Default AABox template problem?

[groggory]

I'm using a fresh install of OSMAX and so far I really like the default AA Box template. I modified OSCMAX_top.jpg and OSCMAX_top_.jpg for my site but have tested this problem using the default graphics as well.

Pretty regularly when I first load up my webpage ( www.upupandawaykites.com/catalogmax ) the borders look all screwy. And they mess up if you change the text size (in IE : view>text size ) to anything larger than 'smaller'. I've gone to a few other people's sites who appear to be using the same template as I am, but they are not having the same problem. Do I need a placeholder graphic in my main body? Do I need to modify the CSS somehow to force them to always use the same font size?

What should I do?

Thanks,

Greg

[makemethis]

control the pics in the admin section...keep them to 100 pixels or less in width...there are different settings for pics in different areas...

and yes there are controls for the width of the box columns and midsection...but if you control pic size you shouldn't have to play with them...

[groggory]

I don't think its an image problem. Go to my website http://www.upupandawaykites.com/catalogmax and you'll see. Just look at the main page which by the way has almost no images at all. Change the text size like I told you, and it'll get all messed up looking.


Anyone that knows how to fix this please help!

[makemethis]

the right and left columns are 125 pixels...i did visit your site...when the kite comes up at 100 pixels...everything shows ok...when the flag pole image (which doesn't appear) comes up at 129 pixels...the site gets distorted...

you may not believe me but the problem is in the size of the pics being displayed in the right and left columns which can be controled in the admin...

next time try the advise before you give judgement...

[groggory]

I didn't mean to pass judgement, I may just be uneducated in the ways of this system. Here's what I have already, I can't find any more places to tell it to keep the image width to 100

under admin>configuration>images

Small Image Width 100
Small Image Height
Heading Image Width 57
Heading Image Height 40
Subcategory Image Width 100
Subcategory Image Height 57
Calculate Image Size true
Image Required true

Should I be changing image width somewhere else too? Or should I just be very cautious to keep my images to a width of 100?

[makemethis]

Images in the boxes...width 100 pixels or it will throw it off...very important...you can control by making your pictures 100 in width but when you need a bigger pic you are out of luck...best way is what you have which is Small Image Width 100...

FYI...when you leave the height blank...the program will resize the pic correctly when the width is set as you did with small image...

Personally...the only thing I have set is small image 100 and the bottom two at true...I control the rest of the pics when I make them...

category pics I run at 145 in width
product pics I run at 160 in width

where ever I need control...I use the small image control (for the boxes which is pretty much set straight up)

as you work...just remember that the columns are 125...center area is 480 and sometimes split into tables (as on the product_info page)...so when you do a pic and put it up...just check the page and see if it is pushing out the system and needs to be controled or resized to work...

another thing to remember...page adjusts in width...try to view it in 800 pixels and build to that (about 40% of people still use 800 pixel screens)...builiding to 800 will help you maintain a look even when it expands...

hope this helped you and good luck!

[groggory]

I just wanted to follow up with what I figured out...

My problem happened because some of my products didn't have images yet and for some reason OSC scaled them at something like 130 pixels wide. So basically you have a red x 130 pixels wide. This was happening in the 'new prodcuts' infobox on the left of the page which was pushing columns all over the place.

The fix is to either make sure you have an image for every product, or at the very least make a 'image does not exist' image to use for anything that doesn't have an image.