I'm trying to create an animated banner for my website. I found an online simple shareware program to do this. It's easy--even I can do it...but...
I designed my two banner segments in Fireworks 2004, and I saved them as png files so that I could go back in and retool them till I finalized my design. For the banner software to work, the photos have to be in GIF format.
Without redoing the entire project, I tried everything i could think of--"Save As," "Export," my sort-of-ex-web consultant advised me to change the format in the Optimize window to a GIF adaptive 256. I did that, tried to export and also tried to resave. Nothing. The option for GIF doesn't come up. She said it works on her computer, but that doesn't help me.
When I try to save, only options come up such as Dreamweaver Lib, html & images, images, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator 7, etc. No normal save options like jpg, tiff or gif.
I have the new images saved in a folder called Photoshop (I don't own PS, but one of my consultants did, and she sent me that folder.) Grasping here, I don't know why, but could this be affecting why it's not giving me a normal choice? Does it think this is a PS item?
It seems so simple, but nothing's working. Can anyone advise me on how to change the png to gif format. I can send screenshots of what I'm getting if that would help.
Grateful for assistance,
Amy
.gif format is very common and I am really surprised that you can't get your Fireworks 2004 to save in that format. Do you have any other image editing programs on your computer that you could maybe open the .png files and convert them to .gif? If you don't have anything you might want to take a look at Gimp (http://www.gimp.org/) which is a free program you can download.
If I recall right, the "Export" option in Fireworks will export whatever predetermined format you have specified (or probably default to one if you have not specified one). Try going to "Export Preview", and in the "Format" box in the upper lefthand corner you should see a dropdown with the options of different file formats to select from, then click export (after you have chosen your format).
Alternatively, you can select the format when working in the canvas area as well. If your graphic is sitting on the canvas, deselect everything, make sure your "Properties" pane is showing on the bottom of the page, and you should see a dropdown listed that allows you to select the file format you want to export as.
Something else to consider is that you can certainly do an animated gif in Fireworks as well, so exporting them into another application to make an animated gif may be taking the long road.
Regardless, I've been known to dabble with both Fireworks and Photoshop, so if that doesn't help, PM me your file, and/or some screen shots of what you're seeing, and I'd be happy to take a look at it for you.
As a last resort, you could use an online converter, such as:
http://tools.dynamicdrive.com/imageoptimizer/
http://www.coolutils.com/Online-Image-Converter.php
Not as good as doing it on your own computer.
One and All:
Thank you so much for the great help. I took what WildJoker Shawn told me this morning and decided not to give up on using Fireworks--after I took a look at gimp and read about mirrors and knew I was going to get into even worse trouble.
I tried Export Wizard. I looked at it the other day, too, but wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, so quit out of there. Today, I figured I've got nothing to lose and clicked around and finally succeeded in getting the files saved in gif formats.
It's taken me over a week to figure out this little dinky thing, and I just sent the finished product to my sort-of-consultant and asked her to see if I've got the code in correctly for people to use for linking.
I know this must be so ridiculous-sounding to you experts, but I feel so proud that I accomplished this. Everything is such a struggle... You can now see my banner on: http://www.thewearwithall.com/contact.htm
I hope I've got the code correct for people to use as a link.
I've got a few new applications I'd like to try and all the problems associated with trying to have the foggiest notion. I'll repost it under a new heading and start over with them.
Many, many thanks again,
Amy
Looks good Amy! May I suggest one thing. Remove the mailto link you have for your email. In fact do not post your contact email at all on your site but use something like NMS FormMail (http://nms-cgi.sourceforge.net/) to create a Contact Form. Although the name is close to the same as the one WestHost offers in the Site Manager it is different in that you do not have to place your email in the web page code. :)
The reason you never want your email address posted on your site is because spammers cruise the web harvesting such emails from sites and then send you spam.
Looks like you have the code right for copy and past of your banner. ;)
Well, WildJoker Shawn, you beat me to the punch. This was my next set of problems to tackle:
1. How to add a guestbook--and e-mail form so I don't get spam
2. Add a blog--see if it can match my colors and have my logo. Figure out which blog to add: WordPress or Blogger.com and how to link it to other related blogs to try to pick up site traffic.
You should know by now that if you point me in a direction, I'm probably going to get lost without lots of handholding. (At the rate you're going, you'll soon be qualified to replace my Sig. Other in that department.) ;-DD
I went to the page link and am pretty sure I'm not going to know where to load whatever and how to configure it...
A craft forum I belong to was discussing e-mail forms and spam. Someone recommended a form link, and I downloaded it. Well, after reading the "read me" page on how not to install the php thing, I had no idea what I was supposed to do or where I install a php file and asked the gal who posted it. She offered to install it for me for a fee. I just finished asking her how much she would charge for that and for installing and setting up a blog for me when you sent me this note.
I don't like that WestHost announces and offers site applications, but there's no picture of what they look like when they're installed (like what does a Purple Yin guestbook look like on a website) and such sketchy instructions on how to configure the thing, I often just click out of there. I installed the Guestbook (never having seen what it looks like) and deleted it quickly when I couldn't figure out how to configure the thing. :(
So I'll see what this gal wants to charge me to install and configure a spam-free guestbook that might help beef up my contacts mailing list.
I see WestHost has WordPress, but my sort-of-ex-consultant says she prefers Blogger.com If you use WP, does it take up bandwidth on my own website or is it on the WestHost server? I went to blogger.com and was going to give it a try, but I didn't know what to fill in for the links they provided to get you started. My s-o-x-consultant told me to ask WestHost, but I didn't want to bother them...
I see they now have website design assistance. I may go to them to install and explain what things do and how they work, for any new applications in the future. At least I would know it was configured correctly.
Amy
Almost all the programs that WestHost offers are Open Source programs that are free to the public. What that means are they are programs that volunteers build and code and then release to the general public to use. The nice thing about that is that it keeps the cost of building and running I site to something that is managable. The drawback is that you have to do some learning. :)
All these Open Source programs are not managed by WestHost but by many different folks. WestHost simply has made it a bit easier to install them on your account. If in the manual there is not a link to the site for the program then it well most likely be at the bottom of the page of the program once you install it and you can follow it to see what support and documentation each "group" offers. That would be a good first step for you even if you do pay to have someone else set things up for you to begin with. The more you can learn the happier you will be with your site and the less it well cost you in the long run.
Once you get a bit of information about the ones you want to try and install and play with them then you can come here and ask specific questions if you get a bit stuck. I won't kid you it can be a big task at times... but it is not an impossible one. ;)
It is best to post your questions seperate with good subjects that help to describe what you need. Just a "Help" will often be overlooked by others. When you do post always include how far you have gotten and then at what point you got stuck. If you run in to error messages on something always try to write them down so you can post them along with your question. The more info you can provide the easier it is to help with an answer.
Oh yes on things like the NMS FormMail that I linked to... There is a link to thier download page and on it at the top is the link to download the program. Below that are some links to download other programs they have. You download the package which is in zip or tgz compressed file fomats. BTW zip is a Windows things and can normally be "unpacked" once you get it to your computer by double clicking it. Newer computers come with a program to do this installed older ones if your computer does not unzip it right away you would have to download and install something like WinZip.
I'll try to feed you info slowly.
Thanks, WJShawn--you're super.
Okay, so my next question is: Have you used this form mail? Does it come with instructions on how to set the thing up once you unzip and save the program?
Do you know what happens after I save and unzip the thing? Which file would I save it to in my local Dreamweaver folder? Is there a set up section where I can put in the fields I'd want to include like name/e-mail address/comments/how did you hear about my site or something like that--how did you locate my website? I thought it would be helpful to find out that info, unless you think that's a waste.
If there is a set up section, am I going to have to know complicated/confusing html to code the darn thing? I probably should just make it easy on both of us and ask, are you for hire for this??? If this isn't enough, I also want to set up a blog... I have ongoing little projects. >:-O
Well... for me it is easy but from the questions you are asking I think it may be a bit of challange for you. :) With open source programs like this you normally download them in the zip form then unzip them somewhere on your local computer. I keep such programs in a seperate directory that is split into the types of programing languages like perl, php ect. then in subdirectories that reflect what the progam is (normally the name of the program). I then have a look at what was unzipped and look for a README text file or something that sounds like it may contain info on installing and configureing. With many you have to edit the code to set up configuration values for the program. Once that is done you then have to upload them to the server and finnish off any instructions on installing.
Good news! Yes I do that kind of work. ;) You can check out my site for more information on my fees and such. http://wildjokerdesign.com
Even with that I would like to encourage you to go ahead an download the zip file for FormMail, unzip it and have a look at what is in the zip file. It has been some time since I have delt with the program but pretty sure it contains a README file. See what you think. If it totally blows your mind give me holler. If you think maybe you want to try and install it yourself I am more then happy to help lead you in the forum here. You will need a plain text editor (like notepad or EditPlus) and a program like WS_FTP in order to upload the files. Dreamweaver is not the best program to deal with these things. The programs you would need are free and I can direct you where to find them if you want.