Custom Template Tags are here!

quote:

Note that they will have no effect until the system is released, this is just so that you can get your templates ready in advance!

Is there an estimated date of release?

I think it's great that you guys are listening to the customers and I can't wait to start listing with my custom templates.

Here is the page where you can begin to work with your custom templates:

http://www.auctiva.com/listings/template_managecustom.aspx

Creating templates, selecting them on the lister page, and then posting them to eBay are all functional. However as Tom mentions above, the Shipping And Payment details tag didn't make it out in this release. You can include it in your templates, but it will just be stripped out when you post to eBay. Also be aware of some small bugs on these pages (not show-stoppers, just annoyances.) There are no links to this page on the site yet, it is just to test out for now. The fixes for these little issues and the Shipping And Payment details section as described above will all be released early next week.

Also, don't use any special characters (',*&^!" etc.) in the names of your custom templates until the release next week, as it will cause problems with your display.

Enjoy!

Auctiva David

Hmmmm, I just tried accessing the page you posted above and got a page not found >?

Thank you for listening to our needs and working so quickly to meet them. I cannot wait to leave my current auction management site. I am really excited about Auctiva. My only hesitation is I notice the pictures going down a lot. I'm sure you're getting that handled as well. I am cheering Auctiva on! Just keep working out the bugs and go, go, go! Once I use Auctiva and it preforms well I will place a referral link on my 'About Me' page and in my eBay Store. I'll be so happy if Auctiva preforms well that I'll tell the world. One again, thank you.

Hi, flightoffancy! Nice to see you here. You know me as someone else from SD. I'm really excited about Auctiva. I hope it works out. As you know I started a forum for SDers who didn't want to loose touch. You're more than welcome to come and hang out. http://www.thechatterbox.biz

I cannot wait to use my custom templates and Auctiva! Yippie! Happy days!

Any chance we could get tags for each of the image layouts? Particularly the slideshow?

As it is now, in order to use the specialized photo layouts we have to have them combined in with our descriptions, in my case I have my description and photos in separate areas of the template so this method doesn't work for me.

Also, when we use the [IMAGE1] ... etc tags there is a blue border around the photo because of the supersize linking, is there a way to disable that border?

TIA

quote:

Originally posted by Magie Noire:
Hi, flightoffancy! Nice to see you here. You know me as someone else from SD. I'm really excited about Auctiva. I hope it works out. As you know I started a forum for SDers who didn't want to loose touch. You're more than welcome to come and hang out. http://www.thechatterbox.biz

I cannot wait to use my custom templates and Auctiva! Yippie! Happy days!

Hmmm, I can't place the name >? If you made your announcement in the AHL I missed it, I avoid that forum like the plague.

Currently, these are my html image tags. They sit above my description. The pictures are set to 500 size, with a thin gray border around each image. My custom template took me a long time to get it where I wanted it to be. I like it so much that I have stayed with an auction service I am unhappy with because I have their tags coded and cannot find another service who will allow me to keep my tags as they are but with their tags instead.

I want to change out the html image tags for your tags but leave everything else exactly the same. So when I choose an image it will go to where I have them set up to appear within my template. Not where auctiva tells them to go with a blue border around them. Understand?

]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME1]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME2]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME3]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME4]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>

]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME5]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME6]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME7]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME8]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME9]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME10]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p>

</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>

So, I need to know what your image url is and your image tags are.

This is PICTURE 1 in my template. Please tell me what to replace the current image url and html tags with. I need both. Thank you.

]<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME1]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p>]<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">

Thank you for the input regarding custom templates.

flightoffancy: I will look into the possibility of providing tags for our image layouts, and for disabling image borders.

Magie: Currently, you can replace the whole HTML img tag and URL for PICTURE1 with the tag [IMAGE1]. The images will then go into your auction exactly where you want them, however they will be 400x300 with a blue border.

Would it be helpful if we provided an extra set of tags (say like [IMAGE_URL1]) that would insert only the image URL into your template, so you could specify the image size and other attributes directly in the HTML of the template?
This would not utilize the supersize feature obviously, but then it wouldn't have a blue border either unless you specified it.

Another possibility would be to have a tag such as [IMG_ORIG1] that would insert the entire image tag into the auction like our image tags do now, but bypass our supersize feature so it would not be resized and would have no link or border.

- Auctiva David

quote:

Would it be helpful if we provided an extra set of tags (say like [IMAGE_URL1]) that would insert only the image URL into your template, so you could specify the image size and other attributes directly in the HTML of the template?
This would not utilize the supersize feature obviously, but then it wouldn't have a blue border either unless you specified it.

I think what many of us are looking for is a way to insert a custom sized clickable thumbnail without having the blue border. The other service enabled us to do this by using their own system for the resizing so that the thumbnails didn't lose quality or become distorted as they would with standard html resizing.

Below is an example of code where we would get a full size image resized to 500 pixels. We can change the '500' to whatever size fits our needs for that particular template. This same bit of code is also used for our click to enlarge thumbnails.

 <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/resize.aspx?user=[#SDUSER]&img=[#IMAGENAME10]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"> 

quote:

Originally posted by Auctiva David:
Thank you for the input regarding custom templates.

flightoffancy: I will look into the possibility of providing tags for our image layouts, and for disabling image borders.

Magie: Currently, you can replace the whole HTML img tag and URL for PICTURE1 with the tag [IMAGE1]. The images will then go into your auction exactly where you want them, however they will be 400x300 with a blue border.

Would it be helpful if we provided an extra set of tags (say like [IMAGE_URL1]) that would insert only the image URL into your template, so you could specify the image size and other attributes directly in the HTML of the template?
This would not utilize the supersize feature obviously, but then it wouldn't have a blue border either unless you specified it.

Another possibility would be to have a tag such as [IMG_ORIG1] that would insert the entire image tag into the auction like our image tags do now, but bypass our supersize feature so it would not be resized and would have no link or border.

- Auctiva David

The html I provided above places my pictures in at 500 in size. It is suppose to resize them but doesn't. I don't care if they resize or not. I prefer they're big to begin with. I like them to be displayed just as the code above shows. Two side by side coming down the center on my template, just above my description. My template is done in gray and black. So, I have a thin gray border around each picture #CCCCCC. Please show me how to do exactly what I have done above but in your html code. Two pics, side by side coming down the center (up to 10), size 500 (no resize), with a border. I'm not very html savvy. I am learning but still need help. I really, really dislike the blue border. To me, it looks very tacky.

I would love a code I can cut/paste into my template and go, go, go.

Here is a link to one of my auctions. See the how the pictures are coming down? The thin gray border. If you click onto them, they don't really resize. I have no idea why they don't. Personally, I don't care about them resizing as long as they can be set to 500 within the template. Your help is appreciated, thank you.

Hi all,

We've made some additional changes to our custom templates feature.

You can now specify images that will not be thumbnailed/resized. These "original size" images will also not have a link on them for click to supersize.

You can actually have a combination of both "original size" images and our auctiva 400x300 size images in your custom template.

I'd love to know if anyone has created any custom templates and actually posted an item with the custom template. Please post here if you've done this!

You can view and create your custom templates here:
http://www.auctiva.com/listings/template_managecustom.aspx

-Kevin

Will this feature work with Mr. Poster?

The ability to insert a photo with [IMAGE1] in Mr Poster Template will make my custom pages look much better than they do now.

Thanks. Ken

Ken,

This will currently not work with Mr. Poster. I've been wanting to add template support to Mr. Poster for awhile now. Once we've got some free development time, I'll try and get this going.

-Kevin

I just created a custom template & just to let you guys know, this is absolutely FANTASTIC!!!! THANK YOU!!!

Okay, I am not html savvy. Is this how I am to replace the html code I showed you above?

Like this? Please let me know, so I can get started using Auctiva. Thank you.

[IMAGE_URL1 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL2 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL3 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL4 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>
[IMAGE_URL5 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL6 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL7 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL8 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL9 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMAGE_URL10 tag]&size=500" hspace="4" vspace="4" border="2"></p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p>

</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>

Try the following HTML... set up an auction with this and do a Preview and see how closely it matches your previous auctions

<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL1]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL2]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL3]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL4]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL5]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL6]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL7]</p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL8]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL9]</p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p>
</div>
</td>
<td width="50%">
<div align="center">
<p>[IMG_ORIGINAL10]</p>
<p><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</center>

Oh, thank you!

I tried it and they do show up but for whatever reason they are lining up in a single verticle line down the center. This isn't correct.

They should line up side by side going down the center. Like this,

X X

X X

X X

And so forth. Please help me correct this problem.

Thank you, Magie

I created a custom template using that HTML and I see the problem you are describing in the Template Preview window. However, if you create an actual listing using the template, the Auction Preview on the lister page displays the pictures correctly. I also posted the auction to eBay and it seems to be correct there as well, check it out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5617876003

So I will look into the display issue with the template preview, but your template should still work as intended. Let me know if you find any other problems.

Thanks,
Auctiva David

It looks like it may have just been an HTML issue, I modified the HTML of the template and now it looks good even in the template preview window:

<TABLE align=center>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL1]</TD>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL2]</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL3]</TD>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL4]</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL5]</TD>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL6]</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL7]</TD>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL8]</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL9]</TD>
<TD align=middle width="50%">[IMG_ORIGINAL10]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

quote:

Originally posted by Auctiva Tom T.:
Without a blue border how would a potential customer know to click to be able to see a larger sized image? Many people dont know they can click to supersize without the blue border.

By the clearly-worded link below each photo stating: "Click to view supersized image"

and the cursor change when over the photo, thus eliminating the need for any unsightly border, thank you.