New Feature: Message Preview

There is now a preview button for new and edited messages. Just click on the preview button and your message will appear in a preview window, making it easy to see what your message will look like before submitting it. This is especially useful when you're including UBB codes or HTML in a message, and makes it very easy to experiment. The preview window is of fixed size, ie, it can't be resized by the user. I think I can give the user control over the fixed size he sees, but this would take some work and I won't do it unless there's strong demand. However, it's easy for me to adjust the size, so let me know if the size I've chosen is seriously inconvenient.I think I could make the preview window user resizeable (ie, after it's already displayed) fairly easily, if people want it. Just let me know.I'm using the preview button as I create this message - this is great! No more "this message has been edited". --Percy

People have probably noticed by now that the preview feature no longer uses a popup. The popup approach was made to work with Internet Explorer, but not Netscape, so it was modified to instead display the preview above the message box.I would prefer to use the popup approach, so anyone familiar with Perl/CGI and Netscape and willing to put in a few hours work should contact me.--Percy

Here's as good a place as anywhere to say:Wider reply and edit windows would be nice. I don't know if that is within your powers.Also, would a default of black text on a grey background be easier to read, than the current white on grey background?Also, I don't see any instructions on how to set text color, on the UBBCODE page.And Percy, I hope you've quit using dark blue text on the grey background. That's a real eye killer combination.Gripe, gripe, gripe,
Moose------------------
Old Earth evolution - Yes
Godly creation - Maybe

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[This message has been edited by minnemooseus, 12-23-2001]

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[This message has been edited by minnemooseus, 12-23-2001]

Wider reply and edit windows are certainly within my powers, and I've put this item on my list.About the background, as you can tell, I've gone toward the dark side. I can never remember, are you supposed to go toward the light or away from the light? If enough people complain I'll change the color scheme. Post your votes to this thread, folks. Do you prefer dark text on light background or the reverse?UBB codes don't allow you to set text color, but html does. Since HTML is legal in posts it will be a little tricky to get this to render as HTML, but I'll give it a try:

This text is red

The font directives are actually invisible when rendered by the browser, and all you'll see is the red text.The dark text on dark background is from old posts when I was using a light text on dark background color scheme. I've been editing them as I find them. Of course, if I switch schemes again I'll have to change them back.--Percy