DAFNE Online - Help

This Help section contains information to get you started with using DAFNE Online Click a link below to be taken to the information for that help topic.

Navigating the site
Creating a user account (Signing Up)
Logging in and out of the site
About the Forums
Posting on the Forums
Changing your settings
Contacting DAFNE Online
Using the Blood Glucose Diary


Navigating the site

You can access the majority of the site's features via the navigation bar which is at the top of every page in the site. When you are not logged in, it will look similar to this:

Navigation bar when user is not logged in

And when you are logged in with your own username and password (see Creating a user account (Signing Up) for information on how to create these), the navigation bar will look like this:

Navigation bar when user is logged in

Note that your own username will be displayed in the navigation bar where the above image has "username". To access the site features using this navigation bar, click the text corresponding to that feature (also known as a "link").

The site also has links in other areas, such as in a section of text, which appears like this. Some pages also give you access to a "Fast Menu", which will be to the right of a page's main body of text.


Creating a user account (Signing Up)

To access certain features in the site, such as the ability to post messages on the forum, and reading the online DAFNE handbook, you must first log in with a username and password, which uniquely identify you to other users on the site. To create a username and password, follow these steps:

  1. On any DAFNE Online page, click on the 'Signup' link in the navigation bar at the top of the page.
  2. You should see a "Signup to DAFNE Online" page, with boxes that allow you to type text in. In the 'username' box, enter a username. This will be used to uniquely identify you when logging in to the site, and when posting messages on the forums.
  3. Enter your email address. You must have access to this as it is used later in the registration process to activate your account.
  4. Optionally, enter a display name. This will be displayed instead of your username when posting messages on the forums.
  5. To be verified as a DAFNE Gradute you must enter a course code. These can be obtained from your DAFNE Course Instructors upon completing the course. If you do not have a code right now, you may enter one after creating your account via the Settings page.
  6. Finally, enter a password twice in the appropriate boxes. This is used when logging in to verify your username.
  7. Click the 'Sign Up!' button to submit your registration details.
  8. After a few seconds, you should be redirected to the site's welcome page. Check your email inbox for an email from DAFNE Online. Please note you will not be able to log in to the site until you have activated your account via the link in this email.
  9. In this email, click the link to activate your account. This is necessary to allow you to login.
  10. You will now be able to log in with the username and password that you supplied earlier.

Logging in and out of the site

Once you have created a user account using the steps above, you must log in to be able to access site features such as posting messages on the forums and viewing the DAFNE Handbook. To log in use the following instructions. Please note you will not be able to log in to the site until you have activated your account via the link in the email that you receive after sighing up.

  1. On any DAFNE Online page, click on the 'Login' link in the navigation bar at the top of the page. If you cannot see this link, you are already logged in.
  2. You should see a "Login" page, with boxes that allow you to type text in. In the 'username' box, enter the username that you chose during the 'Signup' process.
  3. Enter your password in the 'password' box.
  4. Click the 'Login' button to submit your details.
  5. If you have entered your details correctly you should now see your username in the navigation bar.
  6. If you have forgotten your password, click the "Reset Password" to the right of the login button. You can then enter your email address and a new password will be emailed to you.

Once you have finished your browsing session, click the "Logout" link to log your user account out of the site.


About the Forums

The forums on DAFNE Online are an integral part of the site and allow users to share their experiences with others as well as provide help and advice. You can access them via the "Forums" link on the navigation bar at the top of every page in the site. Concepts within the forums are further explaned below.

Forums - When you first click the "Forums" link you are presented with a list of all of the forums within DAFNE Online. A forum is a web-based discussion area for a specific (broad) topic. This allows categorization of discussions started by site users, so that users can browse to the 'right place' for the subject they are looking for. Example forums in our site are 'Site Development' and 'General'.

Topics - From the listing of all forums within the site, if you click on a forum's name you are presented with a list of Topics within that forum. A topic is a thread of discussion started by a user of the site. Usually they are asking for input on a specific subject from other site users. This might be a question about Carb Counting, or Insulin Adjustment, or even coping with Complications.

On the list of topics, to the right of a topic name you can see who the last person to contribute to that topic was, and when they made that contribution. Topics are sorted with the newest ones nearer the top of the page.

Posts - A post is an individual users viewpoint within a topic. When you click on a Topic, you will then see a list of posts made by users (in the order in which they were made).

To the left of a user's post you can see information about them, such as their name and whether they are a DAFNE Graduate or HCP. If you click on their name you will be taken to their personal page.

Sticky - a sticky post is one that will always appear at the top appear at the top of a list of posts within a forum, so that users can see it even if it is an old one. Sticky posts are usually posted by Administrators or Moderators.

Locked - A Locked topic means replies cannot be posted to it, often because it is an announcement by the Site Administrators/Moderators.


Posting on the Forums

If you decide you wish to contribute to discussion on the forums, you can do it in one of two ways, either by Creating a new topic, or adding to an existing topic.

Creating a new topic - If you decide you want to create a new discussion topic, first choose the forum in which you think the discussion is appropriate, or the 'General' forum if there is no specific forum. Navigate to that forum's list of topics.

Once you can see the list of forum topics, click the 'New Topic' link to the bottom left of the topic list. You must be logged in to see this link. You will now see a "New Topic" page.

Enter a relavant title for your topic or question, and then the body of the topic. When you are happy with the content click the "Post Topic" button to save your topic and share it with other users

Adding to an existing topic - Whilst you are viewing a topic, you may wish to add your own comments to that topic. Click the "Reply to topic" link near the bottom of the list of posts in that topic. You must be logged in to see this link.

In the "Reply" box, enter your reply into the text box and click "Save Reply". Your comments will now be added to the discussion topic. Note that some long topics may span multiple pages in the site, and you can use the links at the top and bottom of the list of posts in these topics to navigate to the different pages.


Changing your settings

To change your site settings, such as password, email, display name and personal information, click the "Settings" link in the top navigation bar. You will only see this link if you are logged in.

Changing email/password - If you wish to change your email address only, enter your old password twice in the password box. If you wish to change your password, enter your new password twice in the password box. After you have made your changes, click the "Change Email or Password" button to save them.

Changing your DAFNE Centre - If you have been given a DAFNE Centre Code, enter it in the "Centre Code" box and click the "Update DAFNE Centre" button. If the code is correct you will be granted access to the 'Graduate' area of the site.

Updading User Profile - To add information to your user profile, use the large box at the bottom of the form. This is intended to allow you to tell other site users information about yourself. When they click on your name in the forums they will see the information that you write here. Click the "Update Profile" button to save your changes here.


Contacting DAFNE Online

If you wish to get in touch with the site administrators for any reason, be it to report a problem, request a new feature, provide feedback or give praise (we like that!), then use the "Contact DAFNE Online" link near the bottom of every page on the site. Alternatively, you can email [email protected] directly.

Blood Glucose Diary

The Online Blood Glucose Diary help can be found here