Technology Sharing: Queries and Answers

[[deleted user]]

Do you need help with something technological? Can you give help with something?

By popular demand: Here's the place where you can ask, and answer, questions about technology.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Lu, I don't use a Mac so I can't help you. Perhaps someone else can.

Any Mac users out there?

[Jill H.]

Another question from the electronically challenged.
I need to store a template....I am a moderator in another group and we use a template on our introductory thread. Can I store that template in Goodreads and then put it in the post...........or what? Does that make sense?

[[deleted user]]

Hi Jill, a template for what? You mean like a welcome message? You can put something into your creative writing space:

In the gray bar at the top of the page...
click on Explore
then under
Community >> creative writing
my writing
add new writing

If you can be more specific about your template (or PM me with your group name so I can go look) I'll have a better idea how to help you.

ETA: and/or you can join the Moderator's support group: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2...

[Scout]

Since I've been using my new laptop, when I view a thread and then back out, the thread still looks unread (red numbers beside thread do not disappear). I've tried everything I can think of to change this so that it's easier to keep up with what I have read and also with new posts. Is there a way to make the page refresh automatically without having to use the refresh button every time?

[Scout]

Lu, I don't have a Mac, either. Are you asking about increasing type size on Goodreads or just in Word?

I can't think of a way to do this without leaving the home row.

[Jan C]

Scout wrote: "Since I've been using my new laptop, when I view a thread and then back out, the thread still looks unread (red numbers beside thread do not disappear). I've tried everything I can think of to cha..."

Scout, I've noticed that too since I got a laptop. What I usually do now is just click on Home. Then it shows as being read.

I wish I could figure a way to do the back arrow but maybe that's just the way these things are.

[Jill H.]

Hayes wrote: "Hi Jill, a template for what? You mean like a welcome message? You can put something into your creative writing space:

In the gray bar at the top of the page...
click on Explore
then under
Communi..."

Yes, it is a formal introduction thread and we like to use a template. The instructions you gave me will work I think.........if not I will get back to you. Thanks so much.............Jill

[[deleted user]]

Jill wrote: "The instructions you gave me will work I think.........if not I will get back to you. "

Or you could just copy the previous message in your thread--drag and highlight with left mouse button, copy with right mouse button, paste and edit.

[Chris]

Lu wrote: "Hi! I'm using a Mac, Word 2003, and I need to know another way to increase the type size. Do I have to get the cursor in that tiny box on the palette and type the type size every time? Isn't the..."

With your cursor in the document, type command (the button) A, which should select all the text in the document. Then change the font size. I believe that will do it for you.

[Darcy]

Okay, this one has been bugging me for some time. I've tried to figure it out on my own but haven't been able to.
Other than copying and pasting text, how does one quote a previous post?

[Chris]

D wrote: "Okay, this one has been bugging me for some time. I've tried to figure it out on my own but haven't been able to.
Other than copying and pasting text, how does one quote a previous post?"

It works for me just by clicking reply at the bottom of the post you want to quote. If that's not working there might be a browser setting that needs enabling.

[[deleted user]]

D wrote: "Okay, this one has been bugging me for some time. I've tried to figure it out on my own but haven't been able to.
Other than copying and pasting text, how does one quote a previous post?"

You mean like this?
If you look at your message #12 you will see a gray bar above it with the date and/or time of your message. The gray bar below is the "header" for message #13. Right above that gray bar, in the lower right corner you should see "reply | delete | flag *"

Hit "reply" and the beginning of the message will be copied into the comment box, starting with D wrote: "xxx" ...

You can copy and paste specific things into that space between the quote marks if you want, like this:

D wrote: "Other than copying and pasting"

Make sure that anything you type comes after the or it will be italicized too.

[[deleted user]]

Oops, Chris... didn't see that you had answered. Thanks.

[Scout]

Hayes, do you have any suggestions about where I can go to get an answer to my question in #6? It's frustrating when the page doesn't automatically refresh to show that I've viewed a thread. I'll appreciate any help you can offer.

[Chris]

Scout,

Does this happen all the time, just when you page back, or when? Also, what browser are you using?

It's related to the cached data in the browser, and under some scenarios refreshing the page manually is the only option. But tell us more please.

[[deleted user]]

Thanks for taking this on, Chris.

(sorry Scout, that's out of my expertise)

[Scout]

Thanks, guys. I submitted a question to the Goodreads site and got an answer, which was nice. One suggestion was to be sure Javascript was enabled, which I did. The other had to do with clearing the cache, which I do regularly, if that's the same as deleting browsing history.

Chris, I'm using Explorer right now.

So, when I used my old laptop, I could read posts like the ones below, and when I hit the back arrow and went back to the original page, the red numbers beside the thread title would have disappeared, letting me know that I'd read that thread. Now, when I back up, the red numbers are still there, as if I hadn't read the posts. I have to manually refresh the page, which takes time. So I guess what I want to happen is for the page to refresh automatically like it used to.

I can live with it, just resistant to change:)