# Took me long enough...I HAVE A SITE



## clarinetJWD (Mar 17, 2007)

The galleries will all work once i get back to school, but everything else is pretty much complete.  Does someone know how to put a hyperlink on a simpleviewer flash page (my gallery)?


Without further ado:
http://jwdphotography.com


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## mr e (Mar 17, 2007)

Well, you have a constant layout and navigation, which is nice, the site's a little plain, with only text and your one image, so I would recommend creating a more robust layout.

I would have a header for your logo, a left nav (or top, or right) with your links, and also links to your gallery, then instead of having one page made for your SimpleViewer gallery, integrate the viewer into your own pages.

The code for SimpleViewer (taken from your site) is

(TPF should really enable the 
	
	



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tag so this would be easier to read)

    <div id="flashcontent">SimpleViewer requires Macromedia Flash.<a href="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer/">Get Macromedia Flash.</a> If you have Flash installed, <a href="index.html?detectflash=false">click to view gallery</a></div>    
    <script type="text/javascript">
        var fo = new SWFObject("viewer.swf", "viewer", "100%", "100%", "7", "#181818");    
        fo.addVariable("preloaderColor", "0xffffff");
        fo.addVariable("xmlDataPath", "gallery.xml");    
        fo.write("flashcontent");    
    </script>    

So I would put that inside the content part of your layout (if you have a header, left nav, and content, it would go in content), although you may have to mess around with it a bit as I've never used SimpleViewer, but then you could add whatever other text/links images you wanted around the SimpleViewer plugin.

Not a bad site though, and you've already gotten some of the most important elements (consistent layout and nav) so you're well on your way
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## Antarctican (Mar 17, 2007)

I look forward to seeing the galleries! The shots that appear on the main page are kicka$$!!  Congrats on the new site.


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 17, 2007)

Alright...I got it updated with snazzy new graphics and menus.  Still only the one gallery works, but I can't do anything about that at home...so oh well.  Check it out, yo. (check it, check it out) (who doesnt love a good aqua teen reference?)


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## terri (Mar 17, 2007)

I'd say you're off to a great start, yo.  

You have a lot to expand on here, so it's only going to get better. I'm looking forward to the music part, personally. But it looks very nice, is easy to navigate, etc. 

So - congrats! And may I say it's about time??? :razz:


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## M-O-S (Mar 17, 2007)

i'm still in need of a website hosting that supports php or mysql


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## mr e (Mar 17, 2007)

Well dang, I'm impressed, you've really improved it, some new comments

Why have a splash page at all? Why not just skip it and go straight to your main page.

Your main page is somewhat (very) empty, I'd put some info about you, what you're trying to accomplish with your site, an abbreviated "About Me" or so.

Well done with the consistent layout and navigation, lookin good

For the "Galleries" page, look into preloading those rollover images with either Javascript or CSS, CSS being the preferred method. Actually here's a link for preloading with CSS, really easy too.

I would change the text on the images, I didn't even realize it was there at first, it doesn't really stand out unless you know it's there. Try adding a black drop shadow on white text, that may help.

I like the drop down menus, very nice

It's looking good all around, hope to see more of it soon


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 18, 2007)

mr e said:


> Well dang, I'm impressed, you've really improved it, some new comments
> 
> Why have a splash page at all? Why not just skip it and go straight to your main page.
> 
> ...



Thanks, a lot of those comments are already being adressed.  I am certainly changeing the text, but I really hate Gimp, which is all I have here, so I'm waiting for my PS CS2 back at the apartment...Thanks for the loading stuff, I'll look into that as well.

Oh, and about the empty mainpage...I am a very minimalistic person, so I may add something, but it won't be anything drastic, I don't think...


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 18, 2007)

Alright...version 1.3 is up.  Improved menus/navigation, and all the 'by city' galleries work (as well as all photos updates).  I'll look into preloading tomorrow, seems like a great idea.


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## mr e (Mar 19, 2007)

Nice work with keeping the nav on the gallery pages, I like it

One last comment, I'm assuming the "by city" and "by category" images aren't supposed to go anywhere, but right now they're links to http://jwdphotography.com/By%20City and http://jwdphotography.com/By Category which don't exist.

If they're not supposed to go anywhere I wouldn't make them links at all, just replace the <a> tags with <span> tags and that should fix it.

You've gotten down most of the technical aspects of a working site, which is more than a lot of sites I see, so good job, and if you need any help, feel free to ask


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## Chicagophotoshop (Mar 19, 2007)

I think your site is great.  well done. :thumbup:


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 19, 2007)

Well, I'll ammend my last reply:  that was version 0.3 (1.3 implies it was complete)

0.4 is up.  I moved a few images, and am preloading menus.  Since the biggest change is under the hood, it doesn't look much different.

THe rest of the galleries will be up soon.
OK...so...future changes:  More graphic interface on information pages/updated price chart


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## mr e (Mar 19, 2007)

I was gonna say, you're preloading doesn't seem to be working, but looking at your Javascript file, "//preload();" isn't gonna preload anything 

Also, I'm not sure why you have this on there, which I noticed, but couldn't figure out what it was at first

<A HREF="http://www.buttongenerator.com/"><IMG SRC="http://www.buttongenerator.com/ima/link.gif" WIDTH=1 HEIGHT=1 BORDER=0 ALT="ButtonGenerator.com"></A>

But if it's gotta stay, you can always place it inside a <div style="display: none;"></div> and that'll hide it completely.

Oh, and I would still remove the link from those images


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 19, 2007)

mr e said:


> I was gonna say, you're preloading doesn't seem to be working, but looking at your Javascript file, "//preload();" isn't gonna preload anything
> 
> Also, I'm not sure why you have this on there, which I noticed, but couldn't figure out what it was at first
> 
> ...


hmmm...I'll look more at the preloading.  I just cursorily looked at it.  About the links, just haven't gotten to it yet...busy day.

and the button generator, they require a link on my page...1 px seemed good to me. 

edit: buttons have been delinked.  still need to work on preloading
edit: link to buttongenerator has been reloacated...


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## mr e (Mar 19, 2007)

I just took a look at your site, looks like the CSS preloading is working, nicely done

Links look good too

About the buttons, have you thought of making some yourself? If you don't have Photoshop, there's always GIMP, here's a link to the windows installer, or Paint.net, would give you more creative freedom that what a button generator could offer, and you don't need a backlink . Just a thought.

Sites' looking good though, coming along nicely


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## clarinetJWD (Mar 20, 2007)

mr e said:


> I just took a look at your site, looks like the CSS preloading is working, nicely done
> 
> Links look good too
> 
> ...



I did make all my own buttons.  I just don't know enough java to make the drop down menus work, so I used their site to generate basically a skeleton, which I skinned myself.  Oh, and the reason I didn't have PS is because I was at home on Spring Break.  I'm back at school now, and so happy to have my CS2 back... (gimp is just SO HARD to do anything in...)


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## Jim Gratiot (Mar 25, 2007)

Joe:

Great start, but one big pet peeve (which is WAY too common) is the reverse type... white type on a black background.  I know many people over 40 who won't even bother trying to read that.  And if you're trying to actually sell your work... you might want to rethink it.


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