Doh! HG Site Templates have .GIFS ??? :(

[cfink]

I love Hostgator (so far). I am fairly adept--I thought--at site creation, but many templates offered here present .gif files that need to have alterable text!

For example, one template had a .gif that said "Site Name". Now how am I supposed to alter the text in a .gif w/out some serious time in Photoshop? The .gif had a background imperative to the site's visual integrity.

Doesn't the original template text in .gif format destroy the concept of a template???

Plaese help!

[streamlinewebsolutions]

You can use photoshop to alter the image.

[skeetr]

With the template, did you get a "psd" folder? If so, you can change everything on the images there.

[eLIANT]

Originally Posted by cfink

Now how am I supposed to alter the text in a .gif w/out some serious time in Photoshop?

There is no way to alter the text in an image other than the use of PS or some other graphics editor.

Originally Posted by cfink

Doesn't the original template text in .gif format destroy the concept of a template???

Yes it does - I've always been a little put out by this same issue.

Originally Posted by cfink

Please help!

How? We didn't make the templates. If you paid for the template, ask for a refund. If you didn't, consider the time you'll have to put into fixing the graphics as the "price" you pay for a free template.

Also, send a complaint to the author of the template and to the distributor.

[cfink]

I'm referring to the free templates. I don't mind photoshoping, but it takes quite a bit of skill when the .gif has an intricate background and the font is unknown and has a lot of added effects. I'm not lazy--just want it to look good. Thanks.

[eLIANT]

Maybe that's why they're free - nobody would pay for a template which has "Site Name Here" embedded into the header graphic.

[cfink]

Originally Posted by skeetr

With the template, did you get a "psd" folder? If so, you can change everything on the images there.

Nope... just a .gif.

[fanfavorite]

Which template is it?

[cfink]

I just got back in town and am running a batch job, but tomorrow will dig through the templates and let you know. Thanks

[cfink]

Dope! I went through my downloaded temlplates and they all DO have a PSD folder. I must have missed it. Each template has an HTML and a PSD folder. I wish when I change the PSD files, the image files in the HTML folder would reflect the changes. ...I have so much to learn.

Sorry for the confusion!

[iKerry]

Originally Posted by skeetr

With the template, did you get a "psd" folder? If so, you can change everything on the images there.

I installed the free HG-729 without Flash created by Homer. It has the psd folder and so I included those files in my Expressions Web install. But when I click the file named 1_home.psd it asks what application I want to open to edit it. I tried my EditPad Pro and it's all garbage.

Tip please?

Thanks,

Kerry

[cleanxhost]

Hi,
You will need Photoshop to edit the .psd files.

[striddy]

Originally Posted by cleanxhost

You will need Photoshop to edit the .psd files.

Or Photoshop Elements.

[GvilleRick]

Or PaintshopPro or GIMP or some image editor that will open PSD files. GIMP is a popular free program.

[iKerry]

I tried both Paintshop Pro (came with my Canon's camera) and Paint but when I tried to change the text in a button I couldn't figure it out. I need something that's a bit more intuitive, ideally free.

I'll check out GIMP, thanks.

Kerry

[iKerry]

Update:

Installed GIMP.

Is there a tutorial for editing/changing the text in a button (keeping the background color the same). The button presently reads "Contractors" I want to change it to read, "Tutorials" (no quotes).

What I envision is placing the I bar cursor between existing letters, such as between t and r, and then forward and backward backspacing and typing in Tutorials. The problem is the cursor is a cross not an I insert-text bar. Is what I'm looking for possible?

Also, is there a trick to knowing what the font is in an image?

Thanks,

Kerry

[gwyneth]

Grokking the GIMP - Learning Advanced Image Editing Techniques

The chapter you'd want to start with is:

1. GIMP Basics

[iKerry]

Thanks Gwyneth. I was hoping for a specific step-by-step tutorial soley about changing/editing text on an existing image.

What I envision is placing the I bar cursor between existing letters, such as between t and r, and then forward and backward backspacing and typing in Tutorials. The problem is the cursor is a cross not an I insert-text bar. Is what I'm looking for possible?

Kerry

[gwyneth]

Originally Posted by iKerry

Update:

Installed GIMP.

Is there a tutorial for editing/changing the text in a button (keeping the background color the same). The button presently reads "Contractors" I want to change it to read, "Tutorials" (no quotes).

What I envision is placing the I bar cursor between existing letters, such as between t and r, and then forward and backward backspacing and typing in Tutorials. The problem is the cursor is a cross not an I insert-text bar. Is what I'm looking for possible?

Also, is there a trick to knowing what the font is in an image?

Thanks,

Kerry

Originally Posted by iKerry

Thanks Gwyneth. I was hoping for a specific step-by-step tutorial soley about changing/editing text on an existing image.

What happens when you click on the Text tool in the toolbox?

[iKerry]

What happens when you click on the Text tool in the toolbox?

Will try later today and let you know.

Thanks,

Kerry

[iKerry]

With Text tool selected the cursor turns from an arrow into a crosshair when I mouseover the text in the button to be edited. If I dbl click the crosshair it opens a small text editor from which I have to drill down to the same image but but then I don't know what to do.

I was hoping there would be a step-by-step tutorial for this one procedure?

Thanks,

Kerry

[striddy]

Try this.

http://www.gimp.org/docs/

Or this.

http://www.google.com/search?q=gimp+...ient=firefox-a

[slapshotw]

Are you sure that text is saved as text, and not as rasterized text (i.e. an *image* of text)?

[drumbeat]

If you change it the psd how come the changes don't show?

[iKerry]

Originally Posted by drumbeat

If you change it the psd how come the changes don't show?

Hi drumbeat, Was this reply for me? I'm not using psd (don't even know how to). All's well with the template now http://www.comcom121.org. I sure love it.

Thanks all for the support.

Kerry