[Solved] Unclear about subscribe procedure

[sgull]

In the FAQ of this forum, it says the following as an answer to the question "How do I subscribe to a topic or forum?"

'To subscribe to a specific forum, click the “Subscribe forum” link upon entering the forum. To subscribe to a topic, reply to the topic with the subscribe checkbox checked or click the “Subscribe topic” link within the topic itself.'

Well I notice that at the bottom of the screen page when reading the various posts on a topic that there is a checkbox called subscribe to topic that seems to be checked all the time whenever I am reading any topic, even if I never actually chose to "subscribe" to it. But what is throwing me off even more is when I go into the User Control Panel and view the forums and topics to which I am subscribed to, it always says I am subscribed to none.

What am I missing as far as the process by which one sets it up so that whenever they want an email notification of a new post on a topic in a particular forum they will get one (which is what I understand is the meaning of being "subscribed")?

thanks

[DrewJensen]

OK - to use the subscribe to forum feature you must be browsing the forum index, not reading a particular topic thread. You will see the option available then.

However, the way it works is not quite what you might expect. When you subscribe you will get an email the next time a new Topic or Reply to a Topic is made on that forum - you will not receive another email for that forum until you have read the post that caused the first email to be sent.

In other words you do not get flooded with emails for every post made to the forum - a good thing, unless of course that is what you want.

OK - you can subscribe to a particular topic as you have already seen, just click on the "Subscribe to topic" link when reading the thread. The check mark is just ornamental...*chuckling*. When you do this you will receive emails for posts to this topic thread, following the same rules as subscribing to a forum. In other words you get a single email if say 3 posts are made in between your visit to the thread.

You can also bookmark a topic thread if you prefer - useful if you just want to find the topic again in your UCP.

[sgull]

The check mark is just ornamental...*chuckling*.

Okay, thanks for the info on how to subscribe. I think I get it now.
Except the part about the check mark being ornamental (really!). If the checkmark is always checked but you really didn't choose to subscribe, then that is confusing to me, that part I don't get.

[DrewJensen]

If you are actually subscribed you will see the checkmark change to an x.

Edit: Also the text will change to Unsubscribe Topic