I had not logged onto Avsim in a while and when I did you have this new format. If Firefox I get NO Start New Topic buttons....and this is on two computers I have. In IE and Chrome I get little pictrues (like the image is missing) on all buttons. In order to make this post I had to mouse over every missing button and read the description to find out how to create a new topic. Do you have any idea of what is going on? Thanks for your help.

I am having the same problem I get no Start New Topic button, hope someone can give us a hand getting the answer to this.

Are you seeing other graphic elements like the AVSIM logo, tabs, search magnifying glass and RSS logo (to the right of "View New Content")?Sometimes pages with missing or malfunctioning content start working properly after clearing the browser's cache (sometimes referred to as "Temporary Internet Files". Look for a button or link to clear temporary files and/or browser history on your browser's "Options" pop-up on the "tools" menu. Clearing the cache doesn't always work, but it's worth a shot.Make sure any settings or add-ons you are using (like NoScript for Firefox) that restrict the operation of scripts aren't blocking avsim.netAlso make sure you haven't made any settings to block non-white background colors. since the lettering for the "Start New Topic" button is white it would be invisable against a white background.Have you tried any other browsers like Google's Chrome?Listing ALL the remedies you have tried, along with browser versions might contribute to someone discovering the solution to your problem. Keep us updated about the results as you try additional thing to get the buttons to appear.

I can't speak for zzRandyzz who started this topic but on my screen many of the buttons do not have a icon or title in them just a "red X". When I hold the mouse pointer over the Start new topic it give a title to the button. I don't know what causes this but if I hold the pointer over Start new topic I get the window to start one. Any idea what is causing this to happen? Sorry zzRandyzz for using your post for my problem but maybe you have the same thing happening.

I am having the same problem

I had not logged onto Avsim in a while and when I did you have this new format. If Firefox I get NO Start New Topic buttons....and this is on two computers I have. In IE and Chrome I get little pictrues (like the image is missing) on all buttons. In order to make this post I had to mouse over every missing button and read the description to find out how to create a new topic. Do you have any idea of what is going on? Thanks for your help.

Well....this new format is really user unfriendly and still has some big glitches. I also do not see any buttons to "Add New Topic" or "Add new Link". All I can do is navigate site, access files, and reply to messages (like now), but I am unable to contribute anything..I'm using Firefox by the way

While the other portions of the site have been subject to a recent makeover, the makeover in the forums happened months ago. Hardly within what I can consider "new".The forum continues to work fine for me viewing with Firefox version 3.6.13 on Windows XP SP3. If any graphics or backgrounds aren't showing on someone else's browser there may be issues with a corrupt temporary file in the browser cache, a browser add on that's incompatible with the forums, a blocked script or even an incompatible entry in the computer's Hosts file. Problems with a browser add on or blocked script could probably be circumvented by viewing the page with a different browser, even if only for diagnostic purposes. Switching browsers might also be effective if a script is being blocked. IF you are using an add on like NoScript (for Firefox) you may have to change its settings to allow avsim.net and possibly one or more of the other script sources used on the page (you can try enabling them one at a time until the desired material is displayed).On the topic lists there is an AVSIM logo at the top left corner, an icon to the left of each topic to indicate "hot" topics and those you haven't read. Both "Start new topic" buttons and the "Watch topic" buttons have blue backgrounds with an icon at the left end. Since using a "hide all images" bookmarklet is effective in hiding the logo and icons, but doesn't affect the blue button backgrounds I'm thinking the button backgrounds are probably set by a style sheet or script. Unfortunately the text on a button becomes invisible if its color matches the page background and some anomaly interferes with setting the button's background color (makes the button inherit the page's background color).

Robert, although I appreciate your response..at the left end of each topic is a blue box or icon with "" marks, when I move the mouse over it, it reads "mark as read"... that blue box is all there is, there are no other buttons such as "Add new topic" or a message like "hot topic"..I never saw or remember seeing ANYTHING on my firefox saying noscript option either...my old version of Avsim worked fine, I wish they had left it alone....never understood why they did this, I beleive in the old saying, "If it aint broke, don't "fix" it"...

While the other portions of the site have been subject to a recent makeover, the makeover in the forums happened months ago. Hardly within what I can consider "new".The forum continues to work fine for me viewing with Firefox version 3.6.13 on Windows XP SP3. If any graphics or backgrounds aren't showing on someone else's browser there may be issues with a corrupt temporary file in the browser cache, a browser add on that's incompatible with the forums, a blocked script or even an incompatible entry in the computer's Hosts file. Problems with a browser add on or blocked script could probably be circumvented by viewing the page with a different browser, even if only for diagnostic purposes. Switching browsers might also be effective if a script is being blocked. IF you are using an add on like NoScript (for Firefox) you may have to change its settings to allow avsim.net and possibly one or more of the other script sources used on the page (you can try enabling them one at a time until the desired material is displayed).On the topic lists there is an AVSIM logo at the top left corner, an icon to the left of each topic to indicate "hot" topics and those you haven't read. Both "Start new topic" buttons and the "Watch topic" buttons have blue backgrounds with an icon at the left end. Since using a "hide all images" bookmarklet is effective in hiding the logo and icons, but doesn't affect the blue button backgrounds I'm thinking the button backgrounds are probably set by a style sheet or script. Unfortunately the text on a button becomes invisible if its color matches the page background and some anomaly interferes with setting the button's background color (makes the button inherit the page's background color).

I realize tracking down the cause of a problem can be frustrating, but when a site or forum works properly for most people and doesn't work properly on your system there's a pretty high probability the problem is being caused by something in your computer or your ISP's servers. You don't have to convert all your surfing to a different web browser to test the site, but the alternate browser might help determine if the problem lies in your favorite browser's settings or a corrupt file associated with that particular browser. If the same problem occurs in both browsers the cause may lie in on of the operating system files/settings or a service both browsers use (like a router/WAP or firewall).Note that the forum and remainder of AVSIM have different base level domains (avsim.net and avsim.com) which might require separate entries if you are using security software that requires a "white list" to permit things like scripts, external style sheets or images from other sites on web pages.Sometimes the early suggestions for diagnosing and/or correcting the problem don't work. The clues that may help someone identify the problem could lie in the details about your browser and OS version, which browser add-ons you are using (if any) and reporting back which of the suggested tests/solutions succeeded or failed to help with your problem. Feedback about your efforts may also aid suggestions if you are having trouble determining how to accomplish things like clearing the browser's cache. As a result of onlyforbrian's recent post we now know he's probably not using the NoScript add-on that some Firefox users use to cut down on some types of pop-up ads. On current versions of Firefox the presence of NoScript is indicated by the add-on's icon (a blue "S" in a white circle) near the right end of the status bar (might change when Firefox 4 comes out).One of the few unchanging things about computers and networking is that things will change. There are a variety of possible reasons which may include a software vendor discontinuing support for old site/forum software versions that few site operators are still using. While they are making (and paying for) changes the site operator might decide to change to a different software source for a better set of features or even a more fashionable appearance.On topic list pages the duplicate "Start new topic" buttons are located above the right end of the forum title bar (above the "mark this forum as read" link) and near the bottom right corner below the drop down that allows visitors to quickly "jump" to other sections of the forum. That might help if, for the time being, the buttons are present but camouflaged by a problem with the button's background color (the URL should show in the status bar when your pointer is over the button).