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Chapter 4 - Forum Introduction CompuServe describes its forums as "on-line clubs" where members meet to share information and ideas on all sorts of topics. There are literally hundreds of forums with topics ranging from politics to music to business to hardware and software support. If you've just signed up, your CompuServe Introductory Membership Kit includes a list of many of the forums. Golden CommPass has the list installed, and we'll see it in a moment. Forums are divided into three primary areas; message, library and conference. Each of these areas can have up to 24 unique sections (numbered zero through twenty-three) for different discussions related to the forum's general focus. Message: This is where members post messages for all to see, the area you'll probably use most. Library: A storehouse of downloadable text files, graphics files and shareware programs. A forum can have several libraries; every library is numbered. It is a common convention that message sections and libraries have common names, but this is not always true. In some cases a forum may not have any libraries. Conference Room(s): Where you can engage in real-time, on-line conversations, typing messages while connected to CompuServe and getting immediate replies. A forum may or may not have an active Conference Room at any given moment in time. In addition to these primary areas, each forum also contains a Membership Directory of all participants who have entered their names and User IDs. (If you want to add your name and interests to the membership directory, you'll need to visit the forum interactively). Each forum posts various types of Announcements you can read to learn more about the forum and to stay informed of the latest happenings and changes (See Forums - Advanced, Announcements). CompuServe also provides a Practice Forum that you can use free of connect charges (although any intermediary network charges still apply). Let's use the Practice Forum now to learn how to use Golden CommPass. Golden CommPass Forums - 25 Add A Forum From the Main Window, 1. Choose Services/Forums, or press CTRL+F. [Figure 20 - Forums Notebook Selection Page] This is the Forums "Notebook," opened to the Selection page. If you're a new CompuServe member, you saw a notebook earlier when entering your permanent User ID and new temporary password after signing up for CompuServe. We'll look at all the button and notebook options later. Let's see the list of available forums: 2. Click on the New button. [Figure 21 - Add New Forum Dialog] The Add New Forum dialog appears over the Forums Notebook Selection page and a list box fills up. It may take a minute or two for the list to fill completely. Important Note: In this list box, you will see not only the list of CompuServe forums, but every service that CompuServe offers. CompuServe doesn't separate its forum list from its master list of services. Every name with "forum" alongside is obviously a forum, but not all forums use this convention. If you select something without the word "forum", the results may be unpredictable. Golden CommPass will automatically alert you with a warning box for any selection you make that doesn't have "forum" attached. We've already added the Golden CommPass Support Forum-"GCPSUP" for you. Why? Because you can get Golden CommPass technical questions answered and converse with other Golden CommPass users in this forum. 3. Use the scroll bar, then click on "Practice Forum". You can also put your mouse arrow in the list box and type the letter P. The list will jump to the first entry beginning with "P", after which you can scroll to, and highlight, the Practice Forum. Golden CommPass Forums - 26 Golden CommPass automatically fills in pertinent data above the list box: Name: consists of the service name, or gateway name; and the GO word, or "quick reference word", the abbreviation CompuServe uses to identify the forum. EX or FR means extended or free. If you look at the list box, you will see that Practice Forum is followed by "(FREE)". Other forums (and services) are followed by a "+" or "$". Those forums (or services) carry additional charges above your basic monthly membership fee. (See "CompuServe Pricing Plans" in the previous chapter.) Your Golden CommPass Usage Statistics program will use this information to provide you with monthly expenditure reports and projections (see Appendix G, Usage Statistics). Description is the forum name. 4. Click on the Add button. Did you see what happened on the Selection page? The Practice Forum has appeared in the list box. 5. Click on the Done button to return to the Selection page. Look at the Forums list box illustrated in Figure 20. The first column contains the GO word (or quick reference word). The second column represents the date when you last visited. Since you haven't joined yet, it's "0-0-0." (We haven't joined, only added the Golden CommPass Support Forum; so both forums show 0-0-0.) The third column is the forum name. Note: You won't see the 0-0-0 if you are upgrading from TAPCIS. Notice that the two forums are highlighted in green. This means they are "selected" or "active." The next time you call CompuServe, Golden CommPass will first look on the Selection page. If the forums are highlighted in green, Golden CommPass will execute any tasks you have pending (to join a forum, for example). Note: You can change the "selection" color, if you like, from Global, page 3, in the Forums notebook (CTRL+F). See Chapter 11, Main Window, in the Menu and Dialog reference, for additional information. Golden CommPass Forums - 27 Let's temporarily "deselect" the Practice Forum: 1. Move your mouse arrow to PRACTICE and click to highlight. 2. Click on the Select button, or press ALT+S. Notice that the highlight bar turned black. If we leave it this way, Golden CommPass will not join this forum when we connect to CompuServe. The Select button is an on/off switch. Let's change the Practice Forum back to active status, but do it a different way: 3. Double-click on the highlighted Practice Forum. We have finished adding the Practice Forum, so let's exit and return to the Main Window: 4. Double-click on the notebook's title bar icon. Now, let's join the Practice Forum and the Golden CommPass Support Forum: Join A Forum From the Main Window, 1. Choose Connect/Join/refresh forums, or press ALT+J. [Figure 22 - Start Communications Dialog] This is the Start Communications (Join/refresh forums) dialog. You will see a similar dialog for every connect option. The Selected services list box contains your two forums, and CompuServe Mail. Both forums are in the list box because both are active. CompuServe Mail was activated earlier when you installed Golden CommPass. You'll always find it in every Start Communications dialog unless you deactivate it (See Chapter 6, CompuServe Mail). The Telephone numbers list box contains the CompuServe local access number(s) you selected earlier. Since you already told Golden CommPass what number you wanted as your default, that number should be highlighted. If it isn't, you can highlight it here and it will become your default. Golden CommPass Forums - 28 2. Click OK. [Figure 23 - Golden CommPass Main Window with Phone object] Golden CommPass will put a phone object in the Main Window and call CompuServe. You will see a phone object every time Golden CommPass starts to dial CompuServe. The title (information beneath the object) will change as Golden CommPass automatically completes its on-line tasks. Note: You can watch the communications session by double-clicking on the phone object at any time. However, we recommend that you keep the communications window hidden to increase performance. [Figure 24 - Communications Window - Joining Practice Forum] Golden CommPass hangs up as soon as it completes the process for you to join the forums. If you double-click on the phone object to watch the communications session, you can scroll back to read what's taken place by moving the scroll bar on the right side of the Communications Window. There's really no need, though; Golden CommPass has put all the information into a much more usable form. To close the Communications Window and return to the Main Window, you can double-click on the title bar icon, or press F3, or just wait 30 seconds and it will close itself. [Figure 25 - Golden CommPass Main Window] Read Forum Announcements Two new closed book objects are now in the Main Window (in addition to the README.MSG file that you have not read yet). They are "Read PRACTICE" and "Read GCPSUP". Below each forum name is what looks like a fraction. The first number tells you the number of the first message you will see when you begin reading. The second tells you the total number of messages in the file. Golden CommPass Forums - 29 Note: You may also have a closed book that says "Read WHATSNEW". This is a weekly message from CompuServe that tells about the latest happenings on CompuServe. It's usually posted every Thursday and will automatically appear at least twice in the Main Window; it may, in fact, appear more than twice if CompuServe posts an updated version. 1. Double-click on the Practice Forum book. [Figure 26 - Golden CommPass Message Window] This is the Message Window. The title bar includes: the forum GO word; section number (which we'll discuss shortly); message subject; and which message you're reading from the messages that were downloaded. The message text is preceded by: the message number, a number assigned to the message by CompuServe for identification purposes; the section number and name (more on that later); date and time this message was posted. "Sb" stands for subject. Introductory messages, like this one, are invariably from the forum manager, known as the sysop, or system operator. There's at least one sysop for every forum. 2. Scroll through the message(s). You can use the scroll bar, your up and down arrow keys, the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys, SPACE, + and -, or the Next and Previous buttons on the button bar. Among the message(s), you may find: New user announcements Forum announcements News flashes about forum happenings When you've finished reading, 3. Double-click on the title bar icon to return to the Main Window. The Practice Forum book disappears. Golden CommPass assumes that you are done reading. Note: The file has not been deleted; if you would like to read it again, see the reference information on File/Open. Golden CommPass Forums - 30 If you would like, you can read the announcements for the Golden CommPass Support Forum. If not, just leave the book object in the Main Window. Now that we have joined the Practice Forum, let's see what's in it: Configure Forum Sections 1. Choose Services/Forums, or press CTRL+F. [Figure 27 - Forums Notebook Selection page] We are back to the Forums Notebook Selection page. 2. Move your mouse arrow and click on the Practice Forum. 3. Click on the Sections notebook tab. [Figure 28 - Forums Notebook Sections page] This is the Forums Notebook Sections page. The Forums list box contains the Practice Forum and the Golden CommPass Support Forum. The Practice Forum is highlighted. The Sections list box is full-when Golden CommPass joined the Practice Forum, it also retrieved the list of sections for it. It did the same for the Golden CommPass Support Forum. Notice that all the sections are highlighted. This is because the "All Sections" box is checked. 4. Click on the "All Sections" check box. See what happens? The check mark is removed and none of the sections are highlighted. Use the scroll bar on the right of the Sections list box to find out if there are additional sections-as we noted earlier, each forum can have up to 24 sections. Let's pick a section: 5. Click on Section 11, My "TEST" Message. Take a look at the mode radio buttons below the list boxes: Golden CommPass Forums - 31 "Quick Scan" is on. That means we're going to call CompuServe and ask for the list of message subjects for the section called "My 'TEST' Message." Where does the message subject list come from? Whenever you write a message to a particular section, you also type a subject description of up to 24 characters. We will discuss the other two radio buttons later in the manual. That's all you need to do here, unless you would also like to see what is being discussed in the Golden CommPass Support Forum. If you want message subjects for the Golden CommPass Support Forum, Click on "GCPSUP" in the Forums list box. Remove the check in the All sections check box. Click on any section(s) in the Sections list box. If you do not want to explore the Golden CommPass Support Forum at this time, Highlight "GCPSUP" and double-click. The Golden CommPass Support Forum is now deactivated. 6. Double-click on the forums section title bar icon to return to the Main Window. Let's call CompuServe and get the message subject list for "My 'TEST' Message": Retrieve A Message Subject List 1. Choose Connect/Start new session, or press CTRL+N. [Figure 29 - Start Communications (Start new session) Dialog] In this instance, you choose Connect/Start new session because you are going to retrieve something new. Normally, that is how your Golden CommPass "day" begins-you decide what new things you would like to see and ask Golden CommPass to get them. Golden CommPass has put CIS:PRACTICE in the Selected services list box, along with CIS:GCPSUP, if you've left the Golden CommPass Support Forum active, and CIS:MAIL. Your default local access phone number should be highlighted. We'll discuss the check boxes later in the manual. Golden CommPass Forums - 32 2. Click OK to return to the Main Window. [Figure 30 - Golden CommPass Main Window] The phone object will appear and Golden CommPass will call CompuServe. The information below the phone object will change as Golden CommPass calls, logs on, gets the message subject list for the Practice Forum (and the Golden CommPass Support Forum, if you've left it active), and then hangs up the telephone. You can double-click on the phone and watch the communications session scroll by, but this is unnecessary; in fact, we should remind you that you can minimize or move the Main Window and run another program while Golden CommPass is working "in the background". When Golden CommPass has finished its tasks, the phone object will disappear and be replaced by a clipboard object (or objects if you've left the Golden CommPass Support Forum active). [Figure 31 - Golden CommPass Main Window] The number under the clipboard tells you the total number of message subjects you have just retrieved for all the forum sections you selected. The word "Mark" is there because that is what you are going to do next-mark the message subjects that interest you so you can tell Golden CommPass to call CompuServe and capture the full text of the marked messages. Mark Message Subjects 1. Double-click on the Practice Forum clipboard object. [Figure 32 - Subject Index Window] This is a message subject index, a sorted list of every message subject available for every forum section you selected. If you selected more than one section, they would be in numerical order. The number next to each message subject is the number of messages about that subject. Note: Since the number and type of message subjects change constantly, the Practice Forum clipboard list box you see on the screen will have a different list of message subjects than our illustration. Golden CommPass Forums - 33 If you want to read all the messages in the "My 'TEST' Message" section, click on the section name and they will all be highlighted. If you want to undo it, click on the section name again. Try it, just to see. There are probably several dozen messages here. We only want to read a few, so, 2. Choose several message subjects by clicking on them so they become highlighted. If you want to undo a choice, just click on it again. 3. Double-click on the index window's title bar icon to return to the Main Window. [Figure 33 - Golden CommPass Main Window] A new object has appeared in the Golden CommPass Main Window: a checked envelope. You will see a checked envelope whenever you have opened a clipboard and marked message subjects. It means that Golden CommPass is ready to retrieve the full text of the selected messages the next time you call CompuServe. If you would like to retrieve messages for any Golden CommPass Support Forum sections you may have selected, just repeat steps 1-3. Another checked envelope will appear. Retrieve New Messages 1. Choose Connect/Continue session, or press CTRL+H. Warning! Do not double-click on the envelope instead of choosing Connect/Continue Session! If you do, double-click on the window's title bar icon to close it. [Figure 34 - Start Communications (Continue session) Dialog] The Start Communications dialog appears. PRACTICE, MAIL and GCPSUP (if it was left active) are in the Selected services list box. 2. Click OK. [Figure 35 - Golden CommPass Main Window] Golden CommPass Forums - 34 After the Start Communications dialog closes, you will return to the Main Window. The envelope changes color. Next to it, a phone object appears. The information below the phone changes as Golden CommPass calls, signs on, retrieves your messages, downloads them and hangs up. As before, you could have double- clicked on the phone object to watch the communications session scroll by and used the scroll bar to page back through when it was completed, but Golden CommPass has already put your messages in a much more enjoyable format. Now, let's read the messages: Read New Messages [Figure 36 - Golden CommPass Main Window] The closed PRACTICE book in the Main Window indicates that you have messages to read. 1. Double-click on the PRACTICE book object. [Figure 37 - Golden CommPass Message Window] The forum GO word, section number, message subject, relative forum message number and number of messages downloaded appear in the title bar. The message text is preceded by the: message number; section number and name; date and time this message was sent; message subject; sender's name and User ID; and recipient's name and User ID. The first message you will see is a forum announcement, containing information about when you last visited the Practice forum. 2. Scroll through the message(s). You can use the scroll bar, your up and down arrow keys, PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN keys, SPACE, + and -, or the Next and Previous buttons on the button bar. Once again, within the Message Window, what you see on screen will differ in content from our example. Now, let's print a message: Golden CommPass Forums - 35 Print a Message There are several ways to do it. Just have the message you want to print on screen. From the Button Bar, Click on the Print button. From the Menu Bar, Choose File/Print, or press P. Using your mouse, Move to the Message Window title bar icon, press and hold your right mouse button and drag the book object to your OS/2 printer object. Release the right mouse button when the book is over the printer. That was fast. Why don't we write and send a practice message of our own to the "My 'TEST' Message" section? Double-click on the message window's title bar icon to return to the Main Window. Write a Message We are going to do something you would not ordinarily do, and that's write a message to yourself! In order to do that, you will need your User ID. If you do not remember your User ID, you can easily find it in the Golden CommPass Settings notebook: Choose Options/Settings, then the Params tab. Highlight your User ID. Press CTRL+I to copy to the system clipboard. Double-click on the title bar icon. From the Main Window, 1. Choose File/Write message, or press ALT+W. A typewriter object will briefly appear in the Main Window. You will see one every time you prepare to Write a Message or Write CompuServe Mail. This is the Write message dialog. Your cursor is in the "To:" entry field. Golden CommPass Forums - 36 [Figure 38 - Write Message Dialog] 2. Press SHIFT+INSERT and your User ID will be inserted (pasted) from the clipboard into the entry field. 3. Use your mouse or TAB key to move to the "Subject" entry field. 4. Type GCP Message Test. 5. Move to the Forum list box and click on PRACTICE. A Sections list box appears. 6. Highlight Section 11, "My 'TEST' Message". 7. Click OK. [Figure 39 - Write Message Dialog] The Write Message Dialog appears. The title bar will list your User ID, your message subject and the section number. 8. Type a short message. Since different programs give users different viewing widths in their message windows, here are some rules to follow: Do not use a carriage return (the ENTER key) at the end of a line. Let Golden CommPass automatically wrap the sentence to the next line. Use carriage returns (the ENTER key) only between paragraphs, and hit the key twice. You can indent the first sentence of a paragraph. Finished typing? Let's post your message: Post a Message You have several ways to do so: 1. Click on the Post Message button; choose Messages/Post/ 1. Post message; or press F7 and ENTER. Golden CommPass Forums - 37 You will see "Posted" appear in the Message Window title bar. 2. Double-click on the window's title bar icon to return to the Main Window. [Figure 40 - Golden CommPass Main Window] Here, again, is an envelope object, without a check this time. Checked envelopes are only used for outgoing requests to retrieve a message subject list. 3. Choose Connect/Continue session, or press CTRL+H. [Figure 41 - Start Communications Dialog] Again, you'll see PRACTICE, MAIL and GCPSUP (if you've left it active). 4. Click OK. The envelope changes color. A phone object appears. Golden CommPass signs on, selects PRACTICE, and sends your message. As soon as your message is sent, the envelope disappears and Golden CommPass signs off. Note: You can click on the phone object and watch the communications session, but DO NOT click on the envelope! New CompuServe Member Note: CompuServe restricts the ability for new members to post forum messages for 24-48 hours after your permanent User ID is issued. For this reason, you may not be able to complete the remainder of this practice session for several days. Golden CommPass will continue displaying the practice envelope until it successfully posts the message on the PRACTICE forum. Now, let's see if your message is there and if you can download it: Read Waiting Messages From the Main Window, 1. Choose Connect/Read waiting msgs, or press CTRL+R. [Figure 42 - Start Communications (Read waiting) Dialog] Golden CommPass Forums - 38 2. Click OK. You will see the phone object. If you double-click on the phone object, you can watch the communications session scroll by. Golden CommPass will call CompuServe, retrieve your message and put a PRACTICE book object in the Main Window. 3. Click on the PRACTICE book object. [Figure 43 - Message Window with your message] The message you wrote appears in the Message Window. Let's reply to it: Reply to a Message 1. Choose Message/Reply to message, or click on the Reply button, or press ALT+R. [Figure 44 - Message Window split with Reply Window] The Message Window splits in half. You now have a Message Window/Reply Window. A blinking cursor appears at the top of the Reply Window. Notice that the title bar has changed. It now says "Replying to (Your Name), followed by your User ID and the subject of your original message". The forum section number is there also, but may not be visible unless you click on the title bar icon and select "Maximize". 2. Type a reply. Follow the instructions we described in "Write a Message", earlier in this chapter. That's all you need to do. Golden CommPass will automatically attach an "address" to your reply containing all the information you see in the title bar along with your name and User ID. Follow the steps in "Post a Message" to post your message reply. Want to confirm that your reply made it to the "My 'Test' Message" section? Golden CommPass Forums - 39 Since you addressed the reply to yourself, you could again choose Connect/Read waiting. You could choose instead to Retrieve a Message Subject List again. You would see that your "GCP Message Test" subject now has a "1" in parentheses. It's also already highlighted. Why? Golden CommPass automatically tracks message subjects that you have been reading and replying to so that you do not need to reselect them every time. It's called intelligent subject marking, and we'll discuss it in the next chapter. Summary Here are the basics we've just covered: Add a Forum Join a Forum Read Forum Announcements Configure Forum Sections Retrieve a Message Subject List Mark Message Subjects Retrieve New Messages Read New Messages Print a Message Write a Message Post a Message Read Waiting Messages Reply to a Message Now that you have completed the practice session, you can Add and Join as many forums as you would like and then decide on the rest of your options for each one. Golden CommPass Forums - 40