The visual-humor HOW-TO thread: how to Lolz, gif, Gimp, etc.

[Trilateral_Symmetry_Com'n.]

This is the thread for posting instructions and tutorials and links to same, for learning how to do Lolz captions, edit & copy animated .gif files, Photoshop and Gimp photos, and so forth. Even though I'm kicking off this thread with a set of Lolz instructions, I'm no expert on any of these. Any corrections, additions, etc. are most welcome. Just make sure you're clearly identifying what procedure/program/website, etc. you're referring to. If you have corrections or additions to make to someone else's set of procedures, FLANK YOUR INPUT IN BRACKETS [ ] and preface with your ID; i.e. "[Trilateral_...: but the other option may be more useful at this point for a newbie...]"

 

**************

 

Okay, now to my Lolz directions. Here's the link to roflbot!!1!; this site works okay, has a few font options, but is sometimes unreliable (as is my 'net connection). OTOH, it's the only Lolz site I've used so far. I've learned to always save my completed Lolz-pic links off my post-in-progress as I go along, in a separate Word document, just in case my connection craps out.

 

You'll see this website (let's call it rofl for short) asks you the source of your pic. I never use the links right off the web, but always right-click-save them in JPEG form in my pictures folder/gallery first. This may add a step (like thinking of a meaningful name for the pic), but it has several advantages: 1) you can save dozens of pics in splurges of web-surfing, leaving the Lolz-ing until later; 2) you can then sort through your many thumbnail pics and put up Lolzes in interesting combinations, like pairs, series, etc. of pics organized around an idea, theme or storyline; and 3) a fellow Muser might request a copy of the original pic to do their own Lolz.

 

So, assuming you've got a pic to use for a Lolz, here's what you do:

 

1) Under "Start with a picture file from your computer," left-click on "Browse". Your thumbnail-pic gallery should come up. Double-left-click on the pic you want; uploading proceeds automatically to rofl. Lolz your pic, and...

 

2) Hit "Save Image"; you'll get the "countdown" screen with options. I always just go with "Host on ImageShack," since I don't know what to do with the other options.

 

3) If rofl does what it should, you'll eventually see your pic brought up in a small size; left-click on it, wait until it comes up again in a different screen, and left-click on it again.

 

4a) Now it will appear on a white background, with its URL above it; it should read, "http" at the beginning and "jpg" at the end. Highlight and copy all that; minimize your rofl window (or switch tabs) to enter the Lolz thread; go into "post reply," and in the "Reply to Thread" box, left-click the fifth icon from the right ("Insert Image"). After the "http://" comes up highlighted, press "Ctrl" and "V" together to paste the URL on top of that highlighting; hit "OK". Your URL should now be flanked by . (If you forget to use this shortcut icon, just type in the bracket IMGs.)

 

4b) If rofl screws up and your Lolzed pic doesn't appear; hit refresh (it just might work, but probably won't). Copy the URL as it appears in the top box, "Direct Link to Image". You'll want to preview this to make sure it comes out okay.

 

The main problem I have with roflbot is that it frequently cuts off the bottom of my pic, or fails to carry it through because I took too much time in making it. In the former case, when you're at that stage, just click on the pic on the preview screen (the one with the huge "IMAGE SHACK" header) and then on the red-X in the upper-right-hand corner on the screen that pops up next, the "http:......" page, to start over in the translation process; it'll re-uptake repeatedly and almost always gets it right eventually (for some reason, usually the 4th try is the trick). But in the latter case, when it fails to carry the pic at all, you're screwed and have to start all over again.

 

Sometimes, when a lolz pic has a lot of text lines, I'll take a digital snap of it before submitting, just in case Roflbot drops the ball entirely. Saves a lot of time in recreating them, definitely.

 

 

General Lolz tips:

 

1) Using rofl: You can expand/shrink text by clicking-and-dragging the bottom icon that pops up when you hover your cursor over the text line, and delete the line by clicking on the top, red pop-up icon. You can't wrap text, so paragraphs are just a lot of lines added separately. You can't make corrections either, other than deleting and re-doing the line.

 

2) rofl FAIL: Sometimes rofl screws up a text insert; your line will go AWOL and be invisible, but sometimes still there, to reappear after you've saved and posted your pic. When a text line fails to materialize, you have a choice: either carry on and hope for the best, or hit "Start Again," because your pic has possibly already been ruined. If I've just started creating that lolz, I'll start over, but if I've put a fair amount of time into it, I'll finish it and hope for the best.

 

3) SAVE YOUR WORK! You can post this one Lolz to the thread, or add more in the same email, which is what I generally do. But again, I suggest copy/paste that finished Lolz URL to a Word [or whatever] document on the side, just in case. (Imagine losing a whole string of these!)

 

4) Muse logo: You can make a very servicable MUSE logo too, by using type and the "_" of the same size, although I don't think you always get a true WYSIWYG feedback on the ultimate text/underscore lines spacing, especially when working with tiny font sizes.

 

I hope this helps!

[Natalia]

I am a total Lolz, Gif, Gimp n00b, but really would like to try one of these days...

 

I even have Photoshop that I haven't used since I've got it *Goes away in shame!*

 

Thanks Trilateral! xx

[dead-duck]

For what it's worth, I've never had a problem with the roflbot

 

The only time I wasn't able to get it to work properly was when I tried to link a pic directly from twitpic, it failed because the pics can't be linked remotely... other than that it's been smooth sailing for me.

 

Also, I would add....

 

Once you're finished with the image and on the "Save your image" page, you can always right click and do "Save (Image) as..." and save it to your computer. Then you can upload it to your imageshack or photobucket acct, post it as an attachment in the thread (in which case it won't show up full size unless someone clicks it) or create an album from your board User CP and upload the pics there (this is what I've been doing since some n00bs killed my photobucket last week ) - just make sure the album is public or only your "friends" will be able to see the pic...

[Trilateral_Symmetry_Com'n.]

Here's an alternative to Roflbot!!, Icanhazcheezburger.com -- which has a "Successories"-style poster format and a "breaking news"-style format (thanks for the tip, tulaplee!).

[tulaplee]

Here's an alternative to Roflbot!!' date=' Icanhazcheezburger.com -- which has a "Successories"-style poster format and a "breaking news"-style format (thanks for the tip, [b']tulaplee[/b]!).

 

You're welcome. On ICHC you can download and save pictures to your profile, then caption them. To move them from ICHC to here is a bit convoluted, but I've never had a problem:

 

1. After making your lol and saving it on the ICHC platform, right-click on it and save it to your computer.

 

It would be nice if you could come straight here and post the link to ICHC, but that hasn't worked for me - I get the white box with the red "x" when I've tried that. You can go the attachments route from here if you want, but that results in thumbnails.

 

2. Download your lol to Photobucket.

 

3. Copy the IMG link from Photobucket and paste it to your reply.

 

Happy lolling!

[tulaplee]

Here's an alternative to Roflbot!!' date=' Icanhazcheezburger.com -- which has a "Successories"-style poster format and a "breaking news"-style format (thanks for the tip, [b']tulaplee[/b]!).

 

Oooops - the correct link to ICHC is http://www.icanhascheezburger.com. Sorry!

[PlugInFuckingBaby]

how do you insert a pic into a post?

cuz when i do it

i have to put a url to the pic

(which makes me have to put it on the internetz)

or i have to attatch it and it comes all small

but when other people do it then it just goes in the post.

[Mechagodzilla]

how do you insert a pic into a post?

cuz when i do it

i have to put a url to the pic

(which makes me have to put it on the internetz)

or i have to attatch it and it comes all small

but when other people do it then it just goes in the post.

 

[img*] Image url [/img*]

 

Just without the * and spaces.

[PlugInFuckingBaby]

[img*] Image url [/img*]

 

Just without the * and spaces.

 

thanks! but...my image doesn't have a URL, what if i want to post it from my computer?

[Mechagodzilla]

thanks! but...my image doesn't have a URL, what if i want to post it from my computer?

 

 

Then you'll need to upload it to an image hosting website (or alternatively, you can go to your profile on here and make a photo album where you can upload images).

 

I use Tinypic.com. It's pretty easy, you don't need to sign up either, just click the box or browse button, choose which image you want to upload, then hit upload image and type in the verifier code and you get the urls once it's loaded, the IMG one is the one you need so copy that and paste it into your post and the image should then work. Hope this helps!