I have discovered a fast and easy way of making personalized backgrounds. I still suggest that you learn my old method because the cropping lesson will be of use to you if you continue creating custom graphics.

To begin, you will need a blank background that is approximately 150x150. It is fine to make the background larger if need be, however, the background will tile fewer times.

If you are using an "old version classic" WebTV, you can make your own blank background at Image Magick . If you are using a "new version classic" or any verson plus, you will need to have a blank background before you can get started. For some unknown reason, new classic and all plus users cannot see the "filename" text line. That is the reason that you will need a background to begin.

Here is a plain white background for you to begin with.

MORE TO COME.....

5/22/00

thank ya'll so much for your patience...i didn't intend for it to take me this long to be able to get this page rewritten.

actually, the new easier version was completed nearly a year ago but because Image Magick had begun acting up, i had to come up with 3-4 other versions of the easier way.

then finally when everthing seemed to straighten up with IM, i went into my site to take out all of the updates and various changes to the original version....well....for some strange reason the entire page disappeared....sheesh....i have been writing pages for 2 years and i just can't imagine what went wrong...

anyway, the whole tutorial was erased and because of me being ill recently, i have not rewritten the page....

the new version completely eliminates the cropping...actually it only consists of 2-3 steps depending on which webtv you are using....and depending on whether or not image magick is working right now...

since i have recently changed from webtv to computer, i have not been able to verify if IM is working properly for webtv....i don't have any problems using the new method on my puter but have had sporadic reports that it isn't working for webtv.

if you are using an original classic, do the following steps to get the personalized back.

#1 -- from the starting page where you enter a URL or filename, put the color that you want your background to be in the FILENAME line.
-----scroll down and put the size that you want the back to be before tiling....i usually like to use 150x150 but you might need to make it larger depending on the size font you use and the length of the name you will use.
-----now scroll down and under the format area, select "xc" . now scroll back up and click view.

this first step creates a background gif for you....if you would rather use a patterened background instead of a solid back, then instead of doing the above step, just enter the URL of the back and click view....

also, if you are using a NEW classic or any plus, you might not be able to see the FILENAME text line....if this is the case you will need to find a solid color gif and enter the URL of it in the URL text line and click view...if you need a solid back, use the one above and you can recolor at IM.

now for step #2....you will use this step regardless of which webtv you are using....

#2 -- now click on the 'annotate' tab at the top of the page...
-----enter the font that you want to use
-----enter the color of the font
-----enter the size of font
------at the very bottom you will see 'angle'...in that line put the angle you want...i usually use -30, now click the annotate button....

i don't bother with the alignment buttons....regardless of which alignment you use, after you enter the (body background=.....) code, the back will tile ok.

well, if IM is working right, you should have a finished background....just transload and you are all set.

please let me know if i can help you with this any further....i don't mind helping at all....also, i would love to see your finished back....

thanks for visiting my site.

take care --- lady :)

p.s. sorry about the appearance of this page...i hope to be able to dress it up a little in the future...but for now, i didn't want to keep ya'll waiting on the instructions. :)