Bell Ringers

How to Resize your Images

August 8, 2018

Resizing Images

The tutorials below explain how you can resize your images, before uploading them to The Digital Bell.

Using an Online Tool

An online tool is a conveneint way to resize your images. Using this method, you can upload and resize an image directly from your Web browser, without the need for special software. 

We suggest using the resizeimage.net tool. If you are uploading multiple images, you can batch resize your images using this tool: http://picresize.com/batch.php

The following steps outline how to resize an image using resizeimage.net.

1. Click the button labeled "Upload an image." This will open a new file browser window.

2. Use the file browser to locate the image on your computer's hard drive, then double-click on it. 

3. Once you have uploaded your image, scroll down to the section labeled "4. Resize your image."

4. You will see a slider and three fields in this section. The first field will be a percentage, while the second and third will list the current resolution of your image, in pixels. Ensure the box for "Keep Aspect Ratio" is checked.

5. Drag the slider to the left until the values in the second and third fields, which display the image resolution, are equal to the new size you have selected.

6. Once your image is at your chosen size, scroll to the bottom of that page and click the "Resize Image" button. After clicking this button, a new set of buttons will appear. Click the button labeled "Download Image" to save the resized image to your computer's hard drive. Your new image can now be uploaded to The Digital Bell.

Using Microsoft Paint (Windows)

If you are using Microsoft Windows, you can resize your image with Microsoft Paint. Follow the steps below to complete the process.

1. Open the Microsoft Paint application, then click "File," located on the menu bar, and select "Open" from the drop-down menu. Find your image using the file browser window, then double-click the file to open it.

2. Next, click the "Resize" button, located in the toolbar. From the pop-up window, first click the "Pixels" radio button, then ensure the box for "Maintain Aspect Ratio" is checked.

3. Choose a new resolution for your image, in either the "Horizontal" and "Vertical" field, then click the "OK" button to resize your image. Entering a new value in either the "Horizontal" or "Vertical" field will automatically update the value of the other, which prevents your image from being stretched.

4. Now that your image is resized, click the "File" tab, located in the menu bar, and select "Save As..." from the drop-down menu. Choose a new file name for your image, and select the folder you would like to save your resized image to, then click the "Save" button. Your new image can now be uploaded to The Digital Bell.

Using Preview (Mac)

If you are using a Mac, you can use the Preview app to resize your images. The following steps outline the process.

1. Use Finder to locate the image on your hard drive, then right-click on the file, and select "Open in Preview" from the pop-up menu. 

2. Once the Preview app is open, click on "Tools," located in the menu bar, then select "Adjust Size." This will bring up the "Resize" window.

3. Choose a new resolution, using either the "Horizontal" and "Vertical" field, then click the "OK" button to resize your image. Entering a new value in either the "Horizontal" or "Vertical" field will automatically update the value of the other, which prevents your image from being stretched.

4. Now that your image has been resized, click "File," located on the menu bar, then select "Save As..." from the drop-down menu. Choose a new file name for your image, and select the folder you would like to save your resized image to, then click the "Save" button. Your new image can now be uploaded to The Digital Bell.

When and why do I use Labels?

September 5, 2012

Labels can be used to categorize and filter Posts, Pages, and Content Elements.

In the Digital Bell, it is not required to add Labels to Content Elements (i.e. Text Blocks). For example, if you're a Teacher, your content will be assigned to you through Permissions (and no one else) and therefore there is no reason to label it. In general, only Pages need to have Labels. There are exceptions but this holds true in most cases.

Below are the Labels required for common Page types:

  • Teacher Page: Department, Faculty Name, and Faculty Type
  • Class Page: Course, Department, Faculty Name and School Year

Again, this only applies to the properties of the Page itself. Once your page is created and Labeled correctly, you won't need to make changes again unless something changes (i.e. school year). The content that appears on these pages will not require Labels. So, you can skip right over Labels and get your new content up quickly.

So, if I don't need to label my Text Blocks or Images, why should I use Labels on Pages?

Labels can be a powerful organization tool. Certain pages on the website are configured to dynamically display a list (called a Page Browser) of all pages that meet certain criteria (i.e. Page Type and Labels). For example, on the Math Department page, there may be two page lists: Faculty and Classes. For the Faculty list, it is probably set to display all (and only) pages of Page Type "Faculty" with the labels of Department: "Math" and School Year: [current].

On a Teacher Page a similar Page Browser is added. Let's assume you are teaching a class and the Page for that class is labeled correctly for this school year (i.e. "2012-2013"). The Page Browser is set to automatically pull in all Pages of Page Type: "Classes" and Labeled with Faculty Name: [your name] and School Year: [current]. Next year, all you need to do is add the label "2013-2014" to your Class Pages. This is true for new classes and classes that you will be teaching again. Then, update the Page browser on your Teacher Page (under Settings) to display the classes for the new school year. It will then automatically adjust to show the new classes accordingly.

How do I get a calendar on my page?

August 30, 2012

You might have seen some Teacher or Class pages on your website that feature a calendar. These calendars are used for lesson plans and other general scheduling.

How does it work? Well, GSL just needs to enable Posts for your user account. What are Posts? Well, they're a type of content that is typically dated and recurring. Blogs (like the one you're reading now) are a common use for Posts.

One of the best things about Posts is that you have several choices for how the Posts will display on your website (Post Browser). For one, it can be in a Digest view. This blog is displayed in a Digest view. You can also choose a browser view, which creates a sortable list with drop-down menus for filtering the Posts. There's even a Map display option that will allow you to display your posts on a map (perfect for a History class!). And of course, you can also use the Calendar view.

How do you get started? Well, first thing to do is submit at ticket through The Digital Bell support system and request to have a Post Type created for you. In fact, you might want multiple Post Types (i.e. one for each class). So, just let us know in the ticket what you want to call each Post Type (i.e. Algebra I Calendar).

As soon as we get your Post Type(s) built we'll send you an email. Then, you just need to add a Post Browser (described above) to the page that you want to display your calendar on:

  1. When editing your Page, "Post Types" can be found with the other Content Elements under "Add Content" in the right-hand column.
  2. Once you get your Post Type Group on the Page, click Settings (in the blue bar) and then select "Calendar" under Layout on the Display Option tab. You'll see many other options available, but for the sake of keeping things simple, this is the only change needed in most cases. Just be sure to hit the blue "Submit" button when you're done.
  3. The last thing you'll need to do is add your Post Type to the calendar. So, click the green "Existing Post Type" button and select the Post Type you want to display on this Page.

That's it. You should have a working calendar on your Page. Of course, you'll need to add some Posts for events to show up on the calendar. So, click Posts in the navigation bar and get that calendar full!

Please let the GSL Support Team know if you have any questions or encounter any problems.