how do you put the spoiler thingies on your posts?

[lothofkalroth]

i can't figure out how to put the spoiler things on my posts and i really want to post a webcomic im starting, it's driving me nuts, any help is appreciated!

thanks! :smallfrown:

[Sneak]

Darth Vader is Luke's Father

Darth Vader is Luke's Father

[lothofkalroth]

hehe, good one, thanks!

[lothofkalroth]

actually, i was also wondering how you get images on there, cuz all i seem to be able to put in is links to other images

[Nerd-o-rama]

URL of Image

The image must be hosted somewhere online, which is a common mistake to make. I recommend http://www.photobucket.com, especially for images you want to organize into comic form.

If you're serious about webcomicking, there's a couple of hosting sites like drunkduck and keenspot that'll set you up with your own little site, but I've heard those are a hassle.

Also, these forums could really use a [spoiler] button, given how heavily the mods encourage the use of those tags...

[Zeb The Troll]

Ooo, I would love to have a spoiler button. I make heavy use of them.

[Charity]

Can't be bothered with them myself
I always use white text instead.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

A few strategies for figuring out any other formatting questions you may have:

Most formatting is described in the Forum FAQ (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/faq.php) (In the toolbar next to "User CP") under "Reading and Posting Messages" (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_faq#faq_vb_read_and_post)/""Are there any special codes/tags I can use to markup my posts?" (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/faq.php?faq=vb_read_and_post#faq_vb_special_codes)/. It describes everything except for horizontal rules, line breaks (Only useful for tables), some special table options, and dice rolling.

EDIT: There is also a link directly to this section of the FAQ at the very bottom of the reply window (under all previous replies) where it says "[url=http://www.giantitp.com/forums/misc.php?do=bbcode]vB code (]"Click Here"[/url) is On."
If your question isn't answered there, or if you just don't want to click through that many links, you can find someone that uses the formatting you need in their post and hit "Quote". The formatting of their post will usually be retained in the quote box.

Exceptions: Dice Rolls: Dice rolls are linked to the database in a special way that makes them show up as "[roll0]", "[roll1]", "[roll2]", and so on when quoted.
Horizontal Rules and Line Breaks: These are additions to the board code that are subject to a bug that causes the "[" to be replaced with "<" and "]" to be replaced with ">" when the post that contains them is quoted or edited. These need to be fixed manually.
To get the skinny on all the special options for tables, see the Board Issues thread "vBCode {table] installed".
For a full account of the dice roller, see the Board Issues thread "Dice Roller installed".

If you have trouble finding those last two links, you may have to do a board search.

[lothofkalroth]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/A_light_in_the_Dark/alightinthedark.jpg

i hope this worked!

[PirateMonk]

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/A_light_in_the_Dark/alightinthedark.jpg

i hope this worked!

You could just preview your post.

[skywalker]

Ooo, I would love to have a spoiler button. I make heavy use of them.

I love this idea.

Of course, the work needed to implement this is probably prohibitively high, but having a keyboard shortcut (a la bold) would be awesome.

[Rawhide]

The workload to implement it, not very high at all. The problem is the lack of an icon. If someone wants to try their hand at designing a recognisable and/or legible spoiler button, post your efforts here and if one looks good and works I'll use it (I won't immediately choose one to give everyone that wants to a shot).

[Sensate]

The workload to implement it, not very high at all. The problem is the lack of an icon. If someone wants to try their hand at designing a recognisable and/or legible spoiler button, post your efforts here and if one looks good and works I'll use it (I won't immediately choose one to give everyone that wants to a shot).

I've seen this one on another forum. Looks okay to me.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6333/spoileref5.gif

[Rawhide]

Well, we can't just steal another icon without permission. It needs to be obvious what it means. And it needs to fit in with and look like all the other icons.

[Zakama]

A chance to contribute to the forums, nice! Here's mine:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6177/spoilerbuttonkm2.png

[skywalker]

I have no contribution, but a related request.

Would it be trouble to make the command "ctrl-s" behave the same way for spoilers as "ctrl-b" does for bold, etc?

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Yes, it would, because ctrl-s already has a function.

[skywalker]

Yes, it would, because ctrl-s already has a function.

So do ctrl-b and ctrl-i, but their functions are changed when the cursor is within the GITP post box. Which actually makes it hard for me, because when I'm posting elsewhere without as extensive controls, and I try to italicize or bold something.

[lothofkalroth]

here's my suggestion :smallsmile:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg264/A_light_in_the_Dark/s.png

[Zeb The Troll]

Of the choices given so far, I like Zakama's.

[Rawhide]

Ok, we've got some attempts at "S" and an attempt at "Sp", no one has yet tried to fit "Spoil" or "Spoiler" (I'd like to see more of both, though Sp is possibly better).

Are there any symbols that one can recognise as a spoiler? Anything that means 'spoiler' or 'hide', 'hidden', etc.?

Ohh, how about someone do a car's spoiler :smallbiggrin:.


All the images should be 21 pixels wide by 20 pixels high in GIF format. I'd like to get a lot of different options before I choose one.

[Serpentine]

Darth Vader with a baby? >.> <.< *flee!*

[Zeb The Troll]

I just liked Zak's because it has the same color as the spoilers so would be easily recognizable.

[Skippy]

Darth Vader with a baby? >.> <.< *flee!*

This would totally be the best one ever.

[Zeb The Troll]

I would use it extra if that were chosen. :smallcool:

[Sneak]

I just tried to make a Darth Vader helmet head, a plus sign, and then a baby next to it...didn't work out.

There's just no way the Darthster is going to be recognizable at 21x20 pixels. :smallfrown:

Ah, well.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A chance to contribute to the forums, nice! Here's mine:
http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/6177/spoilerbuttonkm2.png

The colour is nice too.

Now if only it had a | through the S (almost like $, but not quite) and the box was not called a spoiler box, but a secret door instead and the button read "Open" instead of "Show"...

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Couple of ones I cooked up real quick. I think the problem with having "Spoiler" is that at the pixel size, it's just about unreadable. I also tried making one that looks like an OotS character head with a zipper for lips, but it's so small you can't really make it out.

http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/sp.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spl.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/secret_door.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoiler.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoil_crossout.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/sp_crossout.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spl_crossout.gif
Spoiler included for comparison.

[Sensate]

Pretty good for a quick cook-up. The 2nd one from the right would fit the overall GItP style the best, though I still think a better solution must be lying in someone's head, waiting to dive out.

[Gorbash Kazdar]

Took another shot at the zipped-lips head... dunno if these are any better.

http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoiler-head.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoiler-head-lt-green.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoiler-head-dk-green.gif http://www.gorbashkazdar.com/randomimages/spoiler-head-spl-color.gif
Spoiler included for reference

[Sensate]

Mmm, they look too much like the emoticons. Here's what I'd do to improve them:

Make the head a box rather than a circle. Size should be somewhere around the insert image icon - 15x14, added in a 21x20 transparent box. Forgive me if I am being too suggestive, maybe I should have another shot at this myself :smallamused: .

[Rawhide]

Why not even remove the box entirely? None of the others are in a box.

[Zakama]

Ok, we've got some attempts at "S" and an attempt at "Sp", no one has yet tried to fit "Spoil" or "Spoiler" (I'd like to see more of both, though Sp is possibly better).

Are there any symbols that one can recognise as a spoiler? Anything that means 'spoiler' or 'hide', 'hidden', etc.?

Ohh, how about someone do a car's spoiler :smallbiggrin:.


All the images should be 21 pixels wide by 20 pixels high in GIF format. I'd like to get a lot of different options before I choose one.

You got it champ. http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/6222/spoilerbuttonkm2kd4.gif

EDIT: For some reason it insists on being width 19, hight 20. Is that OK or should I fiddle around with it a bit more?

[Shhalahr Windrider]

The words aren't exactly legible, but I think the idea comes across:

http://h1.ripway.com/shhalahr/GiantITP/spoilicon.png


http://h1.ripway.com/shhalahr/GiantITP/spoilicon2.png

Yeah, I know, the second one's gotta be a gif if we want to maintain transparency. Just don't have the time to convert, and Inkscape only exports to PNG.

[Szilard]

You could always change it to gif in inkscape...

[Rawhide]

The words aren't exactly legible, but I think the idea comes across:

http://s16.divshare.com/files/2008/04/05/4181996/spoilIcon.png


http://s15.divshare.com/files/2008/04/05/4182004/spoilIcon2.png

Yeah, I know, the second one's gotta be a gif if we want to maintain transparency. Just don't have the time to convert, and Inkscape only exports to PNG.

To be honest, without undermining the great work everyone has done, that's my favourite so far. Keep up the good work everyone, I'd like to see as many different takes (S, Sp, symbol, button, etc) and as many variations on those as possible.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

You could always change it to gif in inkscape...
Huh. I seem to remember trying to export to gif by changing the extension once and getting an error message. Seems to work now.

Actually, the transparency issue could probably be avoided pretty well, since the control panel is all the same grey. I just gotta dig in the stylesheets a little more for the proper color value.

[crimson77]

While we are on the topic of spoilers. Is it ever going to be possible for the spoiler bar to say something besides "Spoiler"?

[Sneak]

While we are on the topic of spoilers. Is it ever going to be possible for the spoiler bar to say something besides "Spoiler"?

...why? lolz white text LAWLZ!!!11two!!one!

[Shhalahr Windrider]

...why?
Among other things, to allow better differentiation between speculation and actual spoilers.

I'd also appreciate being able to tag the box directly with a label indicating whatever subject is being spoiled.

For instance, if I see a spoiler vox in the OotS forum, it can often be vague wether it's speculation on future events in the online comic, an actual spoiler from Start of Darkness, details from On the Origin of PCs, or maybe jokes from the bonus comics in any of the compilation books.

Sure, we could encourage people to clearly label any of those subjects with regular text just before the box, but I think giving an attribute that labels the box directly may be more elegant and attractive. It would also be more useful for "spoilers" inside signatures, where visual real estate is an even more precious commodity.

[Sneak]

Hmm. Well, I guess that makes sense. I don't visit the OOTS forum much, so I wouldn't know much about that.

I don't think it's really necessary because of the reasons you stated, but if it's not too difficult then there's no real reason it shouldn't be done.

[crimson77]

...why? lolz white text LAWLZ!!!11two!!one!

I would like to be able to label things so that people know what is under the spoiler. I personally think it would be more aesthetically pleasing to have everything grouped together instead of putting text above.

To better answer your question, I personally tend to use a lot of spoilers in my pbp games. I would like to put things like [What Rylen sees] in the actual box so there is no confusion.

However, I know that the board programmers work on this board in their free time so something like this might not be feasible given more pressing concerns.

[Another_Poet]

Hi. I was directed by an administrator to post in this thread, even though it is a rather old thread now.

I would like to second, third and fourth the request for a spoiler button. I think any and all of the buttons that have been designed so far would work great. The SP in a circle is my favourite. But more important which button gets chosen, I just hope there will be a spoiler button in the near future. It would make life much easier.

I would also love to be able to tag spoiler boxes with something like

Thanks to everybody who has been working on this stuff already...

ap

[DoomITP]

here is my shot at the spoiler button that I would love so much.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u186/megadoomer45/spoilers.png

[Supagoof]

Though the S type is nice, it might be mistaken for the strikethrough feature , which is not a button but may someday be. As for imagery, I was thinking that perhaps a tomato or rotten tomato might be appropriate.

Of course, I can't draw worth a hoot, so I'll leave that up to the truly talented. Just me putting in my two cents if anyone wants to run with it. :smallsmile:

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

Supagoof, what do you think this http://www.giantitp.com/forums/images/buttons/strike.gif is for?

[Zherog]

decoration. Isn't it obvious that's what it's for. Sheesh. :P

[DoomITP]

dont mock our use of the letter S :smallmad:

[NerfTW]

Though the S type is nice, it might be mistaken for the strikethrough feature


I think it would be quite obvious that it's not strikethrough when the word "spoiler" appears in the tag instead of just an "s".

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Supagoof, what do you think this http://www.giantitp.com/forums/images/buttons/strike.gif is for?
I think that there will be plenty of people that won't be looking at every icon to compare and contrast.


I think it would be quite obvious that it's not strikethrough when the word "spoiler" appears in the tag instead of just an "s".
Assuming that the writer is far enough in the game to be paying attention to which tags the button is inserting.

Also, if your the type that doesn't internalize the two different buttons after only one or two mistakes, it will get quite annoying having to fix that over and over again.

EDIT:
Just realized that my image host has messed around with my file URLs and the image links to my proposed examples are broken. I'm fixing them right now.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

I think that there will be plenty of people that won't be looking at every icon to compare and contrast.

Assuming that the writer is far enough in the game to be paying attention to which tags the button is inserting.

Also, if your the type that doesn't internalize the two different buttons after only one or two mistakes, it will get quite annoying having to fix that over and over again.


True, but if they are next to each other people might figure it out.

If they do not and are unable to learn they can still type it out like now, so I still think S is the best idea so far...

[NerfTW]

If the writer isn't able to notice the difference between one letter and seven, there will be a lot more problems with his post than a giant spoiler box in the middle.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

If the writer isn't able to notice the difference between one letter and seven, there will be a lot more problems with his post than a giant spoiler box in the middle.
Yeah, well my brain will hurt less if we can help keep out even one problem. :smalltongue:

[RTGoodman]

I came up with a relatively simple idea for this back when this thread first started, but I never really got around to making it until just now. How's this look?


http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd40/rtg0922/SpoilerButton.png

Spoiler for reference.

It doesn't say "Spoiler" or anything, but there's not anything you could really mistake it for unless you decide to add a "Random Formatting" button or something :smalltongue:

It's not in .GIF format (since apparently saving something as a GIF in MS Paint screws with the image, and Photoshop won't LET me save as one), but I think it works for a rough example, at least.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

The problem that I see with that emblem is it really doesn't fit with the idea of spoilers, in any way I can see.

And, I'm off to bed. Night!

[RTGoodman]

Well, spoilers are supposed to be secrets, and question marks are rather mysterious (and the best single character I can think of that fits). Makes sense to me, at least.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

It's not in .GIF format (since apparently saving something as a GIF in MS Paint screws with the image, and Photoshop won't LET me save as one), but I think it works for a rough example, at least.
For Photoshop: use "Save For Web" if you aren't getting it in the normal Save As box.


Well, spoilers are supposed to be secrets, and question marks are rather mysterious (and the best single character I can think of that fits). Makes sense to me, at least.
Makes sense to me, too.

[Zherog]

First thing I thought of when I saw the question mark was "help." *shrug*

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

First thing I thought of when I saw the question mark was "help." *shrug*

Press F1 for spoiler box! :smallwink:

[Renegade Paladin]

I would just like to point out that if you want to know how someone did something in a post, the most expedient method of finding out is to quote his post and see what he did. :smalltongue:

[Supagoof]

Ah, see here I was thinking it wasn't up there, but it is. :redface: Um, nevermind then. My previous post is not the post you were looking for.


When the change is made to add the spoiler button, can we move the ABC over closer to the formatting buttons (), since IMH it seems more formatting then with coding/html?

The ? is pretty cool. Maybe invert/mirror the image, then people like me won't think it's for adding [?][/?] tags? And how often do you find a backwards ??

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

The ? is pretty cool. Maybe invert/mirror the image, then people like me won't think it's for adding [?][/?] tags? And how often do you find a backwards ??

¿ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C2%BF) Was that a rhetorical question ؟

Ohhh, mark the irony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_mark).

[Another_Poet]

If "S" is confusing then let's use "Sp".

If all letters are confusing then maybe someone could make am picture of a blindfold, or even an eye patch?

Or a smiley face covering his eyes?

I'm sorry I can't contribute actual images. But at this point I would accept a completely blank button or a totally meaningles symbol as long as I could click on it to make a spoiler box :)

[Pyro]

Is this idea still on the table, because I would really like to see it happen. I use spoilers a lot more than quotes so when I heard about this I was really excited. Now it seems less likely to happen.

[Mc. Lovin']

Yeah, I'd like to see this implimented, it's annoying having to type out spoiler every time.