Customizing Your Signature « 101 ∙ 102 ∙ 103 »

Started by Caeli, July 11, 2010, 06:42:25 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Caeli

» » » { SIGNATURES } « « «




· · · { table of contents }

post o1. » table of contents
post o2. » signatures 101: the basics
post o3. » signatures 102: links
post o4. » signatures 103: images




This tutorial was created to answer most commonly-asked questions regarding signatures, links in signatures, images in signatures, and making an image a link in your signature.

Please send all errors or suggestions to Caeli.
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
{ø 𝕨 
  𝕒 }
»  ᴇʟʟɪᴡʀɪᴍᴏ
»  ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ: ᴛʜᴇ ғɪғᴛʜ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴀʀᴛ
»  ひらひらと舞い散る桜に 手を伸ばすよ
»  ᴘʟᴏᴛ ʙᴜɴɴɪᴇs × sᴛᴏʀʏ sᴇᴇᴅs × ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

Caeli

#1
» » » { SIGNATURES 101 : the basics } « « «




· · · { what is the signature ? }

Your signature is the area beneath every post that you make in Elliquiy's forums. This space is customizable to a certain degree, and can hold text, images, links, and quite a bit more in the way of formatting.

Many members choose to include links to important Elliquiy pages in their signatures, including their:
» ONs and OFFs thread
» Apologies and Absences thread
» roleplay request thread
» wiki page
» favorite roleplay or group game
» etc.

Some also choose to include links to their off-site blogs or websites, in addition to including the information in their forum profile settings.

You can choose to use different fonts, colors, or images to make your signature unique to you. Keep in mind that you are only allowed one animated image in your avatar OR in your signature (i.e., you cannot have one in both), and that sometimes less (and simple) is more.




· · · { where can I edit my signature ? }


2. View your profile.
Select forum profile.

1. Navigate directly from the navigation bar.
First, navigate to your forum profile settings. You can do this either by navigating there directly from the navigation bar underneath the shoutbox, or by viewing your profile, and selecting » forum profile « from the Modify Profile menu.

The text box where you can edit your signature is near the bottom of the page, beneath the instant messenger fields and above the website fields. After you fill what you want in your signature, whether it is images, text, or links, click on the » Change Profile « button at the bottom of the page. You can view the results under any post you make in the forums, as well as in your profile.

See the images at the right if you are having trouble locating where to edit your signature.

You don't need any special formatting in your signature. If you further wish to format the material (including embedding an image, changing font attributes, and so on), you'll need to use BBCode.

There is a very helpful guide to BBCode in the help section.

Signatures 102 and Signatures 103 will also have some code templates that you can use for your own signature.




· · · { what is the current signature policy ? }

Signature policies can be found in Elliquiy's site rules. An abbreviated version is provided below; however, you are advised to read the guidelines in their entirety on the guidelines page.

» Signature images must be hosted on Elliquiy (through our wiki), and are currently limited to 100 pixels tall and 500 wide.
» Signatures are considered 'public'. Though they can be racy or suggestive, genitalia, gore, and advertisements are to be avoided.
» You may link to your site in your signature as long as 1) The site links back to us, 2) It is not a pay site, and 3) It is not a referral or affiliate link.
» Please keep possessive notices, such as master and slave notices, out of your signature.
» No more than one animated image in your signature or avatar at a time, please.

Images larger than 100 pixels tall might force your signature to scroll.




· · · { how do I turn off signatures ? }

You can change your profile settings to not show user signatures while browsing Elliquiy's forums in the Look and Layout options of your profile.

To get to your look and layout options, view your profile, then find the link Look and Layout underneath the Modify Profile section (see image at right).

Below the forum time settings should be a series of check boxes and options to customize your forum browsing and viewing experience. Next to the fifth check box the option reads, Don't show users' signatures."

If the box is checked, user signatures will not show up while browsing Elliquiy's forums.
If the box is not checked, user signatures will show up while browsing Elliquiy's forums.

After you have changed your options to the desired settings, hit the Change profile button at the bottom of the page. The settings take effect immediately.
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
{ø 𝕨 
  𝕒 }
»  ᴇʟʟɪᴡʀɪᴍᴏ
»  ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ: ᴛʜᴇ ғɪғᴛʜ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴀʀᴛ
»  ひらひらと舞い散る桜に 手を伸ばすよ
»  ᴘʟᴏᴛ ʙᴜɴɴɪᴇs × sᴛᴏʀʏ sᴇᴇᴅs × ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

Caeli

#2
» » » { SIGNATURES 102 : links } « « «




· · · { how do I include a link to my thread in my signature ? }

There are several ways to do this, depending on your own aesthetic preferences. You can use a simple URL link, a text hyperlink (where your text shows up as a link to your thread), or a hyperlinked image. Each is explained in more detail below.

Directions on where you can edit your signature can be found in Signatures 101, above.




· · · { a non-formatted hyperlink }

For a simple, no-fuss URL link, simply paste the URL into the signature box (see below for some examples). Remember that the text included can be edited to be whatever you would like it to be, and the link included should be that of your own link

Quote from: Example 1Ons/Offs: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11841.0

Ons/Offs: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11841.0

Quote from: Example 2My ONs & OFFs: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11841.0

My ONs & OFFs: https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11841.0




· · · { a text hyperlink }

A text hyperlink is something like this, in which the link is embedded into the text itself. The URL tag is used to create this effect:

[url=URL here]text you want the link to appear as here[/url]

For example, the following three codes create the three different text links, below:

Quote from: Example 1ONs & OFFs
Roleplay Requests
Apologies & Absences


[url=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11841.0]ONs & OFFs[/url]
[url=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=11842.0]Roleplay Requests[/url]
[url=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=12144.0]Apologies & Absences[/url]

For a more streamlined look, I could separate the links with some kind of symbol, and keep all the links on one line. You can also experiment with different formatting, including size, fonts, and text attributes (such as bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough).

Quote from: Example 2Extra Large! strike + Red + Comic Sans MS

[size=12pt]Extra [b]Large[/b]! [url=https://elliquiy.com/][s]strike[/s][/url] + [url=https://elliquiy.com/][color=red]Red[/color][/url] + [url=https://elliquiy.com/][font=Comic Sans MS]Comic Sans MS[/font][/url][/size]
As you can see above, my size attribute enclosed all of the links. To affect each hyperlink individually, I kept formatting tags inside the URL tags. Some tags can be used outside, including those that affect font, size, and properties (bold, etc.); the color attribute reverts to the standard blue links when you embed a link.




· · · { a note about bbcode }

If at all possible, you should avoid complicated nested tags (when you have more than one set of attributes affecting your text). If you have nested bbcode tags, make sure that you close your tags in the opposite order that you open them.

For example, if you bold, then italicize, then underline your text, you should close your tags with the underline tag first, then the italics tag, then the bold tag. Notice the difference between the code for the first and second "Elliquiy Adult Role Play Forums".

Elliquiy Adult Role Play Forums  · · · Elliquiy Adult Role Play Forums

[b][i][u]Elliquiy Adult Role Play Forums[/u][/i][/b]
[b]Elliquiy [i]Adult [u]Role[/u] Play[/i][/b] Forums
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
{ø 𝕨 
  𝕒 }
»  ᴇʟʟɪᴡʀɪᴍᴏ
»  ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ: ᴛʜᴇ ғɪғᴛʜ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴀʀᴛ
»  ひらひらと舞い散る桜に 手を伸ばすよ
»  ᴘʟᴏᴛ ʙᴜɴɴɪᴇs × sᴛᴏʀʏ sᴇᴇᴅs × ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs

Caeli

#3
» » » { SIGNATURES 103 : images } « « «




· · · { how do I include an image in my signature ? }

The BBCode for embedding an image into the forums is this:

[img][/img]

If you wish to include an image in your signature, you must first upload that image to Elliquiy's Wiki, the Elluiki.

The file upload page can be found by following this link; a tutorial on how to upload and categorize your image can be found on this page. There are images included in the tutorial.

After you finish uploading your image, you will reach a page that looks like this. Click on your image to have the image's URL appear in your browser, or right-click on the image and copy image location.

Go to your forum profile settings and put your image URL between two image tags, like so:

Quote from: Example 1

[img]https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fe/Pirates.png[/img]
You can make your image float apart from the rest of your signature by using the float tags; you can also use a series of images for a unique effect, or align your image to the right, center, or left.

Quote from: Example 2: Float Tags
Pirates versus Mutineers; who will win?!
The Pirate's Code, a themed Mafia game
Found in Valerian's Vault (Non-Adult Roleplays)


[float=left][img]https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/f/fe/Pirates.png[/img][/float][size=8pt]Pirates versus Mutineers; who will win?!
[i]The Pirate's Code[/i], found in [b]Valerian's Vault[/b] (Non-Adult Roleplays)[/size]
As you can see, the text that is NOT in the float code wraps around the image. A more pronounced example of the float code's effects can be found in this tutorial.

The best way to find new ways to put your signature together, though, is experimentation. :-)




· · · { how do I link a thread to my image ? }

Embedding a link in your image is done similarly to embedding a link within your text. Instead of writing some explanatory words inside the URL tags, insert the image code and image URL. This is the template code:

[url=your URL here][img]your image URL here[/img][/url]

Here is an example of the code in use:

Quote from: Example 3

[url=https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=57515.0][img]https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/bb/EWG_sig.png[/img][/url]
By cropping an image into different parts, you can produce a sort of themed image map that leads to different threads of interest. I have included images of my own signature below, as one such example. :-)





There are many signatures that use a variety of all of these methods to create something unique to themselves. If you are admiring someone's signature or want to know how they achieve a certain effect, the best way to learn is to ask him/her directly, or make a new topic in the HELP! forum to ask!
ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀғʟɪᴇs ᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏᴅ's ᴘʀᴏᴏғ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴄʜᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀᴛ ʟɪғᴇ
ᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀᴠᴀɪʟᴀʙʟᴇ ғᴏʀ ɴᴇᴡ ʀᴏʟᴇᴘʟᴀʏs

ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ❋ ғᴏʀ ɪᴅᴇᴀs; 'ø' ғᴏʀ ᴏɴs&ᴏғғs, ᴏʀ ᴘᴍ ᴍᴇ.
{ø 𝕨 
  𝕒 }
»  ᴇʟʟɪᴡʀɪᴍᴏ
»  ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ: ᴛʜᴇ ғɪғᴛʜ sᴄʜᴏʟᴀʀʟʏ ᴀʀᴛ
»  ひらひらと舞い散る桜に 手を伸ばすよ
»  ᴘʟᴏᴛ ʙᴜɴɴɪᴇs × sᴛᴏʀʏ sᴇᴇᴅs × ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴs