Re: gif & jpeg files

Susan Oates (oates@cybercomm.net)
Thu, 4 Jul 1996 22:09:17 EDT

Susan Oates <oates@cybercomm.net> wrote:
>> I'm trying to change the background color on my high school's home page.
>> We've been using a .gif file, and I downloaded a .jpg file I wanted to
>> change to. It worked fine on my computer -- changing the html code in the
>> home page file, saving it, and then opening Netscape and using "open a new
>> file" to view the file on my hard drive. I uploaded the home page and .jpg
>> files to the server we use, and the home page file wouldn't recognize the
>> .jpg file -- I ended up with the Netscape's default gray background. I
>> changed the extension to .jpeg; changed, uploaded, and reloaded the home
>> page, and Netscape still wouldn't read in the background color file over
>> the Web. What am I missing here?
>
> Two things. First, you don't need a jpeg or gif file to change
> the color of the background - there is a background= command
> to do that. Let me know if I can help you with that and what
> platform (mac, unix, wintel) you have and I'll point you to the
> application that lets you pick your color.
>
> Problems occur when you upload .JPG or .GIF files if you don't
> match types. If you use FTP, for example, be sure to set type
> to 'bin.' If you use FETCH (Macintosh's FTP) then choose BINARY,
> but then also choose RAW DATA from the menu.
>
> ...and always obey the extension conventions. If it is a GIF file,
> end the name with ".GIF" and with JPEG, use ".JPG" otherwise it
> won't work.
>--

Thanks, John. Turns out the problem had to do with some garbage inserted
as part of the upload, having to do with what you've said in paragraph 2 -
I was using MacBinary and should have just used Binary in my upload
protocol - and Netscape wouldn't read the .jpg file as a result. Once this
was explained to me, I was able to upload the file successfully. I
downloaded CyberDog 1.0 the other day to try it out, and it wouldn't even
read the .html file because of the inserted garbage (Netscape could read
the .html but not the .jpg). I reuploaded both files to eleminate the
foreign characters.

I couldn't find a background color I liked with the resources that I knew
about, but I've since learned there are more to explore. So . . . the home
page's background may change a few times over the summer as I try them out.
I use MacOS, so feel free to point me to the application that lets me
select color. I have to put those six alphanumeric characters in the .html
text if I select a solid background, and it's the solid background color I
haven't been satisfied with yet.

Thanks for your help.

Susan

Susan L. Oates <oates@cybercomm.net>

* Educational Media Specialist *
* Marlboro High School, New Jersey, USA *
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* Check out the Marlboro High School Home Page: *
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* http://www.cybercomm.net/~marlboro/ *
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