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How To Post A Topic, and How To Reply to A Topic


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How To Post A Topic

 

What is a "topic"? Content on CL is generally contained in "topics", which are nothing more than a list of at least one posting with a title, and all posting(s) addressing one subject (as stated in the title). If a member wishes to respond to a topic, then they will submit a posting that is associated with the original posting. The first posting in this sequence is called the "Topic", and all subsequent posting(s) are called "Replies". Only registered CL members who are logged into CL may post any content.

 

Step 1: Select The Appropriate Category and The Appropriate Forum

First, you need to select which forum is most appropriate for your topic. Be advised that CL's forums are organized in five categories, and those five categories contain "forums" ("folders" or "buckets") that identify the subject for each forum, typically listed in alphabetical order. The five categories are shown in the below screenshot. To "open" up a category, click on the left-pointing triangle on the far right side of each category name (inside the appropriate red circle); the left-pointing triangles are toggles, which means that they "open" and "close" the categories.

Categories.jpg

 

Most postings, in general, should be posted in the first category, which is called "Topical Forums (Non-commercial Postings About Life in Chiriquí)". Open up that category, and then select the appropriate forum for your subject matter. For example, if you have a question about how to open a bank account; you should select the "Banking, Currency, Safety Deposit Boxes, etc." forum. To "select" that forum, just click on its title.

 

Step 2: Start Your New Topic

To start a new topic, click on the "Start new topic" icon in the upper right of the appropriate forum based on your subject matter. See the below screenshot.

Start New Topic.png

 

 

Step 3: Populate (Fill In) the Required Fields for Your New Topic

     Step 3.1: The Title of Your Topic

The "Create New Topic" window then opens. See the below screenshot. Note that you have only a few fields to enter information. The first field is the Title of your topic, and that field must be filled in. Be as descriptive as possible.

     Step 3.2: Optionally Enter a "Tag" For Your Topic

You optionally may enter a "tag" or "tags" for your topic. Quoting Wikipedia: "In information systems, a tag is a keyword or term assigned to a piece of information (such as an Internet bookmark, digital image, database record, or computer file). This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing or searching. Tags are generally chosen informally and personally by the item's creator...". If you choose to enter a tag, then you terminate the tag by typing a comma (","). Tags on CL are converted to all lower case letters, and cannot exceed 60 characters. It is best to use short word(s) rather than long phrases for tags.

Topic entry dialog.png

 

     Step 3.3: Enter the Main Content For Your Topic

The main work in posting a topic is the main content that goes into the big box. Here you can enter whatever you wish, and by using the tools in the toolbar at the top of that dialog you are able to format the content. Font, font size, bolding of text, underlining, italics, unordered (bulleted) lists, numbered lists, justification, etc., are just some of the options available for your content.

     Step 3.4: Upload and Embed Any Attachments

If you wish to include pictures (JPGs, etc.), PDFs, Word documents, etc., in your posting, then upload it (them) using the "choose files" link. Once the files are uploaded, then you insert/embed them into your posting, one at a time, by placing the cursor where you wish to place the item, then clicking on that small thumbnail image in the "Uploaded Images" area.

 

Step 4: Select Whether You Wish To Be Notified If Someone Replies to Your Topic

Then select whether you wish to be notified if someone replies to your topic. If you later change your mind, you may go back into your topic, and select the "Follow" option in the upper right corner of your topic. If you do "follow" a topic, then you will receive a "notification" (and optionally an email) whenever there is activity on your topic.

 

Step 5: If Necessary, Edit Your Topic

Be advised that once you have submitted (posted) your new topic that you have a 15 minute grace period in which to edit your posting. Suppose that you find a misspelled word after you submit your topic. Look for the "edit" link in the lower left of your topic. Clicking there will open up the same text entry/editing functionality. You will NOT be able to delete your posting, but you will be able to edit it. After the 15 minute grace period expires, then your posting is locked. If you need to edit (or delete?) your posting after expiration of the grace period, then send a PM (private message) to @Moderator_02 or an email to support@chiriqui.life.

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  • Admin_01 changed the title to How To Post a Topic, or Reply to A Topic
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How To Post a Reply To A Topic

As mentioned above, a "topic" is the first posting in a sequence of related postings. A reply is the second and subsequent posting(s) associated with that topic. Posting a reply is easily done.

While viewing a topic, a member can respond to a posting using one of two methods. The first method is to click on the "Reply to this topic" button in the upper right of the thread. The other method is simply to scroll to the very bottom of the thread, and then click in the "Reply to this topic" box. See the below screenshot.

How to Reply.jpg

Regardless of the method used to initiate a reply, once initiated, the same text entry box and all of the same tools in the toolbar are made available to the member. The other directions about how to start (and edit, etc.) a topic also apply to replying to a topic, and thus are not being repeated here.

All replies are posted at the bottom of the topic thread in chronological order.

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How To Reply With A Citation to One Specific Topic or Reply

If you wish to cite (and include a copy of) a topic or reply in your reply, then there is a button to click that makes things quick and easy. A citation is something that you might want to do if the topic includes many postings, and your reply responds to, addresses, or focuses on one specific [non-contiguous] posting.

Start a citation by clicking on the "Quote" link in the lower left of the posting that is to be cited. See the below screenshot.

how to quote.jpg

Note the "Quote" link that is highlighted in RED in the above screenshot. All you need to do to (a) create a reference [a citation] to that posting, (b) start a new reply in that topic, and (c) leave your cursor underneath the quoted text so that you can add your comments, is simply click on that "Quote" link.

Below is what a reply with an embedded citation looks like (see the highlighted portion).

Reply with citation.jpg

The cited posting is included in your reply, in a manner similar to what is shown above. That citation is actually a hotlink to the referenced posting. If someone reading your reply were to click on the title (or the referencing arrow in the upper right), then that user will be taken directly to that specific posting. See the two areas pointed to by the red arrows in the below screenshot where you can click to go to the referenced posting.

Citation hotlinks.jpg

One last comment is that if the citation contains information that you wish not to include in the citation, then you may (optionally) remove the undesired text, or perhaps you might highlight a really important section by use of any of the formatting tools in the toolbar. Your choice. Most people just leave the entire citation unchanged.

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How To Reply With Citations to Multiple Postings Within A Topic

The prior reply discusses how to cite one posting in a topic. This reply discusses how to cite multiple postings from within the same topic. This is NOT an option that is frequently used, but the functionality is available for you to use when needed.

The primary difference between citing one posting and citing multiple postings is the button that you use to specify/select citation(s). The "Quote" button is used to cite only one posting. Note that immediately to the left of the "Quote" button is a "+" icon. Once a posting has been selected with the "+" sign, it then changes to a check mark. See the below screenshot.

Multiple Citations.jpg

The only differences between a single citation and multiple citations are:

  1. the button to click to indicate which posting(s) are to be cited, and
  2. the need to click on the execution link in the lower right of your screen, which is to be done after you have selected all of the relevant postings.

There is no limit to the number of postings that can be cited, other than up to the total number of postings within that topic.

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  • Admin_01 changed the title to How To Post A Topic, and How To Reply to A Topic

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