If you would like to add a single graphic to a page, the easiest way might be through the page editor. But if you want more pictures, or want to change the placement, you will need to use the File Library .
First, you need to open the file library. You will find the link on the left hand side of your Site Builder screen, in the yellow area. Click on the 'File Library' link, and a new window will open with a list of your files.
Main Menu for File Library (with 9 files)
To add a file, click on the 'add another file to the list' link. This will open up a new window, which is what you will use to actually send the file to us.
When you put a file in the File Library, you are actually sending the file to our server. Once it is on our server, that file is completely independent of your computer- you can shut off your computer, and the file will still be accessible to the public.
There are only a few things to fill out on this form:
File Library Upload Screen
- Name for File: This is just a descriptive name for the file, it does not have to be the original file name. On graphics, this will be displayed as the caption. On other file types, this will be the text used for the link.
- File to upload: This is where you will 'browse' for the file on your computer, exactly as you do when attaching a file to an e-mail. Netscape users: the 'files of type' in the browse window will be set to 'HTML', you will need to set this to 'All Files'
- Link to: (*filex* or URL) Optional: This gives you an opportunity to have a graphic act as a link. When someone clicks on the graphic either they will open up another file in the library (if you put a *filex* code in the box) or another internet address if you use the URL. By using a file in the library, you can get a 'thumbnail' effect. Upload the larger file first. Then, when you upload the smaller file, add the larger file's code (*filex*) in the box. When a user clicks on the small file, a larger file will be displayed.
- Group for File: If you are using groups in your File Library, this is where you would select the group. Groups must be created before you can assign a file to it.
You can come back later to edit any of these fields. If you need to change the file, you can simply add the new one 'on top of' the old one, by browsing for the new file, then clicking the 'save information' button.
Recommended file types
You can upload any type of file into the File Library. But, you must understand that unless the general public has the ability to view the file, it will be worthless. Here are some recommendations of file types:
Graphic Files - Essentially there are two types of graphic formats supported in the Site Builder:
JPEG (.jpg) - JPEG files are typically used for photographs. JPEG files are compressed, and when compressing you can control the 'quality' of the file.
GIF (.gif) - GIF files are generally used for most graphics other than photographs. The file size is typically determined by the size of the image, and the number of colors used.
The following file types are not supported as graphics in the Site Builder (or most of the web for that matter)
- TIFF
- PNG
- BMP
- PICT
- EPS
- PDF (see description of PDF below)
Data Files
PDF - Adobe Acrobat - Other than HTML, these are the 'most universal' files. PDF documents have the advantage of combining text and graphics in a format that will look nearly identical on every computer. To create a PDF document, you may need to purchase Acrobat Distiller/Writer. It is available for about $60 from the UC Davis bookstore. Creating a file once you have the distiller is very easy. PDF documents will open in a new window, they cannot be displayed along with the other items on a page. A link will be created when using the File Library to access a PDF document. PDF files will load slower, because the users browser must start the Acrobat program on their computer after the file has been downloaded.
HTML - HTML pages are great, they will load directly in the users browser and are the fastest way to download data. The bad part of an HTML document is that each graphic will be a separate file. Typically you should copy/paste the text from an HTML document into the Site Builder pages directly rather than putting the file into the file library. If you have a complex HTML document with graphics that you want to include on your Site Builder site, you will probably need to set up an FTP Account. Call Karl at 530-754-6596 to do this.
Word - Microsoft Word files have a few advantages, which must be weighed against their disadvantages. They allow you to create documents that will be used as forms to be filled in later, or documents that can be changed by the users that download them. The disadvantages come up when your users do not have Word to display the files. The files can also be very large. New versions of Internet Explorer can display Word files even if the user does not have Microsoft Word.
PowerPoint/Excel - PowerPoint and Excel documents are a good way to present information in an interesting fashion- but they have the same problems as Word. File sizes can be huge! The user cannot view the file if they do not have Power Point. New versions of Internet Explorer can display PowerPoint files even if the user does not have Microsoft Word. Unless you have a specific reason to use Power Point, it is not recommended that you put a PowerPoint document on your site.
Microsoft Publisher - Microsoft Publisher is the least recommended of the standard Office programs. It is highly suggested that you convert to Adobe Acrobat.
Other File Types - No other data file types can be used by enough of the public to make sense putting them on your site. It is recommended that you convert to Adobe Acrobat. If the file must remain in its original format, we suggest that you put a note in the link, telling the users what type of file it is.