Quality Guide Formatting Your Support Thread

[Dote 9]

 It's been obvious that these days, users asking support for the same question a million times, and complaining they are being ignored. "No, you are not ignored", it's just that your topic literally doesn't make any sense, so that anyone could ever try to help you sort the issue. Below is a basic guideline structuring your support thread so that it's informative, and helpful to the users who are wishing to help you sort things out!

 

1. Support Topic Title

The topic title is a very important part of your support thread. It filters out users who can help you and who can't. A topic must be short and informative. You must be able to convey to the viewers about the help you really need support for. It must contain a prefix or suffix that states the type of media-server it runs with - AS2 or AS3, Server source or Emulator it's powered by - Kitsune or Luna or Nitro or RBSE or Times or Sweater or etc., It must convey the very exact problem with your issue. Below is an example.

Take for example, you need support with your server (say for example Kitsune) being crashed when you try to buy an item, and suppose for example you use AS2 Media-server (Logically taking it that you use kitsune as2). Below is an example of such topic title

Quote

Kitsune AS2 - Server crash buying an item [AS2]

The above title is what users who support you actually need, but what most users post is

Quote

Kitsune Unable to buy item [AS2]

The above title literally explains nothing. And users will be annoyed to even look at your spport topic to get you any help. Also, it's very good if you post a small crunchy part of the error you get in the title, for example

Quote

Kitsune AS2 - Server crash buying an item (PHP Error, calling member function on non-member) [AS2]

 

2. Support Topic Body

Here's what the crutial part is. You've set up the title so apt that users have an idea on what to help you with. So all you have to do in the body part is, give more details of your error. Usually for server sided support it's good to embeded your console error, error lines in a spoiler. Alternatively pasting a good quality (visible) picture or screenshot of your error is worth a lot.

Below is an example for the same scenario with the title.

Quote

 

Kitsune AS2 - Server crash buying an item (PHP Error, calling member function on non-member) [AS2]

Solero, I need a bit of help with my kitsune being crashed while trying to buy an item. Am not really able to fix this issue and it's something PHP related am not familiar with. So I seek for your help. As the title explains there's a PHP error as described below

[HERE'S WHERE YOU POST YOUR PICTURE OR SPOILER, AM POSTING A SPOILER]

PHP Notice:  Trying to get property of non-object in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php
PHP Warning:  Creating default object from empty value in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php in line 22
PHP Fatal error:  Call to undefined property Penguin::inventory in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php in line 22

And as soon as that error pops out, the server crashes and client gets disconnects. Am sure it's a kitsune-related problem. Please help me, thanks!

Cheers,

Poster!

 

2

There is literally no more explanation needed regarding that, but there's yet one more thing to do. It's good if you post few lines before and after that line where the error occurs. Like

Quote

 

Solero, I need a bit of help with my kitsune being crashed while trying to buy an item. Am not really able to fix this issue and it's something PHP related am not familiar with. So I seek for your help. As the title explains there's a PHP error as described below

[HERE'S WHERE YOU POST YOUR PICTURE OR SPOILER, AM POSTING A SPOILER]

PHP Notice:  Trying to get property of non-object in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php
PHP Warning:  Creating default object from empty value in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php in line 22
PHP Fatal error:  Call to undefined property Penguin::inventory in /Kitsune/Kitsune/ClubPenguin/Handlers/Play/Items.php in line 22

And as soon as that error pops out, the server crashes and client gets disconnects. Am sure it's a kitsune-related problem. Below are few lines of that error traceback.

protected function handleBuyInventory($socket) {
	$penguin = $this->penguins[$socket];
	$itemId = Packet::$Data[2];
	
	if(!isset($this->items[$itemId])) {
		return $penguin->send("%xt%e%-1%402%");
	} elseif(in_array($itemId, $penguin->inventory)) { // Here's where error occurs
		return $penguin->send("%xt%e%-1%400%");
	}
	
	$cost = $this->items[$itemId];
	if($penguin->coins < $cost) {
		return $penguin->send("%xt%e%-1%401%");
	} else {
		$penguin->addItem($itemId, $cost);
	}
}

 

Please help me, thanks!

Cheers,

Poster!

 

Now, you might follow a person who's trying to help you with it. Nothing is more necessary than the above for anyone knowledged about it to help you with.

 

Thanks!

 

I request this topic to be locked!

[Adam 25]

This is great, but Ben's already made a post on this.