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Signature Picture How-To Guide

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RedBlur View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RedBlur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Signature Picture How-To Guide
    Posted: June/08/09 at 3:12pm
    I searched the forum for a guide explaining the process for placing a picture in your signature and came up blank. I will attempt to explain the process in the best of my abilities here.

   You may find it helpful to print this out or keep it open in a separate window because you will need to navigate away from this page to complete this process.

*** If this process has been explained previously please feel free to disregard :)
*** If someone knows an easier way other then what I have described below, please post it.

STEPS:

1. Design a picture in a graphic application.

    Nothing to describe here other then a couple rules of thumb. One being that it is a good idea to keep the image at about 600x150 (PIXELS). What does that mean you ask? That means is that your picture should "should not" be larger then that for a number of reasons.

    One very important one is that it becomes very annoying when someone is browsing the forums and has to scroll for ages because there are massive signature pictures displaying peoples entire collection of Beanie Babies.

    The second reason being is that most forums WILL NOT allow it. There is nothing worse then making a masterpiece forum sig picture and having it deleted by the admins for size constraints. Been there, done that. :)

*** I am willing to help anyone make a signature picture if they are not familiar with using graphics applications. Send me a private message with your requests and we will get you set up.

2. Upload your image.

    In this step we will be uploading your image to the forums server. Once the image is on the server you will be able to grab that image at anytime for any post you make simply using the "insert image" button provided in the posting tools. But for the purpose of this outline we will be making a more permanent change that wont require your input every time you make a post. If all goes to plan your image will just show up on every post you make like magic!

   In the upper left of the forums you will find your "MEMBER CONTROL PANEL" Click it!

   In your control panel you will have a number of tabs across the top. Locate the tab that reads "FILE MANAGER" and open that.

   Your file manager has a number of useful sections that you can use to view all manor of things pertaining to the files that you have stored on the forums server. For this guide we will be uploading the image that you made in step one. Lets do it!

   Locate the section of the file manager called "FILE EXPLORER" you will find here a hyperlink that reads "NEW UPLOAD" Click it.

   This will take you to a page where you can browse your computer hard drive for the image you created ***VERY IMPORTANT*** You must select "IMAGE UPLOAD" from the drop down menu next to "SELECT UPLOAD TYPE". It is on file upload by default.

   Click the button that says "BROWSE", find the image you created on your computer and hit "OPEN"

   Finally select "UPLOAD IMAGE" at the bottom of this page. Voila! You have successfully added your image to the server! 

3. Retrieving the "path" to your image.

    Knowing the "path" to your image is just a fancy way of saying, "where the heck is my picture?" Now the answer to this question my not be of the utmost importance for you but for the the forums to find your picture and use it, it is paramount. Here is the easy method and I'm sure there are many.

    Remember that FILE MANAGER section we talked about before? That's right, you guessed it. Lets go back to it now. Actually, if you did not close any windows it should still be on your screen.

    Ok, your looking at your FILE MANGER, you will notice that the file you uploaded will be located now in the FILE BROWSER. Click the file once to highlight it. Now you will see your picture displayed visually on the right side in the FILE PREVIEW window.

    Move your mouse pointer over the picture and right click your image to bring up a drop down menu and select PROPERTIES.

    The box that pops up will list all the properties accociated with that particular image including, the LOCATION! We found it, great!

    Now we have choices.... You can either highlight all the text next to location, right click it and copy it...OR...you can write it all down for future reference. For this guide I will be using the copy method. Okay, let me know when your finished with that.......finsihed?  Great! Let us proceed.

4. Editing your signature.

    Almost there... last step! Ok lets add this image to your signture prefrences.

    Lets go back to your MEMBER CONTROL PANEL.

    Click EDIT PROFILE and scroll down the page until you find "SIGNATURE". To the right of the signature area you will see an empty box just beckoning for something to be added. Well, lucky for it thats exactly what we are going to do.

    You will need to add just a smidgon of code here. Dont worry its not as bd s it sounds.

    The forums will need to know you are about to ask it to call an image from your file browser. to do that you will start with the call image code which looks like this
    Ok youve pasted your location after the image code. Let us now "close" the code so the forums dont throw a tantrum. you will close it with this... ">.

   Lets put it all together now. it should look like this...

[IMG*]http://www.psmini.org/forum/uploads/1376/sig.jpg[/IMG]

   NOTE: you may have noticed that I added an asterisk in my first DONT ADD THAT TO YOURS! I only added it so I could show the code without the forums placing my picture there instead.

    Thats it! Your code is installed and every post you create will contain your picture. Dont forget to select "UPDATE PROFILE" at the bottom to save your changes.

   If you would like to see if it works correctly you can go to the forums test area and make a post. I really hope that this guide proves helpful to those new to forum life and I please don't hesitate to contact me if you need further assistance. Signatures are great fun to add your own personal flair to your posts and I hope you have as much fun making them as I do. Enjoy!

   


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote WOODSTOCK Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/08/09 at 3:34pm
Nicely done, Wyatt!
 
I'm going to make it a 'sticky' and it will become part of our Tips / FAQs for the future.  I will move it once we have it set up.
Thanks!
Linda
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phydeaux Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/09/09 at 12:09am
Brilliant!  Very well explained and thought out.  It's almost like you've done this once or twice.  ;)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote catlvr2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/09/09 at 11:46am
Wow, thanks!  Something I've wanted to do but haven't had time to try to figure it out.   Very cool.  BowDown
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote johnf36 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/09/09 at 5:34pm
Thank you very much ,now I just need tome to put it together.

John
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Montster Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/09/09 at 11:00pm
Thank you thank you Wyatt, awesome job
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Genie B Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/10/09 at 10:06am
WOW! I had commented in another post about how much I love the new "signatures" that seem to be turning up daily . . . and there are the instructions! Who knows, I might be able to do this!  Thank You! 
 
BTW, Really like the Red Blur signature!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hapa Haole Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/10/09 at 10:41am

Wyatt,

Wow!  Thanks for taking the time to make these step by step instructions.  I think I may try it one of these days. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BurnerS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/12/09 at 12:55am
Wyatt...
couple of Questions for you... Where did you find your Mini Cartoon and what Graphics program do you use?
Thanks
Steve
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote phydeaux Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/12/09 at 1:14am
I've been meaning to ask the same thing.  I have a few graphics programs at my fingertips, but if there is an already made graphic I could use and adapt to my own purposes...  ;)

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kulmini Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/12/09 at 1:16am
Originally posted by steves cooper s steves cooper s wrote:

Wyatt...
couple of Questions for you... Where did you find your Mini Cartoon and what Graphics program do you use?
Thanks
Steve
 
Steve,  look here, might find something.
 
or here.


Edited by kulmini - June/12/09 at 1:59am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RedBlur Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/12/09 at 2:09am
Well the mini cartoon graphic I found on google image search. I'm not using the graphic for any monetary gain so I didn't ask permission for it. If I wanted to use it in any other fashion I would have to ask the person who has rights to the graphic.

I use a program called Macromedia Fireworks. The Macromedia company was bought out by Adobe which origionally produced Fireworks which makes the program hard to find now but I have been using it for a number of years to develop graphics for web sites. I sometimes use Photoshop if there is something that Fireworks cant do, but that is very rare.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote catlvr2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June/12/09 at 12:23pm
Cool, I've got Fireworks!   Now if I just knew how to use it better!  LOL
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