Tessisamess | Web Templates

Questions?

Asking for Help

If you are not going to read/follow the provided instructions for a code, don't ask for help. Your time is not more valuable than anyone else's.

If you have read and followed the instructions on a code and you are still experiencing an issue, if what you want to do isn't part of the content provided, or if you're having trouble understanding part of the information provided, you're more than welcome to my time. In no way should this note be taken as discouragement from asking questions when you are genuinely in need of assistance; I've always encouraged questions, and always will. Just make sure you've read the instructions to begin with, and given them a quick double-check before contacting me.

And finally: If you're not willing to show me the code you need help with (either live on the site or in a file), I will not help you. I can only do so much with theoreticals. This, of course, does not apply generalized questions and questions for codes you haven't yet installed. You don't need to show me anything if you don't have anything yet, LOL.

How to Use

How do I download codes? TBD

How do I install them? TBD

How do I edit the CSS? For those of you who aren't familiar with :root directories, they're a little like Tumblr's framework for being able to add placeholders to the non-HTML editing version of theme editing. I use them to make things as easy as possible for people to edit without needing to know how to read CSS. You'll edit your colors, fonts, sizes, images, etc. up in the directory, and those will affect placeholders within the rest of the stylesheet, effectively running a Find & Replace function for you without needing to actually do that.

Example: Let's say there's a header in your code! In the :root directory you might see something like --header-height: 500px;, and in the CSS for the header you'd see a corresponding header{height:var(--header-height);} to link up with it. Changing 500px to a new number will then change the height of the header because of the placeholder there. No digging through CSS to find the heights you need to change!

I also frequently use this as a way to apply CSS calculations for sizing, which makes it really easy for you to be able to adjust things without needing to stare at a math problem. Ew lmao.

Cool, right?

And the HTML? I always use HTML comments as labels and indentations on tag nesting to make it clear where something starts and ends. This should go a long way in helping you figure out what to edit and where! I also utilize HTML5, which implements the use of more specific HTML tags for clarity and page structure (great for accessibility for people who need it!) So, for example rather than <div class="header"> I would use <header> for a header container. This should help you a lot with finding things like headers, footers, sidebars, navigation, and content structure.

Common Issues

One of my HTML tags is broken; how do I find it? There are lots of HTML and CSS checkers online, but you can always use mine! There may be more robust ones out there, but mine and others try to find broken tags and highlight in red where the code begins to break down, making it easier to pinpoint where the issue is.

My CSS broke; why? There are many answers to that, varying case by case, but my first solution is always to check and make sure you didn't miss a colon, semicolon, curly bracket, or misspell something. When you aren't used to editing CSS, I always recommend editing and saving in smaller sections, that way if you break something it's easy to narrow down where the problem might be.

My code tester can help with this too! I suggest editing there instead of on your live site, because if you break something you'll see it immediately and you can just undo it. If editing this way, I strongly suggest saving it on your site every time you finish a section. You never know when your browser might unexpectedly crash. 💀

Help & Editing

What do you need to know to help me? If you've already started editing, I need to see the code you're working on. Outside of that, I need a clear explanation of what's wrong and what it should be doing, to the best of your ability. It's fine if you don't know the right terminology! I can usually figure it out based on an explanation. If you have the page live on your site feel free to just link it to me if you don't want to save it and send it over. That's more than enough.

Can you help me fix someone else's code? Technically, yes, but I don't offer assistance with other people's work unless it's your own. This is because we all have different organization styles and ways of doing things, and it takes longer to fix an issue if I also have to familiarize myself with someone's code who isn't around to ask questions if I need to. Sorry!

Which sites do you offer help with? Insanejournal, Dreamwidth, and Neocities (and other freeform website hosts.) I do not offer assistance with niche platforms and other frameworks because, again, it would take me much longer when factoring in the need to familiarize myself with the site structure first.

I asked you a question. Why haven't you answered me? Executive dysfunction lmao. Either that or you asked something you could have answered by reading installation information. If I haven't replied to you within a week of contacting me, you are not bugging me if you message me again to nudge me. It's totally fine!

Usage & Redistribution

Can I use the coding you used for this site? No, please don't. I have a version of it under Webpages that's free to use; please use that one!

What about your graphics? My graphics are my branding across the internet, and they're custom logos. It would be a little weird to use someone else's branding for your designs, so I ask that you don't use my logo in any capacity other than linking to one of my sites.

How am I allowed to use your codes? Check out my Terms of Use for detailed information on what is and isn't allowed! My TOU is extremely short and to the point, so you won't have to wade through twenty pages of legal jargon no one reads anyway. With that in mind, there's no excuse not to know what my TOU are lmao.