Table of contents

i. Introduction
a. Updates
b. From Rok

ii. Understanding BBCodes
a. Learning how to close your code
b. Properly ordering codes to properly display
c. Embedding Youtube Videos

iii. Understanding icons
a. Forum icons
b. Voting icons

iv. Understanding the website template
a. The Columns

i. Introduction

a. Updates
11/05/09 - Make Note: Reference is incomplete and further updates are to come.
11/05/09 - Decided to post Hmong Pride 101 regardless of completion.
11/04/09 - Made minor updates adding Understanding the website template
11/03/09 - Started writing Hmong Pride 101.

b. From Rok

Hey everyone, this is Rok here bringing to you a Hmong Pride reference handbook named, "Hmong Pride 101." I decided to write this to help the majority of you out there who are still a bit worry about how to use this website. As for you advance users, I hope that you know most of these or learn a thing or two from this.

This is my contribution to to help out every one of you. Thank you for taking your time in reading this and I hope you can find what you need to know.

ii. Understanding BBCodes

Click here to view a huge database for bbcodes used on HmongPride.

a. Learning how to close your code

The most important thing to note when using BBCodes is closing your code. First thing you should always remember to do is make sure that your code is properly inside brackets.

Example
[demo]

Now that you know that, you must also know that each code must end with a closing code too.

Example
[demo][/demo]

Make sure you know how to close a code. It's always the same as how you open a code but instead you place a slash in front as demonstrated.

b. Properly ordering codes to properly display

When you are using multiple codes to code your text, it has to be properly ordered to be able to show the effect. All you have to remember is that the color code comes after any text manipulation.

Example:
(Note: When using the code, don't space.)
Using [ color=green ] with [ font=garamond ] with closed brackets will display,
Sample Text

As you can see, the color code is not affecting at all. To correct this simple error, you just swap the two codes around.

Example:
(Note: When using the code, don't space.)
Using [ font=garamond ] followed by [ color=green ] with closed brackets will display,
Sample Text

Now that looks more like how we intended it to be doesn't it?

c. Embedding Youtube Videos

To embed Youtube on HmongPride is a very simple task. All you need to know is the code and what to put in the code from the url.

Youtube code:
[ youtube ] [/ youtube ]
(Note: When using the code, don't space.)

Example:

For this example we will use T.I.'s Whatever you like (Acoustic Cover) by JussJeff
youtube.com/watch?v=JBPxDi1Rjxc
You will only need to use the red highlighted text with the code to embed this video. Your code should look like:

[ youtube ] JBPxDi1Rjxc [/ youtube ]




Special Bonus Feature from ExpectedCaprice:
Posting Up Pictures.
There has been a few questions to as why their pictures do not show up as desired when they put in the code.
First off, you need the direct link to the picture. Use the [img] tags to make the picture appear as an image and not a link.

For example, if the direct link to my image was http://pics.novica.com/pictures/9/p60575_1.jpg , my whole code should look something like this:


Just remember to not have any spaces between the img tags and the direct link.

iii. Understanding icons

a. Forum icons

You may not notice these icons but they have explanations for every single one of them. Let's start out with entering the forum through the tab named Forums. Once you enter, you will see some icons:

(Note: Listed from top to bottom)

Clicking on this will mark all new posts in all forum folders as read. If you click on this inside a forum folder, the current forum folder will be marked as read.

This is the default forum folder icon for the labeled forum when it has no new posts.

This is the forum folder icon for the labeled forum when the folder contains new posts.

Now, if you continue on forth into any of these folders you will see threads. Threads makes up a forum and inside threads is a topic and posts. These are the icons that are inside the folders:


Clicking on this icon will redirect you to creating a new topic for this forum folder.

This icon symbolizes a sticky note. A topic that has been stuck will remain on top of any other topics regardless of date and activity. Only a moderator may stick a topic.

This icon symbolizes a regular topic.

This icon symbolizes a hot topic due to high activity of posts.

This icon symbolizes a regular topic with a new post or posts inside.

This icon symbolizes a hot topic with a new post or posts inside.

This icon symbolizes a closed/locked topic. Closed/locked topics can be view but posting has been disabled by a moderator. Only a moderator may open or close/lock a topic.

If you continue on forward and click on a topic you will be redirected into the current topic. There are also icons here that you may or may not know about. Starting from where the username is located you'll find:


This icon states that this user is currently online.

This icon states that this user is currently offline.

Clicking on this icon will redirect you to writing a message to the user.

If a user is not your buddy yet, this icon will display and upon clicking on it, it will send the user a request to be your buddy.

If a user is your buddy already, clicking on this icon will allow you to remove them from your buddy list.

Clicking on this button will generate an automated quote of the user's post and imply it into your post box.

Clicking on this button will redirect you to a reply box to reply to the user.

b. Voting icons

There are icons on this website that casts votes. Let's first start out with viewing a user's images. At the top right corner near the image, you will see two smiley faces.


If this smiley appears then you haven't cast a vote or you already voted for the frowning smiley.

This smiley represents one positive vote agreeing that you like the image.

If this smiley appears then you haven't cast a vote or you already vote for the smiling smiley.

This smiley represents one negative vote agreeing that you dislike the image.

The next group of icons will be in the poll & video section. These two separate section uses the same rating system and icons.


The white star indicates an empty slot meaning it is neutral. The red star indicates that the poll/video has an abundant amount of ratings therefore making the poll/video hot. The yellow star indicates that there is a fair amount of votes.


iv. Understanding the website template

a. The Columns

The columns are quick access to things you need to access to from the front page. They are their for your convenience. Now, starting from top to bottom, I'll explain what each column holds.


This column is used for allowing a user to know which topic has activity. A topic that has been responded to will most likely end up here before disappearing again due to inactivity. This column displays a maximum of five topics.

This will be your website control panel. As shown above, you can access your private messages, create a blog, and view a list of your blogs. You can also view your photo album, a list of users, and upcoming birthdays. Viewing music videos, polls, your buddies, and access your account settings from here. If you wish to log out, this option is listed at the bottom of this column.

This column acts like a quick shortcut to your HP inbox/outbox. You can also see how many unread messages you have.

If you are familiar with Myspace/Facebook/Twitter status then you won't be shy to this. You can edit and/or delete your status after you have submit it.

In this column you will see many random images of the users on HP. This column displays a maximum of ten images. Clicking on these images will redirect you to the image.

The column title recent comments is basically what it reads. This column shows up to a maximum of ten comments according to date from newest being on top, to oldest being on the bottom. Clicking on one of these comments will redirect you to the topic and focus your screen on the comment you clicked on.

In this column you will find the amount of users/guests online. Clicking on the usernames will redirect you to the user's HmongPride.com profile.