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Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 22 Mar 2019, 20:20
by tank
I have been .... you know what? Never mind, I dare you to write code for your idea... support it in all the themes

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 23 Mar 2019, 02:45
by nnnik
When first using a site people dont know what to expect and have not yet created any visual groups or anything similar.
A red marking and a red sentence won't be anything out of the ordinary for people like that since they have not yet seen enough of the forums to have an idea about ordinary.

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 23 Mar 2019, 08:48
by tank
nnnik wrote:
23 Mar 2019, 02:45
When first using a site people dont know what to expect and have not yet created any visual groups or anything similar.
A red marking and a red sentence won't be anything out of the ordinary for people like that since they have not yet seen enough of the forums to have an idea about ordinary.
11 years in this forum and 15 years of ui development experience with diverse groups of users. ..... whatever, I give up on this argument. Let them build it. Put the effort in and measure the results. It's the only way this argument is settled

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 23 Mar 2019, 10:45
by tidbit
I brought up irc as the struggle is the same. big, bold, in-yo-face indicators telling how to post code properly. Does little.
A new person unwilling to read is a new person unwilling to read. Doesn't matter if on a forum, chatroom, mailinglist, at a restaurant with signs at the counter/on the tables/in the menu in bold font telling them the daily special but they still ask whats the daily special, etc.

Yes, it might REDUCE the issue, but probably not by as much as you'd expect. Don't be discouraged by us, jeeswg. If you think you can help the cause, go for it, prove us wrong :). but remember: K.I.S.S

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 28 Mar 2019, 12:55
by Tigerlily
How about a pop up prompt that pops up that recognizes when someone uses AHK code syntax somewhere in their post that prompts them to use code tags.

Just a simple small popup that you can checkbox OFF for default if wanted, but it is on by default for new users.

Reads something like:

"Please wrap your AutoHotkey code in "Code Tags" to make it easier for others to read your code and help you. Highlight your AutoHotkey code (if any) and click the </> code tags button above"

It can show a small GIF in this popup of someone clicking the code tags button and it shows what it looks like before they post, and then after they post.

Another idea is to have a 1-pager of most crucial forum rules, when someone registers for the forums. A replica of this basic pop up prompt can be included at the top of this page, so they can SEE what the difference is, instead of just relying on text-based learning. Visually seeing the difference is sure to motivate more code-wrapping.

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 28 Mar 2019, 13:18
by burque505
@Tigerlily, good thoughts! :bravo:

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 28 Mar 2019, 18:28
by joedf
I usually just add the code tags when I see it. Not much to it ... :/

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 02 Apr 2019, 03:49
by Scr1pter
Why is the topic marked as solved :?: :problem:

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 03 Apr 2019, 11:57
by joedf
It's not. ???

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 03 Apr 2019, 12:25
by swagfag
it did have a green tick yesterday. tho its disappeared now funnily enough

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 01:27
by SOTE
Looking at the Help forum posts, I have to say it is amazing how the new users seem to continually not know about the code tags or ignore using them. That so many users seem not aware of them, might be showing that a different solution is indeed needed. It might not hurt to try something new. Sometimes you can try things a dozen or more different ways, before finding the one way or solution that works.

Maybe the OP is correct, where some bold red or orange lettering is needed to get the attention of new users about using code tags.
“Please click on the code button in case you've added some code!“
“Don't forget to use code tags when submitting any code!“
And possibly a link to a gif showing how to use the code tags, because some users might be clueless as to what that is all about. Code tags are shown as a symbol </>, so many new users might have no idea about what that is for.

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 04:16
by Scr1pter
Yep, it gets a bit annoying.
I think every solution is better than nothing.
There will never be the ultimate solution (I guess),
but the more code tag-less post we can reduce,
the better.

In this thread there are already enough ideas.
The site admins "only have to choose one/ some"

Cheers!

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 07:02
by nnnik
An explination for code tags could work if we manage to get a new users attention onto the code tags.
A big bold red line of static text or anything so ordinary is not going to work.
The UI is not simple enough for that to work - its completely overloaded with buttons information and all kinds of things.

In order to get our users attention we need to remove all other elements and get a simple message across.
If the sentence has more than 5 words its already too complex to take in at once. Pictures should be used instead of words wherever possible.
If the user has the ability to skip the procedure they will. If the procedure can take place without user interaction they might wait it out without doing anything.
Animations can be used to keep the users attention and define a sequential order.

With this knowledge we can actually design an introduction tutorial that will teach the user to use code tags.
We'll have three slides in total. These will be shown when a new user tries to make a post.
All other elements will be overlayed with some effect to make them hard to see, or even impossible to see (blur out, make the background grey but slightly transparent, completely white/black background...)

On the first slide the only text should be: Before you proceed... centered slightly to the left and to the top.
After 5-6 blend in a button that says continue.

On the next slide we present 2 text elements and 2 pictures:
Use code tags... then quickly afterwards blend in a picture of code tags in the editor below.
Show an arrow in the middle before then blending in: ...to share code.
And then show a picture of how that code box looks like in the actual post.
For the pictures its important not to make clean cuts - it should be immediately apparent that the codebox is the focal point but also that the actual content of the post are not deciphereable.
We blend in the texts before the corresponding pictures with a small delay. We blend in the first set before the second with a slightly longer delay.
After about 2-3 seconds we offer a button to continue to the next.

Im content with this one but essentially the same pattern as the last one but this time with:
Highlight the code... ...click the code button.
Both with corresponding pictures.
We could potentially animate a mouse cursor that animates the "Highlight the code" and the "click the code" button part - and play it only once.
On this last slide we then present a button after 2-3 seconds that says: OK got it.

Finally we could give the code button some animation like an inverse ripple to show the user where it is as soon as the slides end.

WIth that we present the following, information in this order:
You need to know/do something to finish your post.
What code tags are and what they have to do with your post.
How to acquire code tags.

This would guarantee an almost 100% success rate of users now knowing of code tags and about 80% of new users using them.
The whole process would take at least 20-30 seconds.

The issues are: Users just disabling the overlay by modifying the css. Users that are not new having to do this tutorial.
The work required to build this is less than the amount of work needed for fixing posts without code tags.
Translations, language barriers etc.

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 08:11
by Scr1pter
I like the idea with the tutorial!
From other forums I know there is a waiting time while the forum rules get displayed.
Sure, not everybody reads them, but at least they cannot brainlessly click a button because they have to wait.

Perhaps a simple GIF animation could be used and a time limit so that the user can see it at least 3 times.
Just some pic where a user highlights code and presses the button. - with this mini description:
1. Highlight code
2. Click on this button (with a red arrow)

I really don't think we need to care for translation because pictures usually say more than 1000 words :)

Cheers!

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 08:39
by swagfag
how about showing @Scr1pter's sig first thing on the registration page
its probably not gonna do much, but eh, its a start

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 01 May 2019, 08:48
by Scr1pter
Would be definitely better than nothing, right.
You can use it, guys - I'm fine with that :D

Cheers!

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 02 May 2019, 01:40
by nnnik
No its not efective enough to be worth spending time on. :P

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 02 May 2019, 05:09
by Scr1pter
I might create one later, because I did not want to have a huge signature.
Or perhaps I leave the image dimension untouched, but replace it by 2 or 3 images as GIF animation.

Cheers!

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 02 May 2019, 07:14
by tank
I dont believe it will make one bit of difference, BUT I like the idea of a gif or video. I want it large like the size of the full editor.. it should clearly state that help will not be offered without tags. Be friendly and kindly worded.... no anger faces :evil: and demonstrate using tags.

If someone makes the gif I will force it on all first poster.

Re: Reminding new members to use code tags

Posted: 03 May 2019, 19:10
by Scr1pter
Well, that's my first attempt:

What do you say?
I could make the text stay longer, but since it gets repeated, the users will have chance to see it several times.

Perhaps adding some header text?
How to add code tags
Image

Hopefully it's good enough for nnnik :P
(Cause he didn't like my sig :/ )

Cheers!