WebSpawner.com Blog

Another recurring question occasionally received by WebSpawner Customer Service is:

Why won’t my images upload into the Image Gallery?

There are several possible causes for image upload issues… today we discuss the most common ones, along with suggestions to resolve them.

Incompatible file format

If your image is not saved in a compatible image file format, you must save a copy on your computer in one of the three compatible file formats - .jpg, .gif, or .png - and then upload the resulting compatible image file. Note that simply changing the name of an image to end in “.jpg” or “.gif” or “.png” is not sufficient and doesn’t change the file format; it must be saved in one of the three formats using an image editing program (see below for more info on available image editors).

Excessive image size

An image which has an excessively large file size due to very high resolution or large physical dimensions may cause your web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari or other) to “time out” during the image upload process. Resize your image using an image editing program to reduce it to a more appropriate size (we suggest no more than 600 x 800 pixels) and save a copy in one of the three compatible file formats for uploading (don’t overwrite the original on your computer by accident). Use Optimization within your image editing program to reduce the resulting image file size while retaining acceptable image quality; smaller files take less time for you to upload and load more quickly for viewers.

File naming issues

Image file names that are excessively long (30 characters or more) or that contain special characters or blank spaces instead of just numbers and letters may pose problems… try removing blank spaces and characters and/or shortening file names before uploading. Keep in mind that each image file that you upload should have a unique file name, or it will replace a previously-uploaded image in your account of the same name.

Internet connection issues

If your internet connection is slow (i.e., dial up speeds) then the uploading process may take a while, especially if you haven’t optimized your image file sizes. Slow connections may lead to “time out” errors during uploading; upgrading to a faster internet connection with your Internet Service Provider may resolve the matter. If there are connection problems with the internet somewhere between your ISP and WebSpawner’s servers, such as a cut fiber optic cable, then there isn’t anything that you (or WebSpawner) can do other than to wait for the problem to be resolved.

By following these suggestions, you can resolve most image upload issues, as well as saving some time during the upload process. There are many fine programs available to edit images which will allow you to resize, optimize, and save your images in a compatible file format, including professional-level editors like Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. But, it isn’t necessary to buy an expensive software solution either; below are some programs which will get the job done for you for free:

• Gimp
• IrfanView
• FastStone
• Pixia

WebSpawner members with Enhanced accounts have access to their own username@WebSpawner.com WebMail account. WebMail can be accessed by clicking the WebMail icon under the orange Add-Ons tab in the Member Menu.

Of course, like any email account, WebMail allows you to send and receive email messages, and you can Reply to or Forward messages as you like. You can keep an Address Book full of email addresses for your friends or business contacts. You can create custom Folders to store messages that you want to keep. And you can create Filters (under the Options link) to automatically file incoming messages into folders, automatically forward certain messages to other recipients, or to move unwanted messages into a separate “junk mail” folder (for more information see our previous blog post “WebMail Spam Filtering“). WebMail even contains a Spell Checker tool (also under the Options link in the toolbar) to help keep your messages accurate and professional.

But WebMail also has a number of advantages over ordinary email. For example, you can easily access your WebMail account from any computer with an internet connection and a web browser… it doesn’t have to be your home computer, and it doesn’t require configuring complicated account settings in an email application. You don’t even have to take a laptop computer with you… check your WebMail from any internet cafe, library, or school computer lab. This makes WebMail extremely portable and user-friendly for people on the go… simply go to www.webspawner.com in the web browser of any computer and login with your Username and Password, then click the WebMail icon in the Member Menu, and you have instant access to your WebMail Inbox to receive or send email messages, as shown below.

In addition to being available anywhere that you can get online, WebMail contains a number of other features that make it function as a powerful all-in-one organizer, great for travelers on the road and away from the office.

The Calendar link in the left toolbar brings up a handy calendar tool with Day, Week, and Month views which allows you to keep track of important meetings, appointments, special days and more.

The Task link in the toolbar brings up an easy-to-use Tasks list, where you can quickly add new to-do items, rearrange items by priority, check off tasks that have been completed, or change the due date for an item.

Along with the Notes link, which allows you to create and keep track of various notes, these features make WebMail a great combination email and organizer system to keep busy people like you on track and on time, wherever you go.

The WebSpawner Members Directory (available through a link on the WebSpawner.com homepage) is an index of webpages created by WebSpawner users. Thousands of Member webpages are sorted into categories and sub-categories within, making the Directory an abundant source of relevant links which is updated regularly. The Members Directory is frequently spidered by major search engine crawlers; accordingly, inclusion in the Directory can help your webpage be found by people searching online for related content.

A listing in the Members Directory is absolutely free for all WebSpawner members, and placing your request for inclusion takes only a few moments… today we’ll show you how.

Begin by logging into your WebSpawner account with your User Name and Password, which will put you into the Member Menu for your account. Click the orange Options & Preferences tab as shown.

Under “Your Website Category” you can see the current category selected, if any, for your webpage. To select or change the category, click the Change Category button.

Use the drop-down menu to select an appropriate main category for your webpage.

The Title and Description fields are pre-filled with information you provided when creating your webpage; you can make changes to the text for each if you like. Then click the Continue button.

Next, you are prompted to select a sub-category for your webpage using a drop-down menu. Make your selection and click the Continue button as shown below.

That’s all you need to do. A confirmation message appears showing the category and sub-category you have selected. Click the Return to Member Access button to return to the Member Menu for your webpage account.

As the Members Directory is updated every 24 hours your listing should appear after the next update. All sub-categories list the webpages of WebSpawner Members with Enhanced accounts first under the “Featured Listings” heading. Following the Featured Listings are the webpages for users with Basic accounts.

For maximum relevancy and results, be sure to select the best category and sub-category for your webpage. For example, if you are a breeder offering puppies through your webpage, you would choose the “Home & Family” category and then the “Pets” sub-category.

Help interested viewers find your webpage through the Directory and search engines… select your webpage Category as described above today.

Make it easy for your website’s visitors to find any location - your business, your school, or a favorite attraction - by adding a Google Map to your website for free in just a few simple steps.

1. Open a window in your web browser and go to the Google Gadgets directory at http://www.google.com/ig/directory?synd=open.

2. Locate the Gadget called “Google Map” (usually in the top row) and click the button below it labeled ‘Add to your webpage.’ A preview map showing Google’s location in California appears.

3. Under Display Settings enter an appropriate title for your map… “The World-Famous Space Needle” for example. Change the map size as you like by adjusting the Width and Height pixel values up or down, and click to select a Border style.

4. Under Gadget Settings enter a location name in the ‘Address Name’ box (for example, “The Space Needle”). Enter the physical address in the ‘Address or Zip’ box (”400 Broad St., Seattle, WA 98109″ for our example). Select a ‘Zoom’ level from Address (close up) to Nation (far away), and select a ‘View Type’ of Map (streets and names), Satellite (aerial photography), or Hybrid (combination view). Click the ‘Preview Changes’ button to see your revisions. When satisfied with the map preview, click the button labeled ‘Get the Code.’ The HTML code for your map will appear in a box as shown below:

5. Click in the box and select all of the code (use Control-A on Windows computers or Command-A on Macs), then copy the code (Control-C on Windows, or Command-C on Macs.

6. Open a new browser window (keep the map window open in case you need to go back to it) and log in to your WebSpawner webpage account at http://www.webspawner.com. Select your desired webpage and click the ‘Modify’ button or click ‘Create’ to start a new page. Scroll down to the ‘Body Text’ step and click in the box, then paste the copied code (Control-V on Windows, or Command-V on Mac). Complete the process by clicking ‘Continue’ at the bottom of the form, and then click ‘I Like It’ at the page preview to publish your changes.

Your website will now include your embedded Google map. Visitors of your website can even interact with the map - zooming in or out and changing the View Type as desired - without ever leaving your website!

The Google Gadgets directory also contains other interesting features that you can add to your website in the same manner… simply select the desired Gadget by clicking ‘Add to your webpage’ and enter your desired settings, then get the HTML code and copy and paste it into the Body Text area of your website. Add a clock, calendar, weather, and much more to make your site interesting and informative for visitors.