New Toys #1

[Mysterious Benefactor]

A few people have asked why they can't change the background color of their posts. The simple answer was that YaBB didn't code a tag to do it. But I've coded two new YaBBC style tags that will now allow you to use multiple background colors. They're:

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[backcolor=(color name)] TEXT, IMAGES, SMILEYS... [/backcolor]

and

[overcolor=(color name)] TEXT, IMAGES, SMILEYS... [/overcolor]
The "backcolor" tags should be used to change the background color of an entire post. The "overcolor" tags will only change the background color of whatever you choose to put between them and it can be used between the "backcolor" tags. However, you can't use "overcolor" tags between other "overcolor tags. For example, this would be correct:

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[backcolor=maroon] ... [overcolor=crimson] ... [/overcolor] ... [overcolor=firebrick] ... [/overcolor] ... [/backcolor]
This would not:

Code: [Select]

[backcolor=maroon] ... [overcolor=crimson] ... [overcolor=firebrick] ... [/overcolor] ... [/overcolor] ... [/backcolor]
The following post is an example of correct usage, and was written like this:

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[backcolor=blue]Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [overcolor=black]will remain[/overcolor] on [overcolor=maroon]the price list[/overcolor] until [overcolor=green]further notice[/overcolor].[/backcolor]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

[backcolor=blue]Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [overcolor=black]will remain[/overcolor] on [overcolor=maroon]the price list[/overcolor] until [overcolor=green]further notice[/overcolor].[/backcolor]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Whereas, something written like the bad example:

Code: [Select]

[backcolor=blue]Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [overcolor=black]will remain on [overcolor=maroon]the price[/overcolor] list [/overcolor] until [overcolor=green]further notice[/overcolor].[/backcolor]
Will not only turn out with tags showing, but the background colors will not display the way you wanted them to:

[Mysterious Benefactor]

[backcolor=blue]Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [overcolor=black]will remain on [overcolor=maroon]the price[/overcolor] list [/overcolor] until [overcolor=green]further notice[/overcolor].[/backcolor]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

[backcolor=maroon] These new tags will work in all browsers, but believe it or not, more often than not they'll work best in Netscape 6.0 (or later), Mozilla 1.0 (or later) and Opera 6.0 (or later) because Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 (and earlier) doesn't contain the same level of support for Style Sheet code as all the other browsers do. [overcolor=black](Shame on you, Microsoft!)[/b][/overcolor]

These tags will also work with the other YaBBC tags such as  "shadow" and "glow". However, because those use code specifically designed for IE, you have to be careful how and where you use them. Netscape, Mozilla and Opera will ignore them as usual and should display your posts without errors showing in most instances. However, IE may not be quite so kind - so be sure to preview your messages before you post them.

And finally, all the color names shown in the "Color Names and Custom Colors" topic (from back on August 8th) will work with these new tags, with the exceptions of chocolate, coral, darkorange, lightsalmon, orange, and tomato. I've disabled those six because they clash with the forum's regular color scheme - and if you try to use them, the background color will default to black. However, you can still use those six colors for text.

Have fun experimenting! More new toys will follow...[/backcolor]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

[backcolor=green]Here's an example where IE will display the message correctly, but Netscape, Mozilla and Opera will not because Microsoft's "glow" filter screws with the "overcolor" tags.

[overcolor=gray](And, yes, you can use more than one background color in a post. )[/overcolor]

[/backcolor][backcolor=maroon]

Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which

[overcolor=pink]will remain[/overcolor]

on the price list until further notice.

[/backcolor]

[Raineypark]

[backcolor=mediumslateblue] [overcolor=midnightblue] You mean like this!!!?[/overcolor]

[overcolor=crimson] Rainey...who was ALREADY being blinded by the light!!...... [/overcolor][/backcolor]

[Mysterious Benefactor]

[backcolor=green]Now, why doesn't the above example display correctly? Well, let's examine how it was written:

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[backcolor=maroon]
[center] [b] Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [/b] [br]
[overcolor=pink] [size=5] [glow=crimson,20,400] [b] will remain [/b] [/glow] [/size] [/overcolor] [br]
[b]on the price list until further notice.[/b] [/center] [/backcolor]
As you can see, the "size" tags were place inside the "overcolor" tags before and after the "glow" tags. Browsers other than IE don't like this. However, if you reverse the placement of the "size" and "overcolor" tags, like this:

Code: [Select]

[backcolor=maroon]
[center] [b] Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which [/b] [br] [size=5]
[overcolor=pink] [glow=crimson,20,400] [b] will remain [/b] [/glow] [/overcolor] [/size] [br]
[b]on the price list until further notice.[/b] [/center] [/backcolor]
everything (except the glow feature, of course ) will display correctly in all browsers:[/backcolor]
[backcolor=maroon]

Chieftain replaces the Commander range, which

[overcolor=pink]will remain[/overcolor]

on the price list until further notice.

[/backcolor]

So, whenever you're using the "overcolor" tags and you want to change the text size of what you're typing between them, please ALWAYS be sure to PLACE THE "SIZE" TAGS OUTSIDE THE "OVERCOLOR" TAGS as a courtesy to people who might not be using IE.

[overcolor=gray](And yes, you can change the background color for certain sections of your post
and then go back to the default color. And you can use the "overcolor" tags
without using the "backcolor" tags. )[/overcolor]

And BTW, I moved this post up in the listings so that all of these explanations would be grouped together. So, that's why Raineypark's post is listed after this one, even though it was made long before it.

This now concludes the first set of instructions for how to use these two new tags. But they have other features/settings that can make them even more versatile - and I'll be explaining those soon...