Many forums and bulletin boards allow the use of html coding to post pictures, graphics, sounds and more to enhance your messages.
The first and most important concept to grasp with posting is that you cannot show anyone on the net anything (graphic, background, sound etc) that is only on YOUR computer. The file that you wish to show MUST be on the internet. That is it must be uploaded to a computer server that is openly accessed on the Internet
Most forums have a test site to try out your new skills.
Hint:
Create a notepad file on your desktop. In the file store a copy of the code
for each function you want to perform (like the code to post a link or the code
to post an image) Then you need only copy and paste the appropriate URLs in
and copy and paste the entire line into the post.
HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language. It it the code that makes all web pages. Everything you see on the web is there because there is, hidden in the background a line of code that says put this here, link that to there, or make this look this size or colour.
To see the code behind any page (with the page open in your browser) go to the view menu and click view source or page source. (This will only be available after the page has fully loaded).
All html codes are enclosed in < > For each command there will be a start code e.g. <center> and an end code e.g. </center> which tells it when to stop using that command. It is important to close any command you use or else everything following it will be affected (for example if you center your message but don't close center (</center>) then every message after yours will also be centered.
You can write html pages in a lot of different programs but the page needs to be opened in a browser to be seen as html and some commands need the page to actually be on the web before you can see if they are correct.
If you want a list of all the codes and how to use (you wont need them unless you want to experiment further than this tutorial*grin*) them see here Coolnerds HTML Codes or Index Dot HTML
It does not matter if you type your HTML codes in CAPITALS or lowercase, but they should be the same at each end. So <a> &</a> or <A> & </A>
I've shown the codes with the parts you need to change in bold.
<a href="URL">Page title</a>
Go to
the address bar of your browser, highlight and copy the URL of the site you
want to post.
Paste the URL you've copied in between the " " (no spaces (replace URL)) and replace page title with whatever the page is called.
<A HREF="https://www.angelfire.com/extreme/helpme/">The Mouse's Tail</A>
produces The Mouse's Tail when posted on the Internet
<A HREF="mailto:your email">what the link will say </A>
So <A HREF="mailto:minuet@white-star.com">E-mail me tomorrow</A>
becomes E-mail me tomorrow when posted
Posting images is actually quite simple as long as you remember a basic rule.
You
cannot post an image unless it is available to the Internet in general.
Your home computer is NOT available to everyone on the
net.
Therefore the image you want MUST be on an Internet server somewhere.
For more about Internet servers and how to get images there see Uploading (below)
Once you have an image on the Internet you need to find it's address and copy the URL.
Then insert the URL into the line below.
<IMG SRC="URL">
So if my image is at https://www.angelfire.com/extreme/helpme/images/mousemouse.gif
I post
<IMG SRC="https://www.angelfire.com/extreme/helpme/images/mousemouse.gif">
and get 
Imagine you are searching the Internet and you come across the perfect image to use in a post. What can you do? Well you can either save it to your computer (See saving images) or you could post a link using the URL of the image and the page it's currently on.
BEWARE
- While there are a few sites that will let you post a direct link to their
images in most cases it is considered stealing bandwidth.
Bandwidth is the amount of 'stuff' that can be downloaded
from a site at a time. Everytime you look at a page you use bandwidth. Bandwidth
costs someone somewhere money. The person who put up the web site is probably
paying for the bandwidth that is used by ever visitor to their site. If you
link directly to an image on the site then EVERY person who looks at the image
you have linked to is using that bandwidth too.
So, imagine hundreds of people looking at an image in a message- each one draining
bandwidth from a site and you might understand why people get upset about bandwidth
theft. So check first - if it does not explicitly say "you may link (or
remote link) to this image" then DON'T.
There are many places where you can store images that allow you to link to them, or you might have your own web space (most people who sign up with an ISP have web space assigned with their account.)
You may have some server space assigned to your internet account that you can use for remote storage, or there are several online storage options.
How
to use Photopoint (For storing scanned or digital photos)Join PhotoPoint.
Your email is your username, your password will be emailed to you.
Then login.
To upload a photo Choose Upload photos on the left.
Choose method ((Browse)
Select the number you wish to upload from 1-10
Click browse and find the files on your hard drive.
Click Upload Now.
When it's finished return to album list.
Make a new folder/album (or decide on one that is there) (if you put a password
on the album only you can see the contents.)
Double click incoming album
Select the images you want to move (check the little box) (they can't be seen
on the net in the incoming album)
On the left hand of the find the Organize my photos option.
Select the album you want to move the pics to from the drop down menu.
Click move.
Then return to the album list.
Open the album you want to look into. Double click on the small image you wish to look at.
When it loads there will be a box below it with the URL for use at other sites. Simply copy this URL.
For example:
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1509488&a=11400947&p=40123385
Enter it into the image code as for any other graphic.
<IMG SRC="http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1509488&a=11400947&p=40123385">
Tripod is an online storage facility which allows you to store graphics, midis etc there and remote link to them (in other words post links on other sites that load from their bandwidth)
When you sign up you are alloted some space on their server (which is open to everyone). Anything you store there can be accessed by anyone with the address. You need a password to put things there, but not to look at what is there.
How
to use tripod:
Go to the www.tripod.com and join up.
Go to the File manager icon.
Make a new Directory (for this example call it pics) (the more directories you create and the more descriptive you are when you name the files , the easier it is to find the one you want, when you want them)
Double Click the new directory (pics)
Click the drop down menu that says upload and select single files
Browse for a the file on your computer that you want to
upload to the net.
(You can browse and select up to 8 files at a time to upload)
Select the "make lowercase" option
Click the UPLOAD button.
Close the upload window.
Double click on the image file you want to use. It will appear in a browser window by itself. Highlight and copy the URL from the Address line to use in the image posting code line.
If you have your own webspace you can use ftp to upload files to it. Look for FTP information in Tutorial 7
Most people who have an ISP email address have some sort of web space reserved on their ISP's server. Ask your ISP or check their webpage - there's usually instructions on how to access it. You are paying for it anyway.
Posting music is as easy as posting an image. The only thing that changes is the code that you use which activates a music player on the page.
Upload your midi (or wav) file to tripod or elsewhere and copy the URL(twice) as for an image.Paste into the script and copy and paste it in total to the page.
<embed src="URL"
<noembed>
<bgsound src="URL">
autostart=true width=50 height=16 controls=smallconsole volume=50
loop=true>
loop=infinite>
</noembed>
I haven't included a sample here because music is often slow to load and some people's systems can't cope with it at all.
Changing the font colour is simple.
<FONT COLOR=RED>Red coloured text here</font>
will give Red coloured text here
To change the font size
<FONT SIZE=6>Your resized message here</font>
gives you Your resized message here
You can choose from sizes 1- 7, or +1 - +7 or -1 - -7
Size 1 Size 7 Size +1 Size +7 Size -1 Size -7
To combine font colour and size simply put all the codes together thus:
<FONT COLOR=Blue SIZE=+5>Your sized coloured message here</FONT>
Your sized coloured message here
For more on colours visit these sites and see the backgrounds section below.
Italics: begin with <I>and end with</I>
Bold: begins with <B>and ends with</B>
It is also possible to change the font itself, but remember for anyone else to see the message in that font they must also have it loaded onto their computer, so it's usually better to stick to the standards.
<font face="Arial"> Message text here </font>
Don't forget to include an end code for every start code you give. </font> </B> etc
To change the background colour of a page use <body bgcolor="enter colour code here">
<body bgcolor="#F0F8FF">
Colours are usually represented as RGB triplets, that is three pairs of letters or numbers which represent the strength of Red, Green and Blue, that make up the colour. They are preceded by the #.
See here for more colours and the codes. Colorcenter or Coolnerds colors
Although colour names will work in some places, the RGB triplets should be almost universal across the net.
To change the background to an image use this code
<body background="image URL here">
and insert your image (again this needs to be uploaded to tripod or some such site, not remote linked to wherever you got it from). Remember, the bigger the image the longer the page is going to take to load. Most backgrounds are a small image which is automatically repeated over and over across the page.
Don't forget to change the font colour to suit - most people have trouble reading black font on dark blue backgrounds for instance :)
See the links page for some of the many sites containing backgrounds which you may use (always read the conditions of use first).
The Cod-A-Matik is a small program which will produce the html codes for posting images, fonts and URL links. The reason I didn't put it first in this tutorial is because doing these things is really easy, and once you know how you really don't need a program to do it for you.
The cod-a-matik does however make posting different fonts REALLY simple, saving lots of typing of font codes. Remember that if you post in a font that the person reading the message hasn't got on their computer then they will see whatever approximate font their computer substitutes.
To download the Cod-a-matik click here
MAKING (CODING)
COLORED TEXT:
In Cod-O-Matik
Choose: Text (from upper left corner)
Choose: bold etc...from list in center
Choose: color
If you want a different font (the name showing above size window), click on
'Change Font'.
Change the Font name from left part of the Font window (Ignore other part).
Click OK
Change Font size with the dropdown arrow in the little window under the font
name (right side)
Type a message in the top window under the word 'Text'
Click: Code it!
It will put the message in the bottom window and highlight the coded text.
Right click: on the highlighted code.
Click on: Copy
Go to the message window of the forum
Right click: click on Paste
Preview
Submit
CODING A Gif (image):
Choose 'Picture' (upper left corner)
Paste or type the gif URL in the top window.
The URL must start http, not www and cannot be from computer file
Click: Code it !
The coded gif will show highlighted....in the bottom window
Right click: copy
Go to message window
Right click: paste
Preview
Submit
CODING A LINK
In forum message window (do not use Optional URL window under the message window,
if, there is one).
Choose: Link...upper left corner
Type URL in top window (must start http)
Name for the link in middle window
Code It !
Right click: Copy
Go to the message window
Right Click: paste
Preview
Submit
This handy little program will make your text rainbow coloured
To download go here, scroll near the bottom of the page. If you aren't comfortable with zipped files choose the self extracting exe.
Open the program
See the Links page for more related pages
Back to the Tutorials
