FAQ

Editor's note: Hats off to FoolsApril64 (aka Lisa) who put together this incredibly informative FAQ for David Cook Official. As our first volunteer moderator for the site we at the Web Nerd camp are thrilled to have Lisa helping out! Now you have two inboxes to overflow Smiling !

- RCAJosh

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

FORUMS - GENERAL

FORMATTING (BOLD, ITALICS, HTML CODE, ETC.)

Where can I get HTML / formatting help?

ADDING IMAGES TO USERNAME, PROFILE/FAN PHOTOS GALLERY, SIGNATURE & POSTS

PRIVATE MESSAGING

FRIENDS/BUDDIES

REGISTRATION / PASSWORDS / USERNAMES / USER NUMBERS

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FORUMS - GENERAL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are there posting guidelines for the DCO forums?

As a user of this website, you have already agreed to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, all of which apply to your use of this entire site, including these forums. In addition to those rules, the user agrees, by use of these forums, to the following rules and regulations:

Decisions of moderators and administrators are final. Moderators and administrators of these forums reserve the right to remove any content posted by members, or to suspend or ban any member at anytime or for any reason in accordance with these rules and regulations and at their sole discretion. They also reserve the right to handle all moderator issues privately..
We strive to maintain a friendly atmosphere that is welcoming to users of all ages. That means no cursing, swearing, excessive sexual innuendo or posting pictures that contain nudity. Links found to lead to a site that does not hold to the same standards are subject to edit or deletion.
We also want to maintain an atmosphere that is welcoming to David Cook fans everywhere, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, sex, disability, arrest or conviction record, marital status, sexual orientation or military status. Posts containing racial, ethnic, religious, political, sexual or other slurs, intentional attempts to drive posters away or make them feel unwelcome, or posts with the purpose of criticizing or insulting another poster will be removed.
Please refrain from spreading rumors. If you did not receive the information you are posting from a credible source, please do not post it. Moderators reserve the right to delete any posts they believe to contain false information.
Discussing the personal lives of David, his band and/or his crew is not appropriate for these forums and will therefore be subject to removal.
Posting stolen music or links to download content protected by copyrights and other proprietary rights is prohibited in these forums will result in disciplinary action that may include being banned from these forums.
Impersonation of a band or crew member in these forums will result in the banning of that user.
Image banners or advertisements for other sites are not allowed in these forums. The companies that advertise here have paid for that privilege. If you would like to advertise a site or a company, please feel free to contact webmaster@davidcookofficial.com. Exceptions: links to your social network pages (Facebook, MySpace, imeem) or your DCO profile are fine.
No spamming of the boards. This includes, but is not limited to, repeatedly posting the same or similar content or posting identical messages more than one time or in more than one forum, or registering for the sole purpose of promoting your website, e-bay auction, etc. (Exceptions: if you have or find an auction that is directly David Cook related it may be posted on the Off-Topic forum). Spamming also includes excessive no-text posts or posts made with such frequency as to disrupt normal operations of the forums.
We’ve included a variety of forums for all sorts of different discussions. Please read the forum descriptions and post on the most appropriate board. Threads may be moved from one forum to another more appropriate at the moderator’s sole discretion.
If you would like to start a new thread, please take the time to see if there is already a thread started for that topic. Duplicate threads are subject to removal at the moderator’s sole discretion.
Please post in English only if possible. The moderators for this board can only moderate in English and will delete any posts or post content in any language other than English if deemed offensive.
Internet etiquette states that UPPER CASE letters are shouting. Unless it is something urgent, please use lower case letters when adding new discussions.
Any abuses of the private messaging system will result in a warning to the offending user and/or a possible ban. The contents of another member’s private messages should not be publicly posted on the boards without that member’s permission.
Along the same lines, personal information (including photos) is not to be given out about any individual without their permission. In particular, persons under 18 years of age should seek parental consent before giving out personal information in public or private through the use of the forums.. You are cautioned not to post your own personal information in the interest of safety. You should not post your address, telephone number, or anything that might put you at risk. We are not responsible for monitoring this information, nor liable for any consequences that may result from the exchange of this information.
If another poster violates the rules, please just ignore their post and notify a moderator directly or by clicking on the “Flag as offensive” button of the violator’s post. Debating with a hostile poster about their behavior only causes threads to degenerate. Stick to the topic of the thread, rather than the personalities involved. Another person's poor behavior is not an excuse to misbehave.

Please remember that moderators are also members and are dedicating their free time to preserving the integrity of this forum for every member’s enjoyment. Please make sure you treat them with the respect they deserve.

Moderators are not employees of SONY/BMG; they work as volunteers to help ensure the success of the online community.

Management of these forums reserves the right to amend and/or implement new rules at anytime, with or without notice. New rules may be posted periodically. It is every member’s responsibility to read, understand and comply with all posted rules. Your continued access to or use of the forums after any such change to these rules shall constitute your consent to such change.

Who do I contact if I have a question about the forums?

Site administrators:
RCAJosh
rcadigital

Site moderator:
FoolsApril64

Is there a way that I can make the text larger so I can read it?: Yes, press the "CTRL" and "+" keys on your keyboard to zoom in and the "CTRL" and "-" keys on your keyboard to zoom out. Alternatively, if you have a wheel mouse, you may CTRL-Scroll your mouse forward or backward to zoom in and out. Or, in the lower right hand corner of your browser window, you will see a little magnifying glass with 100% next to it ... click on it with your mouse to adjust the zoom.

Is there a way to search the site for content or usernames?: Yes. You will find a search box in the bottom right corner of the home page. Alternatively, enter http://www.davidcookofficial.com/search/node in your browser's address bar (Tip: to create a direct link to access from anywhere, bookmark this page to your browser favorites) and select the "Content" tab to search for content and the "User" tab to search for a user.

The Flag as offensive and Write to author options are blocking user information. Is there any way to fix this?: The Web Nerds are aware that this is an issue for those using Internet Explorer and are no doubt working on a resolution (though I'm sure may have higher priorities at the moment). In the meantime, as a temporarily work-around, press your F11 key twice to reset your screen when this happens, or use a different browser, such as Firefox or Safari (free downloads).

Oops! I made a mistake. Can I fix it?: Yes! Simply click on the "Edit" button directly below your post.

Oops! I posted something in error. Can I delete it?: Yes! Simply click on the "Delete" button directly below your post.

Is there a way to sort threads in each forum?: Yes. When you view the lists of threads within a forum, at the top the list there are headings "Topic", "Replies", "Created", and "Last reply" the forum will sort according to whichever of these headings you select in either ascending or descending order.

How can I "reply" or "quote" another memberís post?

At the moment, there is no option for this; however, you may copy and paste the following to use along with the code for italics to do the job until if/when the Web Nerds create/add this option.

---------- in reply to -----------------------

(paste quoted text here)

-------------------------------------------------

---------- quote -----------------------------

(paste quoted text here)

-------------------------------------------------

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FORMATTING (BOLD, ITALICS, HTML CODE, ETC.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Where can I get HTML/formatting help?: HTML/formatting help/tips may be found by visiting http://www.davidcookofficial.com/filter/tips

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ADDING IMAGES TO USERNAME, PROFILE/FAN PHOTOS GALLERY, SIGNATURE & POSTS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do I add a picture/avatar by my username?: Avatar images must be uploaded from your PC and must have dimensions greater than 160 x 160 pixels but no larger than 1600 x 1400 pixels, and a file size no larger than 800 KB. If you have an image file that you want to use for your avatar, click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Picture". Select the "BROWSE" button located next to the box under "Upload picture:". A small window will pop up that will allow you to scan the files on your own computer. Select the file of the image you would like to use and then click "Open". Now that youíve selected the file, scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Submit" to save it to your profile.

How do I change a picture/avatar by my username?: Click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Picture". If you want to change a custom image you must first delete the old one by checking the box next to "Delete picture", scrolling to the bottom of the page, and clicking on "Submit". Next, upload the new image. Tips: (i) Do not use the same image name twice. (ii) You may need to exit your browser/clear your browser's cache between steps. (iii) Resize your image before uploading it.

How do I upload an image to My Profile and the "Fan Photos" gallery?: Go to your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section on the right that says "LATEST PHOTOS BY [your username]" and click on "UPLOAD" Next, select the "Browse..." button located next to the box under "Upload new image:". A small window will pop up that will allow you to scan the files on your own computer. Select the file of the image you would like to use and then click "Open". The image file size cannot be larger than 1 MB (1024KB) - if it is, you must resize your photo BEFORE uploading it. Select "Upload" (don't worry, your image will not be saved until the entire form has been submitted). Next, you must enter a "Title" for your image and then select an appropriate "Gallery" in which your image will also appear (see EXTRAS - Fan Photos for examples). Enter a caption (optional) and then press "Submit" or ""Submit and create another".

How do I create a signature that will appear on every post and comment I make?: Click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Comment settings". You may then add a footer/signature in the box under the word "Signature:" Be sure to click on the "Submit" link at the bottom of the page to save any changes. Tip: Your signature cannot exceed 250 characters, including spaces.

How do I add an image to my signature?

Click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Comment settings". You may then add an image/photo to the footer/signature in the box under the word "Signature:" by entering the HTML code for that image/photo. The easiest way to do this is to use a free image hosting services such as www.photobucket.com that will automatically provide this code for you once you have uploaded your image(s). Tip: The HTML code, combined with any other text that may currently be in your signature, cannot exceed 250 characters, including spaces. Remember to click on the "Submit" link at the bottom of the page to save any changes. Please consider limiting the size of your signature images.

How do I add an image to my post?: You can add an image to your post by entering the HTML code for that image/photo. The easiest way to do this is to use a free image hosting services such as www.photobucket.com that will automatically provide this code for you once you have uploaded your image(s).

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PRIVATE MESSAGING

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What is Private Messaging?: Private Messaging is a way in which you may send a private note to another forum member without needing to exchange e-mail addresses.

How do I send a private message to someone?: The easiest way to send a private message is by clicking on a memberís username wherever it appears (e.g., in one of their posts, through the "FANZONE" member directory, your "FRIENDS", etc.). When their User Profile appears, click the "Message Me" button. Alternatively, you may select the "Write to author" option beneath that memberís post. Compose your message and then press "Send private message".

How do I read my private messages?: If you receive a private message notification, simply click on it to go directly to your "Inbox". Otherwise, you may get to your "Inbox" and "Sent messages" by entering http://www.davidcookofficial.com/privatemsg in your browserís address bar, or by clicking on "MY PROFILE", then on "Message Me" and towards the bottom, left-hand side of the page you will see a blue link that says "PRIVATE MESSAGES", click on it and it will take you to your "Inbox" and to your "Sent messages". Tip: Any messages marked "new" in your "Sent messages" folder, have not yet been read by the recipient.

How do I turn on/off the ability for someone to send me "Private Messages"?: Click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Private Message Settings" and select the option you prefer.

Is there a way I can be notified via email that I have a private message waiting for me?: Yes. Click on the "Edit" tab on your "MY PROFILE" page and scroll down to the section entitled "Private Message Settings". Under the heading "Receive email for unread messages:" select "Every message."

Are private messages really private, or can TPTB read them?: A bit of a general statement about computing: Technically, the administrators of a computing system can read anything on that computing system. So, while it is not a policy of DCO to go through people's private messages, one should always use discretion when sending messages through any computing system. This advice is not specific to DCO, nor meant to imply anything about it. It is meant as generally good advice.

Do people who send me private messages see my email address?: No, they do not.

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FRIENDS / BUDDIES

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How do I add David Cook as a Buddy/Friend to my profile?: Go to David's profile page, which can be found here: http://www.davidcookofficial.com/user/davidcook and click on "ADD ME TO FRIENDS".

Is there a way to search the site for my friend(s) if I know their username?: Yes. You will find a search box in the bottom right corner of the home page. Enter your friends username in the box under "Find people on davidcookofficial.com Search by username", then press "SEARCH". Alternatively, enter http://www.davidcookofficial.com/search/user in your browser's address bar (Tip: to create a direct link to access from anywhere, bookmark this page to your browser favorites)

My Profile says that [#] number of people have added me to friends, but I donít see any friends in My Profile so, how can I find out who added me?

Type the following in your browser's address bar, substituting your user number where indicated: http://www.davidcookofficial.com/buddylist/YourUserNumberHere (click here for directions on how to find your user number)

Once you go to this page, you can select any buddy listed on the "Buddy Of" tab, go to their profile, and click on "ADD ME TO FRIENDS" to accept them as your "Buddy". If you click on their profile and see only "REMOVE ME FROM FRIENDS", then you have already added them.

Once you have added more than eight friends to your profile, a link will appear in the "FRIENDS" area in the bottom right side of your profile page that says "SEE ALL [#] FRIENDS" - if you click on it, it will take you directly to your friend/buddy page.

I logged on to My Profile and saw a list of people who added me as a friend/buddy, but then it disappeared! Now what do I do?!

Type the following in your browser address bar, substituting your user number where indicated: http://www.davidcookofficial.com/buddylist/YourUserNumberHere(click here for directions on how to find your user number)

TIP: When you receive friend/buddy notifications and wish to add these members as friends, right click on each member name and choose to open their profile in a separate browser window or tab so that you don't lose your list (which will happen once that page refreshes). Once you have added each to your friend/buddy list, you can then safely refresh your MY PROFILE page.

What is the difference between the BUDDIES and BUDDY OF?: Members listed on your "Buddies" tab are those for whom you invited to be your friend/buddy; members listed on your "Buddy of" tab are members who have invited you to be their friend/buddy.

How do I invite another forum member to be my friend/buddy?: Go to that members profile and click on "ADD ME TO FRIENDS".

How do I remove a forum member from my friend/buddy list?: Go to that members profile and click on "REMOVE ME FROM FRIENDS".

How can I tell if I have added the members for whom I'm a Buddy of to my Buddies?: If you click on their profile and see "ADD ME TO FRIENDS", you haven't, but if it says "REMOVE ME FROM FRIENDS", you have.

[Top of Page]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REGISTRATION / PASSWORDS / USERNAMES / USER NUMBERS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Are passwords case sensitive?: Yes.

I registered, but didnít get my password! Now what do I do?: If you want to activate your account, please use this link to request a new password: http://www.davidcookofficial.com/user/password. If you still do not get your password within a few minutes, please send a note from the email address you are trying to activate to webmaster@davidcookofficial.com with the word PASSWORD in the subject line. If you have submitted a technical request via private message, e-mail or forum, it has been received and the Web Nerds are working diligently to resolve these issues as soon as possible.

I forgot my password, what do I do now?: Use this link http://www.davidcookofficial.com/user/password and enter the username or email address with which you registered, then press "Email new password". DCO will generate a new temporary password for you to log in with and it will be sent to you at the email address under which you registered. Follow the instructions provided.

Are usernames case sensitive?: No.

Can I change my username?: Yes, as your user number is your unique identifier, you may change your username at any time and still maintain all settings, friends/buddies, etc. Click on the "MY PROFILE" link on the top menu of the home page or on your username anywhere it appears, then click on the "Edit" tab located to make changes. Donít forget to press "Submit" at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

What is my user number and how do I find it?: Your user number is assigned during the registration process and is how DCO identifies you. You can discover your user number a couple different ways -- when on your "My Profile" page, if you select the "Edit" tab, your user number will appear as part of the URL in the address bar of your browser, and if you hover your mouse over the "Message Me" link in your profile, you will see your user number in the status bar at the bottom of your browser window.

Can I change the email address with which I registered?: Yes. Click on the "MY PROFILE" link on the top menu of the home page or on your username anywhere it appears, then click on the "Edit" tab located to make changes. Don't forget to press "Submit" at the bottom of the page to save your changes.

[Top of Page]

DavidCookOfficial.com

FAQ

Buy It