## Forums

What is a forum?

  A forum is an online gathering place where you can post questions (or answers) and discuss various topics with other portal users. Visiting the Forums page will lead you to all currently active discussions, along with the date of the last posting, the number of topics being discussed within each forum, and the total number of messages posted to the entire forum.

  Although you must log in to use the forums, participation is open to all registered portal users.

How do I join a forum?

  To participate in a discussion, log in and visit the Forums page. You will then be presented with all active forums. Select one by clicking on the title, and the most recent discussions will appear. Select the forum you wish to read or contribute to by clicking on the title. Forums are organized into user-contributed topics to which users can post messages.

  Within a forum, you can post a new topic (one not currently addressed in the existing topics) by clicking the ``Add Topic`` button. Add your topic, subject line, and body of the text. To preview your topic before posting it, click the ``Preview`` button. To post your topic without previewing it, click the ``Add New Topic`` and ``Post Message`` buttons. To cancel without posting your message, click the ``Cancel`` button. If you have previewed your message, click the ``Add New Topic`` and ``Post Message`` buttons in order to post. You will then be prompted to add the first message in this topic.

  To add a new message, find the topic you wish to address and click the ``Post Message`` button. Type in your subject line and text. You may be asked to type a security phrase to prevent automated postings. To preview your message before posting it, click the ``Preview`` button. To post your topic without previewing it, click the ``Post New Message`` button. To cancel without posting your message, click the ``Cancel`` button. If you have previewed your message, click the ``Post New Message`` button in order to post.

  By default, once you add a topic or a message, they cannot be deleted. Only portal administrators can delete forum postings.

Can I add a forum?

  No; contact the portal administrator to create a new forum.

Can I add a forum topic or a forum message?

  Yes. All users can add forum topics and messages. To add a Forum topic or message, you must be logged in to the portal.