Blog question?

[kazily]

I'm remodeling a blog that I have had for a while but only posted a few pics on.

Not quite ready for viewer consumption yet but I am confused concerning html vs blog codes. I know a little html--not too much problem there but am a little confused about the blogger codes. Html has to go in certain places within their code. Not at all like working on an empty slate! I read the blogger info but didn't quite understand it. For example if I want to add my own background where would it go? If I want to add a banner where would that go? If I want to add a custom template--where does the code for that go? I am a little skiddish messing with their code but I am backing up their blog codes just in case lol!

 

Any easy tips on customizing the template with knowing where to put codes? I did figure out the sidebar code but the rest is still a little confusing.

[kariholtz]

Best thing I can tell you is go to a blogger blog you like and view source, that way you can look at he html yourself to get an idea how and where everything can go. Thats the way I learned.

 

Also with blogger (aka blogspot) if that is who you are with allows for multipule blogs you can create another blog just for testing templates.

 

Thats' about all I can think of right now.

 

and always back up the codes!

[kazily]

Thanks, I didn't think about making a new blog just for testing codes. That's a great idea! Thanks again. The blogger code is a bit different than the basic html I learned. Yes I am working with blogger. Feeling my way around.

[monkeemaven]

My main blog was on blogger for about 8 months... got pretty familiar with Blogger's peculiar style. The exact layout will vary by which template you have, but all the Blogger standard templates should be close....

 

To change the background image:

 

Right near the top will be < style type="text/css" > and some information about the template. Below that will be the bits which tell the body what to do - it may look like this:

 

body {

margin:0;

padding:0;

font-family: Georgia, Times, Times New Roman, sans-serif;

font-size: small;

text-align:center;

color:#29303B;

line-height:1.3;

background:#483521 url("http://www.blogblog.com/scribe/bg.gif") repeat;

}

 

Your fonts and colours and things may vary ; this is just how it appears on one of my blogs. To edit your background, change the "background" bits. The #483521 refers to what colour the background will be before the image loads. No need to put anything there. Just edit the URL to *your* image.

 

 

A banner image - scroll down past all the stylesheet until you see < /style> . This may be halfway down! There'll be a pile of incomprehensible blogger code and tags which are supposed to help explain it but don't.

 

Look until you find this part:

 

<!-- Blog Header -->

<div id="blog-header">

<h1><ItemPage><a href="<$BlogURL$>"></ItemPage>

<$BlogTitle$>

<ItemPage></a></ItemPage></h1>

<p><$BlogDescription$></p>

</div>

<!-- End Blog Header -->

 

 

See where it says <$BlogTitle$> ? Remove that and insert your image. (Just a plain <img src="my image here">. ) Don't mess with the ItemPage stuff; that does something else very useful. (When on individual post pages, it turns the title/image into a link back to your main blog page.)

 

 

An entire custom template? I don't rightly now. You can do it via blogger and the "pick new" tab, which I've never done, or edit it piece-by-piece in the "edit current window", which I have done.

 

 

And if I missed anything, just say so and I'll try to explain it again...

[kazily]

Thanks monkeemaven! You have cleared up a lot of my questions.

 

I actually changed my template to another blogger one with no problems while I was doing remodeling at my blog. I just picked a new one & everything tranferred.

 

Was curious about the background versatility & you answered that one for me so thank you! I have thought of using a nice template I've found on the net & I wasn't sure how to insert the new template. Might have to get to know blogger a little better with testing the codes.

 

You have both helped so much!

[Catana]

monkeymaven, I'm copying your post for reference. I've managed a few tweaks to my Blogger blog, but trying to fit HTML into cascading style sheet code, which I know absolutely nothing about, has been a real pain.

 

kazily, you don't really need to start a new blog for testing. Make your changes and review them in a new window or tab. If you don't like what you see, just go back to the code page and hit the button that reverts the code back to the original. I just keep trying til I figure out what makes a difference and where.

[kazily]

Thanks catana! I didn't even notice that option lol! Too busy concentrating on the codes trying to decipher them I guess?

[CatsCradleCreations]

You guys can check my blog to see what I've done, and I'd be happy to help out if anyone wants help.

 

I've also set up a separate blog just to play with my templates, that way I can work on it without messing up my "real" blogs and then just copy and paste the template code.

[kazily]

Thank you CCC. I've already been looking at source codes on yours & a few other blogs to see how the percentage bars are accomplished lol