InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "NaNoWriMo has eaten my soul"

Overrides are sections of code that can be used to modify certain parts of your journal. They are inserted into the Style Overrides box near the bottom of the Modify Journal page (http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml).

They are used to set exceptions to the system styles, and as such involve limitations and complications. If you are interested in dramatically changing the appearance of your journal style, you can much more easily and thoroughly accomplish such changes through direct use of the style system (http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=43) via an Early Inmate, "Self-committed" [paid] or Permanently Insane account (http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=27).

The only HTML elements that can be used in the *_HEAD overrides are those elements that are valid in the head of a HTML document. This is limited to <title>, <base>, <style>, <link>, and <meta>. All other elements are stripped. If your overrides are not changing the look of your journal, that is most likely the reason.

There is more information available on overrides, as well as tutorials for using overrides, in the following locations:

For more basic tutorials and information:
http://www.insanejournal.com/userinfo.bml?user=howto

To learn how to change your font:
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=101

To learn how to insert a background image:
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=48

To learn how to set the number of entries that appear in a view:
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=56

To learn how to change the wording of your comments links:
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=15

There are a number of ways to use the override system. The above links describe only some of these ways. Due to the potential diversity and complexity of all available overrides, it would be impossible to officially support them all.

PLEASE NOTE: You can only have one override for each variable. If you have more than one change that you want to make to a variable, you will need to merge your overrides for that variable into one override (http://www.insanejournal.com/community/howto/1020.html).

All InsaneJournal users have the ability to customize what their comment links say.

-- Early Inmates, Self-committed [paid] and Permanently Insane users can create or copy a style. From within their style, they can edit the TALK_LINKS and TALK_READLINK directly [http://www.insanejournal.com/styles/edit.bml]. For assistance on creating a custom style, see [http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=43].

-- All InsaneJournal users, free and paid alike, can also use override codes to change their comment links. Override codes are to be pasted into the "Style Overrides" box at the bottom of the Modify Journal page [http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml].

The override codes to be used are dependent upon the layout style you are using. The codes in this FAQ are grouped according to the layout style that they are compatible with. Note that each group of codes contains 3 smaller sets of codes:

* The first for your LASTN (Most Recent Events) view.
* The second for your FRIENDS view.
* The third for your DAY (via your Calendar) view.

At most, you should only be using one set of codes for your LASTN view, one for your FRIENDS, and one for your DAY view. If you have more than one style in use on your journal (for example, Generator for your LASTN view and Magazine for your FRIENDS), BE SURE to choose the correct overrides ONLY for that view, using our example, taking the first set (LASTN) from the second override codes (Generator) and the second set (FRIENDS) from the first override codes.


The overrides as they appear below will change your comments links to something like "(2 messages | leave a message)."

Within the codes, look for the words "leave a message". You can change these words to whatever you want, and they will replace the standard "comment on this" link text in your journal.

Then, look for the part of the code that looks like this: message%%mc-plural-s%%

The word "message" would be the word that gets pluralized when you have more than one comment. Change that word to what you want. Before that word, you'll see %%messagecount%%, which simply displays the number you see whenever you have comments.

%%mc-plural-s%% is what automatically pluralizes the word for you, when needed.

However, if your word needs to end in "es", like "kisses", replace %%mc-plural-s%% with %%mc-plural-es%%, like so: kiss%%mc-plural-es%% . If your word ends with "y" and thus needs to be pluralized with "ies", as in "replies", use %%mc-plural-ies%% instead of %%mc-plural-s%%, like so: repl%%mc-plural-ies%% .


Listed below are the override codes. The first group of overrides is compatible with the "Default InsaneJournal", "Punquin Elegant w/ Sidebar", "Notepad", "Refried Paper", "Clean and Simple", "Disjointed", and "Magazine" styles. If you are using the "Generator" or "Tabular Indent" styles, take the appropriate codes from the two labeled sections that follow after.

LASTN_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> |
<=LASTN_TALK_READLINK
LASTN_TALK_LINKS<=
<P ALIGN="right" CLASS="comments"><FONT FACE="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"
SIZE=1>(%%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>></FONT></P>
<=LASTN_TALK_LINKS

FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> |
<=FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK
FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS<=
<P ALIGN="RIGHT" CLASS="><FONT FACE="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"
SIZE=1>(%%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>)</FONT></P>
<=FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS

DAY_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> |
<=DAY_TALK_READLINK
DAY_TALK_LINKS<=
<P ALIGN="RIGHT" class="comments"><FONT FACE="Verdana,Arial,Helvetica"
SIZE=1>(%%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>)</FONT></P>
<=DAY_TALK_LINKS


This group of override codes is compatible ONLY with the "Generator" style.

LASTN_TALK_READLINK<=
<a href="%%urlread%%"><b>%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</b></a>|
<=LASTN_TALK_READLINK
LASTN_TALK_LINKS<=
<tr>
<td align="right" colspan="2" width="100%" bgcolor="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
%%readlink%%<a href="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</a>
</td>
</tr>
<=LASTN_TALK_LINKS

FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK<=
<a href="%%urlread%%"><b>%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</b></a>|
<=FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK
FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS<=
<tr>
<td align="right" colspan="2" width="100%" bgcolor="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
%%readlink%%<a href="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</a>
</td>
</tr>
<=FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS

DAY_TALK_READLINK<=
<a href="%%urlread%%"><b>%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</b></a>|
<=DAY_TALK_READLINK
DAY_TALK_LINKS<=
<tr>
<td align="right" colspan="2" width="100%" bgcolor="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
%%readlink%%<a href="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</a>
</td>
</tr>
<=DAY_TALK_LINKS


This group of override codes is compatible ONLY with the "Tabular Indent" style.

LASTN_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> -
<=LASTN_TALK_READLINK
LASTN_TALK_LINKS<=
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
<FONT COLOR="%%color:weak_text%%">
<NOBR>
Comments: %%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>.
</NOBR>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<=LASTN_TALK_LINKS

FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> -
<=FRIENDS_TALK_READLINK
FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS<=
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
<FONT COLOR="%%color:weak_text%%">
<NOBR>
Comments: %%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>.
</NOBR>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<=FRIENDS_TALK_LINKS

DAY_TALK_READLINK<=
<A HREF="%%urlread%%">%%messagecount%% message%%mc-plural-s%%</A> -
<=DAY_TALK_READLINK
DAY_TALK_LINKS<=
<TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="%%color:weak_back%%" class="comments">
<FONT COLOR="%%color:weak_text%%">
<NOBR>
Comments: %%readlink%%<A HREF="%%urlpost%%">leave a message</A>.
</NOBR>
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<=DAY_TALK_LINKS

Go to your Modify Journal page (http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml). Scroll down to the bottom and use the override code found below in your "Overrides" box.

Note that if you are using more than one GLOBAL_HEAD override (such as a font override and a background override together), you will need to merge them together (http://www.insanejournal.com/community/howto/1020.html).


GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
background-image: url(http://www.your-website.com/image.jpg) !important;
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD


Within the code, "http://www.your-website.com/image.jpg" must be replaced by the actual URL of the image you want to use as your background.

Any image you wish to add must first be uploaded to a webspace provider that allows remote loading. Please see fhttp://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=47 or information on image loading requirements.


On some newer browsers, background images can be "fixed," so that the image will not move as you scroll down the page. To do this, just add "; background-attachment:fixed" to the middle line of the above override code, like this:


GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
background-image: url(http://www.your-website.com/image.jpg) !important;
background-attachment: fixed !important;
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD

There are hard and easy ways to change the font in your journal.

If you have an Early Inmate, "Self-committed" [paid] or Permanently Insane account, then you might want to consider creating your own style. You can read more about that at http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=43 .

An easier way is to go to your Modify Journal page (http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml) while logged in (http://www.insanejournal.com/login.bml).

At the bottom there is a box where you can enter style overrides. In that box you can enter CSS style rules as part of the GLOBAL_HEAD element of your journal, which affects all of your journal pages (recent, friends, calendar, day).

Note that if you are using more than one GLOBAL_HEAD override (such as a font override and a background override together), that the overrides will need to be merged together (http://www.insanejournal.com/community/howto/1020.html).

(Remember that font names may be case-sensitive, and must be spelled correctly, with any spaces in the correct places, in order to work properly):


GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body, td, font, div, p {
font-family: "Century Gothic", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD


If you would also like to change the size of your font, you can include this CSS rule:

GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body, td, font, div, p {
font-size: 12pt;
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD


Combined they would be:

GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body, td, font, div, p {
font-family: "Century Gothic", "Arial", "Helvetica", sans-serif;
font-size: 12pt;
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD


If you are using the Refried Paper system style, this method will not work for you.

To change the number of journal entries that show up on your "Recent Entries" and "Friends" page, first go to the Modify Journal page (http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml).

Scroll down to the "style overrides" section and copy the following overrides into the overrides box:


LASTN_OPT_ITEMS=>30
FRIENDS_OPT_ITEMS=>40


This example changes the number of entries on your Recent Entries page to 30, and the number of entries on your Friends page to 40. You may wish to change the numbers to other values that suit you.

For the default and maximum values of these parameters, see the following pages:

http://www.insanejournal.com/developer/varinfo.bml?LASTN_OPT_ITEMS
http://www.insanejournal.com/developer/varinfo.bml?FRIENDS_OPT_ITEMS

If you have an Early Inmate, Self-committed [paid] or Permanently Insane account, you have access to creating custom styles [http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=43]. When you create one, you will have the option of making it public or private.

Making your style public will allow anybody to view or use the style. Public styles can be searched by username at [http://www.insanejournal.com/styles/browse/]. If you are cautious about certain users using your styles without permission, please do not make your styles public.

To make a style public or private, visit [http://www.insanejournal.com/styles/edit.bml] and choose to edit that style.

At the Edit Style page, under the box for the name of your style, you will find a heading labeled "Style Options". There will be a checkbox for the "Public?" setting. If you want to make it public, click it. If not, make sure the box is unchecked. Then, save your style.

The most common problem with overrides is invalid CSS syntax and/or improper construction of InsaneJournal overrides. In order for overrides to function correctly, they must not only be proper CSS (Cascading Style Sheet) syntax, but be in the proper format for use on InsaneJournal.

Proper CSS syntax involves the following elements. (As an example, we will use the override for adding a background image.) If any of these elements are missing, your style sheets will not function properly, and your journal may not display.


* A style sheet declaration
<style type="text/css">

* An "opening comment" tag, so that older browsers do not attempt to render the stylesheet as HTML
<!--

* The HTML element you wish to declare, with opening braces
body {

* The CSS declaration that should be applied to that element, with semicolon (;) at the end
background-image: url(http://www.example.com/image.jpg);

* Closing braces
}

* A "closing comment" tag
-->

* An end style sheet declaration
</style>

Placing this all together, it looks like this:

<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
background-image: url(http://www.example.com/image.jpg);
}
-->
</style>


This is simply an overview of CSS. For further information, including lists of what HTML elements can be declared and what CSS specifications can be used, you can consult a HTML and CSS reference.

If you want to use more than one CSS declaration in a single override (such as multiple CSS declarations in a GLOBAL_HEAD override), you must merge those declarations together (http://www.insanejournal.com/community/howto/1020.html).

To use CSS on InsaneJournal, you must 'wrap' the CSS declarations in proper override format. For instance, to use our background override as a GLOBAL_HEAD override (causing it to display on all pages of your journal), you would need to enter this:


GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
background-image: url(http://www.example.com/image.jpg);
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD


Another common problem that will cause overrides not to work is if you try to place another override of a different type inside an existing override. For instance, placing LASTN_TALK_READLINKS inside LASTN_HEAD will cause neither to display properly. Each override block must be closed before you begin a new one. For example, a background override with a custom cursor on your LASTN page only would have to be entered like this:


GLOBAL_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
body {
background-image: url(http://www.example.com/image.jpg);
}
-->
</style>
<=GLOBAL_HEAD

LASTN_HEAD<=
<style type="text/css">
<!--
a:hover {
cursor: crosshair;
}
-->
</style>
<=LASTN_HEAD


Note that the GLOBAL_HEAD override is closed before the LASTN_HEAD override is opened.

Finally, if your overrides are in the correct format and are still not displaying on your journal, make sure that you have saved the overrides after entering them, and then refresh your journal. Your browser may be displaying a cached, or locally stored, copy of your journal. Refreshing your journal will cause your browser to pick up the most recent copy of your page from the servers.


"Self-committed" [paid] and Permanently Insane account holders, as well as Early Inmates, can create custom styles rather than using overrides. This process is described in http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=43 .


Further references:

"What are overrides? How do they work?"
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=100

"In what other ways can I customize my journal?"
http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=102

The most common cause of this problem is that you have entered overrides in the wrong format, or you are missing one or more required tags in your overrides.

It is particularly important to make sure that all of your comment opening tags () and that all of your tags. A missing comment closing tag or </style> tag in your CSS style declarations will cause your journal not to display.

For more information on proper syntax of overrides, including all necessary tags, please see http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=103 .

If you require further help with CSS syntax, you can search for "CSS tutorial" in your favorite search engine. Once you have determined the cause of the problem, you will need to edit your overrides at the Modify Journal page (http://www.insanejournal.com/modify.bml) to include the missing tags or correct the syntax.

In addition to having the proper syntax, your overrides must be properly merged (http://www.insanejournal.com/community/howto/1020.html).

It's also possible that your journal is temporarily displaying improperly (or not displaying at all) because of high load on InsaneJournal's servers. For information about this problem, please see http://www.insanejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=60 . If this is the case, waiting a few minutes and refreshing the page will often cause it to display properly.