Questions and Suggestions

[Still Waters]

I'd like to see a forum for questions and suggestions, regarding the freelancemom.com bulletin board.

For example, here's my first ;) question. To view the forum, I need to keep scrolling horizontally. Can I set my forum preferences so that the screen width is narrower? Or can the board admin change the settings, so that the forum fits 100% of my screen width? Thanks! :D

[Shelly]

I second that motion for Questions & Suggestions... especially since I have a question :P
Lori, can I put a link to the forum on my site?

Shelly

[Lori]

Hi Debby - I'm not really sure why you have to scroll horizontally. Gosh - I'm really sorry about that. I'll do a little research and see if there is a fix.

Can you let me know what type of computer you are using and the monitor resolution?

Thanks!

Lori

[Lori]

Lori, can I put a link to the forum on my site?

Shelly -- I'd be completely honored!

Thanks :D

[Still Waters]

Can you let me know what type of computer you are using and the monitor resolution?
My computer is a pc clone, not apple. Did you mean something else by "what type"? My monitor resolution is 800x600.

[Lori]

My computer is a pc clone, not apple. Did you mean something else by "what type"? My monitor resolution is 800x600.

Hi Debby,

I just wanted to let you know that I have looked into the horizontal scroll. Very strange.

I did a screen resolution test over at anybrowser.com and 800x600 looked okay. So I'm not exactly sure why its happening.

As soon as I have time I will look at the coding and see if there is anything I can tweak.

If this is happening for any other users -- please let me know.

Thanks!

Lori

[Still Waters]

I did a screen resolution test over at anybrowser.com and 800x600 looked okay. So I'm not exactly sure why its happening.
I just did a quick search at the phpBB support forum, and I found this thread: http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=146712

I hope that's helpful. :D

(I'm a vBulletin admin, and I know nothing about phpBB. :()

[Lori]

Thanks Debby :)

I saw that thread last night... :shock: I hate venturing into the source code for this stuff. But its the only way to do it!

Just curious - do you keep a side bar open? Like your favorites? I think once I change that code to percent we should be fine. I always design with exact widths so I'm not real confident with this stuff. :?

I appreciate having you to sound off with on it :) I'll post when I've made a change.

Thanks! Lori

[Still Waters]

Just curious - do you keep a side bar open? Like your favorites?
I do "bookmark" my favorite web sites. Is that what you mean?

I always design with exact widths so I'm not real confident with this stuff.
Actually, using exact widths is rarely a good idea in web design. Usually, it's webmasters that come from the "print media world" that make this mistake, because they're accustomed to controlling the exact placement of every little thing on the page. Is that your background?

[Lori]

Hi Debby -

No its not my background... just how I learned.

Guess I'll have to research the benefits of percentages!

I had some trouble with a template I bought one time that was done in percentages. It didn't work. Any computer I looked at on a 800x600 resolution had a scroll.

So I changed it to exact widths and it worked... After that I just completely shyed away from that method. I'll look into it :)

Thanks!

[Still Waters]

I learned "on the job," too. No prior professional experience with publishing, on or off the web. :D

When you research the advantages of percentages, search on "web accessibility" and similar topics. The w3c has fantastic material on this.

Not only are percentages needed for the ADA (Americans with Disabilities) in cyberspace, but it's advantageous for maintaining your own web sites. You won't have to keep tweaking everything, everytime a new user device comes out. ;)

[Still Waters]

I just found this very interesting site (never saw it before). I love the way they categorize sites as ice, jelly, or liquid -- according to how well the web design flows into the available screen space. Thought I'd share it, here. :D

http://www.mardiros.net/liquid-design.html

[Lori]

I just found this very interesting site...
http://www.mardiros.net/liquid-design.html

Terrific site!

I'll read it thoroughly tonight.

Thanks Debby!

Lori

[Still Waters]

You're very welcome. :D

[Shelly]

http://www.dzineworkz.com/folio-sites.html

Lori, I put a link on this page, thought you might want to check it out. I figured that it may generate your traffic seeing as a lot of the traffic I get is web designers/developers.
:wink:
Shelly

[Lori]

Shelly!

That is SO nice of you! I LOVE the ad too!

THANK YOU a zillion times :D

Lori

[Still Waters]

How about a forum, in which we can network for the purpose of finding links? A link exchange forum? I saw this type of forum on another site, and it seems to work well. :D

[Lori]

Great idea!

[Lori]

I just did a quick search at the phpBB support forum, and I found this thread: http://www.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=146712

I hope that's helpful. :D

Hi Debby -

I wanted to let you know that I have looked at the header code in the tpl file and don't see any tables set to pixels - they are ALL percentages.

I will continue to look into this but wanted to be sure that you knew I've tried... :oops: Just can't figure out what the problem can be. The only thing I can think of is that having the side menu on for your favorites could be throwing the width off?

It doesn't entirely make sense, I know. But it's strange that when I view 800x600 resolution at http://www.anybrowser.com/ScreenSizeTest.html, it looks okay.

What browser are you using? Netscape?

Thanks for your patience!

Lori

P.S. If anyone else has the horizontal scroll problem, please speak up! Thanks :)

[Still Waters]

The only thing I can think of is that having the side menu on for your favorites could be throwing the width off?

What browser are you using? Netscape?
Thanks for trying. :D No, I don't have a side menu for favorites. I didn't understand that's what you meant, before. I am using Internet Explorer 6. Let me know if you need any more info.

Maybe you could post the problem on the phpBB support forum? They seem to run an active board, there, and you'll probably get a response in short order. I would post the problem, myself, if it would help. But I know nothing about phpBB. I administrate only vBulletin boards.

[Still Waters]

Hey, I just had an idea. :idea:

I think that the problem might be caused by the horizontal list of links, at the top of the screen (FAQ, Search, Memberlist, and so on). Would you please try breaking that list into two shorter lists? Thanks! :D

[Lori]

Hey, I just had an idea. :idea:

I think that the problem might be caused by the horizontal list of links, at the top of the screen (FAQ, Search, Memberlist, and so on). Would you please try breaking that list into two shorter lists? Thanks! :D

Done :) Does it help???

I also found size dimensions on the FreelanceMom logo and took them off. They weren't necessary. Tell me if it helps!

[Still Waters]

Done :) Does it help???
Yup! That was the problem. With my browser window maximized, the horizontal scroll bar is gone. :D

I have a larger-than-average screen size. The screen (not the monitor) is 18 inches diagonal. If my browser window is not fully maximized, the horizontal scroll bar is still there. This means that the average person (with the average size monitor) will still see the horizontal scroll bar.

I think that the combined width of the site logo and the banner ad, at the top of the screen, is too large. Can you consolidate the header, to make everything fit better?

Here's one idea. Change the logo, so that the text is to the right of the flower. That will make the height much smaller. Position the banner flush-left under the new logo. Position the nav links at the very top, to the right of the logo and banner (placing just a few links on each line). Just an idea :idea: to show you what I meant by "consolidate the header."

[Lori]

Yup! That was the problem. With my browser window maximized, the horizontal scroll bar is gone. :D

Okay! Well we're getting somewhere! Phew.

I have a larger-than-average screen size. The screen (not the monitor) is 18 inches diagonal. If my browser window is not fully maximized, the horizontal scroll bar is still there. This means that the average person (with the average size monitor) will still see the horizontal scroll bar.

I am viewing at 800x600 now - both maximized and minimized with no problem. No scroll. Weird.

I think that the combined width of the site logo and the banner ad, at the top of the screen, is too large. Can you consolidate the header, to make everything fit better?

I'll think about how to better consolidate up there.
It's paid ad space for the banner, so I want it to be as prominent as it is...

I don't get it, why it's doing this for you :(

[Still Waters]

I'll think about how to better consolidate up there.
It's paid ad space for the banner, so I want it to be as prominent as it is...
Here's another idea :idea: for an easy fix. Separate your logo into two images. One image would be the flower. The other image would be the text. Then, the banner would just move to the left (over the text and stopping at the flower), as the width of the browser window gets smaller.

[inna33]

Hi Lori, is there a forum already regarding work- at- home scams and our real life experience regarding them so that at least we have one particular forum to check out if we are thinking of applying to a particular company or work-at-home ads ? that way we don't have to keep on surfing the net for info on them? all members who got scammed can warn the others so it will really be helpful, don't u think? or is there one already ?

just a thought .