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Counters for PWP @att.net
You can customize your personal Web page counter by giving it attributes describing background color, foreground color, and style. In addition, standard height and width HTML tags can be added to modify the display size of the counter. However, this can distort the counter images, so we recommend that you do a custom counter instead. We've covered the following topics in this document:
- Basic Counter
- Styles
- Custom Counter
- Counter Identifier
- Inserting your counter code with a WYSIWYG editor
- Maintaining your counter
- Need Help?
Basic Counter
The basic code for a counter is:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif">
This will give you a black counter on a transparent background with a raised border, as shown below:
If you want to customize your counter, you can add parameters, each separated by an ampersand (&). Start the first parameter with a question mark (?). The available parameters are shown below:
| Parameter | Effect |
|---|---|
| fg= | foreground color |
| bg= | background color |
| nfr= | border |
| st= | style |
| private | indicates a custom counter image |
| counterid | unique counter identifier. |
For example, if you add the parameter for no border to the basic code shown above:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?nfr=1">
You will get a counter that looks like this:
You could also add a background and foreground color to the basic counter code:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?fg=255,0,0 &bg=255,255,255&counterid">
Where the foreground is set to red and background to white. You will get a counter that looks like:
If you reverse the foreground and background:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?fg=255,255,255 &bg=255,0,0&counterid">
You'll get this counter:
For information on color codes, see Color. Pay particular attention to the conversion chart. It will help you convert colors shown in HEX (the way colors are identified on a page) to the RGB value needed for the pwp counter.
Note: Do not leave any blank spaces in your counter syntax, if you need separation, use the underscore (_) character.
For example, if your counterid is your e-mail ID and url, an incorrect usage would be:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=fun&emailid url">
The correct code should be:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=fun&emailid_url">
Styles
Instead of setting background and foreground colors, you can use one of the provided styles. There are 10 pre-designed styles available for your counter. The code for using styles looks like this:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=stylename&counterid">
Or, without a border:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=stylename&nfr=1&counterid">
Note: stylename is the name of the style of the counter graphic.
The following pre-designed styles are available:
| Style
st= |
Border
|
No Border
nfr=1 |
|---|---|---|
| red |
|
|
| gray |
|
|
| green |
|
|
| blue |
|
|
| black |
|
|
| oil |
|
|
| convolve |
|
|
| fun |
|
|
| fun2 |
|
|
| art |
|
|
Custom Counter
If you want to use your own images for a counter, you should use the following syntax:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=custom&private&counterid">
Note: custom is the name of the graphic (without the extension), and counterid is a unique counter identifier.
When the &private is specified, the counter script goes to the user's pwp root directory, and looks for 10 gif images. For this example, we used custom for the image name. You should have 1 gif for each number, such as:
| Image Name | Image |
|---|---|
| 0custom.gif |
|
| 1custom.gif |
|
| 2custom.gif |
|
| 3custom.gif |
|
| 4custom.gif |
|
| 5custom.gif |
|
| 6custom.gif |
|
| 7custom.gif |
|
| 8custom.gif |
|
| 9custom.gif |
|
Note: The maximum size allowed for each of the digits is 60x60 pixels, and they all must be the same size.
If you aren't feeling particularly creative, try one of the graphics that we have created for you, or, choose one from the pages below.
If you would like to use one of the counters that we've created, download the file that you wish to use from the table below and unzip it.
| custom.zip |
|
| wurd_arial8.zip |
|
| wurd_inv.zip | An invisible counter |
Upload the 10 gif files into your pwp root directory. The counter graphics must be in your pwp root directory in order to work.
As an example, for the WURD invisible counter, use the following syntax:
<img src="/cgi-bin/counter.gif?st=wurd_inv&private&nfr=1&counterid" height="1" width="1">
Place the code shown above on one line, with no spaces between the quotes ("). We recommend using the height and width tags only if you are using the invisible counter. Otherwise, you take a risk of distorting the counter image.
If you use the invisible counter, you'll have to use the Counter Manager to see your count. You will also have to authenticate before you access that page.
Counter Identifier
Using a unique counter identifier will keep some browsers (depending on the settings) from loading another page's counter from the cache. We recommend that you use your e-mail id followed by an underscore and then the filename without the extension.
For example:
emailid_index
emailid_page2
If you use folders and have more than one page called index, add a number following the name of the page. For example, the counter IDs for your two index pages could look like this:
emailid_index01
emailid_index02
It's best that you not use any character other than an underscore, a letter or a number in the counter ID. Using anything else could cause unexpected results.
You could eliminate the filename and just go with numbers as shown below, but we find it easier to remember what we've already used by using the naming conventions shown above.
emailid_01
emailid_02
Inserting your counter code with a WYSIWYG editor
WYSIWYG editors like to make the code look the way that they think it should look. However, it isn't always in the Webmaster's best interest. Most editors have allowed for this by giving you a way to enter code that is untouchable. We've outlined the method for a few of them on our WYSIWYG Editors page.
You won't be able to see the counter until the page is actually uploaded to the Web server. If you're using Netscape Gold or Composer, make sure that there are no spaces following the end of the counter code. If there are spaces after the code, you'll get a Premature close of tag error message.
Maintaining your counters
AT&T Worldnet provides a Counter Manager to help you maintain your counters. You must be using an AT&T Worldnet connection, and will be asked to authenticate before you can access the Counter Manager. You'll find the Counter Manager at the link below:
With the Counter Manager, you can reset your counters, delete obsolete counters. keep track of counts if you're using a hidden counter, etc. Note: The Counter Manager doesn't remove counter code from your page, it just deletes the counter from the database.
We've provided instructions using the Counter Manager with a graphic showing the layout following the instructions.
- Changing the count on one specific counter
Type the number you want the counter to display in the Set To field for the page in question, then scroll down to the bottom and click on the Update the Counter(s) button to complete the action. - Setting one specific counter to zero
Click on the Reset to Zero button for the page in question, then scroll down to the bottom and click on the Update the Counter(s) button to complete the action. - Deleting one specific counter
Put a check mark in the small box under the Delete column for the page in question, then scroll down to the bottom and click on the Update the Counter(s) button to complete the action. - Zero all Counters on this page
Click on the Clear to Zero All Page Counters button to reset the counters on every page to zero, then scroll down to the bottom and click on the Update the Counter(s) button to complete the action. - Delete all page counters
Click on the DELETE All Page Counters (toggle) button to delete the counters for every page. Note: you can reverse this action by clicking on the button again. Once you have made your decision, scroll down to the bottom and click on the Update the Counter(s) button to complete the action. - Get the most current status
Click on the Get most current status button to refresh the page to see what changes have been made, and to see any new count on your pages. - Update the Counter
Click on the Update the Counter(s) button to finalize any action previously done.
Need Additional Help?
If you can't find the answers you need, please try:
- The help file for the application you are using.
- Our FAQs.
- The AT&T Worldnet Help Newsgroups.