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Add Links, filters, and bookmarks to your zine
In order to make your zine really personal and dynamic, you'll probably want to add links to the rest of the Web. There are three ways for adding Web content to your zine. You can:
You also have the option, using the same tools, to go back later to modify filters and links you've previously added.
How do I create a filter?
The first three steps here are for folks who aren't logged into their zines. If you are logged into your zine, you can begin at the fourth step.
- First, log in to your zine using your member name and password.
- Then, click on the "Edit" tab at the top of your table of contents. (It's there on the left hand side in between "Read" and "Publish".)
- From there, choose the "From the Web" tab in the right hand side of the frame. That will bring you to the tools you'll use to create a filter.
- In the first drop down menu box, choose the section of your table of contents where you'd like your filter to live.
- Then, give your filter a name. Going back to the "California Wines" example, you might call the filter "California Wines" and it will appear like that in your table of contents.
- In the next field, indicate the appropriate keywords for which our filtering technology -- known as ECHO -- should search. They might be "Napa" or "Sonoma" or "Chardonnay," etc.
PLEASE NOTE: You may name as many keywords as you like, but if you enter more than one keyword separated only by commas (Napa, Sonoma, Chardonnay), the filter will require that ALL of those words be on EVERY page it retrieves. To expand your filter, simply type "OR" between the keywords (Napa or Sonoma or Chardonnay). Using "OR" in your filter will require that only ONE of your keywords need appear on a page for it to be retrieved.
- Finally, specify the Web sites you want your filter to visit. If you only know the type of content you'd like to search, select one of our editor-chosen site categories and we'll search all the best sites we know of concerning that category every day. If you know exactly which sites or pages you'd like us to check daily, you may enter the URLs into the fields. Normally, a filter searches the page you specified and all of its links. If you'd like to limit the filter to only the page you specified, choose "only the page" in the menu at the bottom.
Why does my filter read "Please check back later"?
This message appears when your filter has not found any content which matches the keywords. This always occurs immediately after a filter is created since it takes a few hours for your filter to be activated. (It may even take as long as 24 hours for you filter to return results.) If the "Check back later" message appears for longer than twenty-four hours, you may need to adjust your filter by adding more URLs to search on or by changing your keywords.
Read more about using Boolean logic to improve your filters.
Add links to the Web
Adding a link to a particular web site is easy and a great way to quickly access the sites you use most. To add a link to your zine, once you're already logged in:
- Click on the "Edit" tab at the top of your table of contents. (It's there on the left hand side in between "Read" and "Publish".)
- From there, choose the "From the Web" tab in the right hand side of the frame.
- Scroll down the page until you see "Add links." (This will be the third option.) Click the "Go!" box next to that choice. This will take you to the page where you'll actually add the link.
- In the drop down menu box on the subsequent page, select the section of your zine where you'd like the link to live. It will appear in this section in your table of contents. Or, if you'd like to create a new section for the link, you may type that in in the first box.
- Give the link a name. This is what it will be called in your table of contents.
- Finally, enter the full URL for the link in the last box, and click "Add." That's all there is to it!
Import your bookmarks
One of the best and easiest ways for you to make the most of your zine, is to import your existing Internet bookmarks. Importing your bookmarks is simple -- it really only takes two clicks -- and it's a great way for you to add the content you already know and like. To import your bookmarks, once you're logged in to your zine:
- Click on the "Edit" tab at the top of your table of contents. (It's there on the left hand side in between "Read" and "Publish".)
- From there, choose the "From the Web" tab in the right hand side of the frame.
- Scroll down the page until you see "Import your bookmarks." (This will be the last option.) Click the "Go!" box next to that choice.
- You'll then be taken to a page where the Bookmark Importer is explained. It's a Java applet that locates your bookmarks and adds them to your zine automatically.
- Read the explanation on that page, and click "Continue."
- The Bookmark Importer will then plug your bookmarks into your zine appropriately.
Pretty cool, huh? The final step in creating your own zine is to personalize it. Click here to learn how.
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