Criticism or otherwise on my new website wouldbe appreciated

by **weebolddavy** » Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:10 am

Hi Folks

Thanks to Jan, Peter, Mary and Brian and everyone else I've missed for your kind words, the site or show wouldn't be as it is without your help, so credit where it's due. I did notice your spelin mistake Peter but as a fellow Scot I chose to ignore it! You must have gone to the same skool as me :wink:

I can't believe I spelt humorous wrong, it's my favourite word!
Videogal you mentioned about the two photos not being side by side in the gallery this is only because the website template has the photos in groups of three. They can be seen one after the other if you click the next or previous buttons, the difference is quite startling.
I am pleased with the site overall and considering it's been my first attempt I've had to pinched myself a few times. What I intend to do in the coming weeks and months is make several hundred copies of the show on DVD and distribute them in conjunction with a marketing campaign in the local area. I live in a very rural area with a sparse population. I doubt if there are more than 25,000 people living within 25 miles of my home so that presents it's own set of challenges but I feel a lot more positive now.
Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced DVD copier/duplicator and a brand of reliable white full faced DVDs which would allow me to move things forward?

Thanks once more you guys

Davy www.tartandragons.co.uk

by **Herriot2** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:34 am

weebolddavy wrote:Hi Folks Thanks ...

You are welcome.

Another thing you can do is to get rid of the ugly web address of your show on your site

Currently it looks like:

Watch the ShowYou will be asked to download a small piece of software which will allow you to view the show, it only takes a few seconds if you have a broadband connection.

To watch the show
Click on this Link, Grab yourself a coffee,turn up your speakers sit back and enjoy!
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... 3654&alb=0

It may look better displayed as:

Watch the Show
You may be asked to download a small piece of software which will allow you to view the show, it only takes a few seconds if you have a broadband connection.

Grab yourself a coffee, turn up your speakers

Click here to Watch the show

sit back and enjoy!

The underline is just for emphasis your template looks like it takes the normal underline away

The html code to acheive that is...

<a href="http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2943654&alb=0 " target="new">Click here to Watch the show</a>

The red text is the optional text use what you want. It doesn't have to be all the words could just be a single one - your choice.

The target="new" code is optional but adding it will ensure the user doesn't leave the site and a new window opens up

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:00 am

Hi Peter

Thanks for that, I'll impliment it as soon as I can. I was never over fond on that link! :oops:

Is there anywhere online you can recommend that I'll be able to pick up the basics of HTML code?
I'm sure it will come in handy as my business and web site grows and developes. I'm sure the little tip like the one you gave me will make a big difference in how people see me.
:roll:

I hope one day I can give a little back to the forum just as you and everyone who's replied to my post. Cheers :wink:

BEST wishes

Davy

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:59 am

Hi Peter sorry to be a pain. I did exactly as you asked and included the text in RED Quote 'Click here to Watch the show' and when I previewed my web site it had the following.

Click here to Watch the show">Click here to watch the show

This was split into TWO separate links. The first one took me to an error 'can't find the site' or something similar.
The second was the proper link which took me to the show. Obviously I can't leave the two links. What do you suggest?

Please note that the link in your previous message will no longer be valid as I have made a few subtle changes to the show and uploaded it once more before deleting the old version.
The new link is as follows.
http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewsho ... 5593&alb=0

Kind Regards

Davy

by **dilyla** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:26 am

Davy-

I went to your website to view the source, but it appears you've changed it back to the original, as I didn't see the double "Click here to watch the show" on the page.

Your html source currently shows the following code for the link:

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2945593&alb=0">http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2945593&alb=0</a>

The part I've turned to red is the "text" that is currently showing on the web page for people to click to view your show. This is the part of the code where you can change what is displayed on the page as a text link. For example, this string highlighted in red above is what you delete & type in the words Click here to watch to show. Like this:

<a target="_blank" href="http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2945593&alb=0">Click here to watch the show</a>

If you missed one little < or > when you copied & pasted Peter's example, the link wouldn't have displayed correctly. To over-simplify, the < and > mark the beginning & ending/closing of the 'instruction' for the line of code.

I don't know what you are using for a html editor (or if you are even using one)... but, you can run into problems with copying & pasting html code. If you are trying to copy/paste, copy the line to notepad (not word or any other word processing program) and save it as a text file. THEN copy the code from your saved textfile and paste that into your web page.

Hope I haven't confused you by jumping in here! If so, post back & I'll try to clarify.

- Diana

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:27 pm

Hi Diana
Thanks for your input it is more than welcome. I copied and pasted that link into notepad, then took it from there directly into the site editor, I've no idea what editor clikpic use. If you go to my website you will see that I have two links the same as I had with Peter's example, the only difference is that both your links take me to the show where as one of Peters took me to an error page. I don't really understand these things very well. :oops:

It would be much neater to have only one live link if at all possible without knowing website editor Clikpic uses.

by **MG - Admin** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:29 pm

Davey:

Have you considered having the show play from your site rather than diverting traffic away to Photodex's site? I can help you with the coding to do that if you're interested.

Mike

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 12:43 pm

Hi Mike

Thanks for your post. When you say code, do you mean making it a Flash site or still keeping it in its present form?
I love it as it is, very pleased with it, but it would be nice if it could open without losing traffic to Photodex's site.

Cheers

Davy

by **dilyla** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:19 pm

Well, we're getting closer! But, things are getting more & more wierd!

Your source code showing the double link for this page now reads:

<a target="_blank" href="http://<a target="_blank" href="http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2945593&alb=0">Click here to watch the show</a> "><a target="_blank" href="http://www.photodex.com/sharing/viewshow.html?fl=2945593&alb=0">Click here to watch the show</a> </a>

Somehow, you need to delete the part I've shown in red. I assume this is a hosted WYSIWYG (pronounced wizzy-wig .... & stands for What You See Is What You Get) editor for the page design/content? Is there some way within their editor of viewing the HTML source code where you can delete this 'extra', or is it just a point & click button type editor?

It would be better to host the show within your own web like Mike suggested. Lots of people don't like having to download a plugin (Presenter in this case) to view something. Plus, using Photodex as host (and hence the presenter player) will also cut out possible clients that might be using Mac computers. The only thing I would wonder is: does your hosting site allow this? I remember you saying this site design was a template. If your hosting provider supplies limited templates you are required to use, I doubt you'd be able to insert a video (flash, wmv, etc.) with what they sometimes sell in a so-called 'basic' hosting site.

- Diana

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:23 pm

Hi Diana
I'll have a look I'm not sure, it all goes over my head. Took me a long time to master Photoshop this can't be that difficult! :roll:

Davy

by **weebolddavy** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:49 pm

Hi Diana

Had a look through the documentation for building the website and I'm not sure if it's a wizzy-wig or what!! How did you manage to find the source code for my site? The part of the code you listed which is black is all I have, I can't find the part you typed in red, I've no idea where you got that!

Think I'm about to expire :oops:

Cheers
Davy

Sorry Diana won't be able to stay on to see this through tonight, its getting late and I've been asked to go and pick someone up. Thanks for your help. :cry:

by **MG - Admin** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:57 pm

Davy:

I was suggesting that you have the show play within your web site, but have the PX file hosted at Photodex. I can explain in more detail when I get a few more free minutes, but check your email. I've sent you a file that might help you out.

Mike

by **Herriot2** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:03 pm

weebolddavy wrote:Hi Diana
I'll have a look I'm not sure, it all goes over my head. Took me a long time to master Photoshop this can't be that difficult!

Davy

www.htmldog.com is an excellent HTML coding page. Good for beginners and advance alike

Diana was correct by copying and pasting this may have introduced extra characters and I should have warned you about that. It's best to copy the text then paste it into notepad. Then simply recopy the same text, cos notepad will get rid of the extra characters, and paste it to the webpage designer.

You could test it by saving the text file as an html file simply by changing notepads default extesion of txt. so you could save it as test.html instead of test.txt. if you double click the file it'll open up in IE as a web page:

Mike has a good idea though and maybe you should let him take you to the next level

by **dilyla** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:19 pm

Isn't web page creation fun?

Seriously, I enjoy it...

To view your source files, all I have to do is go to your website link, go to the link for the 'view show' page and then from within my browser, to to "View / Source" and that shows me the actual code used on your page.

In the meantime, I went to clikpic.com & took a quick look at their hosting package (at least all I could without signing up for their trial). I have no doubt you're using a WYSIWYG editor based on the fact that they supply templates & you just fill in the blanks. Unfortunately, they don't have a demo of their editor for prospective customers to see before signing up, so I don't know the ins & outs of the editor they're using, but you can pretty much be sure it's a fairly stripped down editor as far as features. They try to make the page design as simple as possible within hosting sites like these...

While there, I looked at what was possible with their hosting packages & I don't think Mike's idea of internal hosting is going to work. It appeared all they will allow you to put on the pages are your photos & outside hyperlinks. EDIT: I just saw Mike's new post above... this might work -- what he is suggesting will have the show/player window right within your web page instead of going "out" to Photodex to view ...

Let's start over..... When you put this link on your webpage, does it give you a 'window' to type in (or paste) the address of the link, or is it a browse function where you navigate to the original link & it inserts the address for you?

When you put the link in, is there something that gives you a choice for alternative or alternate text? (The "Click here to view the show" would be an example of alternative text...)

We'll all keep pluggin' away until you expire or give up! :lol:

You know, this step is just 'pretty-ing up' the link & making it look a little more professional. It's certainly NOT mandatory that you go so far as to 'expire' in trying to get it changed! :lol:

The way you had it originally will work fine for what you want the end result to be, which is for your potential customers to view your demo show. :wink:

- Diana

by **Herriot2** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:36 pm

dilyla wrote::D Isn't web page creation fun? Seriously, I enjoy it...

...this step is just 'pretty-ing up' the link & making it look a little more professional. It's certainly NOT mandatory that you go so far as to 'expire' in trying to get it changed! The way you had it originally will work fine for what you want the end result to be, which is for your potential customers to view your demo show.

- Diana

Funny lol.

At the end of the day Davy you could call me on phone and I'll try and talk you through it .. since you are in the uk it wont be too expensive. If you want to try this let em know and I'll email you a number to call. bett than expiring all over the place ;-)

Peter

Criticism or otherwise on my new website wouldbe appreciated

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