Posting Photos/ Changing Your Avatar Fall 2011

[Mission]

Ok, the forum has undergone some changes and I keep trying to answer the question about how to post photos so I figured it was best to just create a topic for it so I can point people to this instead of repeating myself. There are 2 photo-related things people want to do: A ) Change their avatar photo and B ) Insert photos into their posts.

A ) Changing Your Avatar

1. On the forum, select the down arrow (triangle) next to your name near the top right side of the screen and click on it.

>> This will produce a pop-down menu.

2. From the pop-down menu, select 'My Settings' from the top of the right-hand column and click on it.

>> This will change the screen to the 'General Account Settings' screen.

3. At the top of the General Account Settings Screen, you will see a blue Change Your Photo button. Click on that.

>>A new pop-up window will appear titled 'Photo Editor'

4. In the Photo Editor Pop-up window will be a grey button titled 'Browse'. Click it.

>> Another pop-up window titled 'File Upload' will appear.

5. In the File Upload pop-up window, navigate your computer's hard drive until you find the photo you want to use. Select it and then click on the grey "Open" button.

>> The File Upload pop-up window will disappear and the picture will be uploaded to your Pyracy.com account and will appear in the Photo Editor Pop-up window.

6. If you like the photo, click the 'Done' button. The Photo Editor Pop-up window will disappear and you will have a new avatar photo.

>> Note: You may need to refresh your browser to see the new avatar photo on your posts.

B ) Inserting a Photo into a Post

You cannot insert a photo into a post from your computer's hard drive the way you can for your Avatar. The photo must be on the internet somewhere.

First you must select the image. There are two ways to do this. Of the two, 1a is much easier for those not familiar with how computer commands work.

1a. If the photo you want to insert into you post is on an another internet site, you should be able to right click on it and select 'Copy Image Location' from the pop-down list.

>> This places the image's IP Address on the internet into your computer's clipboard so you can use it. (Don't worry if you don't know what an IP Address or Clipboard is. You only need to know that this is the way to get the info you need.)

1b. Alternatively, you can copy the IP Address of a photo if it is the only thing in your browser. (Note: If there is anything else in the window including text, other photos, etc. this will not work.) To copy the IP Address, use your mouse to select it from the white box near the top of your browser. Make sure to select all of it. The IP Address will begin with http://... and will end with .png or .jpg. If it does not include all these characters, the forum software will not allow you to post the image. (Note: some images end with a bunch of numbers and other junk. These will not work - it must end with .jpg or .png) Once the IP Address is selected, copy it. (To copy Right-click your mouse and select Copy from the drop-down text menu that appears.)

>> This places the image's IP Address on the internet into your computer's clipboard so you can use it.

2. Once you have the IP Address copied onto your clipboard, you can insert it into a post. When you start writing a post, a whole bunch of icons appear at the top of the post inside the light blue area of the post. From the bottom row of icons, find the little square one that looks a bit like a polaroid photo containing a blue, green and orange blob. Click that.

>> A pop-up window called 'Image Properties' appears.

3. In the Image Properties pop-up window is a box, where your cursor will be flashing. Put your mouse pointer in the box and right-click.

>> A pop-down text menu will appear.

4. From the pop-down menu, select Paste.

>> The IP address - which must start with http:// and end with .jpg or .png - should appear in the box. If nothing appears, you did not successfully copy the IP Address. Go back to step one. (But use another tab or window to do this. Leave the post you want to insert a photo into open in it's own tab or window.)

5. Click the white OK button.

>>Your picture should appear in your post.