Code Tags and new members

[Yongle]

Dear Moderators ...

Can anything be done to improve this ongoing issue?
Many new members either do not read forum gudelines & rules or have bad memories
- their code is frequently not included inside code tags (which is a nuisance for anyone trying to help)

Suggestion:
Does the forum have the facility to serve new members (say fewer than 10 posts) a screen message ?
message = "remember to use code tags if posting any VBA code" and "click on <vba/> and paste code between the tags"
and they should ideally see the message after pressing button to create a new thread and before starting to type

Alternative suggestion if above suggestion not feasible:
Add a button next to Report Post
The button would send a simple private message from Forum Admin to the person who posted
Message text - as above
Consider making button available to any long-standing member

 

[Peter_SSs]

Hi

I understand your frustration. However, I'm not sure if anything like that would be feasible. Even it it was, then there would be basically the same issue in relation to many of the forum rules/guidelines:
- not posting duplicate questions
- not including Excel version
- not posting sample data with XL2BB or some other copyable form
- not private messaging questions
- not cross-posting without links
- not posting in the correct forum
- etc

It would be hard to cover them all.
New members are required to agree to the forum rules (which does not actually cover code tags) before their account is activated but in reality many are just desperate to get their question posted and answered so the rules quickly ignored. I'm sure that I was the same when I first joined to ask a question.

It is a constant task to 'educate' new (& some long-term) members & in general they do get better over time. There are just so many new members all the time - which really is a good thing or we would run out of questions to answer.

I'm sure you don't really need reminding but of course if it does annoy you too much you can just move on to another thread that is posted in a way that are happy with.

 

[Yongle]

I does no harm to ask - thanks for the reply which is sadly what I expected

 

[Peter_SSs]

I does no harm to ask

That's for sure.

sadly what I expected

Mine is not the definitive answer as I am not sure what everything the software is capable of so you never know what may turn up.