Orpington Astronomical Society

Random Rambling Ruminations => Chat => Topic started by: Carole on Jan 21, 2019, 14:41:20

Title: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 21, 2019, 14:41:20
I have been using google sites for some years now (free), and they keep asking me if I want to upgrade my site to the new version of google sites.

I didn't want to convert my site unless I was happy with the new version, so decided to create a new one to try it out.  So the new site I created is for images done from a LP location only, as I thought this might be useful for new imagers to see what can be done.

https://sites.google.com/view/carastroimaging/home

So far, I like the ability to do tiles and be able to enlarge them, but I found it a bit of a challenge to work out how to do so.  But so far have been unable to find a way of changing the background to black.  Also if you click on an image after you have installed it (which you need to do to create the "click to enlarge" feature, sometimes it deletes the image, and then you lose it completely leaving you with only two tiles on that level. 

Not convinced as yet to convert my main site to the new version, goodness knows what a conversion would end up like and don't want to mess up years of work.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: ApophisAstros on Jan 21, 2019, 16:07:28
Quite nice , think i might have a go.
Roger
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 21, 2019, 16:37:48
Thanks Roger.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: NoelC on Jan 24, 2019, 10:02:43
Nice Carole
Did you use a photo gallery template?
Did it take long?

Noel
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 24, 2019, 10:12:09
You've got some lovely images on there Carole.

I've been meaning to do this for ages, I started on Google sites but gave up as seem to remember I had to upload every image rather than being able to link to those on the Gallery. I should have another go, your inspiring me.
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 24, 2019, 10:55:41
QuoteDid you use a photo gallery template?
Did it take long?

Took me a couple of evenings.  No template, but if you go into google sites, you have options to add photos and text, and you can choose 1,2 or 3 tile format.

QuoteI've been meaning to do this for ages, I started on Google sites but gave up as seem to remember I had to upload every image rather than being able to link to those on the Gallery. I should have another go, your inspiring me.

Thanks Duncan.
I did not upload each image individually (although you can do that), but pasted the URL in, so you could use the OAS URL.  I am not sure if you get an upload maximum quota on the new Google sites.  but I certainly ran out of space on my other website by uploading and so always link a URL now even on the main website.

For your information (as it took me a while to work out how to do it).  As you are loading image URL and it appears on the page, a small menu pops up above and there is a broken circle, so paste the link again into that and this will enable to image to enlarge when clicked on in the finished website.

I didn't work that out until after I had posted most of them, and so had to go back into all of them and re-paste the URL in afterwards, so it took me a lot longer, and this is where i got the accidental deleting of images and had to start over again.

If you find out how to change the background colour please let me know.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 24, 2019, 10:59:17
Another problem is the text for my double cluster is all spread out, but if I go back into the web editing page, it's perfectly fine and no adjustments needed, added exactly the same as all the other text boxes. so another anomaly I don't know how to adjust.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 24, 2019, 11:22:16
Just started mine. https://sites.google.com/view/astrodunc/home (https://sites.google.com/view/astrodunc/home). Not sure what I'll end up calling it but the working title is appropriate! Thank again for the inspiration Carole.

I'm merrily linking to picture on the gallery - yippee! The new site tool has a button like an artists pallet on the left when you select a section and you can choose a background, very limited selection which depends on the site template you've chosen, and you have to do it for each section rather than a page background setting. Easiest to create one section, set it up and duplicate it. You can select a section and use Ctrl-C, Ctrl-X and Ctrl-V to move it to other pages which is handy.

HTH
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 24, 2019, 11:33:25
I am jealous you managed already to find out how to do the background, I wonder if I can do it in retrospect.

You site is looking great already Duncan.

Carole

Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 24, 2019, 11:40:54
I've just book marked your website Duncan so I can watch it grow.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 24, 2019, 11:55:19
Da dah!

Thanks Duncan, I now have a black background.  We can all help each other in this.
Now I know how to do it I might re-do the main site as it is much easier to see the images with them in a tiled format.  But dread to think how it would convert and I have so much stuff on there I don't want to mess up. 

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 25, 2019, 09:32:06
Hi Carole,

Re-black background - if you select the Theme you are using and then click on the right hand colour selection circle you will see a paint pot and a colour chooser will appear below the theme. Change the colour to black et voila as they say over here, the whole site changes and new sections are the right colour to start with. Text will also change to a complimentary colour, i.e. white. You can type a hexadecimal number for the colour below the selector. Black is 000000.

HTH
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: ApophisAstros on Jan 25, 2019, 09:53:48
Started mine https://sites.google.com/view/rogernicholson/home (https://sites.google.com/view/rogernicholson/home) , think i will show my kit now like duncan, that undo button is a god send, great tip for background thanks Duncan,
Roger
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: NoelC on Jan 25, 2019, 11:45:51
Very nice Roger.
The page title comes up Image Book, don't know if you can edit that.
Like the images and layout, well done.
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: NoelC on Jan 25, 2019, 11:48:43
Duncan
Really good! Don't know how long it took, but the results are worth it.
Particularly like your 'Thing' .ico - very classy!
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 25, 2019, 11:50:46
Good stuff Roger. BTW isn't Uranus 1.6 billion miles away or has it migrated near Mercury!
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 25, 2019, 11:55:37
Thanks for your kind words Noel.

FYI and society history buffs might like to know that there are two versions of The Thing - one from a very foggy, very very cold (-7C) and drunken DSC at the infamous Stairs Farm, the second from an equally inebriated and nearly as foggy DSC at Rother Valley Campsite where green lasers were employed about my person, under the able direction of Julian. MarkS was the photographer though I don't how he stood up to take the first one. Both times I had every piece of warm gear on I could muster!
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: ApophisAstros on Jan 25, 2019, 11:59:32
Quote from: The Thing on Jan 25, 2019, 11:50:46
Good stuff Roger. BTW isn't Uranus 1.6 billion miles away or has it migrated near Mercury!
Meant to type billion , thanks all , perhaps someone can do a tutorial at a meeting later on in the year for members.
Roger
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 25, 2019, 21:03:23
I seem to have got every-one going.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: ApophisAstros on Jan 26, 2019, 10:36:23
Also you can go here https://analytics.google.com (https://analytics.google.com) and you can track the usage even where in the world your site is getting accessed, trully 1984ish,
Roger
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 26, 2019, 20:53:46
I use google analytics for my main website, it's the only way I could get a "hit counter" on it.

At the end of 2018 I had 14885 hits on the site and 9523 Unique visitors in 5 years.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 27, 2019, 06:30:52
I think it might be a good idea to have links to members astro websites on the OAS main website. Any thoughts?
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: ApophisAstros on Jan 27, 2019, 10:44:52
Good Idea,
Roger
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: Carole on Jan 27, 2019, 11:48:04
QuoteI think it might be a good idea to have links to members astro websites on the OAS main website. Any thoughts?
Could do but I have my website link in my signature and you can also put a link to your website in your profile.

Carole
Title: Re: New (Additional Website)
Post by: The Thing on Jan 27, 2019, 12:20:21
That's a good idea as well Carole, but Joe and Jane public don't necessarily get into the forum but will browse the main site to find out about what the society gets up to.