GRSites FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

 

Background Textures

How do I put a background texture in my emails?

How do I put a background texture in my eBay listings?

I changed the color/brightness of one of the textures in the archive and linked to the picture, but now the texture is gone!

I would like to use one of these textures in Photoshop, but I only get a small square. How can I get the texture to tile and fill up the whole image?

I tried to save a texture but could only save it as an ART file instead of a JPG or GIF!

Do you have higher resolution versions of these images?

I like these textures very much. Can I download them all in a ZIP file?

How do I include a texture from this archive into my web page?

Are these background textures really free for me to use as I like?

Web Graphics

I tried to save a graphic but could only save it as an ART file instead of a JPG or GIF!

Do you have higher resolution versions of these graphics?

I like these graphics very much. Can I download them all in a ZIP file?

Are these graphics really free for me to use as I like?

How do I include a graphic from this archive into my web page?

Fonts

How do I use these fonts in my Windows applications like Word?

I like these fonts very much. Can I download them all in a ZIP file?

Are these fonts really free for me to use as I like?

Sounds

How do I put a sound file in my web page?

I like these sounds very much. Can I download them all in a ZIP file?

Are these sounds really free for me to use as I like?

Buttons

I created an oval or pill shaped button, but there's white corners around it and my web page's background is of a different color.

I created a button and linked to the picture, but now it's gone!

I tried to save a button but could only save it as an ART file instead of a JPG or GIF!

How do I put the logo into my web page?

I really like one of the fonts in the Button Maker, where can I find it?

Are these buttons really free for me to use as I like?

Logos

I created a logo and linked to the picture, but now it's gone!

I tried to save a logo but could only save it as an ART file instead of a JPG or GIF!

How do I put the logo into my web page?

I really like one of the fonts in the Logo Maker, where can I find it?

Are these logos really free for me to use as I like?

GRSites Folders

What are GRSites Folders?

How much space am I given?

Are there bandwidth limits?

How long will my graphics be stored?

How do I get a GRSites Folder?

How do I put graphics in my folder?

GRSites Gallery

What is the GRSites Gallery?

How do I put one of my buttons or logos in the GRSites Gallery?

How long does the button or logo stay in the Gallery?

If I put a button or logo in the Gallery, will people be able to copy it?

What is the GRSites Gallery?

 

How do I put a background texture in my emails?

Microsoft Outlook 2000/2003/XP

This will allow you to set the background texture in the message you are writing:

  • When composing a message, click on the "Format" menu, then on the "Background" option, then on "Picture".
  • In the dialog box, click on "Browse" and locate the background texture on your hard drive. Click on "OK".

    If you want ALL your messages to use the background, follow these instructions:

  • From the "Tools" menu, click on "Options".
  • Click on the "Mail Format" tab, then on "Stationery Picker".
  • Click on "New" to create a new stationery and enter a name for it, then click on the "next" button.
  • In the background box, click on the "Picture" option, then on the "Browse" button and locate the background texture on your hard drive.
  • Click on "Ok" to save the new stationery.
  • Back in the "Options" window now, find the option called "Use this stationery by default" and select the stationery you just created. Click on "OK".

    Microsoft Outlook Express

    This will allow you to set the background texture in the message you are writing:

  • When composing a message, click on the "Format" menu, then on the "Background" option, then on "Picture".
  • In the dialog box, click on "Browse" and locate the background texture on your hard drive. Click on "OK".

    If you want ALL your messages to use the background, follow these instructions:

  • From the "Tools" menu, click on "Options".
  • Click on the "Compose" tab, then on "Create New" from the "Stationery" section to create a new stationery.
  • In the dialog box that appears, click on "Next" and then on "Browse" and locate the background texture on your hard drive.
  • Make sure the "Tile" field is set to "Entire Page".
  • Click on "Next" and set the default font if you wish, click on "Next" again to set the margin if you need to, then on "Next" again and enter a name for this new stationery. Finally, click on "Finish".
  • Back in the "Options" window now, make sure the checkbox next to "Mail" in the Stationery section.
  • Then click on "Select" and choose the stationery you just made. Click on "OK".

    Netscape Mail

  • When composing a message, go to the format menu and click on "Page colors and background".
  • From the dialog box, click on "Choose file" and locate the backgroud texture on your hard drive. Click on "OK".


     

    How do I put a background texture in my eBay listings?

    To include the texture in a listing, you must get the texture's URL, which is listed when you click on the texture in the archive. Suppose that it's:

    http://www.grsites.com/textures/pa/pa086.jpg

    then in your description, you include this tag, preferably at the beginning:

    <body background="http://www.grsites.com/textures/pa/pa086.jpg">

    replacing the URL with the correct one for the texture you want, of course.

    Please note: if you want to use a texture that you have modified in some way (if you have changed its color, brightness, size, etc... using the appropriate functions on the web site) then the texture will only be stored temporarily on GRSites.com. The best way to link to the texture is to save it to your GRSites Folder. Once there, you can use the texture's permanent URL to link to it from your auctions.
     

    I changed the color/brightness of one of the textures in the archive and linked to the picture, but now the texture is gone!

    When you make any custom modification to a texture in the archive (such as changing the color or brightness, making a border from the texture) the new texture has to be made on demand. These modified textures are only kept on GRSites.com for 3 hours. Therefore, you must either download any customized textures that you create and upload them to your web site, or save them to your GRSites Folder.
     

    I would like to use one of these textures in Photoshop, but I only get a small square. How can I get the texture to tile and fill up the whole image?

    The way to do it in Photoshop is to first save the texture you're going to use in PSD photoshop format. Just open the background texture that you have saved on your hard disk and save it as Photoshop (*PSD; *.PDD). Then, starting from an empty image, go to the Filter menu, select Texture, then Texturizer. From the "Texture:" field, select "Load Texture..." and pick the PSD version of your backround texture.
     

    I tried to save a graphic/button/logo but could only save it as an ART file instead of a JPG or GIF!

    Sometimes, AOL software only allows you to save graphic files in the ART format. It automatically compresses graphics into ART files which, although smaller and slightly quicker to load, are of noticeably lower quality.

    To turn off AOL's ART compression:
    1. Click "Settings" (or "My AOL" in earlier versions) in the menu bar, then select "Preferences."
    2. Click "WWW."
    3. Select the "Web Graphics" tab.
    4. Select "Never Compress Graphics" (or uncheck "Use Compressed Graphics" in earlier versions)
    5. Click "OK" and close the window.

     

    Do you have higher resolution versions of these images?

    No. Unfortunately, the images you see online are the only ones available.
     

    I like these textures/graphics/fonts/sounds very much. Can I download them all in a ZIP file?

    Yes, click here to download ALL the resources on GRSites.com in zip files.
     

    How do I include a texture from this archive into my web page?

    While editing the page's HTML code, locate the <body> tag near the top and ensure that it reads:

    <body background="file.jpg">

    where "file.jpg" is the name of the texture you downloaded. Also, ensure that when you upload your web pages to your web server, you also upload the texture "file.jpg" into the same directory for the above command to work.

    Alternatively, you can simply link to the texture using its URL which is provided when you click on the texture in the archive. Suppose that it's:

    http://www.grsites.com/textures/pa/pa086.jpg

    then in your HTML file, you include this tag, somewhere after the <head></head> section:

    <body background="http://www.grsites.com/textures/pa/pa086.jpg">

    replacing the URL with the correct one for the texture you want, of course.

    Please note: if you want to use a texture that you have modified in some way (if you have changed its color, brightness, size, etc... using the appropriate functions on the web site) then the texture will only be stored temporarily on GRSites.com. The best way to link to the texture is to save it to your GRSites Folder. Once there, you can use the texture's permanent URL to link to it from your web pages.
     

    Are these textures/graphics/fonts/sounds really free for me to use as I like?

    They are freeware. They were not created by us, but were obtained from various sources on the Internet that referred to them as freely distributable. They can be used freely for use in web pages and so on, but some of the authors of these graphics might not approve of seeing them used for commercial purposes (e.g. making them part of a commercial software package.)
     

    How do I include a graphic/button/logo from this archive into my web page?

    While editing the page's HTML code, locate the <body> tag near the top and ensure that it reads:

    <img src="file.jpg">

    where "file.jpg" is the name of the graphic you downloaded. Also, ensure that when you upload your web pages to your web server, you also upload the texture "file.jpg" into the same directory for the above command to work.
     

    How do I use these fonts in my Windows applications like Word?

    You must download the font's TTF file and save it in the C:\WINDOWS\FONTS directory. That will install the font and make it available to all your applications.
     

    How do I put a sound file in my web page?

    use the following HTML tag:

    <EMBED SRC="sound.wav" WIDTH=344 HEIGHT=60 AUTOLOAD=TRUE AUTOSTART=false VOLUME=100 CONTROLS=Console>

    Replace "sound.wav" with the URL of the sound file on your web server. This tag will create a Windows Media Player box in the web page with Play/Stop/Volume buttons like the one below:

    <EMBED SRC="/sounds/18791905/aircraft/aircraft001.wav" WIDTH=344 HEIGHT=60 AUTOLOAD=TRUE AUTOSTART=false VOLUME=100 CONTROLS=Console>

    To have the sound play automatically, without showing a Media Player box, use the following tag:

    <EMBED SRC="sound.wav" WIDTH=0 HEIGHT=0 AUTOLOAD=TRUE AUTOSTART=false VOLUME=100 CONTROLS=Console>
     

    I created an oval or pill shaped button, but there's white corners around it and my web page's background is of a different color.

    If you know the hex value of the web page's background color, enter it in the grey box that asks for the "background color". For instance, enter 000000 (six zeros) to make the button's corners black. Alternatively, you can simply check the 'Transparent Background' option to eliminate the problem.
     

    I created a button/logo/menu and linked to the picture, but now it's gone!

    When you make a custom graphic, the image file is only kept on GRSites.com for 6 hours. Therefore, you must download any graphics that you create and upload them to your web site if you wish to use them. Alternatively, you can save them to your GRSites Folder which will keep them on GRSites.com indefinitely. That way you can simply link to the image for FREE.
     

    I really like one of the fonts in the Button/Logo/Menu Maker, where can I find it?

    Email us if you wish to have one of these fonts and we will send it to you.
     

    Are these buttons/logos/menus really free for me to use as I like?

    Yes, they are yours to keep and use however you like!
     

    What are GRSites Folders?

    A GRSites Folder is personal web space on the GRSites servers in which to store the buttons and logos that you've created, as well as customized textures and more. That way, you can simply paste the provided HTML code to display your graphics in your web pages.
     

    How much space am I given?

    For now, there are no space limits. You can store as much as you want!
     

    Are there bandwidth limits?

    For now, there are no bandwidth limits.
     

    How long will my graphics be stored?

    For as long as you wish.
     

    How do I get a GRSites Folder?

    Go here.
     

    How do I put graphics in my folder?

    After creating a button or logo, you will be given the option to place it in your folder.
    When browsing textures, click on a texture to preview it and you will also be given the option to put it in your folder. This is most useful to store customized textures or borders whose color you have changed, since these custom textures are normally only stored on GRSites.com temporarily. Put them in your own GRSites Folder and you keep them online indefinitely!
     

    What is the GRSites Gallery?

    It is a repository of graphics that people have created on GRSites. Check out the Button Maker and Logo Maker and display your own creations!
     

    How do I put one of my buttons or logos in the GRSites Gallery?

    Once you've created the button or logo, you will be given the option to put it in the Gallery in the options box. You can enter your name or email address if you want it to appear in the Gallery under your graphic.
     

    How long does the button or logo stay in the Gallery?

    It stays for about 2 to 4 weeks.
     

    If I put a button or logo in the Gallery, will people be able to copy it?

    Yes, other people will be able to copy the graphic and even customize it to their liking. So don't put a graphic in the Gallery if you want to keep its "recipe" secret! :-)
     

    Can I remove a button or logo I put in the Gallery by mistake?

    Sure, send me an email with the filename of the graphic in question and I will remove it.