general membership. No arguments accepted; no debating the artistic merits (if any) of any photo; all decisions final.

  • When we see or are alerted to the existence of a questionable photo, we will immediately suspend your photo album from view in its entirety. Your profile will continue to be viewable; your access to the Discussion Group remains intact.
  • You will get an email message from the Administrators asking you to remove the photo immediately. Make sure your email address on your profile is valid and be sure to check your mail at that address often. If the message bounces, your entire profile will be disabled from view.
  • If you comply with the request in a timely fashion, your photo album will be reinstated.
  • If, however, when you're asked to remove the photo and you don't do so in a reasonable time (hours, not days or weeks), or you decide to cause a stink about it, you're out: no membership, no profile, no photos, no group access.
  • If you comply with the removal request, but continue to post other objectionable pictures at a later time, you're history. We don't have time to baby sit those who don't/won't/can't learn. None of that politically-correct "three strikes and you're out" stuff.

"Objectionable" doesn't only mean pornography (hard or soft). It can be other photos that are not appropriate to the spirit and intent of VROC (e.g., dead/mistreated cats or other animals, stupid/lame cartoons, fat ladies in bikinis, fat guys in Speedos, ethnic/political/religious slurs/jokes/images, etc.).



We're not passing judgement on your particular taste in pictures. You're perfectly free to post anything you want anywhere else on the Internet.


We're not prudes, just reasonable people; we expect you to be as well.


We who administer the web site and server do so on a non-paid, volunteer basis because we enjoy doing so. Your cooperation in keeping the VROC site a nice place to visit is appreciated.

New Site Features: Vendors Listing - How do I get listed as a Vendor or Supplier?

Question: New Site Features: Vendors Listing - How do I get listed as a Vendor or Supplier?

Answer: Check under Parts 'n Stuff - take a look at the sub-categories and how other vendors have described their services/merchandise. Drop us an email using the Contact Us: Vendor Form and provide us with the info you would like added, being sure to include: contact information (Name, Phone, Address, Email), web site (url), whether you will give VROC members a discount and/or whether you will contribute to the VROC server fund, and any other pertinent information.

How do I upload photos to my member profile?

Question: How do I upload photos to my member profile?

Answer: Go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left.
Select "Access my Profile" on the left.
In your profile, select the Photos tab at the top.

Follow the instructions in the photos page to upload pictures and distribute the photos from your staging area to your albums.

If you cannot upload, it is probably because you did not follow the instructions on the photos page about sizing your photo files.




Why can't I reply to messages in the discussion groups? I can see them just fine.

Question: Why can't I reply to messages in the discussion groups? I can see them just fine.

Answer: In order to be able to create new messages or reply to existing ones, you need to have a (visible) Member Profile on the website with a valid VROC number.

Once you do have a valid VROC number, you can use the VROC Number as the Authentication username in your newsreader or in the Web Forum. Use your member profile password for the Authentication password. Also make sure you have not 'removed yourself from view.' On the Personal Info tab of your profile near the bottom of the page, under the Preferences Section - make sure you do not have the box checked preceeding: Do not display my profile on the site (will not be able to post)

If you need help in how to set up your newsreader, read the other FAQs in this section.

Basic settings for accessing the newsgroup using a news reader

Question: Basic settings for accessing the newsgroup using a news reader

Answer: Each newsgroup reader will have different ways of setting the necessary parameters. Here are the values you will need:

  • Host name: news.vroc.org
  • Authentication/Login: none required

You should be able to download all the groups and read the messages.



To be able to reply to messages, or to send new messages, you will need to set up Authentication/Login:

  • Username: your numeric VROC # (don't include any leading zeroes, -R or other suffixes, or other characters)
  • Password: your member profile password




Guide to accessing the newsgroup using Forte's Agent

Agent and Free Agent are good ways to access the VROC discussion group. After you have downloaded the software from http://www.forteinc.com and installed it, make sure you configure the newsreader properly.


The following are screenshots of the Agent 2.0 configuration screen. Use the Options => General Preferences menu item to access the settings.

First, set up your identity using your name and email address.


Agent20a.jpg


Next, set up your login authentication for the VROC server with your VROC Number (numeric digits only, no leading spaces, no -R or other suffixes, no other characters) and member profile password.

Agent20b.jpg

The other parameters you can adjust based on personal preferences.

Guide to accessing the newsgroup using Microsoft Outlook Express

Subscribing to the VROC Newsgroup


1. Open Outlook Express and select Tools> Accounts


File:Image002.jpg


2. Select the Mail tab and Add> News…


File:Image004.jpg


3. Enter your desired Display Name. This will be displayed in the Newsgroup with [VROC #nnnn] appended to it. Once filled in, select Next.


File:Image006.jpg


4. Fill in your email address. For replies directly back to you, this must be valid. If you don’t care, the fill in anything you want. Once filled in, select Next.


File:Image008.jpg


5. Fillin the News server, in this case, news.vroc.org. Make sure “My news server requires me to log on” is checked. Once filled in, select Next.


Image010.jpg


6. Fill in your Account name (use your VROC number here, numeric digits only, no leading spaces, no -R or other suffixes, no other characters) and Password (use your website Member Profile password). Once filled in, select Next.


Image012.jpg


7. Yippee!! You are done. Select Finish.


Image014.jpg


8. Close the Internet Accounts wizard.


Image016.jpg


9. Back in the Outlook Express main window, in the left panel you should now see a new entry called news.vroc.org. Selecting this should bring up a pop-up. Select Yes.


Image018.jpg


10. A new wizard will start showing News Accounts and Subscriptions. It will only take a moment to download available newsgroups from the server.


Image020.jpg


11. Select the newsgroup of interest. Typically local.vroc.techtalk. Then select Subscribe. If you are not interested in any other newsgroups, select OK.


Image022.jpg


12. Back in the Outlook Express main window, where you saw news.vroc.org, you will see group(s) underneath it. By selecting a group, all new messages will be downloaded.


Image024.jpg


13. To start a new discussion thread, select New Post. Otherwise, select a posting in the right panel. To reply to an existing post, select Reply Group. To reply to the individual who posted, select Reply (their email has to be valid as stated in Step 4. To forward to yet another email account, select Forward.


Image026.jpg

Guide to accessing the newsgroup using Netscape 7.2 / Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0

Goto Edit-> Mail and Newgroups Account Settings

Select Server Settings option

Check the box that says 'Always request authentication when connecting to this server'

When you go into the newsgroup you should get a popup asking

'Please enter a user name for news server access'. ENTER YOUR VROC # here (numeric digits only, no leading spaces, no -R or other suffixes, no other characters). You might want to check the 'Use password manager to remember your VROC #'

...then...

'Please enter a password for news server access'. ENTER YOUR VROC Profile password.

You might want to check the 'Use password manager to remember this password' to save you from retyping.

Now in Netscape/Mozilla you should go to where you have the news.vroc.org listed. Right click, select 'Subscribe'. Under 'Subscribe', tree by clicking the '+' sign. Check off the groups you want to subscribe to
(local.vroc.techtalk, local.vroc.test)

At this point you should exit Netscape/Mozilla and restart it so that it will reconnect to the news server using your new settings.

How do I get into the Web Forum?

Go to <a href="http://www.vroc.org" target="external_link">http://www.vroc.org</a> and select "Web Forums" on the left. This will take you to the VROC Web forums page.

You can read posts without logging on to the web forums, however, to post or reply, you must log in. Log in to the web forums by selecting "Log in" on the upper right side of the web forums page. Enter your numeric VROC number and your password to log in.

How do I automatically add a signature to bottom of my posts?

How you accomplish this depends on which method you use to participate in the discussions. Below are instructions for both newsgroup / mailing list users, as well as those using the webforum.

If you want to test your signature - there is a local.vroc.test newsgroup/forum that you can use that will not clutter the regular group with test messages. Please post your test messages there.

If you use the mailing list or newsgroup, there will be an option in your software to do this. This depends on what software you are using

Outlook Express

  • Select Tools | Options... from the menu
  • Go to the Signatures tab.
  • Click New.
  • Type the text of your signature under Edit Signature.
  • Try to limit your signature to 4-5 lines of text
  • Click OK.

Netscape / Mozilla Thunderbird

  • You will need to first create a text file containing your signature</p>
    • Use notepad or a simple text editor.
    • Try to limit your signature to 4-5 lines of text

  • For newsgroup users, Right click on the news.vroc.org server, select Properties
  • Check the 'Attach this signature' checkbox. Then choose the text file containing your signature that you created above.
  • For mailing list users, create a new identity. Edit->Account Settings, Click Manage Identities. Create a new one and attach a signature. When you send email be sure you are using that identity.</ul><p>Webforum users

    • Log into the webforum
    • Select User CP (User control panel)
    • Select the "Settings" tab on the upper left side of the screen
    • Add your signature
    • Try to limit your signature to 4-5 lines of text
    • Click update.

    How do I share pictures with the other members on the newsgroup?

    You can't. Attachments of any kind are prohibited from appearing in all messages that go to the newsgroup, mailing list, and web forum. (See the next question for the reasons why.)

    If you want to share photos with the rest of us, just do one of these:

    • upload the photos to your Member Profile and display them on your own Photo Album
    • upload the photos to any other website to which you have access
    • upload the photos to any of the photo sites that are out there (some free, some not)

    When you post the photos, drop a note to the newsgroup and tell us where they're located.

    Why can't I post pictures or include attachments on the messages that appear in the various newsgroups?

    Attachments to messages are not allowed. They have never been allowed. They get stripped before the message is allowed to go through to the list.

    Why do we prevent attachments? Many attachments are usually large files. Such large messages have a drastic impact on how well the newsgroups operate for all our users.

    To understand the impact of such actions, let's assume a typical attachment of only 375 kbytes (1/3 of a megabyte, not a very large file these days).

    1. For those on 56k dial-up, it would take 53.04 seconds to download the message. One minute to download a message that they might not even care about! There are hundreds of people on the mailing list. Let's assume 200. The server would need to send that same message 200 times which adds up to 76MB of data to be transferred.
    2. Some people on Hotmail or AOL have limited mailbox sizes; a large message could cause them to go over quota and miss all future messages until they have time to clean out their mailbox. Important messages could be lost because the 375 kbyte message you sent is clogging their box.
    3. This email message also gets transferred to the newsgroup and web forum systems. Neither of those are set up to accept attachments.
    4. There are thousands of people who use the newsgroups - imagine if each one had to wait while those images downloaded.
    5. It also clogs the server. The server was not designed with that in mind and the monthly costs of allowing this cannot be supported.
    6. Attachments can contain a virus. Many people use virus protection, but many do not.

    In the future, when wanting to share pictures/attachments, put them on a server you control/have access to. Then send a short email with a link pointing those people, if any, to check them out. Or else use the photo album capability that's available to you on your VROC member profile.

    How can I get my motorcycle's picture on the VROC Home Page?

    The two photos that are featured on the VROC home page every day are selected at random, by a computer program, from the photos that are the first photo in the first Album page of each member-in-good-standing's profile.

    To make sure that you have an equal chance of appearing on the home page, make sure that the first photo in your first album primarily contain good images of your motorcycle. You can appear in the photo if you want.

    If you are wondering when or if your motorcycle will appear on the home page, the answer is "We don't know". The selections are made once per day, by a computer program, entirely at random, so, there is no way of predicting when or if yours may appear. With thousands of motorcycles to choose from, it may take a long time before your motorcycle is featured.

    License Plate Photos: How do I get mine on the Features page?

    Answer: Log on to your member profile and upload a photo of your plate to your photo album in the same way as you would any other photo in your member profile. Please insure the photo is on an album, not on your staging area, so we can view it. Just make sure that the license plate is prominent in the photo; the picture will be cropped to 300 pixels wide by 200 pixels high.

    After you have uploaded the photo, use the Contact Us form to drop us a note telling us that you want your plate put in the Features section. Be sure to check the License Plate Photo Submission choice so that the message gets to the right person. We'll take care of the rest, usually within a day or two.

    Once the license photo is posted, you can delete your original one from the photo album if you wish.

    How do I place an ad in the "Classified" section of the VROC web site?

    Go to <a href="http://www.vroc.org" target="external_link">http://www.vroc.org</a> .
    Make sure you are logged in.
    Select "Classified" in the menu choices on the left.
    Select the "Update Classified Items" tab in the form.

    Fill out the form.
    Select the "Update Item" button at the bottom of the form.

    Before you ask, you can change or delete the item using exactly the same process.

    Note: If you cannot find the "Update Classified Items" tab and instead you see a tab labelled "Login for Classified", you have not followed the instructions and you are not logged in. Select that tab and log in, then update the item.

    When an item is sold, please do not just mark the item "Sold". Delete the item instead.



    Chat - What is "Chat"?

    Answer: Chat (short for IRC, which itself is short for Internet Relay Chat) is a way that people can "talk" (well, actually just type) to one another over the Internet in realtime. Email messages, newsgroups, and web fora allow communication, but it's delayed. You can be away from your email for days but all your messages will still be there when you get back.

    IRC, on the other hand, is immediate. If you're not there when the text is sent, you miss it. Forever. You use special programs that run on your computer to send your messages and receive the messages of others.

    An obvious advantage to IRC is the immediacy of the experience; a disadvantage is that not everyone is available to participate at the same time (some people sleep, you know).

    Over the years, people have asked to participate in VROC using IRC; some have even set up their own IRC "Channels" (please note: it's not a "chat room," it's a "channel") with mixed results. VROC now has its own IRC Network in place. We hope you enjoy the experience.



    Chat - How do I access Chat?

    The easiest way to participate in Chat is simply by clicking on the Chat link under the Discussion Group heading in the Navigation Bar to the left. We've installed a well-designed IRC client, written in Java and called an "applet," that you can easily use.

    When you access the Chat applet, you may be prompted to accept a security certificate. Go ahead and click Yes; this certificate ensures that the Java code is from the author.

    Assuming you have logged into the VROC website, all of the necessary User Authentication has been taken care of for you when you use the Chat link. If you click away from the chat applet page by accessing a different navigation link, you will be disconnected from the IRC network. Just click on the chat link to reconnect.

    If you have experience with IRC on other networks, you can use your own favorite IRC client. Visit the other questions in this section to see how to configure them properly.



    Chat - I cannot get the 'chat' feature to work, I only get a little red X, what is wrong?

    For some people, they only get a grey square, with a little red X (Applet not inited) Why?

    First, you must be a valid VROC member with an assigned number. You cannot use chat if you are visitor.

    Second, the chat software requires Java to run. Some people need to update the Java software on their computer. Here is a link to the free Java software http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp

    (Microsoft has abandoned Java in favor of their proprietarty .NET stuff. Therefore jf your machine has a version of Java installed, it may be an old, outdated, and buggy Microsoft version instead of the official one.)


    Chat - I get an "Unable to connect : java.net.SocketException : Software caused connection abort: Connect." message.

    Ths is most likely caused by your Firewall or AntiVirus software protecting you from using your computer. Each firewall/antivirus software is different so I cannot include specific support here. However, you need to configure your firewall/anti-virus to allow IRC (TCP Port 6667) communications.



    Chat - Basic settings for using my own IRC client program (Advanced Users)

    In order to use your own IRC client on the VROC Network, you will need to make sure you follow our authentication method.

    Since there are many different IRC clients, we can't tell you exactly how to set up your particular program. But, all IRC clients support some basic settings. Here are the minimum values that you will need to set up in order to connect:

    • Host / Server: irc.vroc.org
    • Server port: 6667
    • Ident: your VROC number
    • Server password: your VROC profile password

    Channel nicknames will be created automatically for you, based on your VROC website Member Profile preferences.




    Chat - Chat settings for the mIRC program

    Answer: (Courtesy Rob Sitze, VROC# 13811)

    mIRC setup instructions for the new VROC IRC server

    - In the Tools menu select Options.
    - Highlight Servers under the Connect Category, click the Add button.
    - Use these suggested values:

    Description: VROC
    IRC Server: irc.vroc.org
    Port(s): 6667
    Group: VROC
    Password: (Your VROC Membership password goes here. It is case sensitive.)

    - Click OK
    - Highlight the Connect Category
    - Use these suggested values:

    Full Name: (Use your VROC Membership number. Example, mine is 13811 )
    Email Address: (Again, use your VROC number, do not use an actual email addy here.)
    NickName: (mIRC will update this for you later, but for now use your first name as used on the boards.)

    - Now highlight Identd under the Connect Category
    - Check "Enable Identd server"
    - Check Enable only when connecting
    - For User ID use your VROC membership number
    - Leave all other values default.
    - Click OK

    And now . .. test your connection by clicking the lightening bolt button to connect. You should see a successful connection to the vroc.org server.

    To chat, you must still join a channel. In the chat bar type:

    /join #bikerbar

    and you will see the bikerbar chat window open.

    You can monitor more than one channel too . . . go back to the VROC.org server window and type:

    /join #techtalk

    and you now have two chat windows open, one for each.

    Enjoy!




    Chat - Chat settings for the Visual IRC program.

    Visual IRC is a fairly decent IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client. If you wish to use it instead of the Java-based chat client that's available directly from the VROC server, you can download a copy from Visual IRC.

    Once you've installed it, you'll need to configure it so that you can connect to the private VROC IRC server.

    • First, access the program's Server List, either from the File menu or by its icon on the menubar, to set up the VROC Network and Server.
    • Right-click on the left side of the screen and select New Network.
    • Under the Network tab, fill in the name of the network. You can just ignore the rest.

    Virca.jpg


    • Once you've created the network, right-click on the name you gave it and select New Server from the menu.
    • In the Server tab, fill in the information as shown below, using your own VROC Member password for the Server Password field.


    Vircb.jpg


    • In the Script settings tab, type in #bikerbar for the Auto join channels. Don't forget the # sign.

    Vircc.jpg


    • (Optional) If you want Visual IRC to use the VROC server as the default, access the Configuration menu and select the VROC server in the drop-down list for Default Server.

    Vircd.jpg


    You can now click on the main menu's Start button to open a new connection, then hit the Connect button to access the VROC Chat server.

    The Visual IRC program has some "phone home" features that are enabled by default. If you don't want the program to send any information from your system to its home base, visit the Scripts & Update Checking tab on the Configuration menu and clear the checkmarks.

    Virce.jpg




    How can I add special effects, such as bold, underline, bullets, etc., to my profile and bike description?

    You can enhance the display of your profile by entering some special characters in the text as you type; these character sequences are called BBCodes.

    Introduction
    <a name="0"></a>What is BBCode?

    BBCode is a special implementation of HTML. BBCode itself is similar in style to HTML: tags are enclosed in square brackets [ and ] rather than < and >, and it offers greater control over what and how something is displayed.
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />


    Text Formatting
    <a name="1"></a>How to create bold, italic and underlined text

    BBCode includes tags to allow you to quickly change the basic style of your text. This is achieved in the following ways:

    • To make a piece of text bold, enclose it in [b][/b], e.g.,

      [b]Hello[/b]

      will become Hello
    • For underlining, use [u][/u], for example:

      [u]Good Morning[/u]

      becomes Good Morning
    • To italicise text, use [i][/i], e.g.,

      This is [i]Great![/i]

      would give This is Great!
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />
    <a name="2"></a>How to change the text color or size

    To alter the color or size of your text, the following tags can be used. Keep in mind that how the output appears will depend on the viewer's browser and system:

    • Changing the color of text is achieved by wrapping it in [color=][/color]. You can specify either a recognised color name (eg. red, blue, yellow, etc.) or the hexadecimal triplet alternative, eg. #FFFFFF, #000000. For example, to create red text you could use:

      [color=red]Hello![/color]

      or

      [color=#FF0000]Hello![/color]

      will both output Hello!
    • Changing the text size is achieved in a similar way using [size=][/size]. The recommended format is a numerical value representing the text size in pixels, starting at 1 (so tiny you will not see it) through to 29 (very large). For example:

      [size=9]SMALL[/size]

      will generally be SMALL

      whereas:

      [size=24]HUGE![/size]

      will be HUGE!
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />
    <a name="3"></a>Can I combine formatting tags?

    Yes, of course you can; for example to get someone's attention you may write:

    [size=18][color=red][b]LOOK AT ME![/b][/color][/size]

    this would output LOOK AT ME!

    We don't recommend you output lots of text that looks like this, though!

    Remember that it is up to you to ensure that tags are closed correctly. For example, the following is incorrect:

    [b][u]This is wrong[/b][/u]
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />


    Generating lists
    <a name="6"></a>Creating an Un-ordered list

    BBCode supports two types of lists, unordered and ordered. They are essentially the same as their HTML equivalents. An unordered list outputs each item in your list sequentially one after the other indenting each with a bullet character. To create an unordered list, you use [list][/list] and define each item within the list using [*]. For example, to list your favorite colors you could use:

    [list]
    [*]Red
    [*]Blue
    [*]Yellow
    [/list]

    This would generate the following list:
    • Red
    • Blue
    • Yellow
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />
    <a name="7"></a>Creating an Ordered list

    The second type of list, an ordered list, gives you control over what is output before each item. To create an ordered list you use [list=1][/list] to create a numbered list or alternatively [list=a][/list] for an alphabetical list. As with the unordered list, items are specified using [*]. For example:

    [list=1]
    [*]Go to the shops
    [*]Buy a new computer
    [*]Swear at computer when it crashes
    [/list]

    will generate the following:
    1. Go to the shops
    2. Buy a new computer
    3. Swear at computer when it crashes
    Whereas for an alphabetical list you would use:

    [list=a]
    [*]The first possible answer
    [*]The second possible answer
    [*]The third possible answer
    [/list]

    giving
    1. The first possible answer
    2. The second possible answer
    3. The third possible answer
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />


    Creating Links
    <a name="8"></a>Linking to another site

    BBCode supports a number of ways of creating URIs, Uniform Resource Indicators better known as URLs.

    • The first of these uses the [url=][/url] tag; whatever you type after the = sign will cause the contents of that tag to act as a URL. For example, to link to vroc.org you could use:

      [url=http://www.vroc.org/]Visit VROC![/url]

      This would generate the following link, <a href="http://www.vroc.org/" target="_blank">Visit VROC!</a> You will notice the link opens in a new window so the user can continue browsing this site if they wish.
    • If you want the URL itself displayed as the link you can do this by simply using:

      [url]http://www.vroc.org/[/url]

      This would generate the following link: <a href="http://www.vroc.org/" target="_blank">http://www.vroc.org/</a>
    • Additionally, this site features something called Magic Linkswhich will turn any syntatically correct URL into a link without you needing to specify any tags or even the leading http://. For example, typing www.vroc.org into your message will automatically lead to <a href="http://www.vroc.org/" target="_blank">www.vroc.org</a> being output when you view the text.
    • The same thing applies equally to email addresses; you can either specify an address explicitly, like:

      [email]no.one@domain.adr[/email]

      which will output <a href="emailto:no.one@domain.adr">no.one@domain.adr</a> or you can just type no.one@domain.adr into your message and it will be automatically converted when you view.
    As with all the BBCode tags you can wrap URLs around any of the other tags such as [b][/b], etc.
    <img src="faq/templates/subSilver/images/spacer.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" />

    </p>


    Why can't I enable Smileys and Images in my VROC web forums profile?

    The simple answer is because we have turned them off.



    The longer answer involves the way the VROC server facilities are designed. The design of VROC was an evolution. It started as a mail list where members subscribed to the list and received the posts via email. Members could choose to receive either an individual email for each post or they could receive digests (periodic collections of posts). This worked well for a couple of years until the volume of posts became too much for many to handle via email.


    To address this, a news server was added to the server. This allowed members to view posts using a news client. This allowed members to download only those posts that they chose to read. News clients also allowed better sorting as well as batch downloading. Along with this, a simplistic web interface was added, but, was not widely used.


    The next evolution was to add the web forums as you see them today. Also, because a majority of members still preferred the news server and mail lists, we created software to tie the facilities together so that members could post and receive posts via email, news server, or web forums and the posts would be propogated among all of the facilities. This gave members the capability of using the facility of their choice, however, this also caused some dificulties.


    One problem is, there are significant differences in the way the different facilties handle graphical information. While web forums can allow insertion of pictures, graphics, and icons (smilies) in posts, those items may not be handled in the same way by the news server and mail server when the post is propogated to those facilities. The same is true for posts going the other direction, i/e, some things allowed in news servers may not be handled well by the web forum software.



    The second problem is bandwidth usage. Including a picture in your signature or including pictures and graphics in posts, while cute, means everyone who views a thread or post must download those graphics every time they view the posts. That consumes significant network bandwidth for something that, in many cases, adds nothing but a "cute" factor to posts. The VROC server is a private server, not commercial, and network bandwidth is a primary cost of running the server. In addition, some members are still on limited bandwidth dialup connections and they do not want to download pictures and graphics every time they view post.


    With these issues in mind, we chose to limit posts to text only. That consumes the least amount of bandwidth and allows the fastest server response in all cases. It also simplifies the information that must be passed between facilities when posts are passed among the web forums, news server, and mail lists.


    Bottom line, requirements of the design of the VROC facilities have meant we have had to limit some capabilities while we added capabilities in other areas. The web forums are not a simple web forum, as are many web forums you see on the internet. Instead, it is multiple facilities tied togather, to allow members to choose the facility that they like best for managing posts.</p>



    If you are using AOL and have problems logging on or using the VROC web forums and/or updating your VROC member profile

    If you are using the AOL browser to update your VROC member profile or to access the VROC web forums, you may encounter problems. Please use Internet Explorer or another compatable browser, such as Firefox, to access the VROC web facilities. The AOL browser is incompatable with many features of the VROC web site.



    How do I edit my VROC member profile?

    Go to web page http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left. In the login form, enter your VROC number or your temporary ID, then enter your password, then select the ""Log in" button at the bottom of the form.

    Now that you are logged in, select "Access my Profile" on the left. You can now edit your profile.

    Select the appropriate tab at the top of the form to update the desired profile area.



    How do I add motorcycle information to my member profile?

    Go to web page http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left. In the login form, enter your VROC number or your temporary ID, then enter your password, then select the ""Log in" button at the bottom of the form.

    Now that you are logged in, select "Access my Profile" on the left. You can now edit your profile.

    Select the "Motorcycles" tab at the top of the member profile form to update the Motorcycle information.



    I forgot my VROC number and password. How do I get a new password?

    Go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Club Roster" on the left. In the form, enter your name or nickname and select "Go" to look up your VROC number. Now, go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left. In the log in form, select "I forgot my password". A password reset will be initiated and a new password will be emailed to you. Follow the instructions in that email to activate the new password.

    If you originally chose to hide your real name and have also forgotten your nickname, you will need to be a little more creative. Go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Where Are They" on the left. Select your country, and state - members are listed by city (alphabetically.) You can find your VROC number there, now proceed as directed under "Log in" above.



    How do I get a new password if I know my VROC number?

    Go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left. In the log in form, Select "I forgot my password"

    A new password will be emailed to the email address that is listed in your member profile. Follow the instructions in that email to activate your new password. If you do not activate your new password by following the instructions, it will not work

    If your member profile does not contain your current email address, then you must contact the system administrators by selecting "Contact us" on the left and ask them to update your email address.




    How do I upload Photos for display in my member profile?

    Go to web page http://www.vroc.org and select "Log in" on the left. In the login form, enter your VROC number or your temporary ID, then enter your password, then select the ""Log in" button at the bottom of the form.

    Now that you are logged in, select "Access my Profile" on the left. You can now edit your profile.

    Select the "photos" tab at the top of the form to update your photos. FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE PAGE CONTAINING THE PHOTOS FORM!!!! Photos must be sized according to the instructions before you can upload them.




    I have added a ride to the event calendar, now, how can I edit or delete the ride?

    You can only edit or delete the Rides/Events that you created.

    Go to http://www.vroc.org and "Log in".
    After you have logged in, select "Add a Ride/Event" on the left.

    In the first field on the form, select the ride you wish to edit or delete and then select the "Go" button to the right of the field.
    The ride/event information will now be in the form.

    To edit, change the information you wish to change, then select the "Update Ride" button at the bottom of the form.

    To delete the Ride/Event select the "Delete Ride" button at the bottom of the form.


    How do I report a problem to the administrators?

    Go to http://www.vroc.org and select "Contact us" on the left.

    Fill out the form completely, including your name and VROC number, if you have one. If a name is not included you may not get a response.

    Include exact details about the problem. Simply saying "I am having a problem" does not provide enough information for us to assist you. The more detail you can provide, the better equiped we will be able to help you.

    Please tell us the exact web page or program you are having a problem with. List exactly what you are entering and the response you are getting. If you are getting an error, tell us the error that is listed.

    Read the FAQ web page titled "Using the site" to see if a solution is already listed.




    I am having a problem accessing the VROC web site using my web browser?

    If you are using the AOL web brower, use Internet Explorer instead. The AOL browser in incompatable with some parts of the VROC web site.

    If you are using Internet Explorer, delete "Cookies" and "Temporary Internet files" and clear "History files. Do this by selecting "Tools" at the top of your browser. Then select "Options". Select the "Delete Cookies", "Delete Files", and "Clear History" buttons.
    After these actions, try accessing the web site again.

    If you are using the Firefox browser, select "Tools" at the top of the browser. Then select "Options". Select "Privacy" at the top of the form. Select the "Cookies" tab and select the "Clear Cookies Now" button. Select the "Cache" tab and select the "Clear Cache Now" button. Select the "History" tab and select the "Clear Browsing History Now" button.

    Make sure the time and date is set correctly on your computer. If your date is incorrect, you may be unable to log in.

    After these actions, try accessing the web site again.

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