Message for Andrew / IT experts!

[Pat A]

Andrew
Can you tell me 2 things:
1. how you manage to create your "Don't Panic" signature with it's shadow image. A this is what I see with my KC eyes I want to be able to show this to others who don't (want to) understand to try and explain my difficulties.

2. How you import that into your signature on this site!

I thought I was quite good with IT but both these things have defeated me!

Thanks

[John Smith]

Pat,

I can answer the second question. You need to upload the image somewhere, note the url, and then place it between [img] tags in your message like this:

Code: Select all

[img]http://my.webhost/me/myfile.jpg[/img]

When the new version of the forum software eventually arrives, this will be MUCH easier, as you'll have a button to upload your pics here!

[Andrew MacLean]

Pat,

And I can answer the first question.

I have several different versions of the "don't panic" sig graphic. The present version gives "don't panic" in tratitional han chinese and in convenient English translation.

For the Chinese version I used the universal translator embedded in Mac OSX. I then copied the chinese characters and pasted them into "Word Art" (part of the Microsoft Word element of Micorsoft Office for Mac). I used this package to generate an image that I could paste into Graphic converter and convert to a jpg (a format that allows pictures to be shared across various platforms; beyond that I haven't a clue, but John or Gareth, or Knight would be able to explain.)

Then I did as John suggested, I uploaded the picture to my own webspace. I have two locations where I can store images and such on the interweb, because I have an isp and I am a member of .mac. My sig line has the [img] and [/img] brackets around the universal resource locator for the image. When I think it is time to change to another versiou of the sig I just go into my profile and alter a single digit in the long URL and this tells the forum's computer to look for the newly defined sig and display it under my name.

I am sure there is a better and even a quicker way of doing all this, but I have found out how to do it this way

Andrew

[Pat A]

Andrew/John
Thanks to both of you. Methinks I have a fairly basic problem - I don't use a MAC! I see a potential Birthday present (from me to me) on the horizon!

The key to all of this was how to create the graphics (any graphics!) with the shadow image. I see WordArt on my PC word package allows this and there is some quite extensive "help" on creating shadows and the like so I'll get down to reading all of that in my spare time!

And I don't have (at least I don't think I have!) my own webspace - but I'll get my son to sort that for me!

[Andrew MacLean]

Pat

Yu must hve an ISP, or you would not be able to log onto the forum. I had always imagined that even the most basic contract came with soem free space.

Your family IT expert will be able to tell you.

Andrew

[Pat A]

Andrew
I 'm sure I do - I just don't know what to do with it! I'll be ringing my son later - he's having a day off work today so probably won't surface before midday!