Knowledge Base/Site Support

How do I post a question to the forums?

Dan LeFebvre
posted this on May 23, 2011 14:25

When posting a question to the forums there are a few things that, if included, will help get your question answered faster. So while this isn't a verbatim for what you should post, by adding as much of the following information to your post as possible will help our staff, instructors and other Connect members answer your questions faster.

Please keep in mind that you must first have a forum account before creating a new post. If you need assistance setting up a forum account, please view the video below by clicking this link. If you need assistance in posting a new topic please follow the screenshots below or by clicking this link.

 

Suggested things to include in your question

Your post may include any number of things, so while the following items certainly aren't required they can be helpful and by extension assist Digital-Tutors staff, instructors and other Connect members answer your question faster.
  • The course you're following.

    Please be as descriptive as possible.
      Example: Instead of just "Intro to Maya", saying "Introduction to Maya 2011" is helpful as there is also an "Introduction to Maya 2009" that covers different topics.
  • The lesson within the course you have a question about.

    If you're having an issue with a specific part in the lesson please include the approximate time code.
      Example: Instead of just "Lesson #10", including the time code of "Lesson #10 at about 1:20" lets others know precisely what steps you're attempting to follow when you came across the issue.
  • The software you're using.

    Please include the version number.
      Example: Instead of just "Maya", "Maya 2009" is helpful as there are many changes between software versions and it could be possible that the issue you came across is related to the version you're using.
  • Do you get an error message?

      Example: Instead of "Maya is giving me an error message", saying "I'm getting the error message PAR 0.n error 021017: msg send to host X failed".
  • If possible, post a screenshot or two of the issue.

    If you're not sure how to post a screenshot, please see this Helpdesk article.


  • With all of the above examples, here's an example of a vague post and a good post about the same question.

    Example of a vague post: Hello! I'm following the rendering course and when I try to render I get an error. What am I doing wrong?

    Example of a good post: Hello! I've been following the Rendering Interiors with mental ray and Maya 2011 course and yesterday I was able to render without a problem. However, today when I pick up at lesson #13 at about 2:30 when I try to render I'm getting the error PAR 0.n error 021017: msg send to host X failed. I've attached a screenshot of what's occurring when I hit the "Render Preview" button. What am I doing wrong?

 

Creating a forum account

 

Steps to post a new topic

Step 01 To access the forums, click on the "Connect" tab at the top of the site or by clicking on the "Connect With Us" button.
Please note: You must be logged into your account and have a forum account prior to posting to the forums. If you don't have a forum account and need assistance setting one up, please click here to watch a Help video on how to set one up.

Click on the Connect tab

Step 02 Click on the Forum tab to open a list of all the forums

Click on the Forum tab

Step 03 Find the forum you'd like to post your question in
Please note: Forums are organized based off software and subcategory (e.g., Modeling, Animation, etc.). For example, if you have a modeling question about Maya, please post it in the Maya Modeling forum. If you're not sure where to post your question, feel free to post it in the General Area and ask a Moderator to move it to the appropriate category for you.

Find the forum to post your question

Step 04 Once you've chosen which forum you'd like to post your question to, click the "Post New Thread" button

Click the Post New Thread button

Step 05 Give your post a title
Please note: The more descriptive your Title, the better the chance that it will be seen and answered.

Give your post a title

Step 06 Type in your question
Please note: If you are following a specific course or lesson, please be sure to include the course title and lesson number in your post. If you're not sure what you should include in your question, click here for a few suggested items to include.

Type your question

Step 07 Click "Submit New Thread" to post your question
Please note: If you haven't posted to the forums before, the first few posts are moderated to help eliminate spam from our forums. So if you don't see your post right away, this is perfectly normal and it will appear once a Moderator has approved the post. Feel free to contact a Moderator if you feel this process is taking too long.

Type your question