Slide Show Tool

(Tool upgrade effective 1/2011)

One of the most versatile tools in your FWS Complete admin "toolbox" is the Slide Show. Use this tool to create an announcement area, introduce sections of your website, tell a story visually that compels visitors to read on and share pictures with your members, school families and more.

1. Creating A New Slide Show: 

1. In your Navigation Builder, find or create a page that will display the slide show. Click "Main Body".
2. In your Main Body menu, click on the Tool drop down menu at the top of the page and choose Slide Show. Select the position on the page (if applicable) and click Add.
3. The Slide Show properties menu will appear. As you work through the setup options, keep in mind that you can always return to the Properties menu to edit or modify these settings.
4. Click Update after you are done adjusting your settings; your slide show tool will now appear on your Main Body. Continue with step #3 below.

2. Slide Show Properties:

1. Format: this drop down menu contains the presentation layouts for your slide show. Select which one suits the display output you desire best.
2. Full Width: By default, this option will be set to "No". Changing this to "Yes" will create a display that spans the entire width of your Main Body area. 
   
   NOTE: Full Width is not recommended for standard photos. This option is for designed slides that are created at the proper width (typically 761 pixels wide, 72 dpi), and is most often used for home page or key landing page featured slide shows. If you are uploading standard photographs with no editing, please keep the default to "No".
3. Transition Type: There are dozens of transition effects to choose from. Some transitions are more suited for images that are close-up, designed slides with content, or standard photos. Select one to get started with, and come back and change the transition if you are not happy with the effect on your live website.
4. Seconds Between Slides: change this between 1 and 9 seconds; if you are placing content on images, we would recommend that you keep the seconds between slides on the higher end.
5. Photo Order: by default, this option will be on "order in which photos are placed". This is a good option if you are creating an announcement or introductory slide show on a home page and want to control which slide gets read or viewed the most (the first slide). For candid or photo gallery type of slide shows, you may wish to select "Random order" - which means that ever time a users hits that page, a new photo will appear first.
6. Show Previous / Next links: toggle these controls on and off (yes = on; no = off) depending on the purpose of your slide show. We would recommend that any slides that link to another URL have the "previous / next" links (or controls) on.
7. Maximum Height: Override this default if you are creating custom size images (mostly for announcement-type slide shows).
8. Maximum Width: Control the size of the slide show on your webpage by defining the maximum width. Once images are uploaded they are automatically resized to that maximum width - you cannot make them a larger width by changing the preferences. Choose the desired width and test one or two images to start with. If you are not happy with the size, you will need to delete those images from the slide show and re-upload them again after you have changed and saved your slide show properties.
9. Resize All: check this box to force all images to be downsized to your selection. By default, this box is not checked. This option is not recommended for custom designed slides / images.

3. Adding Images to Your Slide Show: 

1. On the Main Body page, in the Slide Show tool, choose the number of photos you wish to add from the drop down menu, and then click "Add". You can always return to this slide show and add more at any time in the future.
2. The Add Slide Show Photo menu will appear.
   
   
3. Position After: for each image, choose the position placement from the Position After drop down menu. The default is "Place at top".
4. Photo: upload the photo using the "Browse" button.
5. Hyperlink the Photo - "Yes or No": the default for this field is "No". If you choose to link the photo/image, by clicking "Yes" an expanded menu appears. Enter the URL that the photo is to link to, and indicate if you want this to open in a New or Existing Browser.
   
   NOTE: One of the advantages of the Slide Show tool is that you can use it to create moving announcements or messages that peak a visitors interest. By using the Hyperlink to Photo option, those slides become visual buttons to lead visitors to read more information.
   
   If your URL is outside your website (an external or 3rd party website), please ensure that the hyperlink opens in a new browser window.
6. Alt Text: This is the text that shows up when a user moves, or hovers, their mouse over the image. This field can remain empty, but is strongly recommended if you are using the slide show as a message/announcement type of tool. For other type of photos, this field is most often left blank.
7. Description / Caption: This is a full text editor, so the options are nearly endless here! Create a simply one sentence caption, or add in detail and format content if desired. This field may be left blank.
8. When you are complete, click Add.
   
   NOTE: Clicking "Reset" at the bottom of the page will clear all fields. If you wish to reselect a new photo, you can click Browse and choose a new file without having to reset the rest of your fields.

The Slide Show tool has many variations that create unique visual outputs on your live website. As with all tools, the best way to learn is to take a little time to experiment. Remember that you can go into the Properties menu and change your settings at any time.