Topic: main_block.png

[Old Fossil]

Marking as solved for now.

Ya not nicking my hair.

[Antechinus]

That will make sense for the future, but we are stuck with the present as computers are upgraded.  At present I suspect too many people have older browsers that they won't or don't know how to update.  Even myself from my workplace I have to use IE8 as IE has to be used for active-x compatibility and the PC is stuck on Windows XP until replacement.

Usage of IE8 and lower isn't all that high in global terms and is falling all the time. The vast majority of users will get the full effect if you use css3. For minor aesthetic details like rounded corners I wouldn't necessarily worry too much. Often it will still look quite acceptable without them. Use your own judgement.

Ah thanks, now a bit of a glimmer of hope in my befuddled brain.  The pixel numbers are actually identifying the bit of the image used.  So the challenge now is identifying the pixel space and getting GIMP to edit just the specfic bits.

Yup. Unfortunately we don't have a copy of the image in .xcf format. It shouldn't be that hard to make one and we probably should, but me hatez GIMP.

[MovedGoalPosts]

That will make sense for the future, but we are stuck with the present as computers are upgraded.  At present I suspect too many people have older browsers that they won't or don't know how to update.  Even myself from my workplace I have to use IE8 as IE has to be used for active-x compatibility and the PC is stuck on Windows XP until replacement.

Usage of IE8 and lower isn't all that high in global terms and is falling all the time. The vast majority of users will get the full effect if you use css3. For minor aesthetic details like rounded corners I wouldn't necessarily worry too much. Often it will still look quite acceptable without them. Use your own judgement.

Looks like I haven't got to grips with CSS2, and you want me to do CSS3.  Trying to run before I can walk again. 

Ah thanks, now a bit of a glimmer of hope in my befuddled brain.  The pixel numbers are actually identifying the bit of the image used.  So the challenge now is identifying the pixel space and getting GIMP to edit just the specfic bits.

Yup. Unfortunately we don't have a copy of the image in .xcf format. It shouldn't be that hard to make one and we probably should, but me hatez GIMP.

I'm not exactly enamoured with GIMP myself (but that may in part be because I haven't really got into it) but, at the somewhat extortionate pricing of over £650, Photoshop is not going to happen.  Infact, given that SMF is freely licenced with a view for users to adapt edit and enhance, perhaps files it relies upon should be as compatible as practicable with other open source software.   

[Antechinus]

Yes it's a good point about the files. At the moment we only have them in Adobe formats.

[Jade Elizabeth]

You can get free trials for Photoshop, and I'm pretty certain there are free alternatives that open and edit the files. I think GIMP is one of those.

If you're too lazy to scribble lines of colour over each bar to see where they're used then there's no help for you.

[MovedGoalPosts]

If you're too lazy to scribble lines of colour over each bar to see where they're used then there's no help for you.

Thanks for that rather unhelpful comment.  You'll not doubt have read http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=476142.msg3329639#msg3329639 which indicates my knowledge of graphical editing programmes is somewhat limited and was having no success.  You'll also have seen subsequent posts that have indicated that GIMP may not open the file for a full edit.  PhotoShop may offer a free trial, and I may in due course look at that, but is there much point in learning to use software that I am not going to be able to afford to keep, and will the trial version create fully useable files - many trial software leaves watermarks or suchlike?).

The most helpful advice is that which lead me to understand the concept of image sprites and indeed does identify which part of the image is used for what.  The suggestion that CSS3 is a way forward to style with less use of the image, is the direction I will however be pursuing, as the vast majority of my forum's users, being computer gamers, have current kit, which will be running modern CSS3 compatible browsers.

[Jade Elizabeth]

It wasnt unhelpful, you wanted to know where the images displayed....you can just open the png file in paint and scribble over the bars in different colours and then upload it and look for each colour . There are HEAPS of programs that open PSD files, and GIMP opens them fine, or it does for me.

http://www.raymond.cc/blog/how-to-open-psd-extension-files-without-installing-adobe-photoshop/

My comment was not unhelpful, just scribble on each of the thingies with a different colour and then save and look around your forum and make note of where each one goes. Which was my original suggestion - and would surely have solved your problem?


On cost I can understand that. Photoshop is also announcing (or maybe already announced) their new suite is going to be $50 a month, which when worked out saves you over $1000...while that's savings I cannot afford that. If you're a student you can get it for about $150 or so....If you're a student google "student software". They have massive discounts in all major countries because they wanted to stop students pirating the software (another option for you). I bought Design Premium for $435 or something. And I'm using a trial for Lightroom which I wish came with it because it's flippin fantastic! lol


If you want help with sprites (I lote them), just get the co-ordinates from the css (or by using Firebug to select the image in your browser) and in what ever program you use you can either make two guides and find where they meet, or you can make a selection of the size and stick it in the top left corner. I suck at explaining so I hope that makes sense to you lol.

[amitkool21]

i'm also facing a problem like this but the thing is whenever i change the color in main_block.png and refreshes the home page the older color appears for a sec(like a flash) and than new color comes back........what to do now ?

[Shambles]

Hey amitkool21, you might be better opening your own topic as this one is marked as solved and may be overlooked because of such

[Jade Elizabeth]

I think what you might be seeing is either your browser cache, OR the css colour underneath. If it's square it's CSS and your image is being loaded too slow, so you should google how to optimise it.