Today, Jorgen Hahn announced the *NEW* Chameleon "Theme" for ActiveRain Outside Blogs. Unlike all the other themes available, this one has CSS Styling capability. STOP! Don't PANIC. We're here to help you understand what CSS is, how it works, and how to use it. DO NOT CUSTOMIZE your CSS enabled template or Outside Blog Theme until you absolutely understand how it works and what it does. You could really mess up your Blog. This is for ADVANCED USERS with knowledge of CSS Styling. Having said that, I'll try and break it down, make it simpler and easier to understand, and help you feel comfortable with this new feature.
Those of you who are proficient with CSS styling, you're free to go, have fun customizing your Outside Blogs.
So What Is CSS?
- CSS stands for Cascading Style Sheets
This in simple terms just means the formatting and style of your page or Blog and how it will appear to visitors. It allows you the ability to customize your Outside Blog to be unique, and look any way you choose. It's a very powerful and advanced tool for those using the new CSS Styling theme. If you want to know more details about CSS Styling, you can go to http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_intro.asp for some basic details. Before trying to understand CSS, you should try to have a basic understanding of HTML / XHTML.
- What Can I Do With CSS Styling?
You can set your background color or use an image. You might want to change the color, font size and font type of your text. You can customize borders, outlines, margins, padding, tables, dimensions, classifications and a ton more. Take a breath, relax, and count to 10.
This tutorial walks you through each of these areas.
- Where Can I get Help or Learn More?
WEB3schools.com is a great site that I have referred to on many occasions to learn what I can about this stuff, and then share with others. It's an easy way to get started understanding this techy stuff. Though this may be making your head spin at this point, It is worth every bit of your time and effort to at least understand what it is, what it does, and how it works. Another option is to have someone else you know and trust just do this for you. :-)
Try It Out For Yourself - You Can't Break This Part!
Let me show you some samples of what changing your CSS Styling can look like.
I've added this link so you can practice - CLICK HERE.
Finally, don't be intimidated by this NEW POWER offered on ActiveRain, instead, try to harness it and use it to enhance and better your Outside Blogs. I will be testing out this new theme in the days ahead, and seeing what I can do to provide you more clear and concise instructions with some samples on using CSS to maximize the look and feel of your NEW customizable Blog Theme.
Beginning CSS - Tutorial from FREETutorials (Part 1of 5)
Download The ActiveRain "HELP" Toolbar for your Browser
ActiveRain University Calendar 
Real Estate RainCamp The ActiveRain Manual
Brad, with this enhancement it sounds like you can get very creative with the customization of your outside blog.
Aw, K-RAP! I don't even have html figured out. Whine, whine, whine!
ummm, my head is spinning! I need to find someone I trust to do this for me....I haven't even customized my internal ActiveRain blog. Anyone out there want me forever indebted to them?
Gary - you nailed it!!
Marianne - not to worry, I'm here to help. :-))
Bob - you're on.... you do trust me right? :-O
BRAD..I am still recuperating from REBar Camp in Philadelphia..perhaps when I catch up you can Help ..HelpfulHannah..I would really appreciate it..T
hank you
HelpfulHannah your friend in Philadelphia
Brad...
I've tried to modify the blog text color but I am having trouble ... I chaged the background fine.
I just have get to the right piece of code!
Brad, I knew you would be here with the basics - I know enough to be dangerous. What I always do is copy all of the code from a page and save it on notepad, that way if I do mess up I know what I did and can replace my mess with the original.
Brad: Another great tool that I need to capture the ins and outs on before mess it up.. LOL
I peeked after reading Jorgen's post and rapidly opted to KISS. Thanks to all of the AR folks who offer us a variety of simple options too!
Brad, I have been writing my own HTLM on my website since 2000 but have not done a lot with CSS. I do use it on my website to a limited amount. I do like the extra option this adds so will muddle through it when I have the time.
Brad, way cool. Thanks for the info. I will take some time and play around! You guys are awesome. :D
Brad...
Got it and my outside Smoky Mountains Blog looks great ....
Smoky Photos Blog (via ActiveRain)
Feel free to delete if you don't want the link on your post.
Brad - I felt a panic attack after reading the first paragraph.
Richard - glad you found the CSS code for your colored background. Now it's one of a kind. :-)
Brad- Great info- I will just hire an css'er on Elance to do it for me. Only 24 hours in a day and no cloning machine yet. I keep trying to make this cloning machine:)
When I first saw CSS in your blog title, I thought it was our local Centralized Showing Services (aka CSS)which MANY agents here in the Houston area use to schedule their listing appointments. Shows I've got a lot to learn. LOL!! Thanks for the links to learning!!
Thanks for this post. I am finally getting ready to do the outside blog and look forward to using some of this info...
I just love all these DESIGNER blogs! And the exciting RAIN runways in every city. I'm going to grab some high heels and hit the links. Thanks for helping us be smart AND beautiful! ;-)
Oh my! If only it could be as intuitive as the ActiveRain custom blog... I think this one may require some thinking, and my brain is barely functioning because of overload with so much new information. Okay, deep breath... another day...
OK, so what are the chances of making it use a stylesheet from a WP blog?
Lane beat me to the punch. This will be a really cool new feature. I'll be interested to see what people come up with.
I hope you will do a post of examples.
This looks like another great new feature, but wayyy too complicated for me right now.
Lane - I think you may be on to something. :-)) Can't wait to see how some members will be dressing up their blogs with this new CSS capability. I have to do a bit more research before I begin remodeling mine. I'll post some examples when their done. I may even checkout some of those Wordpress formats to see what I can come up with.
Brad,
I'm hyperventilating...I haven't graduated yet from the previous upgrades...sounds great.
I wish you guys would just master mind this for me...I would be happliy surprised...
Gosh...now I'm still a year behind and trying to catch up...
:-) You guys are great....I wish we could all keep up with the upgrades...I think many of us are way behind. The sad part is...of the so called 8% that are here all the time, I'd bet 4% have no clue of how to handle all these great things you are trying to do for us! :-)
Richard's looks great. I want one, but no time right now. Too busy with Real Estate in Mi.
Of course I could offer to baby sit Kalen since Bob and he are here, but I noticed his comment so.......
who else can I bribe??????????????????
Brad - What? Another bookmarked post for me... Geez I've got a lot of reading to do... Cant' wait to see what you come up with.
Brad,
Like the way you guys are always pushing to create something even more powerful for us and more attractive to the viewer. :)
Steve
Ok, if we give it the old college try and really screw up the blog, can it be "fixed" by changing back to a non CSS template?
This is over my head... let me know when you have the CSS for DUMMIES! (lol)
I am anxious to check it out but a little worried I have no idea what I am doing. Ill keep you posted
It's nice to have the option to tweak the CSS in the new theme. But I think a lot of agents are getting distracted or losing focus on what is really important. We are real estate agents, lenders, stagers, etc. -- not web coders.
Can an enthusiastic blogger learn CSS? Of course, but that's only going to take time away from other activities that can have a much larger impact on their business. Katerina's idea to hire a freelancer is one that many agents should seriously consider.
John,
I so agree, I am so busy right now, that I don't have the time to sit down and learn this. I love AR's enthusiasm, but I think they are computer knowledge at it's best...I am not...I am a REALTOR(R).
While I wish I could do it all. I just cannot.
Hi Brad -- CSS is a very powerful tool, and I'll check out the goodies.
Since I'm not even sure what CSS is, I think I'll leave my blog be until I have a little more time to play with it.
Thank you for providing us with more options.
Just when I got HTML barely by the tail.. .you are dumping CSS on me. . . gee thanks!
Brad:
You guys are right on it all the time. I am a new paying rainmaker. I believe the value is here.
Keep up the great work, Brad. CSS is very powerful. I haven't yet read your tutorial since I don't yet have an outside blog. Having read some very excellent technical CSS books (e.g. those from O'Reilly, a well known computer publisher), I know that when using CSS, you need to make sure that the CSS displays properly in all of the browsers that web surfers will be using. For example, depending on the particular CSS code used, the displayed page in Internet Explorer may differ than that in Firefox, as well as in different versions of each product.
Marc Swartz - thanks for pointing that out and for helping to remind folks to always check ALL browsers to see what displays on your blog for visitors using different browsers. A most excellent point. This should be a standard practice anytime someone is working with HTML or CSS Styling.
Jo - that's a great tip, I use notepad as well to back up my existing CSS code and file just in case I really mess it up. haha. I have looked at other CSS style sheets and continue to look for that perfect one. For those who don't know how to view a style sheet or HTML, just click on your browsers "view" pull-down menu, then select "page source" and you'll see a whole new world. You can do this while looking at any page on the Internet.
Marchel - I would love to see what you come up with. You're the type that will jump into this stuff and be able to help others because of all your experience and lack of fear for this stuff. Any tips and pointers you can help others with will be "payed Forward" many times I'm sure.
Katerina - there is always that option, and I appreciate and respect that decision. After all, it's folks making decisions like yours that are one of the reasons I have a job here!! lol~ :-))))))
Sonja - CSS kinda is your Centralized Showing Service. (Big Smile)
Tim - if you need any help at all, just let me know.
Mara - you sound ready to take on the town.
Margaret - key word there...breathe! lol~ You know I'm always here to help if you need me. :-)
Sally - I promise to post examples, videos, more links etc. I'll even show you my outside blog before and after samples.
Pam - no worries, too complicated is not a bad thing. It's the same as when you look at a car engine (for me anyway) all that you really need to know is how to drive the car, you can always let the mechanics take care of the rest. I'm sure many feel the same as you do about this stuff, and they need to know it's really ok to feel that way, and to not be overwhelmed or feel they have to learn this stuff immediately or ever. Great comment, thanks.
Karen - you have come a long ways. Remember back when you emailed me about how complicated some of my posts were and you wanted me to write less technical? Well look at you now. Tell me you haven't learned a ton of stuff since then? We all just keep learning stuff on AR, it can't be helped. Keep up your great positive energy and attitude, it makes a huge difference in the world.
Missy - once I get it mastered, you can bribe me???? lol~ I taught Bob everything he knows!! Haha..ROFLMAO!!!
Connie - you can save your existing style sheet to notepad, that way if you screw it up, you can replace what you did with the original saved file. There is also a link that will restore CSS located in the Outside Blog CSS pull-down menu. (see below)
Joan - CSS for dummies starts right here. I'm one of the dummies still learning this stuff too. :-)
Aaron - you break it, you own it!! Oh yeah, that's right, you already do. lol~
John - for those you are referring to, I agree completely. Better to spend the money, than the time when the ROI is there.
Chris - would love to see what you come up with. I think I'll create a bunch of CSS templates and store them as files on the web somewhere. Maybe we should create a group on AR where CSS style designs could be created by members and shared with others. Hmm... see what a simple comment can do to get the mind thinking? thanks.
Matt - just cause it's here and available now, doesn't mean you have to go try and be a rock star, oh wait... yes it does!! haha..
Fernando - dumping? haha!! We've had some members screaming for this day!! Just wait till you see some of the outside blogs that will be coming out. You may no longer be able to recognize or tell if they are ActiveRain Blogs or not anymore.... :-O This really will change the Outside Blog world for AR members.
Brad, great enhancement for customizing an outside blog and giving it a unique look.
Sounds interesting now I just need to be able to carve out some time to work on it. I have already pretty much given up tv so need to figure out where to borrow the time.
Oh boy! Something else to work on. I was wondering when we might have more options. Is especially important for thos of us you work for independent brokers.
In just a few minutes, I was able to change just a couple things and do this......
Here's the before:
Here's the After:
Notice I was able to fix the spacing between the Blog content and the sidebar, change the title color and background color, and create space between the header/banner and the first posting. There's no limit to what you can do now!
Another sample changing the color scheme.... ewwww!! lol~
Hi Brad: Always something new brewing in the rain!
:)
Ok Brad, after you finish Bob's mine is next on the list!
OK, another challenge for this techno challenged nice guy....thanks!
Brad-
Thanks for the practice link. Just playing around with the features may become more addictive than solving Sudoku puzzles ;-)
This is bookmarked for when my head is not spinnning...Thanks for the practice link...I plan to try tomorrow.
Brad: I should have never read this late in the evening... because all I can think to say is HUH?????
It'll be quite a while before I can tackle this.
Brad... lol.. I am with Bob Stewart... I couldn't even get out of the box... help... because this looks so cool. Thanks for sharing this. Maybe I will try to learn something this weekend. thanks for sharing this.
Great... Thanks... :^ | I come up with a good idea and you tell me I'm on something?
Oh, wait, you said on TO something.
Nevermind.
;^ )
Brad just want to drop a line that the website you mentioned www.w3school.com is excellent. I decided to spend an hour a day at that one site.
Chuck Mixon
ChuckSellsMiami.com
Chuck - It's a great site for helping those who visit to understand more about some of this tech stuff. At an hour a day, you'll be an expert within the next week or two. Glad you like it, have fun and I hope the time you invest returns great benefits and rewards. :-)
Brad, I stumbled on CSS this week when I downloaded Kompozer - figuring to finally learn how to customize my blogs. Only thing is, html is a prerequisite! Does anybody have a translator? LOL So I'm back to square one - learn enough html, then try again. But what I have learned about CSS is really cool, like the fact that it is consistent on every internet site. I really like that.
Sharon
Sharon - w3schools.com has some great and easy to understand info on HTML, check it out. Once you know the basics, it really does get easier and your Blog and posts will benefit from it. :-))