What is Forum 4?

Using Forum 4, you can start and participate in online discussions. Everyone can exchange opinions on various subjects, regardless of time or location. Forum lets you create organized categories and topics for all threaded opinions.

Whereas Bulletin Board 4 is designed to broadcast information to multiple users at one time, but Forum is designed to offer a place for discussion on a specific subject.

1. Add New Subjects

To add a new subject to Forum, follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click on the Forum Category in which you would like to add a new subject.

   The list of all existing subjects will appear.

3. Click Add New Subject.

   The New Subject window appears.

4. From the Author field drop-down menu, choose your user group (for reference).

5. In the Subject field, enter a subject name.

6. In the Opinion field, enter your opinion on the subject. This will serve as the introductory comment for the threaded opinions to follow.

7. If you'd like to attach a file, click Browse to attach a file.

8. If you'd like to post a notice automatically in the Bulletin Board that a new subject has been created in Forum, click the Post A Notice In box.

   Note: The system administrator must activate this feature in Forum > Settings > General Setting.

9. Using the pull-down menu, choose in which Bulletin Board you'd like to post your announcement.

10. When done, click Post.

2. Post Opinions within Subjects

In order to post your opinion in an existing Forum Subject, follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click a subject where an opinion will be added.

   The Subject window appears. You will see the existing thread of opinions. and there will be an Opinion Field at the top of the page.

3. Enter a new opinion, adding to the discussion thread.

4. If you'd like to attach a file, click Browse to find the file to attach to your opinion.

5. When done, click Post.

3. Search Opinions

To search the Forum for certain subjects, opinions or keywords, follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click a forum category with the subjects you want to search.

   The Subject List window appears.

3. In the Search field, enter the keywords you want to search.

4. From the Search area, choose the search criteria (Subject, Author or Opinion).

5. When done, click Search.

4. Delete Opinions

You can only delete opinions for a subject thread if they are your own.

You must have system administrator access in order to delete opinions that are not your own.

To delete an opinion, follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click the forum with the subject containing the opinion you want to delete.

   The Subject List window appears.

3. Click the subject with the opinion you want to delete.

   The Subject window appears.

4. Find the opinion you want to delete:

   • If the opinion is yours, click Delete.
   • If the opinions is another user's, click Delete, login as Admin if you have not already done so.

5. Click Yes to confirm and delete the opinion.

5. Browse the Latest Opinions

To browse the latest opinions posted in the Forum and to follow the virtual discussion, follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click a forum with the subjects you want to browse.

   The Subject List window appears.

3. Click a subject you want to browse.

   The Subject window appears with opinions listed.

4. Read the thread and add an opinion to contribute to the discussion!

6. Set Forum View on Your Portal Page

(User Settings)

To personalize your Portal Page, you can customize your view of Forum. This setting will be unique to you.

1. On the Portal Page, from the Forum section, click Setting next to the Forum heading.

   The Forum User Setting window appears.

2. From the Number of Subjects per Forum to List on Portal Page drop-down menu, select the maximum number of subjects per forum you would like displayed on your Portal Page.

3. From the Number of Letters for Subject Name to List at Maximum on Portal Page area, select the maximum number of letters for subject name you would like listed on your Portal Page.

4. Click the check box(s) next to each Forum you'd like to show up on your Portal Page.

5. When done, click Save.

7. General Settings

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can modify the Forum general settings for all users.

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select General Setting.

2. Select options as desired:

   Number of Attachment Files per Opinion: Choose how many files users can attach to each opinion.

   Number of Opinions to List: Select how many opinions to list per page for each subject.

   Number of Subjects to List: Choose how many subjects to list within each Forum (one level down from the Forum home page).

   Number of Latest Subjects to List in Forum List: Select how many subjects to list under each Forum category on the Forum home page.

   Display Attached Image Files in an Opinion: Choose whether or not to display images within the opinions.

   Users can post a notice in Bulletin Board when adding a new subject: Activate the feature that allows users to post an automatic notice in Bulletin Board when a new subject is added.

   Default Bulletin Board to Post a Notice: Select a default location for posting new subject notices.

3. When done, click Save.

8. Set Access Permissions

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you control the Forum access permissions for guest users. To change permissions, follow these steps:

1. The following is the list of access permissions for Forum. Non-registered users are users who have not been registered in System Setting.

   Setting Items	Registered Users	Non-Registered Users	System Administrator
   Browse Opinions	Yes	Set with an access permission	-
   Post Opinions to Forum	Yes	Set with an access permission	-
   Delete Opinions	Yes (Only Author of the Opinion)	No	Yes
   Delete Subjects	No	No	Yes
   Add/Edit/Delete Forum	No	No	Yes

   Note: You can set up a Group-Exclusive Forum for a specific group in Forum > Settings > Forum Setting.

2. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Access Permission Setting.

3. Choose an option:

   Check the Browse box to assign browsing privileges to guest users.

   Check the Post box to let guest users post opinions to within a forum subject.

4. When done, click Save.

9. Add Forums

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you control the forum categories for all users. To add a new Forum category, follow these steps.

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Forum Setting.

2. From the Forum Setting list box, click Add.

3. Enter a new forum name.

   Set this forum as Group Exclusive: Make a forum available only to a specific group. Select a group from the drop-down menu.

4. When done, click Register.

10. Edit Forums

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can edit forum categories. Follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Forum Setting.

2. From the Forum Setting list box, select a forum to edit.

3. Click Edit.

   Make necessary changes.

4. When done, click Edit.

11. Delete Forums

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can delete Forums. If you delete a Forum, all opinions and subjects will be deleted as well, so be sure to make a back up before proceeding.

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Forum Setting.

2. Select a forum.

3. Click Delete.

4. When done, click Yes to confirm.

12. Change the Order of Displaying Forums

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can change the display order of forums on the Forum home page. Follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Forum Setting.

2. From the Forum Setting list box, select the forum you want to move.

3. Change the order by clicking the Up Arrow or Down Arrows.

   To move up: With the forum highlighted, click the Up Arrow to move the forum up to a desired location.

   To move down: With the forum highlighted, click the Down Arrow to move the forum down to a desired location.

13. Delete All Subjects

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can clean up your files by deleting Forums and corresponding subjects and opinions created before a set date. Be sure to back up your data before deleting, as this action cannot be undone.

1. From the Portal Page, choose Forum > Setting.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

   Select Delete All Subjects.

2. From the Forum drop-down menu, select a forum with the subjects you want to delete.

3. From the Delete All Subjects Added Before drop-down menu, choose a time period to delete the subjects.

4. When done, click Delete.

14. Delete a Subject

(System Settings)

As a system administrator, you can delete a subject from a forum. Follow these steps:

1. From the Portal Page, click Forum on the Office 4 menu.

   The Forum List window appears.

2. Click a forum with the subject you want to delete.

   The Subject List window appears.

3. Click the subject you want to delete.

   The Subject window appears.

4. Click Delete.

   If you are not already logged in as Admin, enter your admin password when prompted.

5. When done, click Yes to confirm.