Help
JOINING CULTURE COLONY
DIFFICULTIES UPLOADING IMAGES
Check there are no commas or apostraphes in the file name (,';"/ etc.)
Check the file size of the image is within the web sites limitations.
To Create Galleries and Upload Images into them -
Click on 'my galleries' and you should see 'create new galleries' Click on Create New Gallery and a box to write information about the content you are about to upload into the gallery will appear. Write something descriptive about the content, or about ideas or anything..... then click save and you have a gallery. Click on 'upload photos' and you can start putting things into the gallery. Remember to reduce big files. You can write more information specific to each image as you upload or later by clicking on 'My Galleries'. If you have more than one gallery there is a drop down menue for you to choose which gallery to put each image as you go.
Reducing the images in photoshop beforehand helps the process along when your uploading but also when people access your content the images will appear quicker. I find that the galleries do well with images at 800 pixel widths - I tend to make them smaller say 500 pixel width for the ArtLog.
Remember that your images can be downloaded by others with a left click of the mouse - so if they are images that you want to make sure they are used with your knowledge make them even smaller so that they are not so desirable for other purposes or watermark them. Make sure you note on the gallery that all the images are your copyright and their use is only permitted with your consent.
ArtLog
You can create a link from your ArtLog to a video clip? or to your galleries or wherever....
Before you start blogging get the URL's of the pages you want to link to (could be other people's pages or external web sites) or, if you're in the middle of your ArtLog and think - "Ding! I want a link here" - save your ArtLog as a draft and then go to the page you want so that you can get the URL. If you don't save you will lose what you've written when you click away.
In your text, highlight the words that require the link and then click on the chain icon in the tool bar. A box will appear, insert the URL where indicated and hey presto you link to other places.
The broken chain icon in the tool bar allows you to remove any links that you've created in your ArtLog.
Insert images into your ArtLog.
iBrowser top right icon. Click on Insert from the selection on the left, then on upload image (a little icon from a selection of three looking like a document with a green arrow). A new panel appears and you can browse your computer. Then when you've selected the image click on the green button with an arrow to the right of the browser. This will then place images into your own virtual folder on the server and from here you can choose images to insert into your blog.
Privacy Settings
Privacy settings can be found in 'My Account' - you set your gallery, video and message settings there. ArtLogs are all public.
Video Content
Click on 'My Videos' and then on 'Upload Video' and then 'Browse Files'. You can browse video files from your computer or other hard drive attached to your computer. There is a table on this page that gives you information about acceptable file types. We've found that converting our files to FLV files get the best results.
Remember that if you do not have the rights to the content that you upload you must clear the rights to use music and images, etc. with the owners of the intellectual property before uploading to Culture Colony (or anywhere else on the internet for that matter!). Content that is uploaded without full consent may be removed without warning at any time.
Text and explanations can be written by clicking on 'My Videos', a row of thumbnails will appear of the video content that you have uploaded. Click on the image of the video you wish to write about and you will see a selection of options for you to add to or change will appear. This is also where you make comments by others allowed or not.
ENTER EVENTS INTO THE DIARY
Log on and then go to 'My Diary'.
Click on 'Create Event'
Fill in the 'Event Information'
Then check the privacy setting that you require for the event and click 'Create Event'
Once the event is in the diary you can then upload a photo or other image to represent the event, invite other colony members, create galleries and upload other forms of content to be associated with the event.
INVITE PEOPLE TO JOIN A PLATFORM
If you are enabled to create platforms and once you've logged in to your profile you can click on 'my platforms'. This will take you to all the platforms that your profile is a member of. If you click on the name of a Platform this will take you to the Platform as others see it. If you click on the word Edit in brackets (edit) this will take you to the administarative area of the Platform.
To invite Culture Colony members to the platform click on 'edit members' then 'invite new members' start writing their name in the 'invite' box - suggested names should appear automatically. When you have finished here add a message if you wish and click 'send invite'. The recipiants of the invitation will be notified of your offer. Culture Colony members who join your Platform will be able to contribute fully to the galleries, videos and ArtLogs of the Platform and comment on existing content and other ArtLogs.
To invite non Culture Colony members to your platform click on 'edit members' then 'invite new members' again. This time put email addresses in the lower box following the instructions there. Once you have written the addresses in here click 'send invite' next to this box.
The email recipiants of invitations will receive a standard note asking them to join your Platform and a couple of links to follow. By doing this they will be able to participate in the Platform through adding comments to the content you upload or keeping their own ArtLog. This is ideal for keeping a large ammount of people in touch with your developments as well as allowing them to share what they are doing too. It's a good way to start or continue dialogues inbetween events and share related content.
Invited members of your Platform will have enhanced functionality compared to people who simply 'Register' on Culture Colony. However they will not have the same functionality as subscribing members to Culture Colony.