====== Flashcoders Etiquette  ======

===== Research before asking ===== 

RTFM ([[http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/mx2004/index.html|Read The Flash Manual]]) first. Check the [[http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/search.html|archives]] and [[http://groups.google.com/groups?q=macromedia.flash|search Google Groups]]. Most of the questions have already been answered 100 times.

===== No sitechecks ===== 

FlashCoders is just plain and simply not the place for sitechecks. If you need to post a sitecheck you may want to look into [[Flasher-L]]

===== Thread Title ===== 

Make your thread title **short** and descriptive. Remember it often gets truncated, so get your message across in the first few words. **Don't:** "Help! problem with Flash". **Do** "Failed method inheritance with onEnterFrame".

===== Asking a question ===== 

Clearly state **what** the problem is, **when** it happens and **how** to reproduce it. Also inform of any failed fixes you have already tried. Describing the results you were expecting to see can be helpful.

===== Offering a solution ===== 

Explain **what** caused the problem. Explain **how** to fix/work around it.

===== Did you solve your problem? ===== 

Share the solution with the list. Reply to the thread appending [SOLUTION] to the question. Explain and exemplify the solution.

===== Check your code ===== 

**Always** test your code before posting. Don't waste helpful people's time with typos, syntax errors and omissions. Leave your code in native AS format and use helpful comments.

===== Keep it coding =====

There are [[http://www.macromedia.com/support/flash/|plenty of other places]] to talk about general Flash topics, and [[http://groups.google.com/grphp?hl=en|even more places]] to talk about non-Flash topics.

===== "Only speak when it improves the silence." ===== 

Each email is a request for the time of other people... they have to spend at least some time with it, even if it's just to delete your message unread. If you post too much, without offering corresponding value for the reading, then you risk diminishing the community, and risk getting yourself [[http://groups.google.ca/groups?q=what+is+killfiled&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&selm=37aa0fa6%40news.iprolink.co.nz|killfiled]] in the process.

===== Be helpful ===== 

You can learn a lot of things by solving someone's problem, but try not to hurt more than you can help.   Test your solutions before proffering them and you will discover as much as the person you are assisting.

===== No Receipts ===== 

Turn off "request read/delete" receipts in your email client.

===== No "test" messages, please =====  

We really don't need to know you're having problems with your email. Show a little consideration and send your test message to yourself or to a friend - don't send it to 2000+ very busy people.

===== Trim your posts ===== 

Try to reduce the message you quote to the necessary minimum, at least remove the default footer.