HOW TO CUSTOMIZE THE WELCOME BOX TEXT:
When a new member joins your Ning Network, they will see the new Ning Welcome Box. Note: Once your new member closes this box by clicking on the "X", it is no longer displayed.
You can customize the Welcome Box text, from your Language Editor.
Let's get started. Please be careful when changing code in the Language Editor. Fortunately, Ning has a "Reset Text to Original Version" button.
TIPS:
- You can add simple HTML and links. Be sure to keep your message short, or it will not fit in the box.
- Also, if you do not have premium service "Remove promotional links", you will have less space. The Ning Logo is displayed in top-left of Welcome Box. I have inserted that image, too.
- Use an external editor to write your welcome box text. You can use a Forum/Discussion box and take advantage of the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) text formatting features.
- And, it's always best to save your "source" code to a text or HTML file on your hard drive.
Instructions:
- Click on your Manage Tab.
- Click on Language Editor.
- Select your language (if English, make sure you select US or British versions, appropriately), by clicking on Edit next to language.
- In top-left search box under "Original Text – Your Language", search on "Here are a few things you can do right now…" - - without the quotes.
- The Search will return 1 box (see above), that contains the previous search string.
- Insert or start typing your message text, before "Here are a few things you can do right now…" You can delete the original statement, altogether. You should still be able to search, and find this box in the Language Editor, with the original or new text.
- Be sure to make your custom text short and sweet. You have a limited amount of space in this box.
- You'll notice in the example, we're using the span tag to change the font-size. You can add your style within box, or Advanced CSS.
- After you have completed your custom text, click on SAVE.
- Be sure to create a test member account, and check your customized message.
HOW TO CHANGE THE WELCOME BOX COLORS:
The Ning platform automatically chooses the color, based on your theme. If you want to change the background color, add this code to Manage/Appearance/Advanced CSS. Change the hex color code, to the color you choose.
// The following line changes the background to deep red, and the text color to white.
#welcome.welcome-nc { background-color:#CC0000 !important; color:#FFFFFF !important; }
Be sure to click on SAVE.
EXTRA CSS code I use, to polish up the custom text:
/* Change background and font colors for Welcome Box */
#welcome.welcome-nc { background-color:#CC0000 !important; color:#FFFFFF !important; }
/* If you add links - - change color and underline links */
#welcome-text a {color:#ffffff!important; text-decoration:underline;}
/* Remove some margin space below the Ning Logo in non-premium */
#welcome h2 { margin:0 0 .50em; }
HOW TO REMOVE THE WELCOME BOX:
If you don't want the new Welcome Message Box/Banner to be displayed, go to Manage/Appearance/Advanced and add this code:
#welcome { display:none !important; } Be sure to click on SAVE.
Also, make sure your links on the right (under the icons) are an appropriate color:
/* Change link color below icons on right */
#welcome-icons a {color:#FFFFFF!important;}
Replies
#welcome.welcome-nc { background-color:#CC0000 !important; color:#FFFFFF !important; }
The background-color is the color of the box. Add all of the code to the bottom of your Advanced CSS. This may help.
Much appreciated
Nigel
I'm not sure if the platform randomizes the icons, or if I happened to capture the screen on 2 different occasions and the platform was updated between the screen captures.
I have followed all your instructions above, however, when I include a second paragraph to my welcome message, the space between the lines of the second paragraph increases. The curious thing is that when I paste the same text to a Forum/Discussion box, the message look fine! Therefore, I suppose the text and code are writen right... To illustrate the issue, I have attatched an image of how the Welcome box is looking like with the issue.
I wonder if you have seen this issu before and knows how it can be solved?
Thanks in advance!
<span style="font-size:11px; line-height:1.0em!important;">
Best,
Jen
Actually, I can help better if you paste all of the code you added to your CSS, in regards to this tutorial.