the email currently looks like this

is there a file i can edit to change or add additional text to this email.

(currently using yaf 1.9.4)

The text for the email templates is stored in the language files (languages/english.xml)

<Resource tag="TOPICPOST_TEXT">
There's a new post in topic "{topic}" at {forumname}:

By {postedby}: 
"{bodytruncated}"

To read more, click or copy and paste the following link into your browser:

{link}
</Resource>

i have added those two tags to the email notification text but they dont show the authors name in the email or any of the text from their post. (they only show up as {postedby} and {bodytruncated})

No sorry i copied the template from the latest version, if it does not work in your version you need to upgrade. Or modify the source code.

however, email notifications for new posts are not coming through email. (email test during the upgrade worked, and i also am getting email notifications when sending PMs) not sure why email notifications of new posts arent coming in.

with the upgrade the email notification option in a user profile defaults to "turn off notifications"

once that was switched back on the email alerts are coming through and with the updated text that i wanted from the original question. thanks for the help.