General questions and issues

[The O.C. Fanatic]

How appropriate does a username have to be if an individual wants to change it or whatever?

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Like what if I want to change my username to H.O.E or something like that? Even though it actually means something than the other bad meaning to it? Just asking.

[Elspeth]

Our Member FAQ section (which you can find by clicking the FAQ link at the bottom of any forum page) has a couple of FAQs about usernames which hopefully will answer your question:

Are there any guidelines about what username I can have?

Our rules about prohibited content in posts (i.e., material that is obscene, sexually explicit, vulgar, threatening, harassing, or abusive, as well as material that is religious or political) applies to usernames as well as to posts. Prospective members with usernames falling in these categories can expect to have their membership applications declined. We also don't allow e-mail or website addresses as usernames. For ease of use, and because other members will want to call you by your username during conversations, it's helpful to have a name that isn't too long and sounds like a name rather than a serial number or random jumble of letters. We strongly recommend for your own safety that you don't use your real full name (first and last names). This forum can be read by anyone with internet access, whether their interest is in the royals or in finding out about our members. The more personal information you divulge, the easier it will be for people to find out enough about you to cause trouble for you.

Can I change my username?

There are a couple of situations where we allow members to change their usernames. If a username is a potential security risk (such as the member's full name), it can be changed at any time. There is also a 30-day window after joining when members can change their username if they decide they don't like the name they chose during the registration process. Members who joined more than 30 days ago may also make one change of username as long as their total post count is 50 or lower. Only one change is permitted per member. Anyone wishing to request a username change should contact an administrator by private message.

[principessa]

I have an idea how to improve the Search-Function.

If I am searching a forum after a key word like train in the wedding forum, there are possibilities to show the thread or the post. If I click f. e. on "Show Posts" the whole site is been shown. Why not writing the post number into the search-result site to get easier to the wished information! What do you think?

[acdc1]

Originally Posted by principessa

I have an idea how to improve the Search-Function.

If I am searching a forum after a key word like train in the wedding forum, there are possibilities to show the thread or the post. If I click f. e. on "Show Posts" the whole site is been shown. Why not writing the post number into the search-result site to get easier to the wished information! What do you think?

I agree with principessa that it would be a good idea to improve the search function if it's at all possible. I like her idea, too.

It just irritates me sometimes, because, when looking for a specific thread or post, such as "Which royals smoke", the results will be "Joachim and Marie's Wedding" or "Felipe and Letizia's Current Events". Basically, wherever the latest posts are being made.

[Elspeth]

The vbulletin search engine is fairly well known for being rather useless. You can use Google Advanced Search to get more specific results rather than depending on the search engine here. When you use Google Advanced Search, you can specify that you want results only from theroyalforums.com, and you can search on word strings, which you can't do here.

[acdc1]

It's been happening at least two or three times a day for the past two weeks that I've been logged on (not counting when I was away for weeks at a time on vacation).

I'll click on something (New Posts, Next Page, etc.), and this message will pop up:

This forum requires that you wait 10 seconds between searches. Please try again in 37 seconds.
Well, I feel like I've taken longer than 10 seconds, but maybe my timing is off. Does anyone else have this problem?

[Elspeth]

Well, if it requires you to wait 10 seconds, it shouldn't be asking you to wait 37 seconds. I think I've seen the same query at some of Andy's other forums, so I hope the tech people are on top of it.

[Elspeth]

Update - the tech guy is aware of the problem, which has indeed occurred at another of Andy's forums, so he should be able to have a go at fixing it in the none too distant future.

[Menarue]

Originally Posted by acdc1

It's been happening at least two or three times a day for the past two weeks that I've been logged on (not counting when I was away for weeks at a time on vacation).

I'll click on something (New Posts, Next Page, etc.), and this message will pop up:

This forum requires that you wait 10 seconds between searches. Please try again in 37 seconds.
Well, I feel like I've taken longer than 10 seconds, but maybe my timing is off. Does anyone else have this problem?

I have been having the same problem, I log on and go to today´s posts or any other option and the 10 seconds wait message appears. After much longer than 10 seconds wait I try again and get the same message. This has only happened in the last two days but is very annoying... Thanks.

[Elspeth]

It might be happening because of the software upgrade. I'll let the tech team know it's still going on.

[Elspeth]

Is this still happening to anyone? The tech guy is drawing a blank on being able to figure out what's going on. If it's still happening after you clear your browser cache and delete your browsing history, please let us know.

[Aurora810]

I apologize if I shouldn't post about the particular problem I have been having here. I was looking around on where to post the issue and decided on here.

Since this past Friday when I type in the web address to come to TRF's. It goes to a blank page. Well actually it says "im here" in the top left corner of the plain white page but the page never opens up. I thought all weekend long something must be wrong with TRF's so I kept trying occassionally but then today I got the idea to check and see if the web address had changed. So I entered "The Royal Forums" into a search engine and a link for a few different families came up, I clicked on the link and here I am. I was finally able to get to TRF's after days of not being able to get here. I'm wondering what is going on. I can't see any reason why I'm having this sudden issue.

[Elspeth]

You're probably seeing a cached page from the time the forum was down for the upgrade. If you clear your browser cache, and also maybe delete your bookmark and then save it again when everything's working OK, that should help.

[Aurora810]

Originally Posted by Elspeth

You're probably seeing a cached page from the time the forum was down for the upgrade. If you clear your browser cache, and also maybe delete your bookmark and then save it again when everything's working OK, that should help.

Thanks so much! I will try what you suggested!

[Menarue]

I am still getting the annoying 10 seconds wait when I first log on, this only happens with the Quick Links that haven´t been that quick lately. Is it correct to log on, go to the quick links and immediately be told to wait 10 seconds? If it is, then I will avoid it and go to today´s posts. Thanks.

[Elspeth]

It seems as though there's a problem which the tech people are having a bit of trouble tracking down, so for the moment if you can avoid the parts of the forum that are asking you to wait, it would probably be easiest. I'll remind them about it again.

[Menarue]

Thanks Elspeth, it is driving me crazy......

[Skydragon]

My problem seems to be that when someone goes back and alters their post, it is not showing that they did so. If I edit a post, it doesn't immediately show and it is only when I go back into edit (where it does show) and save it again that it appears on the thread.

[Elspeth]

Edits don't show in the "Edited by..." line if you edit a post immediately after you post it. Is this what might be happening, or are edits not showing even if you wait a while before making them?

[Menarue]

Elspeth the Quick Links are still driving me up the wall. I found them so useful, but now they are so so slow, am I the only complaining? Sorry if I am, but as I said it is driving me crazeeeee.