This is just a quick "How to" post that will maybe help out our newbies and maybe even some long-term members. Just yesterday, I learned how to make my links say what I want to to say and look at how long I have been here!

To add an image to your signature line - (The signature line (sig line) is the space under the body of the post. You'll see a line, then either images or text in the sig line. )

First, find an image you want to add and save it to your computer. You can save an image by right-clicking on it and choosing "Save Image As". You'll then see a little box where you can either change the name of the image or just click "SAVE". The image is then saved to your "Pictures".

To add this saved image to your sig line, go to the drop-down menu under the "My Account" tab and choose "Settings". There, scroll down until you see the box titled "Forum Settings". Now, to find the image you saved to your computer, click the "BROWSE" button. This brings up your pictures folder. In the pictures box, find your saved image, click on the image, and then click the "OPEN" button, which is on the bottom right of the pictures box. Now, you will see the image info in the text box next to the "BROWSE" button. Now, all you have to do is scroll down just a bit and click the "Update Forum Signature" box. You are finished!

If you also want to add some text to your sig line, just type the words into the empty text box that is right there in the "Forum Settings" box. You can add anything you like there, even links. If you want to add a link, click the little box that looks like a green and blue ball with a gray chain in front of it (if you hover your pointer over it, you will see a pop-up with the word "LINK"). This will bring up a box in which you paste the URL into the empty box that is titled "URL" Click "OK" and then make sure to click the "Update Forum Signature" button.

You can also make your link show the exact words you want instead of showing just the generic "LINK" or a long URL. First save the URL by right-clicking and clicking on "COPY".  Now, go back to the "Forum Settings" box and type in the words you want to make into a link. Now, highlight those words.  Click the "LINK" button and paste the URL into the box and click "OK". This will make the words you just typed into the box a clickable link. You can see how it looks in my sig line, just look for the "Available ARC's".

***Please note that PBS has a limit on the size of images that can be used. You will see those dimensions beneath the "BROWSE" button. If you are wanting to resize an image, you'll just have to make a post here and see if someone can tell you how to do it.

Okay, I think that is it. I will make my next post show how to add a profile image.

If you know of an easier way to do any of these things, please post!!! I have a tendency to be too wordy when giving instructions which makes things confusing!

How to add an avatar or icon to your posts.

Go to the drop-down menu under the "My Account" tab and choose "Settings". Scroll down until you see the box titled "Public Profile". You are basically going to be doing the exact same thing you did to add an image to your sig line.

Make sure you have the image you want saved to your computer. Now, click the "BROWSE" button and locate that image. When you find the image you want, click on the image, and then click the "OPEN" button. You'll then see the info in the Browse box. Scroll down and click the "Update Profile Settings" box and you are all finished. This image will be shown on your forum posts and your public profile. If you don't have a profile, you really should make one.

***There is also a size limit for your profile image.

Here is how to post pictures in your post.  They have to be on the internet somewhere already.  In most browsers, you should be able to right-click on the picture you want to post, click on copy, come to post box, right-click, click paste.  Then while you are still in the edit box, you can re-size the picture by clicking on it and dragging the corner to make it smaller or larger.

For personal pictures, you have to upload them to photobucket or some other image storing site, then copy the links from there. For some reason, I can usually only get photobucket to work by using the Source button the toolbar.  Clicking the Source button while you are editing changes all of your text to html source code, then I can insert the photobucket html line in the post. Click the Source button again to go back to regular posting and resize the picture if necessary. Here are some recent pictures from my photobucket account:

We signed the contract today on the reception hall for DD's wedding.  Here's a picture of the outside, and the dance floor in the main room.  Through the french doors off the dance floor, you go outside to a big wrap around porch where there will be more tables for us old people who will get a headache from the music...LOL!  And the guy in the white shirt is my new best friend Ramsey!

And these two pictures are from our FOL book storage room.  Thank goodness we are having a book sale this weekend!  I hope lots of people come buy stuff, because I do not want to have to re-box all those books!

Christa - this all looks great. You are doing a wonderful job on your daughter's wedding arrangements!!

I hope you don't have to re-box those books too!!Let's hope for a really big sale.

Thanks Valli! (Tho you'll always be AL to me:)  I'll give it try later in the week and get back to you for clarification.

and thanks also, Christa.  You have a daughter getting married..wow you don't seem old enough to be getting married yourself.

oy vey Christa I run FOL stuff and we have probably 50,000 books - its chaos but we manage to stock a small FOL bookstore,  have monthly sales, have about a thousand  books on sale on the "honor system" in the lobby (25 cents to 50 cents).   Good luck with your sale!

Regards,

Denise

Denise, thanks for the age compliments.  I had her when I was 5.

We just started our FOL a couple of years ago.  So we are doing good to have three sales a year and keep all the donated books organized!

See Valli - your help paid off. I used your advice re links and put that thread about the Amazon deal up today. Woohoo - it works!!

Yay, Jeanne! I'm glad it worked...I usually give the worst instructions. Back when I was a tour guide, I'm pretty sure I made some poor newbies even more confused than they were before they pm'ed me for help. ;-)

Christa, the reception hall looks fabulous! I can so easily imagine a chocolate fountain there. Luscious chocolate pouring down in a steady stream of chocolatey bliss...yum. Oh, yeah, I still haven't received my invitation to the chocolate, I mean the wedding... ;-)

Look at all those boxes of books!!!!! Can I come to your FOL sale??? LA is not that far from me..... Oh, you could have a special day for visitors, ME!, where the visitors, ME!, can shop before everyone else. Doesn't that sound like fun (for ME!)???

Come on over, Valli!  We will be setting up all day Friday before we open for the preview sale at 3.  Volunteers get $5 of free books, which goes a long way when the books are all 25 cents - to - $1!  And you get to pick out your free books before anybody else gets there!  And volunteering may sound like work, but not really...just think of it as sorting your future TBR.  Fun, huh?? So hop in your jeep-replacement-vehicle and come on over!

And one of the big selling points for this reception place is that you get the chocolate fountain FREE with the menu we picked!  So the decision was a no brainer.

Thanks for the directions ladies!

Christa - the reception home (?) looks beautiful.  Your new BFF the wedding planner?

He works for the reception place and since they are supplying the food, drinks, DJ, cake and flowers, he is essentially the planner for the reception. They will also do the flowers for the church.  The only thing we have to arrange for ourselves is the photographer.  Oh, and the dress, of course. ...Aaaannnd the invitations.  Ummm, and the candy buffet...can't forget that!  err....and the bridesmaid gifts.. yea..that too.  Now what was Ramsey doing for me again???

No, no, no Christa. Don't invite Valli to THIS sale -- but extend her a special invitation to the NEXT one -- you know, the one AFTER Feb. 1.

And yes, I'm really looking forward to seeing you all at the chocolate fountain -- just patiently awaiting my invitation (Christa -- I'm sure your daughter won't mind a few wedding crashers -- we'll all just sit quietly in the corner reading our books until the chocolate fountain appears and then -- well -- anything goes. But what great stories she and her husband will have....)