Okay, seems like many new members (and many of the old-timers as well
) are wondering how to add visuals to their experience on the forum. Although I believe some of this is covered in the FAQ section, here's a recap.Adding emoticons (smileys) to a post:
To the left of the text window (in "reply" mode), you'll find the "emoticons" panel. Simply click on the icon of your choice to have it appear in the body of your text at the insertion point (i.e., where your text cursor is flashing). At the bottom of the emoticons panel, you can click on "View more Emoticons" to, you guessed it, view more emoticons. You can also insert emoticons from an outside source. Here are two examples:
http://www.websmileys.com/
or
http://emoticons4u.com
On these sites (and others like them), you need only click on the icon of your choice and the appropriate code will appear highlighted in blue in a text box on the page. The "Img" field codes are already included. The "Img" ("Image") field codes are your way of telling the forum software that you wish it to retrieve and display an image taken from another web site. (Again, the site you take an image from must--usually--NOT be password-protected.) Now, you need only copy and paste it into your text. Here's how: click on the smiley of your choice; right-click on the highlighted text that appears in the text box (this is the icon's web address); click on Copy in the pop-up menu; return to your text window on the forum; right-click in your text where you want the smiley to appear; click on Paste in the pop-up menu; that's it, you're done and your chosen smiley should now appear in your text. For instance, on the emoticons4u web site, on the first page of the "Sport" category, you'll find a little weightlifting happy face. So, http://www.emoticons4u.com/sport/sport23.gif" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, once flanked by the "Img" field codes, gives you this:
Adding outsourced images or photos to a post:
The forum's Administrators prefer that you simply insert into the text of your post the image's URL (web address) by copying and pasting the image's address into your text, highlighting it, and then clicking on the "Url" field codes instead of the "Img" field codes. This is more economical of the forum's server resources.
An easy way to guarantee that you'll never have a broken link to any image--the dreaded "red X"--in any of your posts is to use online image hosting services such as those offered by Flickr or Photobucket. Simply create an account on one of these sites or others like them (and it usually costs nothing to do so), create albums (here, they can usually be private or public; it won't matter as you'll be able to link to images in the albums, regardless), and then select an image from one of those albums for inclusion in your forum text. For example, the image above comes from my "Working Examples" public photo album on Photobucket. Photobucket simplifies the whole process by letting you click once in a text box to instantly copy your selected image while including the "Img" field codes so that there's no need for you to highlight and "code" your image once you're back on the forum--just right-click in your forum text and click Paste from the menu. It's super easy.
UPDATE EFFECTIVE May 29, 2007: Please read the following Announcement before adding any image(s) to your posts, as this will save the Site Administrator, the Moderators, and yourself a lot of time and possibly some aggravation!
Announcement: Images in Posts - http://crossdressers-haven.com/forums/v ... =65&t=8363" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - Thank you for your cooperation!
Avatars:
UPDATE EFFECTIVE March 31, 2014: Please read the following rule - in its entirety - before adding any photo or image as your avatar, as this will save the Site Administrator and yourself a lot of time and possibly some aggravation!
** There will be no 'advance warning' or notice provided to any member if or when their avatar is deleted pursuant to the rules cited below. Everyone here is an adult and it is their responsibility to read and follow all rules. **
Forum Rules & Guidelines - Avatars - http://crossdressers-haven.com/forums/v ... 65&t=15992" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
This one's a breeze. Click on "User Control Panel" at the top of the page. Select 'Profile' from the left side of the page. You'll see an area where you can modify your avatar. Again, like any image you post on the forum, if you choose to "off-link" the image (i.e., get it from elsewhere on the net), it must come from a non-password-protected site in order to display. It's probably easier just to upload an image from your own computer (to do this, click on "Browse..." at the right of the "Upload Avatar from your machine" window, then go hunt for the pic on your hard drive and upload it). Remember: the allowable maximum size for the file is 200 pixels to a side and no more than 50Kb.
Photo Gallery:
UPDATE EFFECTIVE March 31, 2014: Please read the following rule - in its entirety - before adding any photos to the Gallery, as this will save the Site Administrator and yourself a lot of time and possibly some aggravation! While all our rules are enforced, this rule is strictly enforced!!
** There will be no 'advance warning' or notice provided to any member if or when any of their photos are deleted pursuant to the rules cited below. Everyone here is an adult and it is their responsibility to read and follow all rules. **
Forum Rules & Guidelines - Photo Gallery - http://crossdressers-haven.com/forums/v ... 65&t=15987" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Okay, this one's a little tougher. First, know that the photo gallery (accessible only to registered members by using the link at the top of each page) is a completely distinct area from the forum. You need to go through a separate registration process (although nothing prevents you from using the same username and password as the ones you do for the forum). So, click on "Photo Gallery," and then Register. On the page you come to, look near the top to make sure you're in "Admin" mode and not in "User" mode. Create a new album, give it the name you want. Please make sure your album is not viewable to the general public. Edit its properties so that it remains viewable only to "members of the registered group." The album's properties page is also where you can allow or forbid comments and rankings. When you click on "Upload picture" (again, near the top of the page), a window will open, allowing you to search your hard drive for the desired pic. You will be asked to give the photo a name and a short description (optional) as well as where you want the pic to go (assuming you created more than one album). Click "Upload." You're done. Here's a tip: the smaller your photos, the more you can put up there, on the gallery. (As I've said elsewhere, though, the point is not to swamp the gallery with your pix; we just want to get an idea of what you look like. A dozen photos or so should do it.) You can make your photos smaller in two ways: First, downsize their resolution. No need for a 300-pixel printer-ready image for the gallery. 96 pixels or even 72 pixels should do (this, by the way, works well with avatars, too). Second, crop or resize them so they fit easily in the gallery page without giving viewers the option to click on them for a bigger version. Again, I'll repeat this: as with any visual material on the forum, KEEP IT CLEAN, please. Objectionable material (nudity, sexual stances, or pornography) will be removed without further notice.
Well, that's pretty much it, folks. Have fun.
Love,
CJ
