Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Headache!!!

I don't like HTML. I mean, like, stongly dislike is more accurate. A few years ago (about 4 now) when a friend helped us get our website going, we used a lot of HTML stuff. We created pages on a publisher program and then uploaded them, but he showed me how to alter some of the pages by opening the source page, editing, and uploading with FTP, using HTML. But, I never really learned much of it...too confusing, and I wasn't too terribly interested in it.

After we moved, and we weren't able to invite our friend over for a meal anytime we needed his HTML knowledge, I was on my own. No one else here knows anything about any of the website stuff so it was all up to me. I downloaded an FTP server and downloaded all of our website info, and then I carefully played with HTML..always making sure to have a backup so I could fix the page if I made a terrible mistake! This way, I could make changes to the text of the pages...when I was 22 instead of 18, I could change the page to reflect that. That sort of thing.

Well, our homepage has been the same ever since day 1...four years ago. Everyone's wanted to change it, but I knew I couldn't change pictures, and there certainly wasn't anyone else who could! But today...today I was editing Dave's page to reflect some differences in his company and life...he's 19 now instead of 17, etc. He has an LLC instead of just a name. So, he wanted the page changed. While I was on there, he asked me again about the picture. Frankly, I was tired of hearing it! I'd already told everyone I could not, didn't know how, and was terrified of messing something up on it. Goodness knows I couldn't fix it if I did mess it up!

Well, I tried. I downloaded the pictures, found another picture Dave prefered, resized it so that it was the same size as the old one, renamed it, an then opened the HTML source page for the page. Then I carefully removed the "dave.gif" and replaced it with "dave.jpg" takng care not to disturb the <br>s and all the other strange HTML things.

It worked. I can do it.

So, next I edited my page. Don't ask what happened there...it squashed my picture down and made my face look incredibly round and chunky. That's not making me happy, but I really couldn't figure that one out. I'm going to find a different picture of me and try again...maybe it's that I replaced a landscape with a portrait-style...

I also added a few links... <a href></a> things. I added links to mine and Dave's blogs on our respective pages, and altered the links on the homepage to go to our Blogspot addresses. You can still find my archives by clicking on Mom's blog, and the using the menu at the top of that page, but I will be removing that in the near future.

Next, the homepage. I was a little nervous about the homepage...it's a little bigger deal! I did the same thing I did before...and we had a new picture! It worked, too!

But, now the maroon background didn't go with the new picture. That just figures. So, I googled "HTML  color codes" and found all the numbers. Wow. Mom and I spent forever trying to find the right color, and we finally settled on this new one. I found something in the source page that looked like where that color number went...it came right after "body bgcolor=". Yep...looked like it would make sense to me.

So, HTML is pretty much self-explanatory.

=))

Or not. I'm still lost, but we do have a new homepage now. What do y'all think?

Oh, and P.S. On top of all that, I spent most of the afternoon in my shop, and got a lot of leatherwork done. More pics to come soon! Now I'm going to go cook supper. :)

3 comments:

  1. Looks good Kayla!

    HTML is a pain. That's why there are so many "website in a box" places - Most people don't take the time to learn it. Good for you for getting "under the hood" and trying stuff.

    Chris

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  2. I like the new homepage and your new blog! I also had fun taking a demo test on Bro. Bob's website! :)
    Tara

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  3. Thanks for helping with the squashed picture, Chris!

    Glad you like it, Tara!

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