View source for "How-To" Get the most out of the ApoE4.info website

<big>'''NOTE: This site is under construction'''</big>

==<big>'''Posting on the Site'''</big>==

===Posting a new topic===
''Sooner or later, you may want to post something to the website. Perhaps you are a new user, and would like to introduce yourself in the "Our Stories" Forum.  Or you've found an interesting scientific article that you'd like to share on the "Science and Research" Forum.  If you want to ask a question or post a article, consider using the search function to see if it's already discussed somewhere on the website.  You can learn more about searching here:'' 
[https://wiki.apoe4.info/wiki/Tito%27s_Sandbox:_How_To%22_for_Beginners#Searching_the_site_for_information'''''Searching the site for information''''']<br /><br />

Here's how to post a new topic.

Go the the Forums screen, and select which forum in which you'd like to add a new topic. "Our Stories" is selected for this example.<br /><br />

[[File:Post New Topic 1a.png|800px||center]]<br />

Select "New topic".<br /><br />

[[File:Post New Topic 2b.png|800 px|center]]<br />

Type in:
# A subject,
# Your post, 
# Then hit submit!<br /><br />

[[File:Post New Topic 3b.png|800px|center]]<br />

''Note: if this is your first post, a moderator must approve it before it will be visible in the Forum you selected.  After your first post, your work will show up immediately upon submission.''

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===Replying to a post===

You may want to start a new post to add to a conversation already started in a topic or thread on the website.  Or you may want to respond directly to a post from another member.

Click on the thread or topic to which you want to post.


[[File:Reply to Post 1.png|800px|center]]


Type in your response in the subject field of Quick Reply, or Post Reply.  The example shown below is with “Quick Reply”. There is very little difference between these 2 options; play around with them to see which you prefer.

When you are done, hit Submit.
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[[File:Reply to Post 2a.png|800px|center]]
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You can now see your new post as part of the thread or topic.

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[[File:Reply to Post 3.png|800px|center]]

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=== Using '''Preview''' to review your work before posting=== 

Previewing your post is a great way to catch typos and see if you want to edit what you wrote. At any time when you are writing a post, you can go to the area under the text box and select "Preview".  
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[[File:Using Preview 2.png|800px|center]]
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The example above, labeled "Preview", shows how a post will look if you select "Submit".  Your original draft is still below in the "Post a Reply" text box. When you are done writing and editing, select "Submit" below the text box.. 
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[[File:Using Preview 3.png|800px|center]]

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=='''<big>Tools to use when posting</big>'''== 
=== Using the quote function to respond to another member’s post (and why to use quotes)=== 

''Why quote someone in a reply?: Quoting another member's post allows members to quickly read it and get to your reply. Using quoting speeds up conversation between members. It triggers an email to the member (or user) that you are quoting and gives the user a link to log on and open the ApoE4.info website right to your comment.''<br />

''Note: There are two ways to get an edited, shorter version of a user's complete post as a quote. Use whichever works best for you. If you're using an iPad, the second method might be easier.'' 

====''Method # 1''====

''Start with choosing the post you want to quote. If the quoted post is short, editing is not needed. If it is long, editing focuses on a specific statement in the other member's post that you are interested in.  In the example below,  NF52 has a long reply after she quoted WillsMeme, another member.  Rather than bring all of NF52's quote and reply over to our new reply, the red star highlights the 2 lines of interest that we want to quote.''  
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Select the quote icon. 
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[[File:Using Quotes 1.png|800px|center]]
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After you've selected the quote icon, you see the raw formatting of the post. Edit out everything but the part of the post you are focused on, and are wanting to respond to.  In the example below, the blue highlighted areas have been selected for deletion.  Make sure you leave in two wikitalk "codes" to start and finish the code: [quote="username"] to start the quote, and [/quote] to end the quote.  These 2 wikitalk "codes" are automatically generated at the beginning and end of the other user's post when you select the quote icon.<br />


[[File:Using Quotes 2.png|800px|center]]

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After using the quote icon, and editing the material to quote, you can see the results.  Make sure the two quote codes are intact, highlighted in the example below in red rectangles.  Previewing before submitting allows you to verify that you've done the formatting correctly.


[[File:Using Quotes 3a.png|800px|center]]


If you are happy with your preview results, select submit to finish your post. If further editing is needed, you can do so directly in the "Post a Reply" box.


[[File:Using Quotes 4.png|800px|center]]

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====''Method # 2 (for those without a mouse)''====

A second method, using the "Expanded View" function, brings over ONLY the specific section you want to quote. It is a good choice if you don't have a mouse or trackpad to easily delete text. <br />

Here is a lengthy post, with multiple embedded posts. It has only one sentence that we want to quote in a reply. (See the red star.)<br />
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'''[[File:Talking about Diet- Pulling one Sentence.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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Scroll to the bottom of the forum page. If the post you are quoting from is above other more recent posts, you can still quote it. When you see the words "Full Editor and Preview", click there (see straight red arrow). This method won't work if you start to type your post in the "Quick Reply" blank editing box.  Be patient! <br /><br />

[[File:Talking about Diet Full Editor arrow selection.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

Now you are at the blank editing text box that will allow for easier editing without a mouse, with the forum subject title already provided (see arrow).<br /><br />

[[File:Talking about Diet Subject Heading Post a reply.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

Scroll down below the empty text box to the section titled TOPIC REVIEW (see star) and select EXPAND VIEW (see arrow). It doesn't matter if the post you want is further down in the order of posts on the topic. You are expanding your view of the ENTIRE topic discussion so that you can highlight exactly the section on one post that you want to quote. <br /><br />

[[File:Expand View Arrow And Topic Review for Quote Selection.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

Once the forum topic has been expanded, scroll down to the post you want to quote. Remember: quotes alert the writer that you are responding to their post and serve to highlight a specific idea or question. You don't have to highlight or bring over an entire quote. Highlight the specific section you want to quote.<br /><br />

[[File:Expanded View with highlighted sentence for quote.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

When you have the quote highlighted, scroll back up to the top of that user's post, and select the quotation icon on the right side of the post (see arrow.)<br /><br />

[[File:Quote Icon after Extended View Highlight.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

That brings the quote back to your text box and you are now ready to post your reply, preview it and hit "Submit".<br /><br />

[[File:Quote Grab result after Extended View.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />
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=== Inserting hyperlinks (embedded in text or not)===

''According to Wikipedia, "...a hyperlink, or simply a link, is a reference to data that the reader can directly follow either by clicking, tapping, or hovering.  A hyperlink points to a whole document or to a specific element within a document."  Within a post, you can link to another part of the ApoE4.info website, or to another website.''

Here is an example of setting up a link to another part of ApoE4.info website. You'll need to copy the URL (address of a World Wide Web page) into your post.  It can be helpful to have 2 windows open: one with your post, and one with the URL address that you are going to copy.<br /><br />

[[File:Inserting Links 1.png|800px|center]]<br />

Or, you can be more elegant and use the URL option to hide the URL address and insert a Title or Topic instead.<br /><br />

[[File:Inserting Links 2.png|800px|center]]<br />

The highlighted text is automatically placed within the [url] and [/url] wikitalk "codes". <br /><br />

[[File:Inserting Links 3.png|800px|center]]<br />

Now add an "=" and the URL address to link after the url in the [url] wikitalk.  Select preview to show the results of your work, and verify that it was done correctly.<br /><br />

[[File:Inserting Links 4a.png|800px|center]]<br />

You can return to the "Post a Reply" area if further editing is needed.  Select Submit when satisfied with your post.<br /><br />

[[File:Inserting Links 5a.png|800px|center]]<br />

=== Saving and retrieving a draft of your work=== 

''NOTE: The software for this forum may log you off due to “inactivity” if you leave something you are composing. Select “save draft” under the text box every 20 minutes or so and any time you are going to leave your current page while writing a post.''


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[[File:Save Draft Arrow Morning Mineral Cocktail.png|800px|center]]


When you click on “save draft”, you’ll see the question below. Click "Yes".<br />


[[File:How To Save Draft Yes-No.png|framed|center]]
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To retrieve your saved draft, click on your user name in the upper right corner of any page.  You'll see a drop down menu. Click on User Control Panel (see red arrow).
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[[File:User Control Panel for Save Draft.png|800px|center]]

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You will see your own User Control Panel, which is explained in greater detail at [http://Tito%27s_Sandbox:_How_To%22_for_Beginners#Setting_Up_Your_Profile_and_User_Control_Panel Setting Up Your Profile and User Control Panel]

Click on Manage Drafts on the left. (See red arrow.)
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[[File:Manage Drafts User Control Panel.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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Your most recent draft, along with any previously saved drafts, will be listed.  Click on "Load Draft" (see red arrow).  Your draft will return to the previous editing, previewing and submit page. You can also mark a draft (see green arrow) and choose to delete it (see star). 
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[[File:Retrieved draft Morning Cocktail.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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=== Editing your own post===

You've just submitted a new entry, and realize that you want to add more information.  Instead of submitting another entry, you can edit your other post.  Here's an example: select the Pencil Icon.<br /><br />

[[File:Editing Your Own Post 1.png|1000px||center]]<br />

You now have an editable copy of your original post, and can add additional text (highlighted blue in the example below).  When you're satisfied with your addition, select submit to complete your post.<br /><br />

[[File:Edit Your Own Post 2.png|1000px||center]]<br />

=='''<big>Tools To Use When Following A Topic Or Forum</big>''' ==

===Subscribing to a forum to be notified of any posts on that forum===
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Subscribing to a Forum allows you to be notified by email of any new posts within that forum. If you are online, you will also be able to see any notifications by the bell icon.
[[File:Notification Bell Icon.png|frame|center]]
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To subscribe to a Forum, go to that forum's main page from the forum's Board Index.  Click on the Forum Topic. In this case, we want to subscribe to OUR STORIES. 
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[[File:Board Index Our Stories Forum Selection.png|center|800px]]<br />
Scroll down to the bottom border of the page and select ''Subscribe forum.'' <br />

[[File:Subscribe forum bottom of page.png|center|800px]]<br />
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You will now receive email notification of any new posting to a current or new topic on the forum OUR STORIES.  If you decide you don't want to subscribe to an entire forum, simply go to the bottom of any page in that forum and click on ''Unsubscribe forum'' <br />

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[[File:Unsubscribe forum arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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=== Subscribing to a topic within a forum category to be notified of any posts on that topic===


''Forum members often have favorite topics that they want to follow, but they don't want to have to check every day to see if any new posts have been made on that topic. Subscribing to a topic within a forum allows you to be notified by email of any new post on that specific topic. You can choose as many topics in as many forum categories as you want to follow by subscribing to them.''


In this example, to subscribe to the topic ''Questions about Insulin'', go to the top of the page above any of the topic posts. NOTE: You don't need to be on the most recent post to subscribe to the topic. Click on the wrench (i.e. tool) icon (see arrow)  <br />
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[[File:Subscribe topic drop down menu.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />
You can choose to either subscribe or bookmark a topic in order to be notified of new posts. Either choice will work. Note that the tool icon  also allows you to email a topic, or to print out the current "page" of posts.

== <big>'''Using Private Messages'''</big> ==

''The ApoE4.Info forum supports the values listed in the [https://www.apoe4.info/wp/community-guidelines/ <big>Community Guidelines</big>]: curiosity, respect, humility, kindness and trust. We recognize that sometimes users would prefer to raise a question or offer an opinion outside of the open forum. For that purpose, we offer Private Messages (also called PMs).   Private Messages are available to registered users who have posted at least 3 times.''

=== Composing a private message ===
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If you want to send a PM to a User in response to a forum topic, you can simply click on that user's name  next to his or her post (see arrow below). 
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[[File:PM Selecting User Name to View Profile.png|600px|frameless|center]]
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You will now see the User Profile page for the person you selected. Click on Send Private Message (see arrow). <br />


[[File:VIewing Profile to send PM to user.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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The screen used while composing a Private Message (also called a PM) is nearly identical to the screen for creating a new post. By selecting a user from that person's User Control Page, the Recipient Name is already entered (see red arrow). You can add additional users and can choose to send yourself a blind copy (see red rectangle.) <br />


[[File:PM compose screen with user selected and Subject.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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A key difference between Private Messages and email is that you MUST add a Subject Heading in order to save any PM draft and to avoid losing a draft if you leave the screen. (See red star and yellow highlighted Subject.)   ''IF YOU DON"T CREATE A SUBJECT HEADING, YOU WILL LOSE ANY DRAFT OF A PRIVATE MESSAGE THAT YOU TRY TO SAVE.''
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If you are unsure of a user's name, you can search the Member List to find the user. To get to the Member List, click on "Find a Member" (see red rectangle above).
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On the next screen, you can enter what you know of a member's name. In the example below, a partial match of "NF"  with an asterisk added provides the correct user name for NF52. Place a check next to the desired user(s) in the member list and press Select (see red circle) to add the user to the recipient field.
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[[File:Find a Member with partial match.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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You can also get to the Member List from the three vertical dots next to your user name on any forum page. Click on the three vertical dots and then select "Member List" from the pull-down menu (see arrow).
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[[File:User Name Pull Down Menu with 3 dots.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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===Previewing a private message===
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A Preview for a PM works just like a post. Click on Preview and then check to see if your Preview looks the way you want. Make any changes on the Posting text box below the Preview.  Make any changes in the text editing box below the Preview, then select Submit. 
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[[File:Preview of PM with Embedded URL.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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===Finding sent messages===

Users are notified by email of any Private Messages. They also will see a notification on the Private Message icon on the forum toolbar. 


Private Messages that you have submitted will appear in either your Outbox or Sent messages folders. As long as the recipient(s) has not yet "opened" the message, it will be in the OUTBOX folder.  If you click on the Outbox in your User Control Panel, you will see any Private Messages that have not yet been picked up by the recipient. (See arrow below, with an empty Outbox.)<br />
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[[File:Outbox Screen Shot with Arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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As soon as someone reads the message it will be archived to the Sent messages folder. In the example below, two sent messages (with recipient and topic hidden) are listed in the Sent box, showing they have been opened by the recipients.<br />
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[[File:Sent PM with Arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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===Receiving A Private Message===

You will be notified by email of any Private Messages that have been sent to you. If you are online on the forum, you will also see a notification by the mailbox icon next to your user name. <br />
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[[File:PM Notification with 1 new message.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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The Inbox is the default incoming folder, which contains a list of your recently received Private Messages. The Inbox below shows one new Private Message, with a Subject Heading, the name of the User who sent it, and the time sent.<br />

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[[File:User Control Panel PM arrows.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

== '''<big>Searching the site for information</big>''' ==
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''A forum can be a confusing place to find information on a specific topic. Using the Search function helps you find previous conversations or "threads" on topics that interest you. We encourage people to post to previous topics, even if they haven't been active for a while. It gets conversations going and often promotes new ways of looking at an issue.''
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===Finding posts on topics of interest=== 
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On any page of the Forum, click on the spyglass icon in the upper right line of icons. That will take you to the Search Page.<br />
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[[File:Search icon.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />


On the Search page, type in a word or short phrase that describes your topic of interest.  Here's a Search label for ''Lewy Body Dementia''. Click on "SEARCH" at the bottom of the page to run the search.<br />
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[[File:Lewy Body Dementia topic search.png|800px|center|frameless]] <br />

The search produces 36 results with the search term "Lewy Body Dementia" highlighted in each post. You can see when the post was written, who was the author, and how many times it has been viewed. (See red rectangle.) You can scroll down the list of excerpts from posts to see those that are most relevant to your interest. If the brief excerpt that includes the search term looks relevant, you can click on "Jump to post" to see the entire post. (See red circle.) <br />
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[[File:Jump to post search result 36 matches LBD.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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The default order for topic searches is to show results by most recent first. The "page numbers" (see arrow) allow you to skip to earlier posts.<br />

Note: You can also choose to organize search results in a variety of ways, by selecting options at the bottom of the results page.<br />

[[File:Sorting Search results by post time.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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===Using "Search These Results" to Focus Your Search===
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Sometimes a search returns a large number of posts.  Here is an example of a search of "Curcumin".  The search returned 742 posts.<br />


[[File:742 Curcumin matches jump to post.png|800px|frameless|center]] 
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You can refine those results by focusing on your specific interest about the topic. The term ''Benefits'' has been added to the text box labeled "search these results". <br />
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[[File:Search these results Benefits.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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Now the results are narrowed to 52, and the Search heading shows that the search is for Curcumin Benefits.<br />
   

[[File:52 matches curcumin benefits.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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===Using Advanced Search Options===

If you have a search like ''Curcumin'' that results in too many results, click on "Go to advanced search" in the upper left corner of the Results page to to narrow your search.
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[[File:Curcumin 742 matches+adv search arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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You are now back at the Search home page.
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[[File:Search Options page.png|800px|frameless|center]]


You may want to search only for posts by Stavia, the physician-author of the [https://www.apoe4.info/forums/viewtopic.php?f=33&t=1418 PRIMER], about curcumin, so you add the name "Stavia" under the next text box of "Search for Author" and click on Search at the bottom.
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[[File:Advanced Search keyword and author.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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Now you get 58 results, all posts by Stavia.<br />
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[[File:Stavia+Curcumin 58 matches.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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Another way to narrow search results is by Topic Titles only.   In the example below, the search term "GENETIC TESTING" has been refined by selecting "Topic titles only". (See red circle.) That increases the likelihood that the post will be on the topic of genetic testing. <br />

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[[File:GENETIC TESTING search topic titles only.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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The 7 results show a range of useful topics related to genetic testing.  Each topic may have multiple posts. For example, the topic "Genetic Testing and Long-term Insurance: conflict?"  has 18 posts within that "thread" that you can read if you click on either the topic or "jump to post". 
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[[File:7 Results genetic testing by topic title.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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== <big>'''Finding the most active topics'''</big>==

You may be interested to see what topics are trending on the forum in the last week or month. The easy way to do that is by going to the Toolbar on the Forums page and clicking on the Active topic icon of a lightning bolt. (See the red arrow below.)
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[[File:Active topic icon arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />


Any topics that include posts you have not read will show up in green, (See red arrow below.) Topics in which you have read all the posts will be in black.  You can customize the date range of your active search at the bottom of the screen. (See star.)
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[[File:Active topics unread and date range.png|800px|frameless|center]]<br />

=='''<big>Locating unread posts</big>'''==
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To find posts that you have not yet read, go to the toolbar at the top of any Forum page. The second icon from the left looks like an eyeball with a hashtag (/) through it. <br />
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[[File:Unread Post Icon with arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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Click on the eyeball and you will get a personalized list of your Unread Posts. (See example below). <br />
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[[File:Unread Posts most recent.png|800px|frameless|center]] <br />

Unread Posts are organized with the most recent unread post first. You can scroll through the Topics on the left side of the screen to find one you want to read. To go directly to the unread post (not the entire topic thread), click on the rectangle hyperlink next to the name of the person who posted  in the "LAST POST" column .
(See red arrow below).

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[[File:Last unread post hyperlink icon with arrow.png|800px|frameless|center]]


''NOTE: Once you open a link to an "Unread Post", the software treats any posts you scroll through as having been read.

=='''<big>Using the Wiki for Education on All Things ApoE4</big>'''== 

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''Our forums are like conversations and discussions, where the Wiki content is more like a book.  Our members have summarized information from the forums in a more organized fashion.  Anyone can participate in keeping the Wiki fresh and up to date.  The wiki is easily accessible from all Forum page, as the screen shot shows.  You can also reach it from here:'' [[Main_Page]] <br /><br />


[[File:wiki.png|800px|center]]
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== <big>'''Setting Up Your Profile and User Control Panel'''</big> ==
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Once you have registered as a user, you can reach your User Control Panel by clicking on your user name in the upper right hand corner to get a pull-down menu. Select User Control Panel.

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[[File:User Control Panel for Save Draft.png|800px|frameless|center]]
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===Overview options===

The Overview page is just what it promises: an overview of what you can do with your own personal information. (See arrow for description.)  Other users can see only the section titled Your activity. Click on any of the listed choices in the left hand column (see red oval) to try it out. 

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[[File:User Control Panel Overview .png|800px|frameless|center]]
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===Setting up your profile===

You can choose additional information beyond your user name to share with others. Please remember to consider your own privacy before sharing email accounts and other information. Private Messages may be better if you choose to share personally identifiable information with another member.


[[File:Edit Profile User Control Page.png|800px|frameless|center]]

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====Setting up your board preferences====

The Board Preference page of the User Control Panel allows you to set both your time zone and date format, and also to select whether you want other users to be able to contact you by Private Messages or email, if you included it in your profile.

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[[File:User Control Panel Board Preferences.png|800px|frameless|center]]

===User groups===

The Usergroups tab of the User Control Panel page gives a description of the designations for Users on this forum. For the first three posts you make, you will be part of the New User group. This lets Moderators, Senior Support staff and Support Interns know that you may benefit from some extra support in using the site.

After your first three posts, you will be moved into the Contributor user group.