Thread: Site Updated

We have made changes and additions to our www.yucatanchas.envirocurricula.com/yucatanchas.html site and look forward to your good eyes and succinct comments.

We decided from a design point of view not to add a form, but we are getting a lot of inquiries and signups from the email contact so that seems to work well so far.
Saludos!

May I suggest you use the dynamic riddler encryption found here ....

Your email will be encrypted and this will help to rid spammers from snatching your email address off of your website ...

It is a very easy to use tool, and very useful if you are not using the form for emails ...

You just simply type your information in, the html code will be supplied to you, you insert this in a html box, and place in the same spot as your email address now, doesn't take up any more room .....

Your site looks good ... worked fine for me ... good job!

Thank you LadyEye... will get on it right away!

You are welcome Chalien ... anything for a fellow Vodalien!!

I like the site - good work. The only thing I can say about design is that you need to center the page.

I don't encrypt my email - but that choice is yours. Yes, it can stop some spam from coming in - but it might also stop some people from contacting you. The choice is yours.

Originally Posted by Bethers

I like the site - good work. The only thing I can say about design is that you need to center the page.

I don't encrypt my email - but that choice is yours. Yes, it can stop some spam from coming in - but it might also stop some people from contacting you. The choice is yours.

Not sure why you would say it would stop some people from contacting you, it appears the same as a mail link ... not sure what you mean Beth? Can you explain ...

Well until Beth can offer us an explanation, I can testify that using this email riddler code for the email has reduced the spam to my email address greatly ...

This link was provided to me by Naval when I was having a ton of issues with spam. Since I began using this, spam is at a bare minimum. While my email address was wide open, spam was mounting daily.

So that is my testimonial ....

People do like to be able to click the email and have the email pop open to contact, as opposed to copying and pasting the email address into their message.

Just my further thoughts on the matter.

Sir Charles...great work...I love wht you have done with the site. Good Job. Links worked fine and as always enjoyed viewing your site.

Actually, many people can NOT click and have the email browser open and HAVE to copy and paste the email. I know that my employees never could do that - unless they wanted it to go out on our email program - and they would have been fired for it.

Since over 50% of my orders come from people searching from computers at work - I'm going to guess many of them are in the same position.

Also, you'll find many people from this forum who had no clue how to change the default setting - and that Outlook Express was the email program opening even if they didn't use it - and then they had to copy and paste from what opened there into their own email program.

In other words - you are giving people extra steps.

And, I did post once before on a survey done by the motel group I used to be with - they discovered that by giving people contact options - which meant all options - they greatly increased the number of people contacting, and thus booking a room. Whenever you FORCE the way you require someone to do something, you lose some people.

So, yes, it will make life easier on you. It depends on what the purpose of your site is. I won't take away the options on my sales sites and I will deal with the spam.

Thanks Beth ... I guess I've never had that type of job where I wasn't free on a computer ... hmmm ...

I don't really see it as an extra step though, but I do see it more of a convenience for those that would click and away they go ....

I would agree with you on giving all options for people to contact ... those options being telephone, email, fax, postal mail, courier, etc. etc., I really don't see this relating to a clickable email address or not, I guess that's just the way I am looking at it.

To me ... I see ... click and email for those that can, copy and paste for those that can't ..... as opposed to not having it clickable, everyone must copy and paste .... there must be those that can click and email, I would think ....

And I suggested this to him because his email was an email link, so encrypting, stops alot of spam ...

Thanks for explaining that though, I wondered why you were saying that.

I like the encrypter if you are not going to use a form.

I don't use forms for that type of contact either - but I believe in forms for other uses.

If you use the encrypter, PLEASE make sure you make a non clickable link that is able to be copied and pasted also. You didn't say to give that option originally, Holly and most people who use the encrypter don't have a copy and paste link available on the page.

Originally Posted by Bethers

I don't use forms for that type of contact either - but I believe in forms for other uses.

If you use the encrypter, PLEASE make sure you make a non clickable link that is able to be copied and pasted also. You didn't say to give that option originally, Holly and most people who use the encrypter don't have a copy and paste link available on the page.

I agree with that Beth ... you just have yours there to copy and paste don't you .... and maybe that is the best way period ... but if it's going to be clickable too, might just as well encrypt it ...

I would have to quit one of those jobs that didn't allow me to do that, lol ... my bad .... never thought of it that way, because I had never experienced it ... :) and never want to ... lol

Hmmm... so I can add the encrypter and see what happens, then if I don´t like it, I can undo it, yes?
I appreciate all of your help and Beeez compliments...
I thank you ladies very much for your help.

Charles, I like it....good job

Originally Posted by Charles Shaw

Hmmm... so I can add the encrypter and see what happens, then if I don´t like it, I can undo it, yes?
I appreciate all of your help and Beeez compliments...
I thank you ladies very much for your help.

Yes you can Charles. What you will receive when you go to the site is code that you will place in a html box on your page, and you could remove it if you liked. There is really no reason not to like it. But it is a very good recommendation as Beth says for you to also just add your email address if you feel anyone who may be trying to contact you would not prefer the click and email. In other words, just typing your email and not linking it ... use both if you like ...

looks great Charles - hope to be able to look you up when we get down that way

Use the encrypted email for links - then add one that isn't clickable - maybe to the footer - where people can copy and paste - or if like me can see and remember long enough.

Like the changes and having the map helps.
Good job.

Very nice Charles! I too, like the changes you have made. Very interesting!

Okay... I have added the encrytor, and put an unlinked email address at the bottom in the address place. From my point of view, it does the same thing it did before... pulled up a nuevo email from me to me.
Is this right? Would someone try it and see if it is working the way it should. I honestly must say that I don´t understand the cut and paste and all of that. I am truly html and all ignorant. But I can take you allon a great walk! Come on down.
Thank you Sharon, Bill, Ann, DreamLady and Beeez for your compliments!
LadyEye and Bethers for the encryption stuff.
Saludos,
Charles

You've done a great job Charles ... and yes I can see what you mean, because it actually does look the same ....

but this is what the encryption has done ...

Email Riddler is an online tool that encrypts and transform your email address into a series of numbers when displaying it, making it virtually impossible for spam harvesters to crawl and add your email to their list.

You have your email addy down the bottom without linking, that is good.

Yes it is all html and cutting and pasting, but looks like you got it.

This is the way I did mine ... Now maybe Beth will know better about the way you did yours, you see mine just says Contact LadyEye, where your's has your email address. I don't think that matters in terms of those spam crawlers, but I'll bet Beth will know for sure ....

ah hah! so I just put contact yucatanchas and that´s it, yes?
Oh before I grow much older, I will get this straight!
Am I now centered? I had told it to center in browser, but can´t tell that it is any different.
Saludos and thanks again!

Okay, I have done as you have shown me to do.
Gracias a todos!
Saludos,
Charles

Looks good Charles ....

Thank you very much!
Have a great fin de la semana all of you vodaliens!
saludos,
Charles

Charles,
What a lot of work you have put in. Really like what you have done with the photos, they all look great now. Good luck.

Thanks Choco... I see we both are involved in tourism... although, you do ever so much more!

Good luck to you too.

Saludos,
Charles

Originally Posted by Bethers

I like the site - good work. The only thing I can say about design is that you need to center the page.

I don't encrypt my email - but that choice is yours. Yes, it can stop some spam from coming in - but it might also stop some people from contacting you. The choice is yours.

Nonsense!

That was a wonderful post, Holly, and is something everyone should add to their "BV Tips and Tricks" especially if deciding Forms is not their cup of tea!

Ask Robin to take a close look at the alignment of your "shapes" (how the white "page" on the left margin is not carefully matched) to effect the tight order you desire.
And, you may try adding a 1pt "silver" border to your picture that is overlaid over the banner......it helps to make it both float and pop without too much visual confusion. Just try it....maybe even a lighter grey.....

WOW, Charles! The site has come quite a ways since you first joined us.....much improvement and clarified content/purpose!! I know you are pleased, and am glad to hear it is actually "working" for you despite being unfinished!

Hi, Looking good. Couple of things to look out for. The text is over lapping in some areas, like the image bellow.
Top header image wants pulling to the left a touch. To cover the white background.
The email at the bottom has moved?
It may be worth typing the Inquire at Yacatanchas all in the same text & just highlight the Yacatanchas to link to an email address.
Let others confer, but I viewed in firefox.

Okay, thanks Vasili and Chris,
I will work on this today! Must admit, I had not checked the site changes in mozilla or netscape... duh they always change things up and we must stay on top!
Appreciate the help.
Saludos!

Okay, we have made the suggested changes and checked on Mozilla, netscape and IE.
Vasily we have lined up the left side and added the silver, but it is a silver box behind the pic as we don´t know how to make a border. How is that done? What do you think? Should we add to other photos as well?
Thanks again to all!
Charles
and Kate

Originally Posted by Charles Shaw

Okay, we have made the suggested changes and checked on Mozilla, netscape and IE.
Vasily we have lined up the left side and added the silver, but it is a silver box behind the pic as we don´t know how to make a border. How is that done? What do you think? Should we add to other photos as well?
Thanks again to all!
Charles
and Kate

Simply right-click on the picture > Properties, and the dialog box will present. You will see how to add borders to images within BV......

You don't need to place images over shapes....they will present fine by themselves.
As far as adding borders to other images? You need to experiment with this....some images and colors of backgrounds look best with elements of contrast added, and some clearly do not need to be complicated.
I generally add borders not more than 2pt, and personally think that most seem to look better if lighter in color that the image themselves (light greys, silver, even the light blues).

Great, thanks Vasili, will go and do that as soon as I can.
Charles

Vasili,
clicked on photo added 1pt border but where do I choose the color.
sorry to be such a dunce, but... I am a geologist.
Charles

There is a small box showing the "attributes" of that border, defaulted at black, from which a drop-down palette presents.......choose a standard color, or drill in to "Custom" to select a primary color and the tint levels desired.

LOL
No problem! Pretty soon, all this detail work will not be complicated, but just a nuisance with regard to TIME!!! For me, it was trying to remain in a civilized mood while I endured the learning curve as I tried to transform my abstract concepts into a conveyable reality! And still do my day job....what a pain! My staff almost mutinied, threatening to abscond with my desktop!

And just where would that small box be?
Charles

Making a screenshot for you now...BRB...

OK, Charles.....if you:
A. In Blue Voda (page open in the BV browser pane), right-click on your selected image
B. Left-click on "Properties", and you should see a box like this:



As you can see, the different attributes for your selected image are right there for you to modify clearly......

1. Border thickness.....1pt works well, especially when using the "lighter color" system, but more than 2pt is too much, in my opinion
2. Border Color....see? by default, it is set to Black. Use the little arrow to drop down a list of basic colors....if you wish to play with the tint, at the bottom of the list is Custom: click on that, and then on one primary color patch......to the right you will find a tint guide...click anywhere you like on that, and the color will populate your selector field.
3. Click on OK, and you will return to color selection...."OK" back to set

When done, you should have a fine border on your image, in the exact color you desire.

I seem to be missing the Border Color on the right... it is simply not there.
So, what is happening here?
And just for kicks, how did you make a screenshot? Using your digital?
I´ll send a shot of mine if I know how and then you will see that I am missing something and it isn´t my brain for once!
Saludos,
Charles

You'll find out how to make screenshots here, courtesy of FPRob.
(They come in handy for all kinds of applications, especially for training/education documents)

>> Try downloading the newest version of Blue Voda....doesn't hurt anything, and is a good practice to maintain.

Okay... I will download new version of BV. Is that why I don´t have the border color box on mine¿
And, will learn about screen shots. Took digital of my screen, but now I don´t know how to give it a URL... there is sooo much to learn and so little time to learn it in. And to think I used to subscribe to Willy Wonka´s philosophy... so little to do, so much time to do it in.
I must say, this web stuff is exhausting!
Thank you, Vasily.

Saludos,
C

Hi Charles,

I did not see that on my pc, so for me no problem. We are going to launch The Barefoot Traveler in a big way and if you would like to have a link...
We hope to make all of the changes by the weekend

Dear Sharon,
I would be delighted to link. Let me know when you are ready to go!

Saludos,
Charles

Originally Posted by Charles Shaw

And, will learn about screen shots. Took digital of my screen, but now I don´t know how to give it a URL... there is sooo much to learn and so little time to learn it in. C

Pretty easy, really!
A. Control+"Print Screen" (automatically saves screen image)
B. Open Paint program
C. Control+"V" at the same time : pastes screenshot into Paint
D. File > SAVE AS (give it a name) as a JPG extension
E. Find the file (now as image), crop it with your photo editor, RE-SAVE
F. Open New Page in BV, import JPG image/screenshot
G. Publish this "side" page maybe as "extra_images" in whatever account
H. Using your browser, navigate to that page (yoursite.com/extra_images.html)
I. Right-click on your image > PROPERTIES
J. Highlight/COPY the http://www .yoursite.com/extra_images.html/whateverfilename.JPG string you see in the Properties dialog box
K. In the Forum, to insert that image in your "post" click on the yellow Photo icon in the top of the Reply/Message toolbar, and PASTE the string into the hyper tool.....

Poof! You've just made, cropped, and saved a titled screenshot, and pasted a published image into a forum post!

Wow! That is so fine,we are very happy Vasily! Thank you very much for all of your help.

Now, as you can see,we do not have a color box and you said that we need to update the Blue Voda program. We are at a loss here as well. We went and downloaded the newest version of BV, but where did it go in the compu? We still seem to have old program.

Did it not just overwrite the old one?

As you can read, we still need a lot of handholding here.

Saludos,
Charles
and Kate

Okay, wait! I think the URL was messed up somehow... trying this one.



Yes! We did it... thanks again, this is really fine and this info should be available to all of the voda people who are new to this as we are...

Do not know what is going on here. When it is in the Quick Reply box, the image is there, but when we post, it is not and the URL is funky.
It should be
http://www.asuntosvitales.envirocurr...0x%20208-).jpg, but why is it not converted to a pic???
Frustration reigns. Going to the library... back later.
Saludos,
Charles
and kate

LOL
Try to remember when titling, naming, or creating any links to always use an underscore like_this instead of spaces, and to refrain from using any symbols....(I think that is why your image didn't post properly - a symbol not presenting properly - and it is also why you see the % instead of spaces). Computers replace blanks and symbols with benign "fillers"....symbols are very tricky, as in HTML and other codes they are actually function and command items....

And, yes, downloading BV merely overwrites previous versions without affecting files and such.

No matter.....try to see if your BV now presents the border color command in Image Properties. (If it's not there, then something weird is going on the the world outside VodaLand! LOL)

Hola Vasily,
I put the photo into the pix resizer before saving in BV images. Would that make a difference? I have no spaces in the name or symbols.

Also, I don´t see any changes to my BV program except my files now just have the BV logo and no names. Any ideas what is happening or am I being visited by the aluxes?
Saludos,
Charles and
kate

Dunno.....rather difficult to see from here! LOL

I barely made it in this morning....(way too exhausted)......it's taking me a long time to wrap my brain around anything besides my coffee right now.
I will try to revisit this sometime today.

Hmmm... I will keep working on it from this end, thanks Vasily, and what are you doing? Hanging out with the lovely alien ladies?

Cheers,
Charles

No....trying to resist the urge to get out the gun and end my self-inflicted frustration......LOL

Too many unfinished sites (that were supposed to be bringing in revenue this season), 2 unloaded shopping carts, trying to do daily business as usual in a down market, debating whether or not to trim staff significantly, trying to make a mid 6-figure payroll with 35% of last years sales, and debating whether or not to even begin processing over 800 emails that have been just sitting there for 20 hours.....I think I'll just sit here a while longer, thank you.....maybe some more coffee and a smoke.....

What do you have planned for today???

The gun, my son, is not a solution... it just leaves a mess
and generally a bunch of really pissed off people.

Vasily, I understand all of that which you are suffering... went through it in the mid-80´s when the Arabs decided to drop the price of oil and our businesses went south. So, we decided to bag it all and go south too, to Mexico.

Cannot say I have any regrets about that move,
although I will never be the rich man I had envisioned... sigh.
Hate to hear that you are having such a bad time of it... but 800 emails sounds like it could mean revenue???

Hey, have a coffee and a smoke, things always change.

Oh, I know Sir Charles.......just a childish musing of sorts......

Keeping perspective.....it was only 4 years ago I was recently divorced towing a U-Haul from Florida to California and was free to persue a vision, which led to a thriving business that provides for more than 100 families after a VERY small capital investment! Determination, humility, and trading sleep and personal time paid off well.
But.....I thought I'd have some life back by now, that's all. Getting pooped!

I have no idea why it seems you have a different "version" of BV.....quite a stumper.
If all else fails, you might continue to tinker, as it seems illogical that you would have 1/2 of the attribute commands....in my mind, all or none.

Oh good, Vasily sounds like you are doing good things and should just keep up with the coffee...

http://www.asuntosvitales.envirocurr...roperties.html
Here is the URL of the page that for some reason will not paste here as an image. As you can see, I do not have the border color option.

Would it give me the same effect if I put a silver box behind the photo?

Of course.....but how annoying! You should have all of the features BV has to offer.....makes me wonder what else you might be missing.....

If you have an extra 5 minutes, you should Submit a Support Ticket explaining the problem (detail) and see if there is an "official" explanation, or even an unzipped BV replacement download offered.......
(Busy or not, it's their job to figure this out for you!)

Thank you Vasily, I will do that right now!

Good weekend!

Charles

I have finally be able to figure out how to download the Blue Voda program (I read the instructions, duh!)
so that perhaps I will have an update and this missing bit will be there... sigh, no such luck... it still looks like this and I cannot add a color to the border I put around my photo...
http://www.asuntosvitales.envirocurr...roperties.html
any ideas why Vasily had more to his program than I do? and why isn´t the BV team responding to my ticket? Is everyone off for the holidays???
Saludos,
Charles

Charles,
Are you using the latest version of BV 8.0.1 ?
Instead of trying to use Image, try Image Map, the border option should show up.

Charles

I hope you do not mind, and I hope this helps. I took the liberty of submitting a support ticket myself on your behalf. I have given them a bit of detail, your user name on this forum and your domain name url ...

Perhaps with things not working, your support tickets are not getting through either ....

Anyway, I pushed send, so it's gone now and you can't change your mind.

Hopefully you will hear something soon ...

So sorry about your dilemma .... you'll get sorted soon I am sure.

Thank you Bill, I don´t know if it is the BV 8.0.1 I downloaded what they offered to me today.
and Ladyeye... let´s see what happens, how could I be anything but grateful!

Charles

Charles


I've had a response

Your mail is being sent to

Email: cshaw@prodigy.net.mx


Hope that helps and you find what you need in that mailbox ... is that mailbox working??

Charles

I have to run out, an appointment, will be back within 3 hrs ... if you do not have it, reply back to Hank and let him know and perhaps he can send it to another email address ... ok ... good luck

I don't know how you are inserting the picture? Are you using the image feature from the top buttons - where you will have a border option - or are you using the gallery feature - where you will not have the border option?

Chuck is importing straight BV from the toolbar....(as you can see from his layouts).....

But it appears the images could be being entered using the gallery feature - and he needs to use the image feature to create the borders he wants. Both are available from the toolbar, but do different things.

I viewed source on your photos for museums page - and here is what I see on the first image:

<IMG src="deformation22.jpg" align="top" border="0" width="245" height="160" style="position:absolute;left:50px;top:209px;width :245px;height:160px;z-index:26">

Please note that it says border="0" - which means you have not selected to add a border to this picture.

The only place I see the purple color is for the text and as a background color - but no where as a border color.

Good ideas all, thank you.

this is what I did:
I clicked and added the photo I had resized in the Pixresizer. when I right click on the photo I get the Image Properties box, whick allows me to choose borders of varying sizes, but I do not have the choose the color box Vasily has. You can see his screenshot on page 2 of this thread.

I tried to upload a screenshot of my IP box, but could not get it to come up, so here is the screenshot uploaded to this

URL: http://www.asuntosvitales.envirocurr...roperties.html

i have downloaded the latest BV to my desktop and assume that it is the latest version... do not have color box.

I think I can add a silver border to the original photo in Photoshop and then I will replace it... the page has a silver box under the photo now that is a small border wider... but I am worried that in Mozilla and Netscape and other browsers that the photo will not be perfectly set over the box.
Hve not checked this yet, but will soon.

For now, I wish all of you a Very Merry Day and lots of peace and love,
Charles

Oh and Holly, I have received nothing from BV. I have not contacted Hank as I just returned to my compu and I need to go again and will not return until Tuesday. Then I will try the BV people again and let you know.
It may be my prodigy. Perhaps you can ask them to contact me through
yucatanchas********.com??? Thank you, a very merry!
Charles

OK, I looked at your snapshot and you really need to send that link into support and show them - as you do not have the option to add a border color. Now, my question to you - is have you tried to add the border - which is there - and see what color you get by default in the meantime? I believe the default on all mine is black.

Yes, I get black as well.

Charles

I've done what you have asked.

Have a nice holiday, hopefully when you get back things will happen for you!!

The seasons best to you!!

thank you Lady Eye and all... I have received my password and will submit a ticket about the object properties.
In the meantime, I have put a silver border around the photo in PShop.
I think it works just fine, what do you think?

Charles

Did good.....hope you find resolution to this abberration soon.

Feliz Navidad, my friend!

&#161;Feliz A&#241;o Nuevo!

After having some problems with my password, I am back and I haven&#180;t a clue where I am in the scheme of things, but wanted to say hola a todos.

Saludos,
Charles

Felicidades Charles,
Had the same trouble myself FRUSTRATING! Glad,to hear you are back and still around, how's biz?

Thanks Choco, And yes! very frustrating....
Business is a little slow right now because these first two weeks in January
slump a bit, but beginning this next week, I am booked to talk and walk.
How about you?
Saludos,
Charles