Please Help Me With Setting Up Ping Lists

Help Request | 2/2/06 | PittsburghAfterDark

[PittsburghAfterDark]

I've been on FR for a number of years as a lurker and just started writing contributions.

One of my posts had users asking me or recommending me to set them up on a ping list.

I am very new to this aspect of message boards and really don't understand what ping lists are, what they mean, what they do but have seen PING! as replies in several threads.

So can anyone help this FR newb out with some technical and practical advice?

[BreitbartSentMe]

I don't have a ping list, but from what I remember posters saying is that some of them keep them in Word or WordPad, it's just a text file that lists the FReeper names, each separated by a semi-colon (;). Then, when you want to 'ping' the group to your new thread, after you post it, hit the Reply button and copy/paste the ping list into the To: field at the top.

[faq]

You ping someone by typing their name in the reply. That person will see they have a new message ("New Posts to You") and will be directed to your thread. A ping list is just multiple names.

[backhoe]

While I haven't kept ping lists ( aside from the fundraiser ) for years, what I used to do was look through posts with replies sympatico to mine, and save the names in a Notepad file. Even so, be prepared for lots of private emails with "take me off yer G-D ping list!"

[pookie18]

I keep one copy of my ping list in my FReep mailbox & another in e-mailbox.

[beaureguard]

That's the way you keep a ping list. I kept mine in notepad, and would copy & paste into the "TO" field when I was ready to ping.

It would also be best to have people let you know that they want on (or off) your ping list instead of just adding whoever you wanted.

Hope this helps.

[jellybean]

You can do what I do and keep it on your FR home page.

[conservativebabe]

Some people keep their ping list(s) on their about page too, that way you don't have to leave FR to get to it.

[DollyCali]

add to the other comments to keep in alphabetical order. Early on it is easy but once you get 50 or more you can easily start having duplicates (gets them POd) etc.

I have about 6 ping lists .

Keep one master with all in a word type document with red large letters telling the group & the othres in regular black sep by semicolons.

For other groups I also have seperate files & keep them in that file. It depends on how complex your filing system is. For example for Finest now, I have prolly 20 folders & in each multi folders/files. so I need a system like this.

Not sure this made any sense.. but in general it is best to think ahead with your system & structure.

[PJ-Comix]

The easiest way to keep a PING List is to just FreepMail yourself the list so you have it at hand here on the FR. Whenever I update my PING List (currently at 833 Pingees---the BIGGEST Ping List on the FR) I simply add the new name and FreepMail it to myself with the number in the title box.

Oh, did I mention that I have the BIGGEST Ping List on the FR?

[Miztiki]

I don’t want to start a thread asking basically the same question so I’ll latch onto this one. I hope someone sees this.

I’m starting a ping list and would like to know how I can place the names in alphabetical order without doing it manually.

Also, does putting the word “All” or “ALL” in the “to” box cause it to be sent to everyone who has participated on that particular thread? Or is it just a way of letting the person whose post that you replied to know that your reply isn’t to them personally but to anyone in general? I hope my question makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

[bert]

import the comma or ; separated list into an excel file and where it will make lots of rows in one column. then use the excel sort function.

[bert]

regarding alphabetizing...... Freepers eschew order and might get cranky when they learn they have been alphabetized.

[Miztiki]

Thank you Bert!

p.s. Good point. I’ll be sure to letterize them instead.