Alternate Text for Images

[magicalwonders]

I'm working on graphics - and trying to track down where I enter the description for the alt text of various images used.

I see there is a Netquotevar: Alternatetext, and at the moment this is displaying when hovering the cursor over images!

There doesn't seem to be anywhere in the "Product details" area to input a description of image though.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Many thanks,

Myles

[Paul Bulpit]

In v7, whatever the Product Description is, becomes the 'alt' text for the associated image.

You can see this (a) by hovering over the Product Picture on a v7 site, or in 'Preview' in a browser ([Control + A]) and (b) you can confirm this with 'View Source'.

Doesn't apply to the Extended Info image though - if you want it there I think you would have to edit the html file in SiteHTML folder.




.

[magicalwonders]

In v7, whatever the Product Description is, becomes the 'alt' text for the associated image.

That doesn't seem to be working for me for some reason. As you can see from this url: http://www.magicalwonders.com/acatalog/Exclusives.shtml all I'm getting is Netquotevar: Alternatetext showing when hovering the mouse!

Oh dear...

[Paul Bulpit]

Sorry can't help then - View Source' shows your code is full of references to files on the C: drive - how did you upload to the site, I wonder?

Isn't that what you get in a Preview Page viewed locally? Perhaps Actinic sorts it out when a site is uploaded from within the software.


.

[NormanRouxel]

Very strange. Act_ProductImage.html usually contains

<!-- ProductImage HTML begin -->
<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->

<IMG SRC="NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEFILE"
	  ALT="NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT"
	  BORDER=0
	  NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEHEIGHT
	  NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEWIDTH
	  NETQUOTEVAR:OTHERIMAGEMARKUP>

<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->
<!-- ProductImage HTML end -->

But your generated pages show e.g.

<!-- ProductImage HTML begin -->
<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->

<IMG SRC="zodiaccards.jpg" align="left" hspace="6" 
	  ALT="NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT"
	  BORDER=0
	  HEIGHT=178
	  WIDTH=200
	  NETQUOTEVAR:OTHERIMAGEMARKUP>

<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->
<!-- ProductImage HTML end -->

Which implies that some NETQUOTEVAR's are being expanded and some aren't. Check your Act_ProductImage.html and compare with the one I posted.

Also I see that you're using more than one ProductImage.html Template an the same page. This isn't standard Actinic. How are you doing that?

[magicalwonders]

Hi Norman,

I've created a couple of Act_productImage templates that will wrap text to the left or right.

<!-- ProductImage HTML begin -->
<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->

<IMG SRC="NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEFILE" align="left" hspace="6" 
	  ALT="NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT"
	  BORDER=0
	  NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEHEIGHT
	  NETQUOTEVAR:IMAGEWIDTH
	  NETQUOTEVAR:OTHERIMAGEMARKUP>

<!-- This file is used to build the product image markup. -->
<!-- ProductImage HTML end -->

As far as I can see, they contain everything the original template has, except it also specifies "align left" or "Right" As the code is valid, I didn't suspect it would cause Actinic to throw a wobbly!

My product line templates use Netquatevar: Include to specify which Act_productImage template to include for the chosen layout.

It all seemed to be working so well - until I noticed the NETQUOTEVAR: ALTERNATETEXT doesn't want to play nice!

[magicalwonders]

I've just carried out some tests - and the NETQUOTEVAR: ALTERNATETEXT function seems to break the moment I specify a different ProductImage.html Template be used on the page.

As you can see at this url: http://www.magicalwonders.com/acatalog/Test.html - the first graphic shows the alt text O.K. but the second one doesn't.

I'm not sure why this is. I'm reluctant to let go of my spiffy layouts and am hoping there is some way to get this to work!

Would cutomvars be something to explore as an alternative to NETQUOTEVAR: ALTERNATETEXT ? I haven't looked at this function yet - so don't know what they can do!

Myles

[peblaco]

Netquotevar's don't work in lower case. In your code: netquotevar : otherimagemarkup

[NormanRouxel]

...and the NETQUOTEVAR: ALTERNATETEXT function seems to break the moment I specify a different ProductImage.html Template be used on the page...

How are you specifying this different Template?

[magicalwonders]

Hey Louise,

I can't see any Netquotevars in lowercase! Not sure where that's being produced. I'm seeing this when I view the code:-

<IMG SRC="freewill.jpg" align="right" hspace="6" 
	  ALT="NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT"
	  BORDER=0
	  HEIGHT=150
	  WIDTH=200
	  NETQUOTEVAR:OTHERIMAGEMARKUP>

But the good news is..... I've got it working! Ta daaaaa! I've used alt="NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTNAME" in my alternative Act_productImage template, and so far...Happy Days!

I'll upload the result and then I'm off to bed!

Thanks for the tip about NQV's and lower case. I'll watch out for that.

Best wishes,

Myles

[magicalwonders]

Sorry Norman, just spotted your post.

I have several productline layout templates and call in the ProductImage.html Templates by using a NQV:INCLUDE

E.g.

NETQUOTEVAR:INCLUDE Act_ProductImageright.html

or

NETQUOTEVAR:INCLUDE Act_ProductImageleft.html

At the moment, one of the files contains

ALT="NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT"

and the other

alt="NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTNAME"

This combo seems to work O.K. But I'll carry out some more testing to see what does and what doesn't!

Myles

[NormanRouxel]

Ahah! As I suspected, a non standard (but neat) way of doing things. Unfortunately, in V7 many NETQUOTEVARS only work in the templates they're intended to be in. And NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT is one of these.

You could probably do what you need by having a single normal Act_ProductImage.html and wrapping the NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTIMAGE within different <div class="leftimage"> and <div class="rightimage"> as required.

[Mark H]

That doesn't seem to be working for me for some reason. As you can see from this url: http://www.magicalwonders.com/acatalog/Exclusives.shtml all I'm getting is Netquotevar: Alternatetext showing when hovering the mouse!

Oh dear...

I don't know whether you've cured this overnight, but your ALTs are working OK for me in the above link.

[magicalwonders]

Thanks Norman,

I hadn't thought of using CSS. That would have been a more elegant solution.

Unfortunately, in V7 many NETQUOTEVARS only work in the templates they're intended to be in. And NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT is one of these.

This seems to be the case. In my last post I said that NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT was working in conjunction with NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTNAME - It turns out I was mistaken. NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT won't work with the method I'm using.

NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTNAME does work though and produces exactly the same result expected of NETQUOTEVAR:ALTERNATETEXT .

I'm a bit disappointed however that the alt-text is merely a repeat of the product name. This (IMHO) doesn't really measure up to the purpose of "alternate text". It's not exactly descriptive!

I think I will still explore CustomVars and see if I can get something better working.

Best wishes,

Myles

[magicalwonders]

I don't know whether you've cured this overnight, but your ALTs are working OK for me in the above link.

Hello Mark,
You must have missed my previous post....

But the good news is..... I've got it working! Ta daaaaa! I've used alt="NETQUOTEVAR:PRODUCTNAME" in my alternative Act_productImage template, and so far...Happy Days!

I'll upload the result and then I'm off to bed!

Best wishes,

Myles