So this is the new site. But how does it work?
We’ve put together a guide to the main features and functions on the site to help you get started. If you can’t find your answer here then send us an email. We’ll do everything we can to help you out.
Registration and log in
How do I register?
I was a member on the old site. Can I log in with my old details?
I’ve lost my password. What do I do?
How do I log out?
My Page
What can I see on My Page?
How do I change my settings?
How do I change my profile picture?
What is my mini-feed?
What is my wall?
How do I use private messages?
Forums
Can I see all the posts I made on the old site?
What happens when I report a topic or report a reply?
How do I add links to my post?
How do I add images to my post?
Photos
How do I upload photos?
What is the maximum file size?
How do I delete photos?
Videos
How do I upload videos?
What are the accepted video file formats?
What is the maximum file size?
How do I delete videos?
Groups
What are groups?
How do I create a group?
How do I join a group?
What are the features in groups?
How do I create an event?
How do I delete a group?
Members
What is the members page?
How do I make someone my friend?
Tags
What are tags?
How do I view tags?
Registration and log-in
How do I register?
You can register from the homepage by clicking on Join the Community. In the pop-up window you will be asked to create a user name, password and provide an email address. Click on New Account and your registration is complete. You will now be taken to your own profile page where you can choose to provide more information about yourself. I was a member on the old site.
Can I log in with my old details?
Yes! Your username and password have been brought across to the new site and should work just fine. If you decide to create a new account will need to provide a different email address to the one you originally registered with. If you have any problems logging in with your existing information please contact us for help.
I’ve lost my password. What do I do?
On the homepage, click on the ‘Forgot Your Password?’ link. You will be asked to provide your email address for this account. Click on ‘OK’ and then check your email inbox. A new password will have been emailed to you, which you can use to log in.
How do I log out?
On the homepage there is a prominent ‘log-out’ button on the right side of the page. Click on this and you will be logged out of the site.
My Page
What can I see on My Page?
The My Page part of MX-5.com is like your personal dashboard. It is also the place you can edit your own profile information and pick up private messages from your friends and contacts. Here’s what you can see:
- Latest visitors: the site members who have recently visited your page
- Friends: your list of friends on the site
- Profile information: Name, age, location, birthday. You can also edit these settings from here
- Tags: the tags you have used to describe the pics, videos and other stuff you’ve put in the site
- Quick links: Links to your photos, friends and clubs
- Latest images: the most recent pictures you have uploaded
- Videos: the most recent videos you have added to the site
How do I change my settings?
Click on ‘Edit Settings’ on your profile page. From here, you can change your first name, last name, birthday, location (live in), gender and profile image. You can also click on Edit Account to change your password or registered email address.
How do I change my profile picture?
On ‘My Page, click on Edit Settings. From here you can provide a new profile image by selecting one from your computer. The system will attempt to resize it to fit the 100x100 size used on profile images.
What is my mini-feed?
Your mini-feed is a record of your activity on the site and a quick way to see what your friends have been doing. For example, it records what pictures and videos you have been uploading and forum posts you have been making.
What is my wall?
Your wall is a place that friends can leave publicly viewable messages for you. It’s way of keeping in touch with your contacts on the site.
How do I use private messages?
You can use private messages to send messages to other members of the site. On ‘My Page’ you will see an Inbox link. From here you can see messages in your inbox, messages you have sent and create new messages.
Forums
Can I see all the posts I made on the old site?
Yes. All the posts and threads created on the previous incarnation of mx-5.com have been pulled across to the new site. So you should be able to see anything that you've posted previously.
What happens when I report a topic or report a reply?
Reporting is a feature that enables members to alert the mods of dodgy or suspicious posts that may contravene the rules of the site. We rely on you guys to help keep the place happy and safe. Alerts are sent to the mods who will act on them as quickly as possible.
How do I add links to my post?
When you are writing a new post, highlight the words you want to be linked and click on the little chain icon in the menu. Add the URL for the page you want to link to and click on insert.
How do I add images to my post?
Photos and pictures can be added to posts by linking to images in the photo gallery or images you have stored elsewhere on the internet. To add a picture from you photo gallery, browse to the gallery and right-click on the image you want to add. If you are using Internet Explorer, select Properties, and copy the URL for the photo from this window. If you are in Firefox, select Copy Image Location. Now return to the forums and within your post, click on the icon which looks a little like a tree. Add the URL for your image and click on post. Your image should now be included in your post.
Photos
How do I upload photos?
Photos can be uploaded from the Photos section of the site. Firstly, click on New Image Gallery. This is a bi t like creating a new album for a set of pictures. Give your Gallery a name, provide a description, choose a category and add any relevant tags. Click on Save and your new Gallery will be created, ready to add photos to.
Now, click on Upload to choose files from your computer to add to the Gallery. Give them titles and tags then click on Upload (you can add up to three pictures at a time). Your photos will now appear on the site for other users to view.
What is the maximum file size?
Your photos can be up to 1MB in size but we would recommend you go for much smaller file sizes as this will cut down the time it takes to upload them to the site. Photos can be in JPEG and GIF formats.
How do I delete photos?
To remove one of your pictures, just click on the delete button which appears underneath your picture. This will remove it from the website.
Videos
How do I upload videos?
You can share videos with other site members by uploading them within the Video section of the site. Click on the Upload Video button and a pop-up window will appear. Select the video from your computer and give it a description (Presentation text) and title. You can also select a category and give the video tags. Once you have added this info, click on save to upload the video. It will now appear in the video section of the site.
What are the accepted video file formats?
Your videos can be in any of the following file types: AVI, MOV, MKV, ASF, MP4 and 3GP. Video codecs supported: DivX, Xvid, H.264, WMV, MPEG2 and MSMPEG4. Sorensen Audio codecs supported: MP3, AAC, WMA and AC3. Video Resolution: Max. 320x240.
What is the maximum file size?
The maximum file size for videos is 30MB. It’s worth remembering that large videos may take a few minutes to upload so you may need to be patient. Uploaded videos are automatically encoded into flash-video, which is a friendly format for the web and makes viewing fast and easy.
How do I delete videos?
To remove one of your videos, just click on the delete button which appears underneath your video. This will remove it from the website.
Groups
What are groups?
Groups are a way for members who share an interest or background to have a little bit of the website to chat about their common passion. For example, you may choose to set up a group around a location (East Midlands or Netherlands), an MX-5 special edition or a particular interest (iPod modifications). Another good use of groups is to manage an event such as a drive day or fundraising event.
How do I create a group?
From the groups page, click on Create Club. In the pop-window, give your group a name and decide whether you want it to be open (anyone can join) or closed (you get to decide on joiners). Describe what your group is for in the Presentation box and choose a suitable picture for your Presentation image. Finally, you can select a category for your group and give it some tags. Click on Save and your group will be created.
As the originator of the group, you have the authority to decide which members can join - if you set your group to 'closed'. Requests for membership will then appear in your inbox on your profile page.
How do I join a group?
Joining a group is easy. From the groups page, you can search or browse all current groups. When you see one you like, just click on the Join Group link. If the group is 'open', your memebrship will be instant; if the group is 'closed', the group owner will need to approve your request.
What are the features in groups?
Groups have many of the features you also see on your profile page: the wall (for group-related messages), images, a mini-forum, a memebrs' list and events pages (explained in detail below).
How do I create an event?
Events are one of the most relevent and useful features of the groups section. It's a great way to organise and publicise an upcoming event you may be planning.
To create an event. firstly click on Events then the New Event link. For an event, you must provide a name, location, start time, end time and a number for maximum registrations (even if it is unlimited). You may also choose to provide an organiser name, event description and event image. Click on Save to save your event.
How do I delete a group?
To delete a group, just click on the delete link next to group's details on the groups page.
Members
What is the members page?
The members page lists all the members of MX-5.com. It means you easily find your friends and view other members' profiles.
How do I make someone my friend?
When you view another member's profile, there is a link to Request a Friend. Click on this and the other member will see the request when they log in to their own profile page. If they ‘accept’, then you will be added as each other’s friend.
Tags
What are tags?
Tags are a way of relating the stuff you put on the site to a particular topic. Whenever you upload a picture or video, start a group or post to the forum, you have the opportunity to provide tags. These tags may be to do with the type of MX-5, a location, a theme or any other words you think describe the piece of content you have added.
How do I view tags?
Tags become another way of finding useful and interesting information on the site - and can be viewed from the tags page. By clicking on a word or phrase, you can see all content on the site that has been tagged with that word, for example, Essex, 2nd-generation or road-trips.