Custom Avatar

[bradl]

Avatars are the small images underneath your username, at the left of each post. You must be registered to use an avatar. Registered users can choose an avatar from a pre-installed library, or upload one of their own.

Uploading a Custom Avatar

First verify that you are fully registered. If it says 'validating' under your username on your posts (please make test posts in the Test Forum) - you need to complete your registration by clicking on the link in the validation email sent when you first signed up. If you lost that validation email (check to see if it's in your Junk mail folder) you can have the system send you another by clicking the 'resend validation email' link on the forum front page.

If it says 'registered' or 'registered+' under your username, you're registered. Keep reading.

Until recently, custom avatars were limited to those who had posted 365 times. I recently removed that requirement and anyone who completes registration can upload an avatar. Avatars fall under the same forum guidelines as everything else, so anything inappropriate for a family forum will be deleted without notice. Animated avatars will also be deleted as they severely degrade forum readability.

To use an avatar, use the My Controls link and look down the menu on the left side of the page. Under Personal Profile, click Edit Avatar Settings. Under Your Image Avatar, use the file browser to locate and upload an appropriate image on your computer to use as an avatar. (Maximum file size 25kb; maximum image dimensions 100x100.) After the image uploads, click the Update Avatar button. Note: very often you must reload the page or even clear your browser cache to see any change. The best way to confirm that your avatar installed successfully is to go to the Test Forum and do a test post. You can then see if your avatar displays or not.

Using a Personal Photo

There is also a larger personal photo you can upload (or link to) that only displays when people view your profile by clicking on your name. That is also found in the Personal Profile menu, under Your Personal Photo. Simply paste in the URL to an appropriate web image, or browse and upload an image from your desktop.

[jimnconnie]

Brad--

I'm trying to change my avatar. The new picture shows up in"My Controls", and is the right size but it does't come through in the test posts. Advice??????? This is the old one.

[bradl]

Have you tried emptying your browser cache and a forced-reload of the page? The avatar I see at the moment looks like maybe Sophie lifting a paw in play to Bailey? Is that the old or the new?

[Jessica H]

When I changed my avatar it took about 2-3 days for it to change when i post...

[jimnconnie]

Brad--Thanks, that is the old avatar. I don't really follow the process you describe.

Jessica--Thanks, I wondered if that might be the case.

[bradl]

How to clear your browser cache. (Instructions for various browser versions.)

Force browser to reload page: it doesn't always work, but to give it a shot, hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys while pressing the Refresh (or Reload) button. On Mac, use the Option key in place of the Ctrl key.

I pretty much always have to force reload to see my avatar changes.

I believe some ISPs (Internet Service Providers) may do some file caching whether you want them to or not - that can break expected behavior in ways I can't predict or fix. Likewise some programs that claim to be "Internet accelerators" or similar - they are often a type of caching scheme.

[jimnconnie]

Brad, you're awesome!!! Thanks very much, from a retiree from the "paper & pencil" era.

[bradl]

Update: with the recent forum software upgrade, "My Controls" is replaced with a user control box at the upper right corner. To access your avatar settings, look for the down-arrow next to your name. The down-arrow is a drop-down menu. From there, this sequence gets you to your avatar setting:

My Settings --> Profile tab --> Change avatar --> Browse button (locate file on your desktop) --> Save Changes.

Everything above about browser caches remains true.