Graphic Files

Graphics File Processing

Second Site uses graphic files for background images, navigation buttons, chart widgets, and other page elements. Graphic files are assembled from multiple locations as explained below.

If the following details leave you confused, the easy rule to remember is that any graphic file can be replaced by an alternate version in the Input (-i) folder.

The three primary locations where graphic files are stored are as follows:

The Themes folder
The Theme folder
The Input folder

Second Site reads the folders in the sequence shown above so files in the Input folder take precedence over files in the other two folders. Files from the folder processed last (Input folder) overwrite files from the folder processed second (Theme folder) and first (Themes folder).

The Themes folder is the parent folder of the Theme folder. Theme folders are named the same as entries in the Styles.Theme pull-down menu in Second Site. The Theme folder for the Simple Blue Theme is c:\Program Files\Second Site\Themes\Simple Blue.

Second Site stores common image files in the Themes folder. Files stored there are used on most sites regardless of the Theme choice. Themes can substitute their own images if the common version is not compatible.

c:\Program Files\Second Site
- Themes
  - arrows.png ¹
  - ...
  - Simple Blue
    - arrows.png ²
    - ...

Given the files and folders shown in the diagram, the arrows.png file in the Simple Blue folder replaces the arrows.png file in the Themes folder.

Themes

Some Themes include graphic files used for backgrounds, button images, and other graphic adornments. Users can accept those images or customize the site by adding or substituting their own images. See the Themes page for more details.

Custom Themes

When the user has created a custom Theme, Second Site copies graphic files from the custom Theme folder the same way as for Themes supplied with Second Site. In that case, however, the parent folder of the custom Theme folder is in the User Data Folder (UDF). That adds a new folder to the process.

For the diagram below, assume that the user has set the User Data Folder preference to c:\UDF and the name of the SDF file is MySite.sdf.

c:\Program Files\Second Site
- Themes
  - arrows.png ¹
  - ...
c:\UDF
- Themes
  - arrows.png ²
  - ...
  - My Theme
    - arrows.png ³
    - ...
- MySite.sdf
- MySite-i
  - arrows.png ⁴
  - ...

The folders are read in this sequence:

The Themes folder (c:\Program Files\Second Site\Themes)
The UDF Themes folder (c:\UDF\Themes)
The Theme folder (c:\UDF\Themes\My Theme)
The Input folder (c:\UDF\MySite-i)

The Input folder version of arrows.png is the one that will be used by the site.

Graphics File Image Codes

In the Second Site user interface, the pull-down menus refer to images using image codes which Second Site uses to select an image file. The image code provides flexibility with regard to image file formats. Users may provide files in GIF, JPG, or PNG format, and something.GIF may be used to replace something.JPG, or vice-versa.

If a folder contains image files with the same names but different types, GIF has precedence over JPG, and JPG has precedence over PNG. (The files are processed in alphabetic sequence.)

Graphic File Image Codes
background		Used for page backgrounds by some Themes.
leftborder		Used for graphic borders like the wide left-hand border used by some Themes.
charts		A navigation button to open a page with a list of charts. May be used for a Custom Page User Item that contains charts. Included in all Themes that have any button images.
documents		A navigation button to open a page with a list of documents. Included in some Themes.
email		A navigation button to open a page that includes e-mail information. Included in some Themes.
home	Main Page	A navigation button to open the main page. Automatically assigned to the Main Page (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.
line		A graphic used to separate content areas; this is not a simple border line but instead a graphic line with flourishes, etc. Included in some Themes. Not always visible in those Themes without adding User Styles.
links		A navigation button to open a page with a list of links. Included in some Themes.
masterindex	Master Index	A navigation button to open the Master Index. Automatically assigned to the Master Index (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.
next		A navigation button to open the next page in a sequence of pages. Included in some Themes.
photos	Exhibit Gallery	A navigation button to open a page with photos or a list of links. Automatically assigned to Exhibit Gallery User Items. Included in some Themes.
places	Place Index	A navigation button to open the Master Place Index. Automatically assigned to the Place Index User Item. Included in some Themes.
previous		A navigation button to open the previous page in a sequence of pages. Included in some Themes.
records		A navigation button to open a page with a list of records used during research or similar content. Included in some Themes.
sources		A navigation button to open the first source page. The user may choose to assign this image to a Link Item with HRef set to "s1" (the first source page). Included in some Themes.
surnameindex	Surname Index	A navigation button to open the Master Index. Automatically assigned to the Surname Index (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.

Graphic File Image Codes

Image Code

User Item

Description

background

Used for page backgrounds by some Themes.

leftborder

Used for graphic borders like the wide left-hand border used by some Themes.

charts

A navigation button to open a page with a list of charts. May be used for a Custom Page User Item that contains charts. Included in all Themes that have any button images.

documents

A navigation button to open a page with a list of documents. Included in some Themes.

A navigation button to open a page that includes e-mail information. Included in some Themes.

home

Main Page

A navigation button to open the main page. Automatically assigned to the Main Page (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.

line

A graphic used to separate content areas; this is not a simple border line but instead a graphic line with flourishes, etc. Included in some Themes. Not always visible in those Themes without adding User Styles.

links

A navigation button to open a page with a list of links. Included in some Themes.

masterindex

Master Index

A navigation button to open the Master Index. Automatically assigned to the Master Index (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.

A navigation button to open the next page in a sequence of pages. Included in some Themes.

photos

Exhibit Gallery

A navigation button to open a page with photos or a list of links. Automatically assigned to Exhibit Gallery User Items. Included in some Themes.

places

Place Index

A navigation button to open the Master Place Index. Automatically assigned to the Place Index User Item. Included in some Themes.

A navigation button to open the previous page in a sequence of pages. Included in some Themes.

records

A navigation button to open a page with a list of records used during research or similar content. Included in some Themes.

sources

A navigation button to open the first source page. The user may choose to assign this image to a Link Item with HRef set to "s1" (the first source page). Included in some Themes.

surnameindex

Surname Index

A navigation button to open the Master Index. Automatically assigned to the Surname Index (Link) User Item. Included in all Themes that have any button images.

Graphics File Naming Convention

When graphic files are provided it's best if the images follow the naming convention for image files suggested by Second Site when the user adds a User Item. For example, when the user adds a link to the list of charts, Second Site will suggest a default image code of "charts". If the current Theme uses a different filename for the charts button, the user will have to know that name and set that manually.