TWCL

[mcmasters]

...and you're invited. I'm a fair artist and a fair writer but I'm old and a complete computer-phobe. I want to get a couple webcomics up and running, I've got comicpress installed but I'm spending all my time trying to learn how to do this stuff and my learning curve is oh so shallow. I'm spending hours playing with it and reading and watching tutorials and I'm not getting anywhere and I feel like I must be making the simplest mistakes. I put in an image (for example) and it comes in too narrow. I browse other webcomic sites and they have nice broad comics with all the sidebar stuff below the comic. See? I know you're thinking, dummy, just click x, x, and x.

At this point I'm getting so frustrated I need some hand-holding. I just want my comic to look like all the other nice ones I see (not content, format). I'm sure once I get things up and running I'll be fine, but getting started is killing me. My email is mcmasters2121@gmail.com. If you're a goodness-of-your-heart type I offer thanks or a percentage of any future profits that come (if any; I know these things are more labor of love than realistic prospect of steady income). If you're a screw-goodness-of-your heart type we can discuss compensation, refer me to your work and make an offer. I can pay but also offer exchange of services; I'm a fair artist and will link to the shit I already have out there if you want to discuss a collaborative effort.
Thanks, Jerry

[vulpeslibertas]

We generally give advice and tips for free. The party will cost you, though .

1. What's your web address? (www....)
2. What are you using to host your comic?
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[mcmasters]

Thanks Vulpeslibertas. I've been lurking here off and on for some time and overall everyone seems friendly, helpful, and respectful of each other so I'm sure I could get some questions answered. I'll see if I get any responses before I burden the board with my ignorance.

I'm using Fat Cow. I picked it kind of randomly; I can't distinguish merits between one and the other.

[vulpeslibertas]

If you post your comic's URL, there's a good chance someone can read your html code and figure out what's wrong.
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[mcmasters]

Okay, but be warned I did say I was a complete beginner.

http://www.mcmasterscomics.com/

Why is the header not centered?
It is in two column mode, why is the comic so narrow? Why is there so much dead space on the sides? What is the proper size image for a background? The ones I tried either did not stretch far enough or went ridiculously too far (I don't want tiles, just a single image that takes up the whole background)

[Casual Notice]

Without seeing your CSS, I'm guessing you have formatted a 20% sidebar column on the left side. Except those items that Wordpress defines by default, your content column appears left-justified. Centering your mast graphic will require overoming both of those settings (if that is, in fact the problem).

As for graphic sizes: you won't like it, but you're better off using a tiled graphic since that is more adaptable to multiple computer configurations. Otherwise, you can just go with a plain-color background. Single pictures rarely work unless they frame a sing predictably-sized piece of content.
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What I lack in sincerity, I make up for in sarcasm.
S*P*Q*R

[Zoe Robinson]

mcmasters wrote:

Why is the header not centered?

Because WordPress and ComicPress both default to justified text. You can alter this by going into the Editor (Appearance -> Editor in Admin Mode). When you get there you'll be presented with the CSS file for your site.

Go to "Select Theme to Edit" (top-right of the page) and select "ComicPress", then press "Select". Look down the list on the right and select "Main Index Template (index.php)".

Now scroll down the text box to find
<?php if (comicpress_themeinfo('enable_caps')) { ?><div class="blogindex-head"></div><?php } ?>

change this to:
<?php if (comicpress_themeinfo('enable_caps')) { ?><div align="center" class="blogindex-head"></div><?php } ?>

and you're good.

mcmasters wrote:

It is in two column mode, why is the comic so narrow?

Because you're not using the comic category for your comic posts. You need to set up a category for comics as well as a category for blogs, then put your comics in the 'comic' category. After that, go into ComicPress settings and tell ComicPress which category is for comics, and which is for blogs.

mcmasters wrote:

Why is there so much dead space on the sides?

Because that's how WordPress formats your site. It's worth noting that Macs default to a long, thin window for web browsers; which will cut off the white space. Similarly, 4:3 format screens also cut off the white space.

mcmasters wrote:

What is the proper size image for a background?

Any size you want. The one I use is about 700-1000 pixels wide and tiled.

mcmasters wrote:

The ones I tried either did not stretch far enough or went ridiculously too far (I don't want tiles, just a single image that takes up the whole background)

If you're going for a single image that doesn't stretch, you're going to have to plan ahead. The average screen resolution increases every few years so you'll need to increase the resolution every few years to stay with the average.

I would start with 2560x1600.
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[mcmasters]

You guys are fantastic. Tomorrow morning, I go into battle!

[mcmasters]

...bloodied, battered, and defeated.

The heading still isn't centered after putting in the code exactly as stated. (and after getting fed up and uninstalling and re-installing wordpress to get a clean slate. Couldn't find a "do-over" button)

Comics still narrow slivers of shit after creating categories and entering posts in the "comics" category.

Haven't even bothered with background, but as CN notes I think tiled is the best way to go.

On the bright side, I have headphones on and Nirvana up very loud and tomorrow's another day.

edit: I also found this and thought it was pretty useful...until I ended up with about the same results I describe above:
http://www.djcoffman.com/how-to-host-your-own-webcomic/

[nsanelilmunky]

It looks like you're still in blog mode to me

Have you downloaded/activated a template? Getting the general structure from a theme or template and then altering it is usually easier for me.

Dashboard ----> Appearance (hover over it and it will bring up a small menu) -----> Themes.

See what you have going on there.

....Unless Comicpress/Comic Easel Changes this... I haven't started posting stuff online yet so I'm not sure how much comicpress/comic easel changes the dashboard options.

[mcmasters]

Comicpress is the theme that is activated, is a template something else to add to that? The tutorial I linked to said put in plugins "comicpress manager" and "theme companion," I found and activated the first but could not find the second in a search of plugins. Does that matter? I'm missing something obvious.

[mcmasters]

"Comic manager" plugin I believe no longer needed, replaced by the "jetpack" plugin? I think this is right.

nsanelilmunky wrote:

It looks like you're still in blog mode to me

Not sure but I think that was it. I'm trying a different tutorial that is walking me through it step by step and results are better. Thanks!

[TonyDiGerolamo]

My friend, fret no longer, call on the amazing Frumph and he will fix your site. http://frumph.net/

Frumph helps webcomic creators everywhere and is the creator of Comicpress and ComicEasel, two wordpress plugins that will make your life a lot easier. He's very friendly and helpful.

[mcmasters]

I ended up at Frumph's site several times trying to figure out this or that. I actually thought about contacting him directly but...I don't know, is he really going to want to answer baby questions? Not that yall do either .

[mcmasters]

Stupid question number 264:

On comicpress how do you upload a comic that's two pages? Most of mine are two pages, so each has a name. So I upload them both, and they come in as separate pages. I need the second one below the first, you scroll down to read it. Is there an option on the upload page? thanks