This post is to introduce my method of preparing written material that you may wish to post on the
SANE Australia website Forums
[and may be used in other applications]
I hope you will find the following information
useful and helpful..............
Offering some suggestions to assist with:
Text Selection & Effects
for
“Replies to Messages”
Threads & Posts
For a relatively short response, the “Reply to Message” box is fine, but for longer posts &/or responses, I like to use the following method or procedure. This procedure will also help avoid the situation of
"Authentication Ticket Mismatched, failed authentication."
the "timeout" message that sometimes appears when writing a long post on this and other websites and also, the loss of the message, if we forget to "Post" the message before clearing the window
(I know - Duh!!).
When I have proofread, corrected and completed my response on my OpenOffice text-writer word processor, I then copy and paste from my "OpenOffice text-writer" page to the reply box of the post to which I am responding. I can then submit the reply without falling foul of the
dreaded
"Authentication Ticket Mismatched"
demon.
Writing a Post
To respond to a post, I use half my computer screen for each part of the work I am undertaking.
I have the SANE Aust. Website Post, to which I am responding, on one side of the screen
and a new text document (in my case, an OpenOfficeWriter text document) on the other half of the computer screen. That way I can write a response, using the “text on page alignment" (centred, allign right or left, Justified), "font colour” and other functions of my document text writer, proof-read my work, then copy and paste the response, from the text document, into the "Reply to Message" box in the forum reply to which I am responding.
This procedure also allows me to search for relevant material on either page, while having the other page remain in view. I usually write my message, in the text writer, at 15pt size for easy reading and then reduce all the text size ("Edit>Select all"), in the text Writer, to 12pt size before copying and pasting to the “Reply to Message” box. The 12pt text size from my text document writer seems to most closely match the text size in the forum posts.
Default English(USA) text & Corrections
When "Grammarly" is active, otherwise per directions given on your computer
When the message is copied to the “Reply to Message” box, you will need to go through and 'correct' the red-underlined text in order to “Post” your reply (the underline will be red but not necessarily the text - unless that is what you intended, as shown here). Corrections are made by hovering the cursor over the red-underlined text and selecting your preference from the drop-down box. In the forum site, the default text, spelling, and grammar (eg. commas before conjunctions, 'color' instead of colour, etc.) on the forum “Reply to Message” box is, unfortunately, by default English(USA), so I usually just “dismiss” the USA-based text offered alterations unless the suggested alteration is valid for my purpose and context. If your text writer is set to English (Aust) or (UK) {my preferred text dictionaries}, You will need to “dismiss” most of the suggested Eng(USA) based corrections after you have copied your text from the document writer to the forum “Reply to Message” box unless you want to accept the (USA) usage.
(but don't automatically dismiss everything - please check each item)
Note: You may be directed to make corrections more than once or twice, so don't get frustrated, it is most likely not you, but just how this system works. The correction process will also pick up unintended spaces and a few other needed or positive corrections that will help tidy up your presentation.
Editing a Post
To "Edit" your post, left-click on "Post Options" at the top right side of your post; the "drop-down" menu will include the "Edit Post" function. Left-click on "Edit Post" and you will then be able to access your post for editing. When you edit your post, you will again have to go through and correct the red-underlined "errors" and left-click "Post" again. You may have to repeat the error correction process, left-click "Post" again and usually, you will be informed that the edit was successful with the note:
"Success! Your post was edited."
If you spend a long time editing a post the "evil" text corrector may show up again.
You will have to re-correct each time you edit unless you accept all the suggested corrections.
I often go back and edit previous posts. Normally I don't indicate that I have edited material, unless there is a substantial change to the intention, meaning or addition of information. I may then add a note to the bottom of the post with an
(a) a coloured letter reference indicating and connecting the edited text to the note. An example of which is added at the end of this procedure note.
Text Style Functions
The text style functions or qualities that I have used in this document are: page centred (text alignment){alternatives are: left or right alligned or justified}, bold, underline, italics, font colour, and line spacing. Unfortunately, highlighted text does not appear to transfer.
{Line Spacing is found in OpenOfficeWriter as follows: format>paragraph>Indents & Spacing>line spacing>single & 1.5 spacing (or other options)}.
These style function effects (except highlighting of text: though font colour does transfer) will transfer to the “Reply to Message” box, as you see in the text of this reply.
Hope that this helps you to prepare responses that look the way that you would like them to and provide visual variation that adds interest, appeal and texture to your written reply. I believe that you will enjoy the process, as I do, after a few muffs and stumbles.
If this post appears to be useful, and needs to be, or can be transferred to a more appropriate location, I obviously defer to the suggestions of senior staff, and I acquire a little extra knowledge as well. In the meantime, I hope it will be of interest and assistance.
With Best Wishes
HenryX
(a) Example of reference to the edited text. This note may include the reason for editing the text:
eg “Additional information has been added here {- reason - reference (where applicable or appropriate) } ”
