F.A.Q.

Please click on any of the subject lines below for online help.  If the answer given doesn't resolve your problem, or your question isn't listed, please email us at faq@easycms.co.za and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

[ Email ]  [ Future Development ]  [ Getting Started ]  [ Intermediate / Advanced ]  [ Miscellaneous ]  [ Responsive (mobile friendly) sites ]  [ Troubleshooting ]  [ Working with Files and Uploads/Downloads ]  [ Working with Links ]  [ Working with Photos ]  [ Working with Text ]  

Email

• What is the difference between POP and IMAP for receiving emails?
  

  What is the difference between POP and IMAP for receiving emails?

  There are two common protocols for accessing incoming email messages, which can usually be specified when you set up the email account in your email software.
  
  Although POP was almost universally used in the past, in more recent times IMAP has become the default for most email clients.
  
  To summarise the difference between the two;
  
  POP (or POP3) - Post Office Protocol
  
  Your email is downloaded to your local device (normally a PC or laptop), then deleted from the server. Uses Port 110 as standard for incoming mail server.
  
  Advantages:
    - You can read downloaded emails even if offline.
  
  Disadvantages:
    - Once downloaded, you can't access an email from a different device.
    - You must make your own provision for backups.
  
  
  IMAP - lnternet Message Access Protocol
  
  Your email is stored on the server. Uses Port 143 as standard for incoming mail server.
  
  Advantages:
    - Your email is accessible from multiple devices, eg PC, phone, tablet, etc.
    -  Your service provider may make backups that are accessible to you if needed. **  (Our server is backed up daily, and these backups are stored for 2 weeks).
  
  Disadvantages:
    - You may need to be online to read your emails (unless you have copied them to a local folder).
    - If you receive a large volume of email you can easily exceed the disk allowance of your hosting account and may incur extra monthly charges.
  
  ** Even if your ISP does make backups, it is always recommended to make your own regular backups that are stored at another location.

Future Development

• How can I add 'standing' or recurring events to the 'Events' page?
  

  How can I add 'standing' or recurring events to the 'Events' page?

  Posted 29th September 2008 by Rory - www.bwbchurch.co.za

  • Added to list for future development

Getting Started

• How do I add content to my website using the database modules?
  

  How do I add content to my website using the database modules?

  You can access your online admin panel at https://www.yourdomainname/admin/
  (Replace 'yourdomainname' with the name of your registered domain with us)
  
  Log in with your username and password.

  
  To Add Events:

  1. Under the Active Modules menu, click Events [Add].
  2. Enter the information for your event (you don't have to complete all the fields - the only required ones are Heading, Date events starts, and Full Description).
  3. Click to submit - your event will now display on the website until the date of the event.

  NOTES:

  1. You only need to enter an End Date if it is different to the Start Date (in other words, the event takes place over more than one day).
  2. When you click on Start Date or End Date, a pop-up calendar will appear for you to make your selection.
  3. The Full Description field works similar to a word processor - you can make text  bold, change font size, add pictures, etc.  It is advisable not to make too many changes to the fonts to keep the appearance of the website standardised.  ** See Related Topics below
  4. The Events page on the 'public' part of the website automatically does not display events that are already past, so you don't have to remove them yourself.
  5. If you want to change info for an event you have already added, go to Events [Update | Delete ] from the main admin page.
  6. If the "Submit to SA Churchnet" box displays and is checked, your event details will automatically be submitted to us for possible inclusion on our SA Churchnet website.

  ====================================
   

  To Add News:

  1. Under the Active Modules menu, click News [Add].
  2. Enter the information for your news item (you don't have to complete all the fields - the only required ones are Heading and Message).
  3. Click to submit - your news will now display on the website, with the newest one at the top of the page.

  NOTES:

  1. The Message field works similar to a word processor - you can make text  bold, change font size, add pictures, etc.  It is advisable not to make too many changes to the fonts to keep the appearance of the website standardised.  ** See Related Topics below
  2. If required, you can add a file to the news item: from Link to File select a file already on the server from the drop down menu, or click the Browse button to upload a file from your PC.  Most popular file types are supported, maximum file size 5Mb. You can also add you own custom Link text if required, otherwise the link will display on the site with the words Click here to download this News item.
  3. If you want to make changes to a news item you have already added, go to News [ Update | Delete ] from the main admin page.

  ====================================
   

  To Add Sermons / Teachings:

  1. Under the Active Modules menu, click Teachings [Add].
  2. Enter the information for your teaching (you don't have to complete all the fields - the only required ones are Heading and Message).
  3. Click to submit - your teaching will now display on the website, with the newest one at the top of the page.

  NOTES:

  1. The Message field works similar to a word processor - you can make text  bold, change font size, add pictures, etc.  It is advisable not to make too many changes to the fonts to keep the appearance of the website standardised.  ** See Related Topics below
  2. If you want to provide a document or audio file for a teaching, these files need to be uploaded separately and the details added to the Linked File and Linked Text fields.  Part of our future system development is to streamline this process.  In the meantime, click here for further info if this function is required.
  3. To change info for a teaching you have already added, go to Teachings [ Update | Delete ] from the main admin page.

  
  Related Topics:

  How do I add pictures to my page? How do I create a link in my page?
  
  How do I 'manually' upload files using the Edit Window?
  
  How do I copy and paste content from a MS Word document?
  
  [Last updated 4th February 2017]
• How do I manage my Guestbook entries?
  

  How do I manage my Guestbook entries?

  When someone submits an entry to your Guestbook, it appears in the Active Modules section of your admin panel (Guestbook ..... x to validate].

  1. Click on the validate link
  2. Choose update from the list that appears
  3. Edit the entry if applicable
  4. Check the Display box
  5. Click to Submit - the entry will then appear on the public Guestbook page.

  Or if it is an unwanted entry, simply delete from the list, The validate list also gives you the option to delete multiple entries at the same time if required.
  
  You can unfortunately expect to receive a large number of spam submissions, many of which will appear to be making complimentary comments account your site but which closer examination should show are computer-generated rubbish.
  
  Our Guestbook system includes filters that will remove potentially harmful code from spam submissions and we are looking at ways to further reduce the problem.

• How do I update content of full pages?
  

  How do I update content of full pages?

  1. Under the Custom Pages menu, select the page you want to update [Update]

  2. Enter the information for your page (you don't have to complete all the fields). 

  3. The Message field works similar to a word processor - You can type in text, make text bold, add headings, create lists, add pictures, etc.  Whatever appears in the "word processor" window is what will appear on the "public" web page.  It is advisable not to make too many changes to the fonts so as to maintain the styling that has been set for your website. See tips below for more info.

  4. Click to submit (your page will now be updated on the website) 
      

  IMPORTANT TIPS:

  1. As far as possible, avoid using different font types in your text.
      
  2. 1.0em is the standard font size set for your website. Always use this for most of your text.
      
  3. For page or paragraph headings, use one of the heading styles from the Format menu, normally H2, H3 or H4 depending on the position on the page / importance of the heading.
      
  4. If at all possible, avoid pasting text from Microsoft Word or similar - this usually contains a large amount of non-standard text styling that can break the display of your website.  Rather paste into the webpage as plain text, then reformat in the web editor. (see here for more info)      
       
  5. When adding images to your page, always resize them using a suitable image editor before uploading, or use the Resize and Upload Images tool on your Admin Panel. (see here for more info)   

   

  NOTES:

  1. You can't delete complete pages from the Admin Panel - please contact us for this. 

  2. The Page Title is the heading that appears at the top of the page on the website.

  3. The Title for Admin Index is the name that appears in the list on the Admin Panel - you can enter something here that makes it easy to identify the page in the list. 

  4. META Description and META Keywords are tools that help search engines find your pages. 

  
  [Last updated 21st September 2018]

• My new website is ready - how do I start to update it myself?
  

  My new website is ready - how do I start to update it myself?

  (In the examples below, replace 'your-domain.co.za' with the name of your registered domain with us)
  
  Your website is now ready for your input and can go 'live' to the public any time you are ready.
  
  To add or update website content, go to http://www.your-domain.co.za/admin/

    Username (all lowercase) :
    Password :

  With our Content Management System, any changes you make to the website will be immediately visible once you click the "Click to submit" button.

  You will see that your admin panel is divided into two sections, Custom Pages and Active Modules.
   

  Custom Pages (left hand column)

  With these pages, you edit the page directly, exactly as it appears in the centre "content" area of your website.
  
  Help article: How do I update content of full pages?

  
  

  Active Modules (right hand column)

  This column will display a number of modules as per your specification (eg Events, News, Photo Gallery, Links, etc).  
  
  In this case you do not edit the page directly.  Instead, entries to a module are made one by one, and your system will then automatically construct the page your visitors will see.
  
  Help Article: How do I add content to my website using the database modules?
  
   

  Other useful articles while getting started:

  Index of Online Help: http://www.easycms.co.za/faq.php
  
  Adding Photo Galleries and Photos

  How do I add pictures to my page?
  
  How do I create a link in my page?
  
  How do I 'manually' upload files using the Edit Window?
  
  How do I copy and paste content from a MS Word document?
  
  How do I access my web traffic statistics ('hit counter')

Intermediate / Advanced

• How do I add extra pages to my website? (FOR ADMINISTRATORS ONLY)
  

  How do I add extra pages to my website? (FOR ADMINISTRATORS ONLY)

  1. On your Admin Panel under the System Administrator Only section (bottom right), click on New Pages : [Add]

  2. Enter the Page Filename WITHOUT the .php extension ( eg  mynewpage ).  NB Use only letters, numbers, _ or -   DO NOT use spaces or any other characters.

  3. Enter the Page Title (header that appears on the page) - optional.

  4. Enter the Title for Admin Index - descriptive heading so you can identify the page on your Admin Panel.

  5. Enter META Description and META Keywords to assist with search engine registration - optional.

  6. Add Page Content.

  7. <Click to Submit>

• How to paste html code into your pages (intermediate / advanced)
  

  How to paste html code into your pages (intermediate / advanced)

  • Copy the code (highlight the code, then <Ctrl><C> or right click with your mouse)

  • In your edit window, locate the place on your page where you want the external coontent to appear.

  • Click on the Source button

  • Paste the code (<Ctrl V> or right click with your mouse)

  • [ Click to submit ]

  • The content should now appear where required
     

Miscellaneous

• How can I view my email?
  

  How can I view my email?

  Need more help? Try here: http://www.hetzner.co.za/helpcentre/index.php/email-setup

  (In the examples below, replace 'your-domain.co.za' with the name of your registered domain with us)

  You can view your email in two ways:
  
  1) We provide a web-based interface to your mailbox, called 'WebMail'.  This enables you to view, compose, reply and manage your email from any internet connection.

  • You can access WebMail from  http://mail.your-domain.co.za

  • Enter option Webmail

  • Enter your E-Mail address (eg. mymail@your-domain.co.za) followed by the associated password (eg. passwd1)

  
  2) You can install and configure your own email client software (eg Outlook or Thunderbird) to download your email directly to your own computer via POP3/SMTP.

  The configuration settings you will need are listed below:

  Incoming POP Server:  pop.your-domain.co.za (port 110)
  Outgoing SMTP Server:  smtp.your-domain.co.za (port 587)
  Username:  email address (of the mailbox you wish to access)
  Password:  your email account's password

  Note:  If SMTP authentication is not catered for by your mail program, please use the SMTP server delegated by your Internet Service Provider instead (smtp.your-isp.co.za).

  Important Hints:

  • It is possible to use our mailservers to send your outgoing email. We use 'SMTP Authentication' (see below for more info) to identify legitimate clients and allow them to send mail.  If you cannot or do not wish to use your dial-up ISP's mailservers to send email, you may use smtp.your-domain.com (where your-domain.com is the name of your registered domain with us).  The same username and password used to retrieve your mail will apply for outgoing mail authentication.

  • Some email programs can check POP3 as well as other types of mailboxes.  If your program asks you which type of mailbox you are using, select the option for POP3 email.  POP3 email is already the default for most programs.

  
  In order to enable SMTP authentication, please follow these steps within your email client:

  Using Outlook (XP & 2003) -

  1. Click 'Tools' from the email client menu

  2. Select 'Email accounts'

  3. From the pop-up, select 'View or change existing account'

  4. Click 'Next' (provided the account does indeed exist on your local PC)

  5. Select applicable email account and click 'Change'

  6. Click the 'More Settings' button

  7. Select the 'Outgoing server' tab

  8. Ensure that the first option, 'My outgoing server requires authentication' and the second option 'Use same settings as my incoming mail server' is checked on

  9. Select the 'Advanced' tab

  10. Set the Outgoing Server (SMTP) Port to 587

  11. The Incoming Server (POP) Port should be set to the default setting, 110

  12. Click 'OK' to save these settings

  13. Click 'Next' and 'Finish'

  Using Outlook Express (4 - 6) -

  1. Click 'Tools' from the email client menu

  2. Select 'Accounts'

  3. From the pop-up, select the 'Mail' tab

  4. Click 'Properties'.

  5. Select the 'Servers' tab

  6. Ensure that the checkbox for 'My server requires authentication' is checked on

  7. Click the 'Settings' button next to 'My server requires authentication'

  8. Ensure that the first option, 'Use same settings as outgoing server', is selected

  9. Select the 'Advanced' tab

  10. Set the Outgoing Server (SMTP) Port to 587

  11. The Incoming Server (POP) Port should be set to the default setting, 110

  12. Click 'OK' to save these settings

  13. Click 'OK' and 'Close'

  
  Need more help? Try here: http://www.hetzner.co.za/helpcentre/index.php/email-setup

• How do I access my web traffic statistics ('hit counter')
  

  How do I access my web traffic statistics ('hit counter')

  You can access stats regarding your website traffic as follows:
  
  1) Go to https://mail.yourdomainname
  
  2) Control Panel >   Domain: yourdomainname    Password: yourserverpassword    [Login]
  
  3) Statistics & Reports >  AW Stats

  • Important statistics to note are Unique Visitors / Number of visits and Pages. 

  • "Hits" is not really of much value, as every single picture, file or page on your website counts as one "hit" - therefore one page full of photos could count as 20 or more "hits". 

  • Navigation: Viewed will show you which individual pages visitors are going to.

• How do I add a video clip to my website?
  

  How do I add a video clip to my website?

  • We will install an embedded video player to your hosting account.  Contact support to enable video player

  • Your video must be in Flash Video format (flv). 

  • Avidemux is a free open source video editing program to resize your clip and convert it to flv its existing format.  Download Avedimux here

  • Reduce the video resolution to a suitable size: normally from 240 x 320 pixels

  • Once converted, file size of the clip should be no more than about 10 or 15Mb.

  • Upload the video clip to the server using FileZilla (or your regular FTP client)

  • Copy and paste html code into the page where you want the player to display Contact support for assistance
    

   

  (Help topic under development)

• How do I find out if a domain name is already registered?
  

  How do I find out if a domain name is already registered?

  You can check information about registered domains at the following addresses:

  • .co.za domains  -   http://co.za/whois.shtml 

  • .org.za doamins  -  http://org.za 

  • Other domains (.com, .org, etc.)  -  http://www.checkdomain.com
     

• How does the EasyCMS pricing work?
  

  How does the EasyCMS pricing work?

  Our EasyCMS website package allows users to update their own website content from a password-protected web admin panel.
  
  In all cases, there is a monthly web hosting charge of R99 per month (one month free if paid annually in advance).  There is an annual charge of R119 to register/renew a .co.za domain name (R259 per year for .com).
  
  Standard Package at R2495
  
  We will create a template based on graphics and other material supplied by yourself.  This package includes up to 5 initial pages (usually homepage, vision, contact details, etc) plus the following standard modules:

  • Events
  • News
  • Sermons / Teachings
  • Staff
  • Ministries
  • Photo Gallery
  • Links
  • File Downloads
  • Contact Form

  
  Enhanced /Business Package at R3495
  
  This includes the above, plus:

  1. Password protected "Members Area" (any of the above modules can be assigned to this area).
  2. Up to 5 additional "static" pages / sections.
  3. Products module
  4. Blog module
  5. Some customisation of the standard modules.
  6. E-Commerce (requires account with PayFast or PayPal)
  7. Bulk sms's from website (requires account with SMS Portal).

  
  NOTES:

  1. Template creation is based on materials supplied by the client.   Advanced graphics, animation, etc can be provided, but will be quoted separately.
  2. Responsive design, so your website is mobile friendly.
  3. Normal set up time for a working website is 7 - 14 days, with refinements taking place as required thereafter.
  4. Advanced customisation of modules can be done at R360 per hr in 1/2hr increments.
  5. Additional database modules can be added as/when required - pricing from R720 per module.

  
  SUMMARY OF EASYCMS WEB HOSTING FEATURES:
  
  Website features

  •  5 GB disk space
  •  Website hosted on our South African or German server as preferred
  •  Unlimited month traffic (subject to reasonable use).
  •  Graphical visitor statistics
  •  Daily Backups (kept for 2 weeks)
  •  Unlimited business day support via email or whatsapp

  Email features

  • 100 mailboxes
  • Webmail
  • Alias forwarding
  • Mailbox autoresponder
  • Anti-virus scanning
  • Anti-spam filter
     

  
  RELATED: What are the features and benefits of the EasyCMS package?
  
  Prices valid as at 1st August 2023 - E&OE
• I need help with using the Edit Window to update my page content
  

  I need help with using the Edit Window to update my page content

  Our EasyCMS system makes use of FCK Editor, an excellent free open source online html editor (this is what you see in the "WYSIWYG" panel that looks like a word processor).
  
  They publish extensive online help about using the system - click here for a User's Guide.

• What are the 'Meta Description' and 'Meta Keywords' fields for when I update my page?
  

  What are the 'Meta Description' and 'Meta Keywords' fields for when I update my page?

  Meta Tags are included in the "Header" of your webpage.  They contains info that doesn't display on the page, but determines some functions of how the page works. 
  
  The Description and Keywords tags contain information that influences the way search engines index your page.  Careful selection of the content for these can improve your search engine ranking (ie how high you appear in the search results).

  • Description - A short description of the page or website, eg  "PE Church Net is a website linking local Christians and Ministries in the Nelson Mandela Metropole".

  • Keywords - Words, separated by commas, that are relevant to the aim or content of your website. eg. "church, pastor, religion, Christian, Nelson Mandela Metropole".

• What are the features and benefits of the EasyCMS package?
  

  What are the features and benefits of the EasyCMS package?

  Our EasyCMS Content Management System allows you to update your own website from a password-protected web admin panel, without the need for any other software or specialised knowledge.  All you need is a reasonably fast internet connection (3G, ADSL, Fibre etc).
   

  Costs are as follows:

  • Set up: Standard (Church) Package @ R2495 or Enhanced/Business Package @ R3495
  • Domain Transfer / Registration / Renewal: R 119 per year for .co.za; or R259 per year for .com
  • Web Hosting: R99 per month (one month free if paid annually in advance - R1089 for the year)

  
  Features : Standard (Church) Package at R2495

  We will create a template based on graphics and other material supplied by yourself.  This package includes 5 initial pages (usually homepage, about us, contact details and response form plus the following standard modules:

  • Events
  • News
  • Sermons / Teachings (text, audio or video)
  • Staff
  • Ministries
  • Photo Albums
  • Links
  • File Downloads

  Basic customisation of the standard modules is included.
  
  We also have a CHURCH LITE package available at R1495.00 - choose from a few standard templates, no customisation of modules included.

  
  Features : Enhanced / Business Package at R3495

  This includes the above, plus:

  • Password protected "Members Area" (any of the above modules can be assigned to this area).
  • Unlimited additional "static" pages / sections.
  • Some customisation of the standard modules.
  • Products module
  • Blog module
  • E-Commerce (requires account with PayFast or PayPal)
  • Bulk sms's from website (requires account with SMS Portal).

  
  We also have a BUSINESS LITE package available at R1995.00 - choose from a few standard templates, no customisation of modules included.

  
  Benefits of our system (summary):

  1. Responsive design, so your website is mobile-friendly.
  2. You can make your own updates and upload photos, etc without specialist knowledge or software.
  3. Future improvements and upgrades to the existing system free of charge.
  4. Generous disk space and traffic allowance on very reliable server.
  5. Free technical support for this system via email or Whatsapp during business hours. 
  6. The system is extremely flexible and additional features can be incorporated at any time (price quoted ad hoc). 
  7. Advanced HTML editing capabilities for more advanced users. 

  
  Timeline:

  1. Domain registration and install base system to our server - 3 days from order. 
  2. Creation of draft template - 3 to 14 days from order. 
  3. Fully functional website before going 'live' - 7 to 28 days from order.

  ** Subject to availability of suitable material from the client.
  
   

  How do I get started?:                   

  1. First step is to decide on a domain name for your website.  Shortish names that are descriptive of your church or business and easy to spell are best.  Names may not include any symbols other that hyphens ( - ).  You can check availability of .co.za domain names here: https://registry.net.za/whois/; or .com domains here: https://www.register.com.
  2. The next step is to decide on the branding or imaging for your website.  If you already have promotional materials, logo or letterhead, they can provide a good starting point.  It is also helpful if you can refer us to other websites that appeal to you.
  3. Website structure and content.  Decide what information you want to make available on your site, and start gathering or preparing documentation.  Again, existing missions statements, history, etc can provide a good starting point.

  
  Notes:

  1. Template creation is based on materials supplied by the client.   Advanced graphics, animation, etc can be provided, but will be quoted separately.
  2. Advanced customisation of modules can be done at R360 per hr in 1/2hr increments.
  3. Additional database modules can be added as/when required - pricing from R720 per module.

  
  Summary of EasyCMS Hosting Technical Specifications:

  Website features 

  •  5 GB disk space
  •  Website hosted on our South African or German server as preferred
  •  Unlimited monthly traffic
  •  Advanced graphical visitor statistics
  •  Daily Backups (kept for 2 weeks)
  •  PHP 8 & MySQL databases
  •  Let’s Encrypt SSL
  •  Unlimited business day support via email or Whatsapp

  Email features

  •  100 mailboxes
  •  Webmail
  •  Alias forwarding
  •  Mailbox autoresponder
  •  Anti-virus scanning
  •  Anti-spam filter

  
  About Virtual Enterprises:

  • We have been operating since 1999.  
  • We are based in Port Elizabeth, but service clients around the world.
  • Our servers are managed by a world-class hosting provider in a secure data centre - guaranteed 99.9% uptime.

  
  Some websites using the EasyCMS package:

  Standard (Church) package @ R2495

  • Diamond Revolutions - www.diamondrevolutions.co.za
  • St Cuthbert's Anglican Church - www.stcuthbertschurch.co.za
  • Willdo Events - www.willdo.co.za

  Enhanced / Business package @ R3495

  • Aloe Manna - www.aloemanna.co.za
  • Flags Direct - www.flagsdirect.co.za
  • Maurice Platt Machine Tools - www.mauriceplatt.co.za

  
  RELATED: How does the EasyCMS pricing work?
  
  Prices valid as at 1st August 2023 - E&OE

Responsive (mobile friendly) sites

• How do I add pictures to my page? (New responsive sites)
  

  How do I add pictures to my page? (New responsive sites)

  1)  Note: When uploading pictures through the Edit Window, it is necessary to resize the picture first.  Use PixResizer or your normal graphics editor to do this offline, or use the Resize and Upload Images feature under Tools on your Admin Panel.
  
  2)  On the Admin Panel, under Custom Pages,  click on pagename  [Update]
  
  3)  Position the cursor on the page at the place you want the picture to appear (you can adjust this later if required).
  
  4)  Click on the Insert Image icon.  An Image Properties popup window will open. (You may be prompted enable popup windows in your brower).
  
  
  5) Click Browse Server.  The Roxy file manager popup window will open.
  
  =====================================
  
  TO UPLOAD A NEW IMAGE - IF IMAGE IS ALREADY UPLOADED, SKIP TO STEP 10
  
  6)  Select destination folder in the left hand pane (usually downloads > image > images).
  
  7)  Click the Add file button at the top left of the right hand pane. An Upload files popup window will open.
  
  8)  Find the photo/s you want to upload on your local system (you can select multiple files from the same folder), then click the Upload button.
  Tip: you can also drag a single file into the window.
  
  9)  Once the file/s have indictated they have finished uploading (100%), close the Upload files window. You will return to the Roxy file manager window and the new image filename/s will appear in the list in the right pane.
  
  =====================================
  
  10)  Click on the image filename in the list.  The Resources Browser window will close and the image location will be displayed in the URL field of the Image Properties Window.
  
  11)  Set any of the following values as required:
          a) Alternative Text (text that will display when you mouse over the image on the page)
          b) Width:  NB leave this blank, or enter a percentage value, eg 75%
          c) Height:  NB make sure this is blank
          d) Border (To set a border around the picture - set to 0 unless you specificallly require a border)
          e) HSpace (padding to the left and right of the picture - a value of 5 - 10 normally works well)
          f) VSpace (padding above and below the picture - a value of 3 - 10 normally works well)
          g) Align (if you leave blank, text will appear above and below the picture on the page,
               choose left or right to wrap text around the picture)

  Applying additional styling to your image (Intermediate/Advanced):
  
  -  Click on the Advanced tab at the top of the Image Properties window. (If you don't see the tab, please contact support to update your editor.)
  
  -  You can apply preset effects by entering in the Stylesheet Classes field, eg entering shadow will create a border and shadow effect around the image.
  
  -  If you are familiar with CSS, you can add values required into the Style field. 

  12)  Click OK.  The Image Properties window will close and the picture will display on the page in the Edit Window.
  
  13)  If you need to adjust any of the above settings, right click over the picture and choose Image Properties.  You can also move the image in the Edit Window by dragging it.
  
  14) Click on the Click to Submit button to save your changes to the page.

Troubleshooting

• I can't find my new website
  

  I can't find my new website

  I am entering my new website address, www.mywebsite.co.za, in my browser, but I get an error message "Page not found".
  
  This is becoming a 'complaint' more and more often.  Usually the problem arises because users type the website address into the Search Bar, not the Address Bar.  It can it take up to 6 weeks for your website to be indexed by the search engines.

  

• I receive a '550 relay not permitted' error message when sending email
  

  I receive a '550 relay not permitted' error message when sending email

  I receive a '550 relay not permitted' error message; how do I enable SMTP Authentication for my email client?

  The same username and password used to retrieve your mail from the mailserver on which your domain is setup, will apply for outgoing mail authentication.  A typical error when not authenticating successfully with our mailserver is the '550 relay not permitted' error message from within your email client.  It indicates that you are not authenticating to your SMTP server.

  In order to enable SMTP authentication, please follow these steps within your email client:

  Using Thunderbird

  1. Click 'Tools' from the email client menu
  2. Select 'Account Settings'
  3. Select Outgoing Server (SMTP)
  4. Click on your outgoing server in the window on the right hand side, then click 'Edit'
  5. Under 'Security and Authentication', make sure 'Use name and password' is checked
  6. Enter your email address in the 'User Name' field
  7. <OK>
  8. <OK>

  Using Outlook (XP & 2003) -

  1. Click 'Tools' from the email client menu
  2. Select 'Email accounts'
  3. From the pop-up, select 'View or change existing account'
  4. Click 'Next' (provided the account does indeed exist on your local PC)
  5. Select applicable email account and click 'Change'
  6. Click the 'More Settings' button
  7. Select the 'Outgoing server' tab
  8. Ensure that the first option, 'My outgoing server requires authentication' and the second option 'Use same settings as my incoming mail server' is checked on
  9. Select the 'Advanced' tab
  10. Set the Outgoing Server (SMTP) Port to 587
  11. The Incoming Server (POP) Port should be set to the default setting, 110
  12. Click 'OK' to save these settings
  13. Click 'Next' and 'Finish'

  Using Outlook Express (4 - 6) -

  1. Click 'Tools' from the email client menu
  2. Select 'Accounts'
  3. From the pop-up, select the 'Mail' tab
  4. Click 'Properties'.
  5. Select the 'Servers' tab
  6. Ensure that the checkbox for 'My server requires authentication' is checked on
  7. Click the 'Settings' button next to 'My server requires authentication'
  8. Ensure that the first option, 'Use same settings as outgoing server', is selected
  9. Select the 'Advanced' tab
  10. Set the Outgoing Server (SMTP) Port to 587
  11. The Incoming Server (POP) Port should be set to the default setting, 110
  12. Click 'OK' to save these settings
  13. Click 'OK' and 'Close'
• It appears that my page hasn't been updated
  

  It appears that my page hasn't been updated

  This sometimes occurs due to what is known as hard disk caching - when you visit a website, your browser saves a copy of the page to your hard disk.  The next time you visit the page, the browser displays this version instead of the one from the server - this appears to speed up the time web pages take to load.
  
  If you are experiencing this problem, you can force your browser to retrieve the latest version of the page directly from the web server by doing a "hard refresh".

  • In Internet Explorer: <CTRL> <F5>

  • In Firefox:  <CTRL> <R>

  • In Opera:  <F5>

  • In Safari:
    •   for version 4 and newer: Hold down the Shift key and click the Reload toolbar button.
    •   for version 3 and older:  either: Hold down the Command key, and press R  or: Click the Reload toolbar button.
• When I try to enter our update info the edit window is blank and won't let me enter anything
  

  When I try to enter our update info the edit window is blank and won't let me enter anything

  We are aware of issues with recent versions of Internet Explorer, versions 10 & 11, and the FCK editor system we use.  We have a patch available, so please let us know if you need us to apply it for you.
  
  * Preferred Solution* - Install Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera as your web browser.  Although Internet Explorer is the browser that comes standard with Windows (it is also developed by Microsoft) we strongly recommend that you use one of the others as they are far more standards compliant.
  
  [Updated 2015-03-27]
  

Working with Files and Uploads/Downloads

• How do I 'manually' upload and link files using the Edit Window?
  

  How do I 'manually' upload and link files using the Edit Window?

  1. From the Admin Panel, open the page where you want the link to the file to appear.
      
  2. In the Edit Window, type the text that you want to be linked (eg Click here to download).
      
  3. Highlight the text with your mouse.
      
  4. Click on the Link icon on the toolbar.  A pop-up window will appear.
      
  5. Click Browse Server.  The Roxy file manager popup window will open.

  =====================================
  
  TO UPLOAD A NEW FILE - IF FILE IS ALREADY UPLOADED, SKIP TO STEP 10

  6. Select destination folder in the left hand pane for the file type you want to upload (eg downloads > file > pdf ).
      
  7. Click the Add file button at the top left of the right hand pane. An Upload files popup window will open.
      
  8. Find the files you want to upload on your local system (you can select multiple files from the same folder), then click the Upload button.
     Tip: you can also drag a single file into the window.
      
  9. Once the file/s have indictated they have finished uploading (100%), close the Upload files window. You will return to the Roxy file manager window and the new image filename/s will appear in the list in the right pane.

  =====================================

  10. Click on the filename in the list.  The Roxy file manager window will close and the file location will be displayed in the URL field of the Link window.
       
  11. Click OK.  The Link window will close and the text you selected in #3 will now be linked to the file.
       
  12. Click on the Click to Submit button to save your changes to the page.

  
  NOTES:
  
  a)  Please make sure your filenames are all lowercase, and do not contain any spaces or any other symbols (ie letter and numbers ONLY).  To give the appearance of a space in the filename, you may use an underscore _ or hyphen -.
  
  b)  Standard Folder / File Types:
  
  (If the file type you wish to upload is not in this list, please contact support to create the correct folder for you.)

  • doc  - MS-Word (.doc, or .docx) , OpenOffice (.odt), RTF (.rtf) or TEXT (.txt) Documents.
  • flv  - Flash Video files (.flv).
  • mp3  - MP3 (.mp3) Audio Files.
  • pdf  - Adobe Reader Files (.pdf - Portable Document Format).
  • ppt  - PowerPoint (.pps, .ppsx, .ppt or .pptx) or OpenOffice (.odp) Presentations.
  • swf  - Flash files (.swf)
  • xls   - Excel(.xls, .xlsx) or OpenOffice (.ods) Spreadsheets.
• How do I create PDF files for documents to upload to my website?
  

  How do I create PDF files for documents to upload to my website?

  If you are using Windows, fortunately there is a very simple solution (and it's free!)
  
  PDF Creator allows you to create PDF files from almost any document thet you can print.
  
  Download PDF Creator from http://sourceforge.net/projects/pdfcreator/files/
  and install.
  
  Open the document you want to create  a PDF file from (MSWord, Excel, OpenOffice, etc.)  then go to on your menu on the toolbar.  You will see PDF listed as a printer on your system.   Follow the menu prompts - you shouldn't need to change any of the settings as the default options are normally fine.
  
  Once you have saved the new PDF document, upload it to your website in the normal way.
  
  Related:
  
  How do I 'manually' upload files using the Edit Window?
  
  How do I upload teaching files (audio or pdf) to my website?
  
  Using Filezilla for uploading files

  
  [Last updated 4th February 2017]
• How do I upload teaching files (audio or pdf) to my website?
  

  How do I upload teaching files (audio or pdf) to my website?

  1) Using FileZilla (or another FTP client), upload files as follows:

  • PDF Document file: upload to the folder  /downloads/files/pdf/   on the server
  • MP3 Audio file: upload to the folder  /downloads/files/mp3/  on the server

  Note: Please make sure your filenames are all lowercase, and do not contain any spaces or any other symbols (ie letter and numbers ONLY).  To give the appearance of a space in the filename, you may use an underscore _ or hyphen -.
  
  2) Add the Teaching to the database from your Admin Panel (www.yourwebsitename.co.za/admin/)

  • Click Teachings (or Sermons, Preaches, etc.):   Add

  • Enter a title for the teaching (Heading) 

  • Enter any of the following as required:
    • Sub-heading.
    • Author.
    • Series (Category).
    • Summary - one or two paragraphs of plain text.
    • Message.

  =================================================

  Older systems (if you prefer, request us to update your Admin Panel)

  • Enter any of the following as required:
    • Linked Text File - enter as follows, where filename is the EXACT name of the file you uploaded in step1, including the file extension:  pdf/filename
    • Linked Audio - enter as follows, where filename is the EXACT name of the file you uploaded in step1, including the file extension:  mp3/filename

  =================================================
  
  Newer systems:

  • Select the Text, Audio or Video file you require from the dropdown menu.

  • Enter the text you require to appear for the link (optional)

  =================================================

  
  3) Click to Submit 
  

• Using Filezilla for uploading files
  

  Using Filezilla for uploading files

  1)  If not already installed, download Filezilla (free download) and install.
  
  2) Run Filezilla
  
  3) If the account already exists, select it from File > Site Manager <Connect> on the toolbar, or from the drop down menu next to Quickconnect, then proceed to step 4. 
  To set up a new account in Filezilla, you will need the following information (you can get these from support).

  • On the toolbar, click  File> Site Manager <New Site>

  • Enter a name for your website in the edit field in the Select Entry block (eg My Website)

  • Host: Your domain name, eg  yourwebsitename.co.za

  • Port (optional):  21

  • Logontype: Normal

  • User

  • Password

  • On the Advanced Tab, enter the following:
    • Default local directory:  enter the location where your website files are located on your hard drive.
    • Default remote directory:   /public_html/downloads/file/

  4) Make sure you are connected to the Internet, then click <Apply>. 
  
  5) Once connected to the server, you will see the folder structure for YOUR pc in the left hand pane, and files on the webserver in the right hand pane.  Navigate to where your files are located on your system, and to the correct folder on the server.
  
  6) To upload file/s, select them in the left (local) pane, then drag them to the right pane.  You can also select entire folders.
  
  7) The file/s will then be uploaded to the server.  This could take anything from a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the size of the file/s and the speed of your connection.  If a file already exists, you will be prompted whether you want to overwrite the old version.
  
  8) The bottom pane will indicate the status of the transfer.  Once complete, click Server> Disconnect from the toolbar and exit Filezilla.
   

  NOTES:
  
  a)  Please make sure your filenames are all lowercase, and do not contain any spaces or any other symbols (ie letter and numbers ONLY).  To give the appearance of a space in the filename, you may use an underscore _ or hyphen -.
  
  b)  Standard Folder / File Types:
  
  (If the file type you wish to upload is not in this list, please contact support to create the correct folder for you.)

  • doc  - MS-Word (.doc, or docx) , OpenOffice (ODT), RTF or TXT Documents.
  • flv  - Flash Video files.
  • mp3  - MP3 Audio Files.
  • pdf  - Adobe Reader Files (PDF - Portable Document Format).
  • ppt  - PowerPoint (PPS or PPT) or OpenOffice (ODP) Presentations.
  • swf  - Flash files.
  • xls   - Excel or OpenOffice (ODS) Spreadsheets.

Working with Links

• How do I add Headings which link to sections further down the page?
  

  How do I add Headings which link to sections further down the page?

  1. Go to the section on the page that you want the heading to link to, then click on the Insert/Edit Anchor icon on the toolbar.

  2. In the Anchor Properties popup window, enter an Anchor Name (preferably a single word, lower case) then click OK. An Anchor icon will appear on the page. 

  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for other sections, choosing a different anchor name each time.

  4. At the top of the page, type in the text for the heading,  select it with your mouse, then click the Insert/Edit Link icon on the toolbar

  5. In the Link popup window, select Link Type > Link to anchor in the text, then select the anchor name from the Select an Anchor By Anchor Name dropdown menu that appears.  <OK>

  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the other sections.

  7. <Click to Submit> to save your changes.

  Related:

  • How do I create a link in my page? 

  • How do I make a link open up in a new page?

• How do I create a link in my page?
  

  How do I create a link in my page?

  1. In the Edit Window, select the text with your mouse that you want to be linked (or type in new text if required).
     
     
  2. Click on the "Link" icon on the toolbar.  A pop-up window will appear. Procedure will now vary according to the type of link required.
     
      
  3. Link to an external website:
     a)  Select the Link Type: URL
     b)  Select the Protocol -- normally http://
     c)  Enter the URL (website address) required.
     d)  [ OK ]
     
      
  4. Link to a local page or file on the server:
     a)  Select the Link Type: URL
     b)  Select the Protocol -- other
     c)  If you know the page location, enter it in the URL field, starting with a forward slash ( / ) - for example /contact.php or /downloads/file/pdf/myfile.pdf
     d)  Alternatively click the Browse Server button.  Locate and select the file you want in the explorer popup window that opens.
     e)  Click [ OK ] once you are back in the Link window.
     
      
  5. Link to an email address:
     a)  Select the Link Type: E-Mail
     b)  Enter the E-Mail Address
     c)  Enter a Message Subject - Optional (When visitors click on the link, a new message is opened up in their email client with this text in the subject line).
     d)  Enter a Message Body - Optional (When visitors click on the link, a new message is opened up in their email client with this text in the message body.  Note that this function doesn't work with all email clients).
     e)  [ OK ]
     
      
  6. Link to an anchor (another part of the same page):
     a)  Select the Link Type: Link to anchor in the text.
     b)  If any anchors have been defined, they will appear in a drop down menu.
     c)  This FAQ Topic is still under development 
• How do I make a link open up in a new page?
  

  How do I make a link open up in a new page?

  MANUAL METHOD (Intermediate / Advanced):

  1. Create the link as normal in your edit window 

  2. Click <Source> 

  3. Find the code that starts <a href="....> 

  4. Between <a and href=, insert the following code, leaving a space either side:   target="_blank" 

  5. <Click to Submit> 

  SAMPLE:
  
  Before:  <a href="http://linktowebsite.co.za">
  
  After:  <a target="_blank" href="http://linktowebsite.co.za">

Working with Photos

• Adding Photo Albums and Photos
  

  Adding Photo Albums and Photos

  A Photo Album is a collection of Photos about a particular topic or theme.  It is therefore necessary to first create a new Album,  then upload your photos to the Album.
  
  Do not upload the photos themselves directly from the Albums module - use the Photos: Add option for this.  With this module, it is not necessary to acccurately size the photos beforehand as the web server will automatically create a thumbnail of your photo, as well as generate a suitable enlarged image. (See notes below for restrictions)
  
  CREATE A NEW PHOTO ALBUM

  • On your Admin Panel, click on Photo Albums :  Add

  • Enter a Name for the Album (This is the heading for then Album that will display to the public).

  • Enter a Category for the Album (optional) - If you have several Albums they will be grouped on the page according to this.

  • Enter a Description (optional).  This is an introduction to the Album that will also display in the public area.

  • to save the Album and return to the Admin Panel

  
  UPLOADING PHOTOS TO THE ALBUM

  • On your Admin Panel, click on Photos :  Add

  • The drop-down menu will show all Albums created.  Select the Album required from the menu where you want this photo to display.

  • Enter a Caption for the photo (optional).

  • Click the button to open an explorer window for your local files. 

  • Once you have located the file you want, click .

  • The photo will upload to the webserver.  This may take a few minutes depending on the size of your image file, and your internet connection speed.  

  • Once complete, the page will refresh and you will see a message "Your photo ........ has been added" and a thumbnail image of the photo. 

  • Add another photo, or exit to the Admin Panel.

  
  NOTES

  1. This module only works with jpg / jpeg image files.

  2. For practical reasons, resize your original photos so that your original is between 500 KB and 5 MB in filesize.  This will help prevent server errors, and also cut down the time taken to upload photos.  You can use a program like Pix Resizer to batch reduce all photos in a folder. (free download here).
      
  3. Naming your files:

  • Give your images simple filenames.  Do not use other characters (eg ? % ) in the name. 

  • Wherever possible, avoid leaving blank spaces in filenames.  Rather use an underscore  _ 

  • Remember our Linux web servers (unlike Windows)  are case sensitive.  Myfilename is not the same as myfilename is not the same as MYFILENAME.  We suggest you use only lowercase names wherever possible to help prevent confusion.
• How do I add a slide to the Carousel?
  

  How do I add a slide to the Carousel?

  1. Click on Carousel: Add on your Admin Panel (if not enabled, please email us).
      
  2. Enter Name - This does not display, it is simply to enable you to identify the slide.
      
  3. Enter Page where you want the slide to appear, or select default display to display on all pages.
      
  4. Enter Caption (optional) - text that is overlaid on the bottom of the slide.
      
  5. Enter Image ALT text (optional) - text that will display if there is an error loading the slide.
      
  6. Enter Link (optional) - you can link the slide to a page or file on your site, or to an external website - enter the full website URL (address), eg. http://www.test.com/linktopage.htm.
      
  7. Upload File: click the Browse button and locate the image file you want to upload - JPG, PNG and GIF files are supported (** see notes below).
      
  8. Click to submit.
      

  NOTES:

  • Slides will display by default from the most recently uploaded - order can be customised on request.
     
  • The time each slide displays and the transition time between each slide can be adjusted on requested.
     
  • The system will automatically resize the slide when you upload it so you don't have to worry too much about the original size, however for best results all the slides on a particular page should be the same ratio of height to width.
     
  • The carousel will automatically display on a page once the first slide for that page has been uploaded.
     
  • TIP: although the system supports PNG and GIF files, it is usually preferable to use JPG files for images, unless the image is line art or has large areas of the same colour.  The JPG file size is usually considerably smaller - your pages will therefore load much quicker.
• How do I add pictures to my page?
  

  How do I add pictures to my page?

  NB: For new responsive (mobile friendly) sites, please see this help article instead:
  http://www.easycms.co.za/details.php?id=44&module=faq

  
  1)  Note: When uploading pictures through the Edit Window, it is necessary to resize the picture first.  You probably want to resize to a width of between 180 and 450 pixels, but definitely no bigger than 850 pixels.  Use PixResizer or your normal graphics editor to do this.
  
  2)  On the Admin Panel, under Custom Pages click on pagename  [Update]
  
  3)  Position the cursor on the page at the place you want the picture to appear (you can adjust this later if required).
  
  4)  Click on the Insert Image icon.  An Image Properties popup window will open. (You may be prompted enable popup windows in your brower).
  
  5) Click Browse Server.  A Resources Browser popup window will open.
  
  =====================================
  
  TO UPLOAD A NEW IMAGE - IF IMAGE IS ALREADY UPLOADED, SKIP TO STEP 10
  
  6)  Select destination folder (usually images).
  
  7)  At the bottom of the window you will see Upload a new file in this folder.  Click the Browse button.
  
  8)  Find the photo you want to upload on your local system, then click Open.
  
  9)  Click the Upload button in the bottom right corner. Image will take a while to upload, then the image filename will appear in the list in the main window once uploaded.
  
  =====================================
  
  10)  Click on the image filename in the list.  The Resources Browser window will close and the image location will be displayed in the URL field of the Image Properties Window.
  
  11)  Set any of the following values if required:
          a) Alternative Text (text that will display when you mouse over the image on the page)
          b) Border (To set a border around the picture - set to 0 unless you specificallly require a border)
          c) HSpace (padding to the left and right of the picture - a value of 5 - 8 normally works well)
          d) VSpace (padding above and below the picture - a value of 3 - 5 normally works well)
          e) Align (if you leave blank, text will appear above and below the picture on the page,
               choose left or right to wrap text around the picture)
  
  12)  Click OK.  The Image Properties window will close and the picture will display on the page in the Edit Window.
  
  13)  If you need to adjust any of the above settings, right click over the picture and choose Image Properties.  You can also re-position or resize the image in the Edit Window by dragging.
  
  14) Click on the Click to Submit button to save your changes to the page.

• Some helpful information about working with images and photos
  

  Some helpful information about working with images and photos

  RESIZING IMAGES

  • When uploading pictures, always resize them to the size you want BEFORE uploading.  This means the files will be much smaller, and your pages will load (display) much  faster. 
    
    ** This point does not apply if you are using the Photo/Photo Gallery or Product Modules - in that case refer here **

  • Normal size of images displayed would be width between 100 and 980 pixels, filesize between 5 and 150Kb.

  • With jpg images, set the compression amount to a suitable value to help reduce the file size.  The amount of compression you use will vary from image to image, but the range of 75 to 95% image quality normally gives good results.

  • If you don't have suitable image editing software, you can download Irfanview (excellent program for resizing or converting images with basic editing capabilities) or Pix Resizer (for bulk resizing images in a folder).  Both these programs are free to use, and are small downloads.

  ACCEPTABLE IMAGE FILE TYPES

  • Only use jpg, gif or png format for images, not bmp and so on. 

  • jpg (full colour range) is normally best for photos or images with a lot of colours and detail.

  • png  is suitable for line art, or images with large areas of the same colours.

  • gif (maximum 256 colours) is suitable for line art, or images with large areas of a limited range of colours.

  • If you need transparency in your images, use gif or png.

  NAMING YOUR FILES

  • Give your images simple filenames.  Do not use other characters (eg ? % ) in the name. 

  • Wherever possible, avoid leaving blank spaces in filenames.  Rather use an underscore  _

  • Remember our Linux web servers (unlike Windows)  are case sensitive.  Myfilename is not the same as myfilename is not the same as MYFILENAME.  We suggest you use only lowercase names wherever possible to help prevent confusion.

  RELATED
  
  Adding Photo Galleries and Photos 

  How do I add pictures to my page?

Working with Text

• How do I copy and paste content from a MS Word document?
  

  How do I copy and paste content from a MS Word document?

  NOTE: While it is technically possible to copy and paste directly into your webpage from a MS-Word document, this is generally not recommended due to the excessive amount of styling code these documents usually contain.  This can result in webpages that are unnecessarily large (therefore slow), as well as unpredictable formatting that may be apparent in some browsers but not in others.
  

  Copy as plain text, then re-format (preferred method)

  1. Open your MS Word Document, then copy the required text to the clipboard as usual using Right Click > Copy; or <CTRL><C> from your keyboard. 

  2. From your Admin Panel, open up the webpage you want  to paste the text into, then position the mouse cursor in the webpage Edit Window at the position you want the text to appear. 

  3. Click on the Paste as Plain Text icon on the menu bar.  After a few seconds, a pop up window will appear. 

  4. Click your mouse inside the edit box, the paste using Right Click > Paste; or <CTRL><V> from your keyboard. 

  5. Click <OK>   The text should now appear in your document, but totally unformatted. 

  6. Re-format the text as required using the standard edit options. 

  7. <Click to Submit> to save your updates.
      

  Copy as MS-Word, with styling removed (optional)

  1. Open your MS Word Document, then copy the required text to the clipboard as usual using Right Click > Copy; or <CTRL><C> from your keyboard.

  2. From your Admin Panel, open up the webpage you want  to paste the text into, then position the mouse cursor in the webpage Edit Window at the position you want the text to appear.

  3. Click on the Paste from Word icon on the menu bar.  After a few seconds, a pop up window will appear.

  4. Click your mouse inside the edit box, the paste using Right Click > Paste; or <CTRL><V> from your keyboard.

  5. Click <OK>   The text should now appear in your document, with some of the formatting removed.

  6. Re-format the text as required using the standard edit options.

  7. <Click to Submit> to save your updates.

  (This method will remove SOME of the excess formatting commands, depending on the exact nature of the document)