Monday, August 18, 2008

Craigslist/Newsletter SOP

SOP
This 4 Step SOP is very complicated, took us a few days to go through. However, it is simple to execute, once you know it.

1. creating banner templates
banners = ccBanner.png + bgBanner.png

2. creating base pages

3. more pages by banner variation
  • export all slice images in .gif format, the cc message images to set as non-transparent, the rest of bg image to set as transparent.
  • upload the server/images folder to server's server/images folder(http://plus247.net/server/images)
  • replace all 'src="images/' with 'src="http://plus247.net/server/images/
  • copy the containing table inside the reference cc_#x.htm, and replace at the center <>
  • save as an cc_page instance , cc#.htm
  • repeat this step for more bg pages with different layer combination

4 more messages by page variation

  • instanciate posting.htm by incresing the pic seq # (keep track of the seq set#, no duplication)
  • save as c#_seq#.htm
Rules

Step 1 Banner creation
  • standard banner dimension: 600x300, except those "sticking out/in/sideway"
  • to have different image looks: great background, nice vectors
  • the banner template is to provide a framework for different images, the image rules:
  • -- do not use the same single actor
  • -- use "working people" instead of just people
  • -- use scene from different time i.e. season, sunset, dawn scenery
  • -- use "transportation" instead of just plane
  • -- use "group" instead of individuals
  • -- use vector art in white on dark, or dark on white (dezignus_templates.rar - Vector Images in PNG format)

Step 2 Page Creation
  • extract from the cc_pages,
  • remove the coupon and excess infoBoxes
  • fix: Craigslist limitations: p tag float, contact reference url, image url, header title, b/w letter contrast,..., i.e. convert div to table.
  • merge banner with the cc page to a full html pages
  • cc_pages/ holds 000-999 templates
  • 000-399 is sloted for templates with no banners, hence simply selecting from existing pages
  • the postfix x, e.g. 400x, is the reference for the next 5, 400, 401,...,404, banner variations

Step 3 Banner Variation
  • change both the html and banner template settings:
  • -- layer selection
  • -- alpha on the mask
  • -- color, border, background,...etc.
  • do not touch the text or internal images (inside the .html) yet
  • target to have finished 70 templates
  • try to stick with one process would be easier, i.e. the same banner slicing and adding the code of the sliced image to the target template

Step 4 Page Variation
  • each cc_page template will contain 11 messages
  • 70 cc_page template can result more than 500 messages by picture variations
  • use flash extraction to get a lot of different bg and thumbnails
  • -- layer selection
  • -- alpha on the mask
  • -- color, border, background,...etc.
  • select from the standard Components
  • -- standard 150 px width image libraries: http://plus247.net/artworks/biz (also lux, lzr, obj, tek, tvl)
  • -- standard page background image library: http//plus247.net/artworks/bg


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