posted on April 14, 2001 08:51:36 PM
Was just wondering how to put clipart back ground on your auction page...if anyone could help me email me at [email protected] thanx a bunch!!!!
Most anyone here can tell you how to do it but before we do, be sure it's something you really want.
Backgrounds can slow down the loading of your auction page, especially for those with older machines.
A background can look nice on some browsers but really crappy on others because the colors aren't necessarily the very same on NS and IE.
I used to use one which I reviewed on both NS & IE but eventually took them out to make sure I had the fastest load time possible. I want people to get in to BUY, not look at my pretty background.
posted on April 14, 2001 09:06:02 PM
thank you very much greatly apperciated...its nice to know there is a place to come with people willing to help....thank you again Connie
The .gif must be uploaded somewhere for you to use the background & the file name/location should correspond to where you have the background .gif stored.
posted on April 15, 2001 03:00:47 AM
Backgrounds are dumb - they take time to load and makes the text hard to read. I mean, why would you want to read a long TOS among a pattern of flowers or animals or other silliness. What's wrong with a basic white, blue or gray background.
posted on April 15, 2001 05:09:18 AM
eventer
... inserting that code will CRASH some browsers because eBay already inserts the HTML and BODY tags in the proper spots. Running into a stray BODY tag can make some browsers start over (they assume the tag is at the start of the page and the /BODY tag will make some browsers stop displaying the page, so the aera with the bidding field won't appear.
But yes, on some you WILL get a background to the page.
Sorry about that. I'd used it in the past but didn't know it could cause problems w/other browsers. My new program would insert it for me automatically so I never had to look at the code.
Perhaps someone has the "proper" insert code information for anyone who doesn't have a program like AW or SAB that will do it for them.
posted on April 15, 2001 10:49:31 AM
eventer -
Only one set of BODY /Body tags are valid on a page, and they have to be at the beginning and end of the visible content. What any browser does when it runs into more than the allowed pair is not predictable.
Any PROPER editing would have to get into eBay's part of the code and change the BODY tab they use (BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" to the BODY tag you want with the background GIF. And that's unlikely to happen.
Just because you get away with it some of the time doesn't mean that you aren't crashing browsers or having your listings not show up on some browsers. I just hit the back button ...
posted on April 15, 2001 12:36:26 PM
Eventer ...
READ MY PIXELS! There IS NO CODE (that the seller has control of on an eBay auction, anyway) that can do what she wants to that does not run the risk of crashing a potential buyer's browser or trashing the seller's listing for some browsers.
When you write the "HTML code" for an ebay page, you are only writing code for a SMALL chunk of the MIDDLE of that page ... so there are tags that you can't use there. Read the HTML spec at ww.w3.org for further info on what tags are allowed in what spots.
The only ones who can do a BODY background=foo.gif tag properly are the ones who control the code at the start of the page, and that control is in the hands of eBay for the pages on their site.
Substitute my background for your own. I've used this code for years and never had a single complaint that it crashed anyone's browser.
Putting a background in a table works better, but placing images within tables (like a photo of your item) will slow down the page loading. Images within tables load very slowly.
A page background of 5-10Kb will NOT significantly slow down a page.
posted on April 15, 2001 05:36:12 PM
Hi yall, just want to THANK everyone who replied to my question...I have thought about everything that everyone has written and decided that the majority of you are right...no need for background basic is best....this is a great place for answers and I will be back .....THANK yall again!!!!!!!!! Connie
posted on April 16, 2001 05:36:13 AM
I've been using backgrounds for almost 5 years without a complaint, but I keep my backgrounds within a table. I don't like backgrounds which cover the whole page including the eBay info.
We also optimize pictures etc., for fast loading. Optimizing can make all the difference in the speed your page loads.
I have used those programmed by AA , but have recently changed to creating all auctions in FrontPage, and have had no complaints or problems in all my years about any background causing anyone problems. I currently use this:
There are some folks out there still using computers so old that anything will crash them, and you can't presume to satisfy everyone coming down the pike. If 99% of buyers can see my postings that is enough for me.
I have a friend who "thinks" music crashes her computer - actually she has a glitch in her computer but refuses to admit it and correct it - she can't view any of our web sites or auctions because we often use music - but I know it isn't her computer but a problem within that computer.
We run 2 large web sites, and both are connected to a system which tells me the browser that everyone who visits the site uses, the resolution that their computer is set at, etc. etc. and from years of this information we have 98% of our visitors to our sites use ID and 2% Netscape – naturally I gear our ads to accommodate both, but if a minor piece isn’t totally compatible with Netscape, well, I figure then I have only lost 2% of my visitors.
My reasoning, although perhaps a bit harsh is, if someone is running a computer so old that backgrounds, music, etc. etc. crash them, then they probably can't afford to buy much anyway. Computers have to be upgraded or replaced much more often than a car ever was. In many instances we have found replacing the processors cheaper than upgrading the Pentium or such. We just keep the monitor, etc, and buy a new processor when the old one becomes too out dated.
posted on April 17, 2001 08:43:42 PMINUET: Don't run off just yet! There is something to be said for "professional
accouterments!"
Granted, backgrounds that overtake the entire auction page are not the best [with a few exceptions]; rather, use tables [as JWPC mentioned]. Within the tables, backgrounds can make a pleasing, uncluttered, sales increasing, presentation to bidders. Simplicity with taste and functionality is key... PLUS, putting something of your own personality into your
auctions is a Good Thing for many reasons!
In my auction template, the background gif file is only 3000 bytes. That is TiNy, and
would not delay the loading of the page. I'll tell you what really delays page loading! ALL THE BUTTONS/LINKS FROM PAYMENT SERVICE, AND OTHER 3rd PARTY SERVERS. I've lost count how many auctions I've viewed that become stalled due to 3rd party services servers. A simple solution is to place the banners on your own server! Don't be held hostage to several servers!
eMail me at [email protected], and I'll help to get you started with HTML templates.
posted on April 18, 2001 05:12:45 AM
JWPC -
"We run 2 large web sites, and both are connected to a system which tells me the browser that everyone who visits the site uses, the resolution that their computer is set at, etc. etc. and from years of this information we have 98% of our visitors to our sites use ID and 2% Netscape – naturally I gear our ads to accommodate both, but if a minor piece isn’t totally compatible with Netscape, well, I figure then I have only lost 2% of my visitors."
Here's a newsflash: many browsers can be set to LIE about their identity. And check the stats page by page, not just sitewide ... if you have a sudden dropoff in one kind of browser after the front page, you may be turning them away at the front door with some feature that only Browser X can read. I know that if I get any message telling me that I have to download something before I can use the site, or saying my browser is outdated, I click the back button. There are always other sites that are easier to read ans use.
"My reasoning, although perhaps a bit harsh is, if someone is running a computer so old that backgrounds, music, etc. etc. crash them, then they probably can't afford to buy much anyway."
OH! Geee, I guess I should be spending my time and money on hardware and software upgrades instead of expensive items on eBay.
thanx a bunch!!!!
to the BODY tag you want with the background GIF. And that's unlikely to happen.
