So, you have arrived at a forum powered by SMF! Perhaps you have been looking at the board index or a screen telling you that you need to register before you can access the forum.
Some forums permit guests to read posts or even post messages, while other forums only allow registered members to see the posts. At some forums, many of the most useful features will only become available to you when you become a registered member. Because SMF is such a flexible system, permissions will vary considerably between forums. Here are four key areas that are normally available for you:
- Forum Header - At the top of the forum's opening page you will find the forum header, which contains items such as the forum title, banner and logo. In the default theme the lower part of the forum header can be collapsed (hidden) or expanded (shown) using the upshrink icon
. In this collapsible area of the header there is a section with information about you, links to unread messages as well as the date. There is usually a quick search box in this collapsible area, too.
- Main Menu - This menu is situated just below the forum header and it contains links to the main sections of the forum.
- Board Index - This appears on the main page of the forum. Categories are used to make it easier to find the boards that interest you. For information on how to keep up to date with new threads and posts, please see How to view unread posts and replies.
- Message Index - When you click on one of the boards in the board index, you will be taken to the message index of that particular board. This shows a list of the topics in the board. Please see How to navigate the message index for further information.
