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The New CSS Styling Option for Activerain Outside Blogs

Reblogger Anthony Krall
Services for Real Estate Pros with Active Rain

Brad Andersohn posted this blog back in May.  I thought it would be helpful to the Newie members looking to customize their page.  I've found other posts explaining how to do this, but Brad's is the only one that I could follow.  Thank you Brad for providing the how to.

Original content by Brad Andersohn Non-Licensed

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)


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Douglas Lovitt
Washington Management Company, Inc. - Mill Creek, WA

Thanks Anthony. This will be very helpful. I was planning on playing with it today, so your timing was perfect!

Feb 13, 2010 04:30 AM
Cari Anderson
Danville, CA

Thanks Anthony.  We are currently using this theme and I just have not had the time yet to work with the CSS styling.  I am looking forward to the customization alternatives and am glad this has been added as a feature. ~Doug

Feb 17, 2010 04:02 AM
Anonymous
Matthew Caulk

Another reason why I love active rain. You saved me from probably making a catastrophe of my outside blog. thank you for this vital peace of information

Jul 15, 2010 03:48 PM
#3
Pete Xavier
Investments to Luxury - Pacific Palisades, CA
Outstanding Agent Referrals-Nationwide
Marked for clean up
Jan 23, 2013 11:58 AM