Code Help

Sample Signature File HTML Codes

Here's a sample of how signature file, or any other html posting codes should be setup.

HTML coding tells your viewer's browser what to display, and how to display it, by using hidden commands written in the "Code String". These commands are normally prefixed by keyboard arrow symbols "<" and ">." For example, to center an image, you would start you code string with <center> and end the string with </center>. The slash symbol "/" tells the browser to END the command that was started with the first set.

The same can be done with BOLD TEXT. By starting with and ending with with your text in the middle, the browser is instructed to display the text between those symbols in bold format. For example, the string Make my text bold would result in Make my text bold

This can also be done with colors and sizes, but let's keep it simple for now. In the examples below, successive additions or changes to the sig codes are shown in red.

Let's do one!

Let's do a simple photograph code. Here's a code to show one of my pics:

Now Let's CENTER IT

Now, let's center it, by adding the <center> and </center> tags before and after:

Let's add some WORDS!!

The html code for a line break is , so if we want to add some text below the photo, we would add the symbol, then type the text in. However, since we want the text to be centered with the photo, we'll keep the text stuff IN FRONT of the </center> command:

<center><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg"> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina</center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina

Words too scrawny!!

Ok, let's bold type the text, by adding the and tags before and after the text:

<center><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg"> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina</center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina

What about an E-Mail Link?

Sure! We can do that!! Your code string is about to grow by leaps and bounds!! We'll add an e-mail link to Moccasin Mike at the bottom of the sig file. Again, since we want it to remain centered, we'll add the link in front of the end center command. Adding a LINK to a portion of a sig file requires the use of <a href="....> and </a> codes. The link will be hidden entirely, so text for it must also be added between those two commands. In this example, we used "Snake Mail" as the text for the e-mail link. Also, as an option, we have included a subject tag to the email link, so that if you were to click on it to mail me, your message would automatically be titled "Sigfile Help". This is done by adding ?subject=Sigfile Help immediately after the mail addy.

<center><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg"> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina <a href="mailto:mocc@moccsplace.com?subject=Sigfile Help">Snake Mail</a></center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina
Snake Mail

Let's link that photo to Mocc's Place.com, shall we?

Now its going to get really big and complicated! We use some more <a href"...> coding to imbed a hidden link to Mocc's Place in the photo:

<center><a href="http://www.moccsplace.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg"></a> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina <a href="mailto:mocc@moccsplace.com?subject=Sigfile Help">Snake Mail</a></center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina
Snake Mail

Can it get any more complicated?

YEP!!

We can add a pop up text to that photo so you'll know what's up when your mouse tickles it!!

<center><a href="http://www.moccsplace.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg"alt="Click this image to go to Mocc's Place.com!"></a> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina <a href="mailto:mocc@moccsplace.com?subject=Sigfile Help">Snake Mail</a></center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina
Snake Mail

MY HEAD HURTS!!

Mine too! So we won't go into the text formatting and border commands and stuff, but just so you'll have it, here's the elimination of any borders around the photo (which will show up on Delphi when a link is hidden in there) and a change to the text below the photo:

<center><a href="http://www.moccsplace.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.moccsplace.com/images/sigs/mocc/hwy28.jpg" border=0 alt="Click this image to go to Mocc's Place.com!"></a> Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina <a href="mailto:mocc@moccsplace.com?subject=Sigfile Help">Snake Mail</a></center>

Highway 28 Near Deals Gap, North Carolina
Snake Mail

For best results, be sure to TEST your code string before submitting it. The best way to do this is to save your code string to a NOTEPAD (.txt) file first, then do a post or reply to a post on the forum, enter the code string in the post, and click "PREVIEW" to see what that string will produce. If it looks good, close the post without submitting it, then paste the string in your sig file box. If it needs adjustment, just click the "Revise" button and make whatever changes you need to make to make it come out right and preview it again. This way you won't have 40 posts trying to figure out a glitch in the string.

Its best NOT to copy coding from an internet source to WORD or other html compatible programs, because they will often change the symbols on you and destroy your code. Always work with NOTEPAD for coding.

To save any of the above code strings for your own future use, just highlight and copy the string, then paste it to a notepad file on your harddrive (with "word wrap" unchecked). Then when you are ready to build your own sig code, you can just change the parts that you need to to make them work for you.

Remember, Delphi is a place to make friends. Treat everyone like they're going to be your next best friend and you'll discover what these forums are really all about!!

See ya on the boards, my friends!!
Moccasin Mike
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