The "My Info" button at the top of the screen,over to the left, is how you access your User CP (User Control Panel).

Your User CP allows you to modify many different things that characterize you as well as how the site is presented to you.

This is your "base" location on the site. If you want to change something, and believe it is something you should be able to change, it is likely in here.

Some User Control Panels appear differently to another user. That is because some users have additional section you may not have yet. These are features they have either earned or purchased through a subscription.

If any of the following categories do not display in your User CP, thats normal. They will eventually appear if you remain active on the site or purchase a subscription.

Settings and Options
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The Settings and Options is a section that everyone has. This is where you get to upload your profile and avatar image. You get to set your signature (if you have that feature) that will be ammended to every post, and many more things.

• Edit Signature
  As the link depicts, this is where you can set up a signature that will attach itself to all of your posts.

• Edit Email and Password
  If you feel someone may have aquired your password, or just wish to change it, this is where it is done. You can also use this page to update your email address.

• Edit Profile
  If you joined the HC Network to meet and converse with people that share in this hobby, you should take a moment to add some information to this page. This page is where you get to describe yourself to the other users. We all know that we are interested in reptiles. This is a great place to find people with even further interests of yours. It also adds a touch of community to the HC network, and this is something we are striving for.

• Edit Options
  These are your site controls. This is where you can modify how you and the site interact. You can set your timezone, PM and Email preferences, various thread display options, and more!

• Edit Avatar
  This location allows you to upload an avatar. To understand what an avatar is, and how to use them, please read this: Avatars

• Edit Profile Picture
  Profile pictures are "self portraits". This is where you can upload an image of yourself so others can "see" who they are chatting with. This is another aspect of creating a community. If you wish too, you can view the members that have uploaded an image here: Member Pics
  
  (Pictures that are NOT of you will be deleted from the profile section. Please only use pictures of yourself and not your pets. You can create an avatar as described in the link for anything else.)

Private Messages
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Private Messaging is the in-house equivalent of email. Private Messages (PM's) are used to carry on personal conversations with other members, and is also the preferred method used by the moderating staff for communicating with members.

To learn more about our private message system, please read this: Private Messaging

• List Messages
  This link will list any messages you have in your mail box.

• Send New Message
  This link will forward you to the Private message form. This is where you can send a member a PM.

• Track Messages
  If you have this feature, you can track if a PM has been read by the recipient. This is a great feature for when you send something that is time sensitive.

• Edit Folders
  All good systems require the ability to save contacts. To do so, we also need to add a folder feature to keep them organized! This is your folder feature! Create the folders you wish to store your messages in, if you do that is, and just save them to your folders.

HC Blogs
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HC Blogs is a Blogging "Journal" System that lets our members share and discuss diary-type commentary and links to articles or other web sites. HC Blogs contains the most popular features found in any Blog System today. This system supports Blog listing, user journals, categories, tags, favorites, subscriptions, comments, ratings, custom fields, content blocks, syndication, and much more!

• Favorite Entries
  If you have been reading from the blogs, you have the ability to save the entries as "favorites" for quick access at a later time. You can find the option to add an entry to your favorites list by looking under the "Entry Tools" dropdown menu. If you have any favorites being stored, this is where they will be displayed.

• Blog Subscriptions
  If you have found a particular blog that seems to have interesting reading all the time, you may want to subscribe to it. This will keep you posted on when this blog has added new entries! Once you are subscribed, you will find the list here.

• Entry Subscriptions
  Like the blog subscriptions, this allows you the ability to subscribe to a particular entry. This way, you can be informed of new posts under the entry!

Subscribed Threads
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• List Subscriptions
  This will list any of the threads that you have subscribed to in the forums. You can edit and remove the subscriptions from this location as well.

• Edit Folders
  To help keep things organized, you can create folders for storing the threads you are subscribed to. This is ideal for keeping "Bearded dragon" threads and "Cornsnake" threads separate.

Miscellaneous
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• Event Reminders
  The calendar that the site uses allows you to store information you deem important. This includes events. You can add an event to the calendar and set a notification for it. This is where you will find all of the events you have notifications for!

• Paid Subscriptions
  This is where you can purchase a subscription to access all of the additional features we have to offer. For this small purchase, you help to asure the HC network of its existance as well as gain some added features and toys. Its a win - win situation!

• Friend / Ignore List
  This is where you keep track of friends and users that annoy you. The friends are users on the site that you keep in touch with. By adding them to your friends list, they display in your profile and help you create a network of "friends'. The ignore list is just the opposite. If there is a member that is bothering you, and you wish for them to stop contacting you, simply add them to the ignore list! No more pm's and no more threads by this user will display!

• Attachments
  This will list any attachments you may have uploaded directly to the site! You can remove any attachments as you see fit!

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