posted on November 2, 2000 08:45:51 PM new
Hi, got a question .......I keep seeing the term Auction booth that one can create.....is that the same as the page with the auctions I have listed or something else? I am sure this is a simple thing, maybe I am trying too hard...........Pam
You can create a seller's "auction booth" on Yahoo which will give you 2 pages you CUSTOMIZE/DESIGN yourself: a page showing all your current listings (the equivalent of http://user.auctions.yahoo.com/user/YOUR-USER-NAME) and a page design for your auction listings (equivalent to http://page.auctions.yahoo.com/auction/AUCTION-NUMBER). You can access Your Booth through signing in, clicking "Options", then "Customize My Auctions Booth". This will take you to a page called "Edit My Auction Booth", and the "booth URL" is the address you can LINK TO on your auction listing pages or your website. (These pages won't show up for people browsing Yahoo Auction, but they WILL if someone clicks YOUR LINK to them that you put at the bottom of all your auction listings or elsewhere.)
You really WILL be befuddled unless you've designed webpages before, because there are absolutely NO INSTRUCTIONS for using this software (and clicking "Help" is a joke)....but the program actually IS very flexible and will allow you to do a great deal with your page designs, including templates/clipart/etc. provided, files stored on your computer, and importing from web pages elsewhere. If you've never done this before, it's trial and error.
If you just want to put one logo at the top of your page, you can upload it on the "edit" page and click "View My Booth" to see it, then "Update My Booth" to lock it in. Yahoo has three sample booths to look at, linked just above the buttons (but much more can be done than what they've shown).
If you want to play with the design, click "Launch Yahoo! PageBuilder". It will open a small box called "Yahoo! PageBuilder Running" that you DON'T "X" to close...just minus it to get it out of the way. When it's finished loading, you'll see a page with 3 elements (in blue-outline boxes): 1)My Booth, 2)Powered by Yahoo! Auctions, and 3)Your_userid list of current auctions. Nos. 2 and 3 MUST STAY ON THE PAGE, 2 can't be altered but can be MOVED (the Yahoo logo can be put at the bottom, left or right, etc.), and 3 can be "shrunk" in depth to make your whole design easier to see.
Aside from the elements that MUST STAY, there seem to be few "rules" except that NO ELEMENTS MAY OVERLAP. When they do, the part that is overlapping becomes RED, and the page can't be saved until they're moved apart. Also, I found that the default page width you start with is NARROWER than the one Yahoo uses, so you might want to click "Format", then "Page Properties", click the "Center Page" box, then change the width from 650 to 750. (If anyone knows the exact width it should be, please post it.)
You can insert your own images and put them wherever you want; write text (limited type styles) in color or on colored background; pick a wallpaper or music or "mouse overs"; insert Yahoo's provided images, bars, buttons, etc.; or put in HTML. You can also easily MODIFY those elements (resize, stretch, shrink, move) by "selecting" (click once on it and it will have blue squares at the corners and centers; functions are like other photo editing programs with crossed arrows to "move", one arrow to "stretch" horizontally or vertically, arrow at corner to "shrink" proportionally, etc.
Your two pages are called "profile" and "item", the first being your LIST OF CURRENT AUCTIONS page and the second being the AUCTION LISTING PAGE. When you're ready to work on the "item" page, SAVE the profile page you've worked on and click "Open", then double-click "item". The "item" page will appear with 6 elements (My Booth again being the only one you're allowed to alter, but all may be moved, and unlimited elements may be imported in and placed around them.)
Remember, anything you do isn't permanent until you "Save" it, and previous work is lost after you make changes and "Save" the next version. I don't think your work can be seen on the web until you click "Update Your Booth" back on the Edit page after you're through.
[ edited by granee on Nov 3, 2000 01:46 AM ]
posted on November 3, 2000 06:03:23 AM new
Granee...THANK YOU so much for taking the time to give such a great help post. That clears a lot of the "mystery" up.....I have some experience with html etc so this could be fun......Yahoo really needs to re-think their help/info pages...... for those of us who made the jump from ebay...IMHO........Have a great day!!
posted on November 3, 2000 08:12:25 AM new
Also, I have never found a way to view and change the html coding. If anyone can tell me how to find it, I would be ever so grateful!
I have built websites and would love to just do my part in html, but it doesn't let you get there (that I have found).
Also, I found that I wasn't able to upload my own background. If I wanted a background, I had to choose one of theirs (and there are several to choose from, I just wanted mine! )
Anyway, if anyone knows how to change the html coding, please let me know, so that I can use my own background.
granee is right, the "help" sections are big JOKES! I was pulling my hair out, and my booth is quite simple actually.
Using their program is fairly easy once you have monkey'd around with it for a day or so.
posted on November 10, 2000 11:29:59 PM new
labbie1, to insert your own background, try the "imported pictures" option under insert background, in the drop-down box with the templates of theirs. You'll have to have it stored as a file on your computer and upload it.
Have you tried insert... forms & scripts... HTML code? I don't know much about web design from scratch, but that's the only place I've seen where you can write your own code for your pages.
posted on November 11, 2000 05:30:09 AM new
Thanks granee. I tried those things and they just don't seem to work. I finally just chose one of theirs. It doesn't match my art work, but I guess I am the only one that really knows that.
I tried the script thing too, and I can't figure out exactly what that does. I tried putting my background html coding into each of the little areas and NOTHING! Ack!
I will have to try again when I have some more time to fiddle.
posted on November 11, 2000 11:13:25 AM new
if you are useing an older browser these function wont work you need to be useing IE 4.0 or better or netscape the upload from you broswer dont work with older software and im notsure it works for web TV at all. http://www.Dman-N-Company.com
posted on November 11, 2000 11:28:53 AM new
dman3--I am running win98 on a PC with Explorer 5.0 and Netscape 4.75.
I had not problems uploading the graphics, but the background just doesn't show up. Their backgrounds show up just fine, it is just my personal background that I uploaded that seems to be a problem. I will just have to keep fiddling.
posted on November 11, 2000 12:41:39 PM new
yeah I had this problem to with my logo gif I uploaded and sved it dont show so its my exspreance that gif files dont work it wore me down too I decided to use there colors and theams.
if you up loaded a gif try a JPG
if you dont like there personelized auction booth try this sign up for a geo yahoo free website.
then set up the theam you want backgrounds and all make maybe list a thumb nial of item next to tile then add a like to bid directly to the auction its for at yahoo and if it a one bid wins sale put a buy it or take it link this is more work as your site will need up dateing every time you sell and item or add new.
there is also a new service out there that will give you a showcase for free auctia.com check it out this auto updates for you.
for an exsample of auctive yahoo show case click the link on the bottom of my post then when at my site click the gold color link that reads Yahoo
....Pam
...Have a great day!!