Restriction Before Post New Thread

[avk]

Dear Forum Moderators and Administrators,
Hellow to All M&A.
I am a excel forum family member from 2007. Its very greatful experience during this period.

I have notice that, most new members not attach sample workbook, they showing sheet screenshot, also some of post duplicate post on very small duration time (in same day, by same member).

Is this possible, without sample file, new thread not posted in forum. (To restricted to post)
(compulsory for attach sample excel file, with mentioning original before data & after required data)

Also same applicable for duplicate post. In this case can be possible to pop up message, to show with earlier posted forum links, depends on subject. And first preference for showing popup msg [solved] thread.

[kasan]

Hi, avk!
Your proposal seems a bit agressive, imho. Current Rules does not require attachment as a must, but it's mentioned that "it would be nice to have if you wish to get faster answer".
All new membres should read Rules before they post and if they would = they should get better understanding of What to post and How to post, but (my guess) most of them do it only after Mods or Admin blocks their posts.
Do you agree that not all of the posts really needs attached sample file? There are lots of general topics/questions about excel to ask.

[Doc.AElstein]

Hi avk
I personally have spent much frustrating time trying to encourage new members to include a Workbook or give screen shots copyable to a Worksheet, should I feel that that would help to clarify the OPs requirements.
I think no amount of Rules or aggressive measures would be effective based on my experience.
I think it is just Human nature to rush in with a post, without taking the time to check up on the Forum Rules and Posting techniques.

The only effective approach, I find, is to inform the OP as clearly and as politely as possible about the usefulness of reading the Rules, testing posting techniques etc.
For those of us at “Expert level” we get some “Canned Replies” available to us to help save some time. After some discussion they were made to be less aggressive recently, and , In my opinion , that was helpful.
CannedReplies.jpg http://imgur.com/JTS0JE1
I am not too keen on a moderator saying that an OP confirms before anyone should help the OP further. However, a good compromise in such a case is to post a reply to inform the OP that you think you can help, and will do so when he conforms to the Moderator request, ( assuming you think you can help him with his particular problem ).

Even before this was available to me, I used similar things, that is to say i had typical replies to new OPs stored on a Word File so as to save me time in such cases. . I collected a few here in case anyone else could find them helpful to use: http://www.excelforum.com/developmen...d-replies.html



There are many cases ( if not all ) when this encouraging of to read Rules and prepare / practice posts correctly needs to be done many times before the OP gets the point. .... So, avk , I do feel your pain and sympathise. - I hope it does not discourage you from doing the great job of helping that you are doing

But just my opinion, : Aggressive measures in such cases rarely have any effect other than detrimental . Most of my OPs are such first time ( or second, or third,... or forth......!!... ) posters. Most have managed to finally get the point. ( I do often feel that one needs to mind read and speak all languages sometimes, Lol..., so I do feel your pain )


Alan


P.s. if you check out some of the recent Threads in this Sub Forum (Suggestions for Improvement) and the similar The Water Cooler you will see that some of us went to great lengths to finally get a bit done recently by the management to fix some major problems.
Some members sadly may have left due to the many, many problems. Some members may not have realised that the attachment icon was broken, so again that could partly explain them posting Images. Once again it means we sometimes have to work harder to get the Posting techniques across, which like you probably, I find can be very frustrating. Many duplicate threads were also caused by the software problems, ( but not usually with a larger time interval between – many of our Mods and others work hard to catch and warn of the deliberate Duplicated posts, ( and Cross posting, which could be much worse, if many members diid not catch those ) )
It may be unwise to introduce any measures just now that are too aggressive for that reason also – so maybe wait a bit and see how the Forum software improvement of late goes first.
A few problems have been solved, if the paperclip attachment problem is solved, then maybe we can be a bit more insistent on them not using images that we cannot easily work with.
So once again, please do not be put off. It is great that you take an interest.