How to use the signature block

Hi!

You have seen the word 'sig' or 'signature' somewhere and wonder what it is?

You have heard about the 'signature-block' and want to know how to make one?

Below you will find my humble attempt at making my answers to those questions as easy to understand as possible.

I hope you will find this article helpful.

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Here goes

Sigs are 'signatures', which can be set to appear at the bottom of emails, posts or even books/journals. In a signature, a member can use text or images.

Members with 'Basic' or 'Free' memberships cannot hold images in their portfolios, but they can use images made 'shareable' by members who can host images in their portfolios.

In order to use images in the 'signature-block', members can just type in the appropriate ML tags along with the ID# of the images, to have them show up in their signature(s).

You can find out more about ML tags by clicking on the 'AUTHOR TOOLS' pull-down menu at the upper left corner of the page. Once the menu opened, click on the 'WritingML Help' choice, which will display a grid with all the different categories of codes to enable you to enhance your layouts as well as linking items in various ways.

Members normally take an image they made, scanned and uploaded into their portfolios. They can also buy images (with gps) from one of the multiple artists in the site or bid on sigs in auctions.

Below you will find some auction forums, sig-shops or other useful links for you to visit;

Image Item Info  (13+) Information on uploading images to your portfolio. #140451 by The StoryMistress

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #733943 by Not Available.

Invalid Item  This item number is not valid. #839459 by Not Available.

*NOTE: There are many more places where one can find images. If a member wants to submit a link that is not listed here, I will be happy to add it to the list. Some are linking folders of members that make images but do not have a sig-shop or auction. They do them by request, free or for gps.

The images can be photographs, original artwork or clip-art etc.

Here, I want to explain how to display the 'signature-block' through the 'MY ACCOUNT' section. Once you have done one, the others will be very easy for you to do.

When you view your main portfolio or another page with all the links at the top, this is what you need to do;

On the second line under the second black line at the top of the page, you will find a series of words: MY ACCOUNT :: MY BLOG :: MY PORTFOLIO :: MY GIFT POINTS :: MY FAVORITES :: MY FEEDBACK. Click on the 'MY ACCOUNT' link.

Then, you will see two columns with options. Click on the second option on the right side called 'Change Signature(s)'. You will see some text explaining how to use this feature.

Above the first white box, you can see Default Signature (Email / Forums / Books). In that text box, you can type in the text you want to see in your signature-block or type in the link to image(s) you want to use.

If you are going to click on an item to get the ID# from the same page you are working with before storing/saving your signature, it will change your page and lose what you typed. In order to avoid this, better open a link for a random item somewhere on your page by clicking on '(nw)' beside the item and it will open a new page.

You can also use the 'SEARCH' engine. Just type in any word and click on 'GO', and it will open a new page. You can do a search for 'aroighdvkzhva' if you want; it will still open the new page.

To use links, you need to know the correct characters to use. To find these, you need to go to the pull-down menus on the upper left side of your page.

Under the black line where the words 'Site Navigation' is, you will find five boxes with black letters on white with a down arrow on the right.

Click on the arrow beside 'AUTHOR TOOLS'.

Click on the 'WRITING ML HELP'.

Click on the 'ITEM TAGS' option.

Locate the 'squiggly' brackets on your keyboard and use the other needed characters for each link you need them for.

Type in the ML tags and the ID# of the image you want to have in your signature-block, or the text you want to use.

Ex: For an 'image' to show, you need to use the 'Image' ML Tag like {image:XXXXXX}. By replacing the 'X's with the ID# of the image you want. For a full link to an item, type {bitem:XXXXXX}, again, replacing the 'X's with the (currently up to 7 digits) ID# number of the item.

Once you have done all this, click on the 'Update' button below the box.

Once this is done, click on the 'click HERE to test view it' and you will see a pop-up window that is smaller than your page and you will see how your signature looks like. If you don't see the pop-up window appear, check if you have a pop-up blocker and disable it.

Edit if need be and repeat the steps until it is saved and showing as it should.

You now have your first signature-block, which by default, will be automatically inserted in your 'emails, forum posts and book/journal'.

If your membership allows it, the following applies.

You will now notice that below your new signature-block, a new white text box has appeared below it. Now however, you will see above it a rectangular text box with: " Forum / Book Item ID:" preceeding it. If you want to make a different signature-block for one specific forum or one of your books/journals, type in the ID# in that text box and fill in the big one using the same steps you used for your first one.

Once you are all done, another set of text boxes will appear and you can make another signature-block if you want.

That is it as far as using the 'signature-block' option.

If you need any further help with creating an image item, just respond to this 'How to/advice' article via the reviewing box or send me an email. I will be more than happy to explain it in more details for you. You can also contact other members who are familiar with them.

Hoping I was of help;

Respectfully,
Chatou