Quick Start Guide

Welcome! This guide covers the basic topics of logging in, site organization, creating content and managment.

n390 installs Drupal to power our client's web sites. Drupal is a powerful content management system that allows you to compose content like articles, pictures, calendar events and many other types without needing to know any HTML.

 

 

A Word About Editing Core Site Files

Note: If your site is hosted by n390 this is not a concern for you. It's an issue only if you manage your own hosting or have direct access to the web site host server.

NEVER edit the core site files that are on the web server

Never, ever let anyone tamper with them:

• Doing so will complicate, make difficult or near impossible site updates due to Security and bug fixes
• You will make it difficult for those that come after to maintain the site
• You could possibly leave your site vulnerable to exploit

So, what are the "Core Files"?

The Drupal core files, along with the database, are what makes the Drupal CMS application work.  If you look in the web site root folder you can see all the files and such that make your site work.  For the most part these are not your web site content as your site's content actually lives in the database.

Ideally the core files may be upgraded by a developer without affecting your site content in anyway which is a huge benefit for productivity and maintenance.

Drupal Core Files: Files and folders from the top level directory of Drupal 5.7

Add Images to Content

Adding pictures into your content is fairly easy, especially if you follow the steps below. The process involves uploading a picture and linking to it within the content text.

Step 1: Prepare the image

1. Start out with a high-quality picture if you can. Then use some kind of picture editing software (Photoshop, Paint, etc.) to crop, highlight, etc.
2. Change the picture's size so it is no larger than 640x640 pixels.
3. Save the picture as either JPEG, GIF or PNG format.

See Also:

General Tips for Web Images

What Size Should My Images Be?

Step 2: Upload image

1. Login to the n390 created site and click on the "Create Content" link.
2. Click on "Image" link.
3. Enter a Title in the form field.
4. (Optional) Add the picture to a Gallery.
5. Browse your computer and select the picture for upload.
6. (Optional) Type a long descripton in the "Body" section.

Step 3: Add image to content

Now that you have your image upoaded on the website server, you can insert it anywhere in the page content.

Note that an image can only be placed in one of four spots on the page: Left, Right, Center and None. Selecting "None" does not specify the position and lets the web browser choose instead.

1. Login to the site and start editing a page.
2. Put the cursor where you want to insert the image. Best to place it at the top left of the text.
3. Click the "camera" button in the Content Editor. A form box will pop up.
4. Select the image you want.
5. Title and Description fields - its looks better to have a short title and no description.
6. Choose what size you want.
7. Select the alignment.
8. If you want the image to act as a (hyper)link, then make selection in the Link drop-down menu.
9. Leave the Insert mode as "Filter Tag."
10. Click "Insert"

You should now have a place-holder for the image. Getting the text to wrap around the picture can be tricky, so you may want to experiment.

Copy and Paste From Microsoft Word

How do you copy and paste text from Microsoft Word into your web site Content Editor?

The best answer is, "Avoid it. Type directly into the Content Editor instead." MS Word includes a lot of formatting code which simply does not work with online pages.

However, if you must, look for the button on the Content Editor that facilitates pasting text from MS Word. This tool should work fine in most instances.

 

Note you can only paste unformatted text - no pictures or fancy formatting. Make your formatting edits, such as bulleted or numbered lists, bold, or italics, using the online Content Editor:

1. Copy the text from your Word document.
2. Click the "Paste From Word" button in the Content Editor.
3. A pop-up window will appear and instruct you to paste the text in the window.
4. Click the "Insert" button.

First Steps for Site Building

n390 makes selecting a theme for your site quite painless and very flexible. By following these four simple steps, you will have an elegant and unique theme for your new site.

General Tips for Web Images

Use a Good Image Editor

I prefer using Adobe Photoshop Elements because it is powerful enough to edit most images and costs less than $100.

Photoshop as a great feature to "Save for the web" that you can use to set the image quality, size, etc. And it shows you how many seconds it will take for someone to download the image file.

There are others you can try but I find Photoshop works best for me.

Consider the page/image background

For example, if you are selling t-shirts and want to post a picture of one, it may be better to match the background of the photo and the web page. If your web page background is some other color or a watermark then using a transparent image background may work best. This is where you'll need to use image/photo editing software.

Reduce the Image File Size

You should pay special attention to how big the image file is and try to keep it less than 50K bytes. This may require making it smaller and/or lesser quality. The primary reason is so the web page will load quickly for visitors - not everyone has broadband DSL or cable.

Adjust the Dimensions of Your Images

Different web site layouts have varying limitations how how big a picture can be but typically you want to keep them no bigger than 400 pixels wide which is a few inches. A larger picture results in a larger file size as well.

The default size restriction for most sites is 640x640 pixels which is pretty big.

Lighting is Important

Lighting has a big impact on pictures you take. Too much and the image is washed out. While too little lighting may result in a blurry or dark picture.

Even if you use a flash there likely will be bright spots from reflections if the flash is direct. That's why professionals will set the flash to point away from the subject a little thereby using indirect light. Or they cover the flash with something to diffuse the light.

Another good idea if you are taking pictures of small items is take them outside on a fairly sunny day; Avoid shadows or direct bright sunlight.

Use a digital camera and experiment to see what works best.

Other Resources

Free Digital Photography Tutorial Site

Google Search for Photography Tutorials

Hosting Agreement

Purpose

n390 will procure and manage web site hosting service on behalf of you, the Client. Because n390 may use multiple service providers, this agreement acts as a common Terms of Service (TOS) for you the client however, through this agreement, the client is bound by the same agreements n390 makes with its service providers.

Access

Shell, ftp or other interactive access to the hosting servers or systems is forbidden. The client agrees to only interact with their web site using the content management system interface provided by n390.

Excessive Resource Usage and/or Abuse

When an account uses more resources than it has been allocated, n390 will notify the client by means of an email sent to the primary email address on file and, depending on the severity, will either (a) charge the account accordingly for the extra usage; or (b) immediately suspend the account from further use of the n390 Services and provide reasonable opportunity to cure; or (c) immediately terminate the account from further use of the n390 Services including termination of this agreement without further liability or obligation to client.

Accounts that require more than 2,000 MB of disk space and/or more than 60 GB of bandwidth may not be permitted to continue on the service provider's servers. For this reason, if an Account requires more than 2,000 MB of disk space and/or more than 60 GB of Bandwidth, the client should contact n390 for information concerning alternative solutions.

Data Backup Policy

n390 uses an automated backup procedure to fully backup all client web sites and data. The web site database and files are backed up once each day with a seven-day roll-over. In addition, one monthly copy is kept which is usually the 1st Monday of each month. The backup copy is transmitted or synced to an off-site server and from there a rotating monthly off-site copy is maintained.

The client may request a full backup copy of their site at any time.

The backup procedure used by n390 is for its own business continuity and n390 provides this backup service as a complimentary feature to it's clients. n390 will make a best effort to maintain the integrity of the backup procedure, however, it is ultimately the clients responsibility to request and keep copies of their web site files. n390 does not accept responsibility for loss or damage to backups nor client web site files and data.

Listed Packages and Pricing

n390's listed packages and/or pricing may change at any time. If you have chosen to pre-pay for your account, the cost of the service already paid for will not be affected by any price changes whether they are increased or decreased.

Payment and Termination

All payments are due on time. Failure to use the services associated with a package will not relieve the client of payment obligations for such services. The term for any service or package is a minimum of one
month. Any account that is unpaid by the due date is at risk of suspended services and/or extra fees. Accounts that remain suspended for 30 days will be deleted without backup provisions. The client is responsible for all fees accumulated during the time n390 continued to
store the contents of the account, regardless of size or suspension status. Terminated accounts may be deleted immediately and without backup provisions.

Disqualified Refunds and Credits

Any account that has been suspended or terminated for any violation or non-payment will not be eligible for a refund. n390 service provider uptime guarantee would still be in effect, although the time the account is suspended or terminated is considered uptime.

Consequence of Violation

If client, or a third party through client, violates or attempts to violate any of the foregoing prohibitions or affects the normal operation of any of the Services provided by n390 or its service provider including, but not limited to, administrative tasks, technical support, any Server operations, network speed, service, content or
email delivery, n390 may perform any of the following actions, alone or in combination:

1. Send a Terms of Service warning, by means of email to the primary email address on file with n390, providing notice to the client and offering the client a reasonable opportunity to cure;
2. Immediately suspend the Services and provide notice to the client, by means of email to the primary email address on file with n390, offering the client a reasonable opportunity to cure;
3. Immediately terminate this agreement and the Services without further liability or obligation to client.

Violators of these Terms may also incur criminal or civil liability. n390 may refer violators to civil or criminal authorities for prosecution, and will cooperate fully with applicable government authorities in connection with the civil or criminal investigations of
violations.

Indemnification

You and your agents agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless n390 and its Affiliates from and against any and all losses, liabilities, expenses and damages of every kind and nature, known and unknown, suspected and unsuspected, including legal fees and costs, incurred in connection with any claim arising out of, resulting from or relating or in any way connected to your account, breach of these Terms or use of any service, product, information or materials offered or provided by or obtained from n390 or its affiliates.

Disclaimer of Warranties

USE OF n390'S AND/OR ITS SERVICE PROVIDER'S SERVICES AND PRODUCTS IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK AND ALL SERVICES, PRODUCTS, INFORMATION AND MATERIALS PROVIDED BY n390 OR ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, VENDORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, LICENSORS OR OTHER AFFILIATED THIRD PARTIES (COLLECTIVELY, "AFFILIATES") ARE PROVIDED WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, IMPLIED
WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. n390 DOES NOT WARRANT THAT ITS SERVICES, PRODUCTS, INFORMATION OR MATERIALS ARE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, CORRECT, VIRUS-FREE, ERROR-FREE OR WILL NOT BE INTERRUPTED FOR ANY REASON. BECAUSE SOME
JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES, THE ABOVE EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.

Limitation of Liability

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL n390 OR ITS AFFILIATES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS ARISING OUT OF, RESULTING FROM OR RELATING OR IN ANY WAY
CONNECTED TO THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF, OR INABILITY TO USE, ANY SERVICE, PRODUCT, INFORMATION OR MATERIALS OFFERED OR PROVIDED BY OR OBTAINED FROM n390 OR ITS AFFILIATES.

IN NO EVENT SHALL THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF n390 AND ITS
AFFILIATES, COLLECTIVELY, TO YOU FOR ALL DAMAGES, LOSSES AND CAUSES OF ACTION, WHETHER THE ALLEGED LIABILITY IS BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR ON ANY OTHER BASIS, EXCEED THE TOTAL PAYMENTS MADE BY YOU DURING THE TWELVE MONTHS PRECEDING THE MONTH IN
WHICH THE ALLEGED LIABILITY WAS INCURRED, EVEN IF n390 HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. BECAUSE SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION AND EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU OR MAY BE LIMITED TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Refusal of Service

n390 reserves the right to refuse or cancel service at its sole discretion.

Contact and Abuse Reporting Information

Copyright infringement notices should be sent to n390's Copyright Agent for Notice of Claims of Copyright Infringement following the procedures explained on n390's Digital Millennium Copyright Act Notice & Procedures page which is viewable by clicking here. All other violations regarding prohibited use or other abuse of the n390 Network, including violations of these Terms, should be reported via e-mail to n390 as abuse@n390.com to assist n390 in conducting a thorough investigation of the complaint, include all applicable information, including full headers of reported messages, and the pertinent sections of any log files.

If you are unsure whether any contemplated use or action is in violation of these Terms, or if you have questions or concerns regarding these Terms; please contact n390 by sending email to: Service@n390.com. For further information about the n390 Terms of Service, contact n390 at support@n390.com

How to Setup Outlook Email

If you are hosting your site through n390 then use this guide to setup your Outlook email.

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1. Open Outlook and on the menu, select Tools then Accounts.

2. Click on your account from the Mail or All tab to highlight it.

3. Click on the Properties button.

Select mail account then click Properties

4. Click on the Servers tab.

5. Fill in the Incoming Mail, Outgoing Mail, Account Name and Password. This information is provided to you from n390.

6. Put a check in the box titled "My server requires authentication".

7. Click the "Apply" button.

Fill out Servers tab

8. Click on the "Advanced" tab then change the "Outgoing mail (SMTP)" number from 25 to 1025.*

Fill out Advanced tab

9 . Click on Ok...then try it out.

 

* The reason for changeing the number from 25 to 1025 is because many ISPs such as BellSouth/ATT block 25 which prevents email from going out.

Post a Blog Article

This article covers the steps necesary to post a new blog article. See our January newsletter for some tips on blogging.

1. Login to your site.
2. You should see a link (usually on the left sidebar) for "Create content". Click on it and find the page of content choices.Create content - Blog entry
3. Next, click on "Blog entry". This will bring you to a page where you can add/edit your article.
4. Don't forget to submit the entry when done.

Setup DNS for Web Hosting Only

Instructions for Godaddy Accounts

These instructions are for those who have their domain name registered
at Godaddy.  The process is similar for other registrars as well.

These steps illustrate how to change only the IP Address for your web hosting.  This does not affect your email settings.

1. Log in to your Godaddy Account Manager.
2. Find the Domina Manager link.
3. Select the domain you want to modify.
4. Click link labeled "Total DNS control and MX records".
5. Only edit the Host @ record.  Click on the edit icon at the right.
6. Confirm and save the changes

The change will take affect within the TTL time shown for that record (usually 1 hour).

 

Godaddy: Modify DNS for web hosting: Click on the link to modify DNS

 

 

Godaddy: Change IP Address for new web host: Click on the edit button and change the IP address for your new web host

 

 

Setup Nameservers for Your Site

Instructions for Godaddy Accounts

Set the Nameservers for Your Domain

1. Log in to your Godaddy Account Manager.
2. In the My Products section, select Manage Domains.
3. Select the domain(s) for which you want to modify the nameservers.
4. Click Nameservers button.
5. Select Custom Nameservers tab
6. Enter the nameservers. For example, if hosting with FutureQuest then:
   1. Nameserver 1: ns1.futurequest.net
   2. Nameserver 2: ns2.futurequest.net
   3. Nameserver 3: ns3.futurequest.net
7. Click OK.
8. Click OK again.

Here is a picture of what the before and after typically look like:

Godaddy Nameserver Change

Special Features

Special Features are custom widgets for your website that add functionality for things like editing and advanced pages.  Typically, not all clients need these, however, if you want to use one of the special features please contact us and we will gladly install for you.

Upload Pictures for a Gallery

Step 1: Prepare the image

1. Start out with a high-quality picture if you can. Then use
   some kind of picture editing software (Photoshop, Paint, etc.) to crop, highlight, etc.
2. Change the picture's size so it is no larger than 640x640 pixels.
3. Save the picture as either JPEG, GIF or PNG format.

Step 2: Upload image

1. Login to the site and click on "Create Content" link.
2. Click on "Image" link.
3. Enter a Title in the form field.
4. Add the picture to a Gallery.
5. Browse your computer and select the picture for upload.
6. (Optional) Type a long description in the "Body" section.

 

See also:

General Tips for Web Images

What Size Should My Images Be?

"Image Size" usually means two things:

1. First is the dimensions of the image such as 150 x 100 pixels.
2. Then there is the file size of the image in bytes.

Image Dimensions

In this article, I only discuss images that you will add into your web page content.

The content section of typical web pages is about 500-600 pixels wide therefore your images need to fit inside that.  As for the height, let it scale along with the width to preserve the image's aspect ratio.

Image Dimensions Example: This image is about 500 x 300 pixels

 

How to find the dimensions of an existing image

The easy way is to put your mouse over the picture then right-click and select properties (works in Internet Explorer and Firefox).

Image Property Example: The property dialog box.

 

Image File Size

The image file size needs to be as small as possible.  Remember that every byte of your web page must be download to a visitor's browser.  Big images will take too long and disrupt the flow of the web page loading.

In general keep the file size under 100 Kilobytes. Even better, less than 50K.  The file size is directly related to the dimensions so a big picture will have a larger file size.

Additionally, JPEG files allow for varying quality so reducing the quality of the picture can help too.