.layout faq (original) (raw)

FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions. You know the drill.

Just please try and attempt to fix the problem yourself first by using other help communities like s2smoothsailing and s2flexisquares, before asking me. Also, when you're describing the issue, be clear. Screencaps are a big help. I'll reply to your comments ASAP, but in the event it takes me a few days to get to it, patience would be lovely.

Frequently Asked Questions

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ABOUT THE LAYOUTS
Can I change/edit/customise the CSS myself?
Your layout has the [insert element here] missing. How do I get it back?
How do I change the text for the header menu?
I don't want my icon to show with every entry. How do I hide it?
The ads are a different colour than my background. How can I fix this?
Why is the [insert element here] not working? What went wrong?
How come my header isn't the right size?
Why does my layout come out messed up?
Could you make a layout just for me?
Can I put a header in this?
Checklist: IE-Only Layouts

Layout Customization

1) Can I change/edit/customise the CSS myself?
Certainly. Just please credit me as the original maker, since it is my CSS stylesheet to begin with. You can make as many changes to it as you want, change the colours, the blockquote style, whatever.
Just don't remove my credit section heading my styless sheets please or otherwise claim it as your own.

2) Your layout has the [insert element here] missing. How do I get it back?
If it's missing, it's usually how I intended it to be due to personal preference. If you want to change it, just hunt through the CSS and look for something that looks like

display: none;.
That nearly always solves the issue.

However, and this is going to be increasingly common in my layouts especially, you'll find that when you enable something like the Journal title/subtitle or the sidebar, it's not coded at all to intergrate with the layout. Just to be clear, I won't give you the coding to ammend this.

For little things like the mood theme, you can enable it via deleting the following:
Flexi-Squares - .currentmood img {display: none;} Smooth Sailing - entryMetadata-content img {display: none;}

3) How do I change the text for the header menu?
Go to Customize Journal Style.
For Flexi-Square themes, click on Text and make the appropriate changes, and for Smooth Sailing it's over at Menu.

4) I don't want my icon to show with every entry. How do I hide it?
Go to Customize Journal Style and under Presentation > Additional Options, select 'no' from the drop-down menu for 'Show user picture icons with each of your entries?'.

5) The ads are a different colour than my background. How can I fix this?
At Select Journal Style, scroll down to the Ad-Placement section at the very bottom and select either horizontal, vertical or between entries. Certain placements work best with certain entries. And it's ideal to test out all three with your layout to see which fits in nicely. The ads are ugly, let's face it, but if you haven't got the funs then you've just got to work around it.

*Hinthint*, certain layouts with fixed sidebars can hide vertial ads completely if you fill the sidebar completely *hinthint*

After that, go over to Style > Colors and change the colours in 'Background color of the outer table' and 'Border color of the content and header/footer boxes' to your background colour, or an equivalent (if you have an image as the background).

6) Why is the [insert element here] not working? What went wrong?
IE's probably on crack most likely.

In the event that this happens to you, please you a full screencap to explain your point. IE tends to hate on layouts that go against the 'status quo', throws fits on replacement tiny icons and can just screw over the sidebar completely in most cases. There's no explanation why. I use IE and it screws up just about everything.

Please feel free to ask me about this if something isn't working as it should be like image preview/live preview, and I'll try my best and help you out.

7) How come my header isn't the right size?
Did you use Photobucket as a host? Unless it's a Paid/Premium account, then they have a limit on just how big your images can be made.

This is why ImageShack.us comes out as the most reliable image host. You can easily upload images without height restrictons on there.

8) Why does my layout come out messed up?

Internet Explorer again.

There are the three most popular and possible reasons why.

- Page Setup? Did you choose the right one?
- Check Customize CSS
Is Use layout's stylesheet set to no?
Is Use layout's stylesheet when including custom external stylesheet set to no?
Is Use external stylesheets set to no?
- If yes and you still have a problem, then choose another Flexi-Square or Smooth Sailing theme. If you chose a Flexi-Square layout made by chasethestars then that may be why you're screwed. Go and choose another one.

If your problem still isn't resolved, then this is where your browser comes into question. I only have Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox, so I can only go by what I see with those browsers. If you're using IE6 or lower, then upgrade. They're outdated for a reason.

If all else fails, this is where you fire away your questions and queries at me ;D

9) Could you make a layout just for me?
Check the request tags. If a thread is open, go for it. Otherwise if you're on my f-list, you probably get the opportunity for layout requests whenever I'm on break from school and hopelessly bored xD

10) Can I put a header in this?
I get asked this a lot, but it depends on which layout you want this for really. A quick and easy way to put a header into any Smooth Sailing layout is to make the .subtitle class hold one. You can do this in the following way:

.subtitle { width: #px; height: #px; background: url(HEADER URL GOES HERE) transparent no-repeat; font-size 0px; }

You of course change the # values with the appropriate number of pixels.
Again, this won't work with every layout. Depending on the way everything's set, a header may just be impossible to work in, but this will work for at least the majority.

11) Checklist: IE-Only Layouts
The following are only compatible for IE users, therefore please do not use them if you're using another browser.
- Final Departure [Smooth Sailing]
- A Watery Grave [Smooth Sailing]
- Hypnotism Suite [Smooth Sailing]