How does it look so far?

[mrstmb73]

http://adhd-bipolar-child.com/

I am still working on it....but want some opinions

Thank You
Tina

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

Hey, Tina!

I know you are just getting your feet wet, but from what I saw when I peeked at your initial design, I really think the best advice I could offer is to sit down and really plan out your site: make a list of pages, sections, elements that you want to include and offer to visitors (if to "fulfill" the "Mission" or "Purpose" of the site) and then re-think the layout to best incorporate those important elements ... especially when it comes to creating a Navigational scheme.

You might get an idea of what I am suggesting by looking at a very simple Demo I created to include some of the sections and items that might normally be expected on a site such as this. Mind you, this is just my "take" and meant only to clarify and inspire ..... you'll see I am suggesting a Forum (where parents can interact and support directly one another and you can Moderate progress), some writing possibilities for you to lead by example in sharing with White Papers (which you can create and "store" in a Wordpress Blog and highlight a few in the left navigation as I did), Parent journals, etc. included in the left margin navigation, and some other sections that makes sense if to make a well-rounded offering to a specific interest group such as this. Some other sections might be Family Life, Social Skills, Relationships, Legal Issues, Self-perspective, etc. There are so many ways to offer support, I know, but really a website as you propose should have a much more well-thought offering and support system if to be worth the effort to even publish and maintain, yes?
A former Educator with a specialized degree in Special Ed-Profound Handicap (Autism, Savant, Aphasic), I am rather familiar with the genre.
You can do whatever you want, really, but I hope I have provoked some serious consideration of the benefits of having a real website outline, a Plan that can provide the basic structure and cognizant organization that you will need to build upon successfully.

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

WOW!! Thank You so much for your insight! It is almost as you knew where I was trying to go with this! I will take your advice and learn everything! I LOVE the demo site you created! Do you mind if I use this template you created?? If not. that's ok, I will learn to build one like that!

Again, Thank You!
Tina

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

I have been watching tutorials on installing forum (watched several times) and was going step by step in my attempt to install on and while trying to install this I encountered this error:

The installation can not be completed:
- You chose to install in the main directory of the domain adhd-bipolar-child.com, but there are conflicting filenames, therefore we can not proceed. Following filenames already exist in the main directory of the domain adhd-bipolar-child.com (path="/home/makemon3/public_html/adhd-bipolar-child.com/").You must manually remove these files before proceeding with auto-installation:
images

Click on the browser's Back button to fix reported errors.

What am I doing wrong?

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

Glad my little design was useful ... you can copy it all you want.

Every website (including those created using a script such as Wordpress or phpBB Forums) requires a separate Directory in which to be installed, and that is why you are seeing the Error message after attempting to installing on the Root Directory ("public_html/") of your Domain.

For both the phpBB Forum and the Wordpress Blog, you will need to create a separate Directory in which to install each of them, and Fantastico! does this automatically for you: simply type in "forum" or "blog" in the little white box at the top labeled "Install in Directory" ..... (see phpBB Fantastico! installation image below as an example)


Then, the link for you to use on your webpage navigation would look like:
1. www.adhd-bipolar-child.com/forum (and to access the Admin Dashboard of the Forum, www.adhd-bipolar-child.com/forum/admn or Login using the link on the index page of the Forum)
2. www.adhd-bipolar-child.com/blog (and to access the Admin of the Blog, www.adhd-bipolar-child.com/blog/wp-admin or Login using the link on the index page of the Blog)


* It will become clearer to you why I designed the website Demo the way I did, especially after installing a Wordpress Blog. The simple idea of maintaining some degree of design continuity between your site, forum, and blog will become self-evident and very compelling, and for Wordpress especially, swapping out the header images to use the same image as used on your website is a very easy thing to do via the Template Manager Dashboard, and the resulting duplicated design will be very pleasing to you, for sure. The same type of "customization" can be done for your phpBB Forum, depending on the Theme ("skin") you choose to apply --- there are literally thousands of free themes for both phpBB and Wordpress available if you do a Google Search for them.

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

Thank You so much! You have been so helpful to me more than you could know :)

Glad my little design was useful ... you can copy it all you want.

Now if I can figure out just how to copy this I'd be at a great start! Been trying to figure out how, but not getting it!

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

Thank You so much! You have been so helpful to me more than you could know :)
Now if I can figure out just how to copy this I'd be at a great start! Been trying to figure out how, but not getting it!

Again ... you're welcome. It has been my pleasure entirely.

I purposely kept it very simple, using SHAPES or various configuration, with and without Shadows enabled, all in basic colors, so it would be easier to duplicate using the "layering" method by anyone. You will simply need to find your own images to use in the header and elsewhere (mine are mine, sorry!). Experiment with creating SHAPES of different sorts and colors, and in layering elements on your site.

I will share however, that to be more in line with continuity with your Forum and Blog, I configured the page as 1020 pixels wide, and "inset" the page from the left Margin in the BlueVoda Workpane 10 pixels in order to make room for the Shadow on both sides (which was set at -9/9 and 9/9, as I used 2 stacked white 1000 pixel wide squares to show a shadow on both the left, right, and bottom page edges).

* Page Margins set at 1020 pixels wide in PAGE PROPERTIES
* Header image 1000x333, doubled (two Shapes layered atop another) to display shadow on both sides (shadow set at -9/9, 9/9)
* Page Area 1000w, doubled (two Shapes layered atop another) to display showing on both sides (shadow set at -9/9, 9/9)
* Rather than the normal requirement that all page elements be "Locked in the Top-Left" position withnin the BlueVoda Workpage (the 0/0 Axis Position), in order to display the Shape with a Shadow effect on the left edge, the Header and the White Page Area Shape must each be "Inset" or MOVED TO THE RIGHT 10 pixels from flush-left against the Workpane Magrin: this will allow both the left page edge and the right page edge some room to display the Shadowing effect and still remain exactly "Centered" when published.

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

I will share however, that to be more in line with continuity with your Forum and Blog, I configured the page as 1020 pixels wide, and "inset" the page from the left Margin in the BlueVoda Workpane 10 pixels in order to make room for the Shadow on both sides (which was set at -9/9 and 9/9, as I used 2 stacked white squares to show a shadow on both the left, right, and bottom page edges)

I am not understanding what you mean by

"inset" the page from the left Margin in the BlueVoda Workpane 10 pixels in order to make room for the Shadow on both sides (which was set at -9/9 and 9/9,

I am beginning to understand about shapes, but need to learn about layering, I will experiment with that one! Also where can I put some good free images of kids, since this site will be about kids that have ADHD and Bipolar? Then when I find a image I like do I just resize it in PIXresizer?

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

See above updated post for particular Tips.

Yes ... you can use the PixResizer to properly size and crop your images (the Header I used is 1000x333)

Do a Google Search .... there are plenty of free image sources to choose from, all of them paying particularly close attention to the Search Terms you enter. Try a number of Search Terms to see how the selection of images changes -- you are bound to find something to use that fits your fancy.

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

I am sorry to keep asking questions, but I am learning so much from you!

the Header and the White Page Area Shape must each be "Inset" or MOVED TO THE RIGHT 10 pixels from flush-left against the Workpane Magrin

How do I know if I move images and shapes to the right at exactly 10 pixels? Is there a tool in BV that I have missed? As soon as I know this, I will be good to go to start experimenting....although I am sure before my site is finished I will have more questions

Header image 1000x333, doubled (two Shapes layered atop another) to display shadow on both sides (shadow set at -9/9, 9/9)

do you mean 2 of the same size shape and 2 of the header picture all on top of each other to layer it all? Or just 1 shape and picture header on that to create shadow?

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

http://adhd-bipolar-child.com/test1.html

Is this what you are talking about?

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

I was bored so I formatted a few headers for you consider and published them HERE for you to copy from.

http://adhd-bipolar-child.com/test1.html

Is this what you are talking about?

1. You need to re-position the Header flush to the very TOP of your Workpane .... there should be no "gap" between the top of the published page and your header.

2. It's obvious that you have taken an image and added a Shadow to only the same sides (RIGHT and BOTTOM) and "doubled" them ('stacked' the same image) which makes the shadow appear much too dark. Not only that, but you should "adjust" the color of the Shadow from the default "Black" to a gray color so it appears more appealing against the background color, and especially when you will be "stacking" them as you do not want the Bottom Shadow coming out too dark as a result.

At the bottom of the page I have created an example of some Shapes that have a Shadow enabled (since you can only shadow 2 edges at a time, you need to create multiple layers to shadow BOTH sides of anything), and how once "stacked" they properly have a shadow on each side as intended. You apply the same principle to images and anything else you want shadowing on both sides.

REFRESH THE "SAMPLE BANNER" PAGE in your browser to reveal the updates added since you first saw it ... I added another snapshot describing how to adjust the COLOR and DEGREE of TRANSPARENCY of the Shadows.

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

Thank you again so much for your help! I have 1 last question ( I promise....LOL) I now understand the layering and such, but I can't figure out how to get the shadow effect to appear on the left side top and bottom. I know how to do the shapes, just not how to make them appear on left side too!

[Vasili]

Re: How does it look so far?

Thank you again so much for your help! I have 1 last question ( I promise....LOL) I now understand the layering and such, but I can't figure out how to get the shadow effect to appear on the left side top and bottom. I know how to do the shapes, just not how to make them appear on left side too!

I mentioned it above ...

I will share however, that to be more in line with continuity with your Forum and Blog, I configured the page as 1020 pixels wide, and "inset" the page from the left Margin in the BlueVoda Workpane 10 pixels in order to make room for the Shadow on both sides (one set at -9/9 and the other set at 9/9, as I used 2 stacked white 1000 pixel wide squares to show a shadow on both the left, right, and bottom page edges).
* Page Margins set at 1020 pixels wide in PAGE PROPERTIES
* Header image 1000x333, doubled (two Shapes layered atop another) to display shadow on both sides (shadow set at -9/9, 9/9)
* Page Area 1000w, doubled (two Shapes layered atop another) to display showing on both sides (one shape's shadow set at -9/9, the other shape set at 9/9)
* Rather than the normal requirement that all page elements be "Locked in the Top-Left" position withnin the BlueVoda Workpage (the 0/0 Axis Position), in order to display the Shape with a Shadow effect on the left edge, the Header and the White Page Area Shape must each be "Inset" or MOVED TO THE RIGHT 10 pixels from flush-left against the Workpane Magrin: this will allow both the left page edge and the right page edge some room to display the Shadowing effect and still remain exactly "Centered" when published.

Review the bottom of the "ADHD DEMO BANNERS" page using the link and refresh it in your browser to reveal any updates since it last loaded in your browser .... note at the bottom images showing two shapes each with different sides shaded and the settings indicated textually in the shapes themselves: this is why it is important to configure the COLOR of the Shadows with a lighter gray than the defaulted Black, as when you place one over the other they combine to make a much darker bottom edge (where the Shadow is doubled).

In fact, the image at the bottom of the banner page is incorrect since I was trying to best illustrate the CONCEPT rather than give specific instructions: the correct settings should be for the color indicated in the illustration (the gray in the top-right of the Color Sampler) to set the OPACITY for 30-50% in order to not make it too dark when both layers are stacked .... or ... to use the second from the top-right grey setting, and to set OPACITY to 50-80% (not the 80% in my illustration), as this lighter gray when doubled needs to be more noticeable without being overly pronounced.
Experiment. You'll see for yourself this concept must be adjusted according to the background color and overall desired effect ....

[mrstmb73]

Re: How does it look so far?

I don't wanna say I am stupid, but right now I feel that way!

and "inset" the page from the left Margin in the BlueVoda Workpane 10 pixels in order to make room for the Shadow on both sides (one set at -9/9 andthe other set at 9/9,

I can't figure out how to inset to 10 pixels