The configuration of profile defaults, profile fields, and profile pictures is identical in both the advanced and basic views. The documentation for the advanced view will also be applicable to the basic view. Choose a link from this list:

• Defaults (and Preferences)

• Fields

• Pictures

The "User Profile Display" feature of Discus Pro creates a browseable, searchable list of all registered accounts that can be accessed through the user interface. This "Member List" is a convenient way for forum visitors to learn about other members in a way other than by reading posts.

Access Control

Who may view user list: You can choose any of the following settings:

• Anyone: Anyone with access to your board can view the member list. This includes unregistered guests who may be viewing your board.

• Registered users and moderators: Any registered user or moderator who has logged in can view the member list.

• Moderators only: Only moderators can view the member list.

Available fields and default selected fields

There are two selection boxes to choose the fields that will be displayed on the member list. To make selections, click on the entries in the selection boxes. Hold down the CTRL key (or for Mac users: the apple key) to make multiple selections in the boxes.

There is an important difference between the Available fields box and the Default selected fields box.

Available fields controls the fields that could be shown on the member list. Select any fields from this list that you ever want to be viewable. Any fields that you do not select cannot be displayed within the member list.

Default selected fields controls the fields that are shown by default when someone invokes the member list screen. For most users, this will control the display that is always seen, since most users won't view the search options and select additional fields.

Note that if you have selected by default a field that is not marked as available, that field will not be shown. This is because regardless of the defaults you select, only available fields are eligible to be displayed.

Groups

Select the group(s) of users or moderators that are eligible to be displayed in your member list. To make selections, click on the entries in the selection boxes. Hold down the CTRL key (or for Mac users: the apple key) to make multiple selections in the boxes.

(Moderator Accounts): Select this if you want moderator accounts to be shown within the member list.

(All User Groups): Select this if you want all user accounts, regardless of group membership, to be displayed in the member list. If you've selected this option, selecting individual user groups is pointless, since you've already chosen to display all users.

Specific Groups: If you have not chosen to display all user groups, select the specific groups of users whose accounts will be shown in your member list. Users who are not members of the selected groups will not be shown on the member list.

Other Options

Allow users to prevent themselves from being listed: If checked, users and moderators are given an option in their profiles to prevent themselves from being listed on the member list. If this box is not checked, any eligible member will be listed.

Force picture size: If checked and dimensions are supplied, if profile pictures are shown in the member list, they will always be of the size you choose here.

Use text instead of icons for navigation up and down list: By default (with this box unchecked), navigation in the member list is accomplished with icons. For a text-only interface, check this box.

The user self-registration features of Discus Pro allow visitors to your board to create their accounts and join your community. If you do not have user self-registration enabled, the only way that accounts can be added is to do so manually through the User Manager portion of the administration program.

If you are looking to set up user self-registration for the first time, the Self-Registration Setup Tutorial is probably what you want to read. The page you are presently reading describes the available options in a reference style.

User self-registration is enabled: If checked, user self-registration will be enabled for the board. In some skins, this creates a registration link or button on all pages (after regeneration). It also creates a "Register" button on the entrance to the profile editor. Note that user self-registration will not actually do anything until you've set up at least one user group to accept registrations; the Self-Registration Setup Tutorial tells you how to do that.

Age verification (COPPA) » minimum age __: If checked, before registration begins, a screen will appear asking the potential registrant if their birthday is before or after the date that corresponds to the minimum age you've selected. If the registrant is too young, they are told that they are too young and redirected to the disney.com web site.

Allow registration into one group only: If checked and if the user is presented with a list of groups to which they wish to register, they will be able to choose only one of those groups. This is useful only in the very specific situation that you have many groups of users that are clearly distinct (e.g., a board for pilots with a user group for pilots from each airline).

Disallow e-mail addresses from certain domains (edit domain list): If checked, you can specify a list of e-mail domains that cannot be used for self-registration. For example, if you do not want people with free Yahoo accounts to register, you would check this box and enter "yahoo.com" on the domain list. You can enter as many of these blocked addresses as you wish (one per line). The entry in the domain list corresponds to everything after the "@" sign in the address. You can use a "*" as a wildcard (e.g., "*.ru" would ban anyone from Russia from registering an account).

The configuration of user statuses is identical in the basic and advanced views of Options Manager.

• User Statuses from advanced view instructions

Forgotten Password Utility

One of the most common administrative tasks in running a message board is dealing with members who forget their password. Discus Pro provides a "Forgotten Password Utility" that allows members to reset their password to something new without troubling the moderator. If you do not enable this utility, or you are using freeware Discus, the only way for a user to reset their password is to request that a moderator do it.

In Discus Pro, a user who has forgotten their password initiates the password recovery procedure by clicking on the "Click here to restore access" link on a log-in screen. They are then prompted to enter their username and/or e-mail address (in hopes that they remember one of these items). When their account is located, they are prompted for a new password for their account.

A confirmation message is then sent to the e-mail address on record, confirming the desire to change the password. This message contains a link back to the discussion board, which when clicked will activate the password and let the user continue using the board with their new password. An "activation key" is also provided to let users activate their new passwords manually in the event that their e-mail reader does not support clickable links.

Enable forgotten password utility: If you want to use the forgotten password utility, you must check this box. Checking this box automatically places a link to the forgotten password utility on most user interface log-in screens. If you are reading this documentation, presumably you wish to use this utility, in which case you must check this box.

Private Messaging

For a detailed introduction to the Discus Pro private messaging facility, read the documentation from the advanced mode private messaging instructions.

Enable private messaging (sending personal e-mail through board): This box must be checked in order to use the private messaging features. This places a link to send a private message on each member's profile page.

Maximum message length: __ kB: Enter a number to limit the maximum size of messages sent through your board. A setting of 0 means that there is no limit. A good setting is in the 5-10 range, which will allow for a short message but will not run the risk of overwhelming the recipient with a huge message.

Limit messages sent per day: Enter a number to limit the number of messages that a particular member can send per day. A setting of 0 means that there is no limit, but this is generally not a good idea.

Limit messages received per hour/day/week: Enter a number to limit the number of messages that a particular member can receive per day. A setting of 0 means that there is no limit, which for this setting is generally the best choice.