How to make your sig

HOW TO MAKE YOUR SIG

Or, Do I Really NEED One of These?
By Sticktalker

DEFINITION
First, let’s define a sig and who can make one.

A “sig” (short for “signature”) has nothing to do with the name you sign on bank checks. It is a term that refers to either a graphic/photo/artwork or text (or both a graphic AND text) which appears at the bottom of every letter you write.

While any member can make a sig that is nothing but text, sadly, there are some restrictions on the images. Nudity or porn, of course, could get you tossed off WDC, but Free and Basic accounts can NOT either use an image in their signature, nor can they store a graphic in their port. (It’s one of the ways WDC pokes you to upgrade for a small fee. Most active WDC members purchase an “Upgraded Account” for $49.95 a year – or 495,000 GPs.) Yes, a “GP” is worth one-tenth of a cent in US currency.

If you want to find out all of the differences in the six accounts offered by WDC, the cost and how to pay for an upgrade, here’s the link to the official information page:
http://www.writing.com/main/handler/item_id/688627

BACK TO YOUR IMAGE SIG
Assuming you have purchased an “upgraded” or higher account let’s talk about an “all-image” sig. If you belong to a group such as The Paper Dolls, you will find some sigs that can be “shared” or used by any member of the group. All you have to do is to find the ID number of the image you wish and place it into your sig folder. Here’s the coding to place a Paper Doll Newbie “shareable” image into your sig:

{center}{image:1518357}

** Image ID #1518357 Unavailable **

This happens to be a “shareable” sig that I created and is stored in my port.

If you are a Paper Doll member you can use the above image in your sig just by writing the code in your signature form.

You also can have a dedicated image in your own port that either you have created in any photo-manipulation program and uploaded to your port, or one that you have purchased and moved to your own port. The coding is exactly the same.

YOUR ALL TEXT SIG
If you are a free or basic member, you can create an all text sig. Here’s one that is NOT formatted in WritingML at all

I’M A MEMBER OF THE PAPER DOLL GANG
Or
THIS IS A REVIEW BY A MEMBER OF THE PAPER DOLL GANG

Pretty dull, isn’t it? Let’s spice it up some:

THIS IS A REVIEW BY A MEMBER OF THE PAPER DOLL GANG
By Sticktalker

Here’s the coding you have to type in to get the above:

{size:5}{c:rose}{b}{center}

THIS IS A REVIEW BY A MEMBER OF THE PAPER DOLL GANG
By Sticktalker

{/center}{/b}{/c}{/size}


A word of warning however– while you can drop any of the commands the ORDER in which they are written can be vital, WritingML is very strange that way so, if you add any other commands (such as “underline” or “italic” you have to put them in the right order!) However, in this short tutorial I’m not going to give you the right order. When I taught a class on Writing ML in The WDC Writing Academy I gave two weeks of instruction...and then didn’t cover the entire Writing ML commands or options. Writing ML is VERY complicated, trust me on this.

HOW TO MAKE YOUR SIG
Let’s assume you have your image selected and you know what you want to put in your sign. Make sure your image is uploaded to your port. Find the ID number of the image and copy it (or the ID number of the shareable sig in someone elses’ port.)

Open your WDC account page. There you’ll see two columns of text and headings. Go to the right hand column, go down three headings and click the link that says “Edit Signatures”. That opens a dialogue box headed “Default Signatures”. Now you just type in the information that you want to show in your sig in every email, forum and book.

Let’s do yours using the shareable sig from above.  Here is what you should type:

{center}{user:YourAccountName}
{image:1518357}

Sticktalker
** Image ID #1518357 Unavailable **

(Put your account name in place of “youraccountname”. Remember, NO SPACES

If you are not an “Upgraded member” or higher, put in the text sig using the codes I gave you above. Change the color or the wording...it’s your sig, put in what you wish.

Click the “Update!” box

Now click the blue “click her to test view it”

It looks good?  Fine, then close the window and email yourself a letter and see how it looks.

Remember this however. You can only have ONE sig saved at  a time. Incidentally, that image is “linked” to the Paper Dolls’ Home Page. Linking is done when you create the image item. Since that image is on my page you can’t go back and “unlink” it. If you don’t want the image linked, you’ll have to create your own sig image and NOT link it. Sorry.

I have several sigs I use in different forums. The coding is all saved in a Word Pad doc on my desk top. When I wish to use a different sig, I open the right word pad document, copy the text, then go to the email and replace the default sig with the new coding I just copied. Works every time.

IN CONCLUSION
I hope this little exercise helps you with most of your questions about how to make your own signature. If you still have problems, feel free to email me with your questions.

Sticktalker