Technology is not my friend...

[londonronnie]

After an extremely frustrating day during which my first ever attempt at uploading a file to Megaupload ended in a complete cock-up (which I didn't discover until I'd spent six hours uploading the bloody thing), I decided to turn my attention to making myself a new banner for my LJ.

Now, I've only been threatening to do this for about two years so, having spent a few nights choosing pics and getting various Photoshop techniques sorted, I was quite chuffed at the banner that I ended up with tonight.

But can I get the bugger to show? Can I f***. I've uploaded it to Photobucket and have used all the different links provided but none of them have any effect. I've even ended up leaving the 'background image' box blank, but my old banner is still showing.

I have to admit that the banner I've been using for the past xxx years had absolutely nothing to do with me - it was designed by somebody else, and added to my LJ by them, and I just sat back and enjoyed the pretty... But I did think that in the intervening years I'd learnt something about LJ and all the accompanying techno mumbo-jumbo, so I'm pretty pissed off that I can't do this.

Where am I going wrong? HELP!!!

Comments

[towerbridge2006.livejournal.com]

As much as I love Megaupload, I've never been successful at uploading a file there! *head desk*

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

I think I'll probably try another program - keep your fingers crossed!

[towerbridge2006.livejournal.com]

Nice new lj!

I have decent luck with Sendspace.

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It only took me about six hours to find a layout that suited! *g* I need to tweak the colours a bit, but that can wait until tomorrow.

I'll certainly give Sendspace a try - luckily my uploads aren't needed until late Aug/early Sept, so I've got plenty of time to experiment.

Lovely icon, btw.

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

From photobucket you need the line of code marked "direct link"

This is the coding you need... I think. *g* It's the coding I use... Go to "customize your journal" and insert it in the custom css box.


#header-inner {
background-image: url("insert your direct link here");
height: 395px;
}


#header {
background-image: none;
}

---

The second part of the code "kills" the banner you have right now. You may need to adjust the height (mine is 395px) depending on how thick your header is... Just load it and then fiddle a bit with it -- oooh err missus. *g*

Hope this helps.

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

Yes, it did help a lot! Thank you!

At least... I did get the new banner to show up on my LJ, but then I started to experiment with new layouts (which was all part of the Grand Plan *g*). Finally settled on a new one, but more problems! I can get the banner to show as a repeated image across the whole page, but not as a header at the top of the page, which is what I really want. At least, I can get the bottom few millimetres to show, but that's all... *sigh*

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

You might want to play with the px size but I think the major problem here is the type of LJ design you've settled on. Some of them are better suited to this sort of "patch" programming than others. Unless you want to try your hand at programming the whole LJ you're limited to certain styles.

If memory serves correctly flexible squares and expressive are your friends in this regard. You can feed both of those types in to the search box on your "select journal style" and see what's on offer. As the "supress" part of the coding will knock out whatever the current banner is you have quite a wide selection. My LJ for instance is the one that usually has the tube map at the top of it.

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

I've actually stumbled upon a style that suits pretty well since I replied to you ('stumbled' being the operative word...), and the banner shows up exactly as I wanted it!

Must admit that I didn't realise that in some cases you could override the banners that come with the various layout styles - I must have looked at dozens tonight that I quite fancied but thought that I would be stuck with whatever graphic came up in the preview. Sheesh...

That's something worth bearing in mind for the future anyway, so thanks for that!

[draycevixen.livejournal.com]

It really is worth looking at the ones that come with banners. A lot of times the designer did a really nice job with the colour balance and various optional extras. Once you know the routine it's easy to change from one style to another too.

If you end up deciding that you'd like to change the background I have the coding for that too. *g*

[heliophile-oxon.livejournal.com]

You're clearly a technogenius compared to me. I think I've done all right if I manage to download successfully. Thank goodness for the savvy folk out there willing to provide help and advice!

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

LOL! Technomoron would be a better description, I think! I've spent the past few hours trying to get myself a new LJ layout, and I'm nearly going up the wall!!

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

I think the coding is going to depend on what style and theme-thingie you're using - I had that exact same problem helping someone else put up a banner, and it was cos of the theme being used. We got it in the end, though without looking I can't quite remember how... I'm off out in a little bit (to Sutton Hoo - wheeee!) but if you've not got it sorted tonight I'll see if I can remember what we did to make it work!

And gaaaah MegaUpload! You're way ahead of me there though, I've never tried to upload anything fancier than a songtrack, and I was ever so excited when that worked. I've got a clip of MS I'm desperate to upload somewhere though, only it's not a .avi either, and everything I seemed to read said it couldn't be a whatever-it-is and that I needed to change it, and suddenly it's all just too complicated for anything less than a whole night's attention, and... one day I'll work it all out... Soon! Hmmn - maybe we could (in a locked post) ask for an uploading tutorial at Safehouse? I know I'd be happy to upload stuff if I knew how, and I bet alot of other people would too...

/early morning rambling...

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

Haven't tried any more with the upload today, been trying to sort out a new layout for my LJ, complete with the new banner.

I've had a limited amount of success - I can get the banner to repeat across the page, but not as a header at the top of the page. I'm just about ready to throw the laptop through the window...

If you can give me any tips I'd be very grateful...

Oh, and Sutton Hoo! Despite living in Essex for so many years, it's somewhere I've never been. Typical isn't it, when something's on your doorstep... Got any piccies?

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I don't like megaupload all that much. I use sendspace or yousendit for vids. And I've yet to figure out the banner thingy. I'm not much help, I'm afraid, except for sitting on the sidelines and cheering you on.

[londonronnie.livejournal.com]

If I can get the file format sorted out I'll probably try uploading again with one of the others you've mentioned.

And oh! Cheering from the sidelines is always welcome, thank you! *g*