Building at Boxmail.biz   (view a sample site)

Warning!!  Boxmail has started putting forced ADULT banners at the top of all websites. :(

Signing Up

Click on http://boxmail.biz/ (it will open in a new window so you can read this page as you build).

In the top middle, click on "Create your own site". 

Choose your domain name, and the type of site you are going to build.

Complete the information to register your site, then click "Next".  HINT: This information may be available to anyone, so be discreet.

Choose which side you want the menu on, and click "Next"

Interface Settings

The header

     You are now at the location to create your "header".  This will be visible on all pages across the top.  You can click "delete picture" now if you want, to get rid of the stock photo header.  To create a new header, you can create a banner type header by clicking HERE, and uploading it by clicking on "Add Picture".  You can also upload your own photo or clipart as long as the file extension is .jpg or .gif.

      To just use a background color, click on "head settings" and choose a background color by left clicking on the color chart, then left clicking again when the desired color is visible.  Make sure to click "save settings" at the top left if you like the results.  This can be changed as many times as you want by clicking "interface settings" at any time.  At any time, you can click "show me the result" in the lower left menu.  It will open in a new window.

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Menu Settings

     On the left, you will see the "menu settings".  The menu will be visible from all pages.  You can choose the menu background, menu cell color, text size, and mouse over effects.  Experiment here until you find a look you like.  Once again, make sure you choose "save settings" when you are done.

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Navigation setting

     Along the top, under the header, you will see a thin colored bar.  This will tell the viewer which page they are on in your site, and give them the option of returning "home".  To change the color click "navigation setting" and choose from the color swatch again.  Choose a contrasting text color, and once again make sure to "save settings".

     Also along the bottom, there is a similar thin colored bar which displays your copyright and Email address.  Choose "settings" to alter this bar.

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General settings

      Background:  This refers to the main background.  This is not the background for your web pages, but it is the background behind your page background.  It fills the void left by the space not taken up by the page itself, and will be seen behind all pages.  You can choose a color, or upload a background of your own by clicking on the "add main background" on the upper right of the page.  Uploads must be jpg or gif extension.  These will "tile" themselves automatically to fill your screen but will only be visible on the edges.

     Central Background:  This is the background that will be visible on all your web pages.  The background you choose here will be the same one used for every page.  You can choose a color here, or upload your own background or photo by clicking "add central background" from the tab on the upper right of the page.  Uploads must be jpg or gif.  They will "tile" themselves to fill the page.

     Text, links, font size, font, and hover links:  This will be the default theme used throughout your site.  Choose a contrasting text color to your background.  Unless you change text color, style, and font on the pages you build, the choices here will be the ones used.  Once again, be sure to "save settings" when you are finished.

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Building Pages

     You are now ready to start creating individual pages.  Click on "Sections and pages" in the left menu.  To create the "entry" or main page (the first page the viewer will see when the viewer arrives) click now on "Create the main page of the site" at the top middle of the page.

     Pay no attention to the "create new section" at this time.  You are concerned only with the big white box and the settings above it.  You may now choose your font size and color, or stick with the default font you chose earlier.  You may also choose Bold, Italic, Underline, and what shape you want your paragraphs to have.  The scissors are your "cut", and the clipboard is your "paste".  You can also view and alter the HTML code if you want by checking the "HTML mode" box.  The boxes "paragraph" and "background color"  are not important at this time either.  Type away!  When you are done, choose "save" at the bottom.  To view your page after saving, click "results" at the bottom.  It will open in a new window.

More Pages

     When you are ready to create more pages for your site, click on "sections and pages", then type a title for your new section in the box.  These are the new main pages for your site.  These will automatically appear on the main menu.  After typing a title, click "create".  Now to create the main page of the new section, click on the title of the section that appeared under sections list.  Then click "create the main page of this section".  Now you will have the big white box, and you are ready to go.  You can always go back and create a sub-section by clicking "sections and pages", then on the title of your section, then on "create the page in this section".   These new sub-sections will be visible on the main menu only when the viewer clicks on the main page of the section.  Be sure to save your work.

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Uploading Images

     Uploading photos and clipart is done when you are in the constructor mode with the big white box visible.  Click on the location in the white box where you want the image to appear.  Above the white box, click in the picture icon.   A small box will appear.  Click on browse to locate the image on your computer.  Open that file, then click "upload".  When the image is done uploading, the file name will appear in the little box.  Left click once on the new file name and it will highlight.  Now click "insert".  If the image does not appear on your page, you may have not defined the location you wanted the image to appear by clicking first in the big white box.  Do that, highlight file name and click "insert".  You can now move and resize the image on your page by clicking on it, cutting, pasting, and stretching.

     This is only a primer to get you going.  I am no expert, I am just trying to save you a little time and get your site up and running a little quicker.   I think Boxmail.biz is a great place to learn, and NO POPUPS! (like geocities and tripod).  Boxmail.biz does have occasional server outages, and is located somewhere in Russia.  Their tech support is non-existent.  I have no financial interest in Boxmail.biz, but if you want to make a donation to cover the hours of frustration I have saved you, please do.  Thank you!

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