Internal Notes Instructions for Adding Pages

From SPARK

Contents 1 Unpublished 1.1 Cross References 1.2 Introduction 1.3 Suggestions: 1.4 Your Article and the Templates 1.5 Uploading Files 1.6 Making a New Page for Your Article 1.7 Transferring a Template 1.8 Sidebar 1.9 The Body of the Article 1.10 Credits and Other Information at the Bottom of Your Page 1.11 Here are the Templates 1.11.1 Case History Page 1.11.2 Impact Story 1.11.3 Product 1.11.4 Equipment

Unpublished

The following was pasted here from Madelyn's editing so we could make the "finished" part public, per Peter N. If this is copied back into the article it can be viewed for further editing, when necessary.

THIS LINE IS THE END OF THE PORTION MADELYN is editing.

_________________

BELOW HERE IS THE PAGE 24AUG07 BEFORE MADELYN'S EDITING, which started 24Aug07:

Introduction

To help you create a page that's consistent with other pages on this site, please follow the instructions and use the provided templates. (See the Help page for more information about entering and editing.)

NOTE
If you are too unfamiliar or uncomfortable with using this template, 
write the article in a Word Document (or equivalent) and email it, 
along with any images and attachments, to the SPARK editors; 
and we will add it to the SPARK database.

You may wish to print out these instructions, before you start your page.

You will have to make sure that the name (title) you wish to use for your article, as well as names for any files you wish to upload, are not already in use. (If they are, you will have to change the names you use.) Instructions for doing this are given below.

You will need to create a new page, and then copy one of the templates (below) over to your page. Then you will write your article on the "Edit" tab of your new page. At any time, you can click the "Show preview" button at the bottom of the edit page, to see what the finished article would look like. (Do not click the "Save page" button until you are ready to save it.)

Suggestions:

• If you write your article in a text editor before adding it to the SPARK site, you can cut and paste unformatted text to the Edit screen. Basic formatting can then be added by using the formatting buttons found at the top of the "Edit" page, but you can also use some of the format codes found on the Tips for Formatting on SPARK page. You may wish to print out that page (for reference), along with: Before Writing Your Own Page and How to Add and Edit Documents on this Site.

• Be sure to read Copyright Issues and Share.

Your Article and the Templates

You should pick the template that is appropriate for your article, and use it as a pattern when you write your article. Doing this in advance will save you a lot of time. You may wish to print out the template for reference.

Uploading Files

If you wish to upload image (jpg) or document (doc or pdf) files, you need to make sure that the file names are not already in use. The following link will take you to a list of all the uploaded files. Scroll down to see if the names you want to use are already present. If so, then you will have to rename the files when you upload them. You may have to scroll through several pages of files. It may also help if you click the "Name" column header, in order to put the file names in alphanumeric order.

File List (Open the link into a new window, or else use the "BACK" button of your web browser to get back to this page.)

Once you have chosen names that are not already in use, upload the files, using the following link. Be sure to include links to the files in your article! (They will either go in the image area above the yellow sidebar, or in the download section of the yellow sidebar.)

• Note that the "Source filename" refers to the file's name on your computer and the "Destination filename" refers to the name you will give it on the SPARK site.
• If possible, keep the size of your files small, in consideration of those who do not have high-speed Internet connections.

Link to Upload Files

Making a New Page for Your Article

Using the Search window (in the left sidebar), type in the name you wish to use. Use Title Case and be careful about spelling and capitalization of words, for once you create the file, you won't be able to change it. Click the "Search" button. If the results window says "No page title matches," the name you have chosen is available. The name will will be found (in small print) near the top of the "Search results" page, and it will be a link that takes you to a blank "Edit" page, for that article. Click the link with your cursor and open the page. Enter a few words and save it. (This will create the page. You can delete what you wrote when you write the actual article.)

Transferring a Template

Return to this page. Select the appropriate template, below. Open the edit page, select all the text and formatting, and copy it. Close the page without changing it (select "Cancel" at the bottom of the page) and return to the "Edit" tab of your new page. Delete the temporary text you previously put there, and paste everything from the template into your new page.

Sidebar

Image/Picture

If you have uploaded an image for the page, it will go above the yellow sidebar. In the "image_box" section of the Sidebar code, you will see:

Image:000.jpg

You will need to change this to the name of the image you uploaded.

Links to other pages

SPARK editors will make links to other pages. If you know of related pages on the SPARK site that you would like linked to your page, please let the Content Coordinator know which ones they are.

Downloads

If you have other files for the reader to download, they go here. Otherwise, this section can be deleted.

The Body of the Article

The templates have instructions in each of the sections. Follow those instructions and then replace the instructions with the appropriate sections of your article.

Credits and Other Information at the Bottom of Your Page

These things are optional.

If you do not want to use your (or the organization's) actual name feel free to use a pseudonym or nickname, instead. If you do this, contact the Content Coordinator.

"Credit" refers to the name, organization, or title that you want the information credited to, if someone decides to make a copy of your article.

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Here are the Templates

Case History Page

Click here for the Case History template. Use this template if you are describing how you used media. What communication barriers existed? What did and didn't work? In this way, you can help others who may be interested in trying the same methods of communicating with others.

Impact Story

Click here for the Impact Story template. Use this template if you are describing a story that would be useful for encouraging others to get involved. These articles might be used in church bulletins, newsletters, etc., and do not contain all the technical information that a case history might have.

Product

Click here for the Product template. "Products" are finished productions ready to use.

Equipment

Click here for the Equipment template. This template is for media-related equipment (including computer software) which is used to create products/productions.