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If you are seeking help for errors that occur on your forum AFTER you have installed a modification, please use the support thread for that modification.

This is not an official support forum. Members and Staff voluntarily help in IPB Help forums. You will find a quicker solution to your help request if you post in the support thread for the mod you just intalled.

Thank you.

This was originally posted by Hall.

Following these guidelines should make it easier for you to get the help you need.

Search for your question
First thing you need to think of before posting a question is of course if your question hasn't been answered before. The moment I am writing this there are 2,225 topics. Now lets say that 90% of these topics are questions, that would make 2,225 * 0,9 = 2002,5 topics with questions! That means there definitely is a chance that your question has already been asked and perhaps answered before! Don't forget about the Archives!

Where do you post
Second thing you do, after your not able to find the answer to your question with the search tool (you made sure you searched the entire Boards?) you can start your question topic. But make sure you do this in the right forum!

Your topic title
Third thing is to start the topic, and to make sure it has a good descriptive topic title. Here's a top 10 of topic titles you DON'T want to use:

1. Help needed!
2. Newbie problem
3. Need some assistance
4. Hi, Im stuck!
5. PLEASE HELP!
6. I have a question
7. Very urgent
8. This is too complicated for me
9. PHP expert needed
10. Looking for...

Well you get the point by now. Basically in all 'help' forums I have ever been, these questions are simply ignored. So posting like this wont get you anywhere. But how should your title be then?

Well basically a title should be the main problem in your question. For example we're stuck with showing an extra bar for a certain membergroup. Its important you use good 'keywords' so everyone who reads the topic can understand what you want exactly. So our topic title for this would be:
Showing extra bar for specific membergroup
ofcourse you can add in front of this "problem:" if you want to make sure everyone knows your stuck with it.

Your question
Last thing is to make your question. A question is supposed to be direct and easy to understand. So DON'T post your entire script and ask for the problem. Simply post the part of the code were the problem is and if the line(s) are given were the problem is post them with it.
Also important is to keep the question, and the post around it, 'clean'. What I mean is that you should try to use the BBTags to keep your post good lookin.
Someone will recognize a piece of coding way quicker when you put it like this:

while posting it without the BBTags for CODE:
$this_is = 'a code';
if ( $this_is == "a code" )
{
echo "good looking!";
}
Will make it look a lot like normal text. Just keep that in mind...!

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The place to start: The Search Engine
Other helpful advice: [How-To] Post your error messages

This was originally posted by Tim. Just re-posting them for this forum

To quickly resolve your questions, please utilize the Search Feature.

Searching the IPB Help forums will help you find a solution to your problem quicker, so you don't have to wait for a staff member (or any other member) to post your resolution.

Here are some tips on how-to properly search, using IPB's full-text search feature:
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1. Try not to use short or common words, such as "html" and "php".

Full-text search only allows you to enter a minimum of 4 characters into the search field. So, when searching for a solution for a MySQL error like the one below:



Use something like this instead:



2. Use "+" to connect your sentence or phrase

If you are searching for a specific sentence or phrase, use "+" to connect your words. For example, if you are searching for "Where Can I Get IPB 2.0.0?", use this instead:



This will count as one word, or sentence, connected together.

3. If you are searching for help on a specific category, such as skinning:

Remember - on the search screen, you have the option to search whatever forum you want. Just highlight the category with our mouse (use Ctrl + Mouse to select multiple forums).

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Also, remember to search the IPB Help Archives for commonly asked questions and resolutions!

Hope this helps you while you find a solution to your problem!