Blog

  • HTML 5 Video Ads in Adrotate with Hype

    To make an HTML 5 video ad compatible with AdRotate Pro, I’ve found my way to Tumult software’s Hype app. Pitched as an HTML 5 animation tool, it can also be used to generate the supporting files for a autoplaying, looping video ad using mp4 or webm formatted video.

    Steps:

    1. Define your canvas size / the size of the ad:

    Hype Scene Size.

    2. Drag and drop the first of your video files onto the blank scene canvas and position it.

    3. In the Element tab on the right of the window, select your alternate video file to ensure compatibility across browsers. Go through the check-boxes beneath the video element – I want the video to play automatically, loop, and hide controls:

    Hype Element Controls.

    4. In the Actions tab on the right of the window, add an “On Mouse Click” action: select “Go to URL” and paste in the link your advertiser has provided to you. Check the box if you want the link to open in a new window.

    5. If you want to a responsive ad, you can use the Layouts feature create device or screen-size specific alternatives. You’ll need to go through all the above steps again for each layout…

    6. Once your scene / layouts are complete, save your work, and then select “Export as HTML 5” from the File menu.

    Read through any warnings in the browser compatibility summary window that pops up, and if you’re happy to proceed, click on the export button. Name the folder and save it where you want using the Save Dialog box that opens.

    7. Upload the new folder into the “/wp-content/banners” folder on your server using SFTP. This directory should have been created by AdRotate when you installed it.

    8. In the AdRotate’s “Manage Adverts” screen, in the WordPress admin area, create a new advert.

    9. Name your ad. Next to the AdCode area, click on the “iframe” example, and then adjust the code to suit your needs.

    10. In the Banner Asset area, use the Banner Folder drop-down menu to select the ad you just uploaded.

    AdRotate Ad Setup.

    11. Select your schedule, groups and other options for the ad, and then click on the “Save” button….

  • Finding out who’s atending your meeting in Outlook for Mac

    A recent convert from Windows ran into a big issue when she tried to figure out who had actually responded to her meeting invitations. Double clicking the event in the calendar view did not offer her the information that she was used to seeing, and she’d had no success finding help online.

    There are two ways (that I know of) to see who’s accepted and declined your invite:

    1. Select the meeting in calendar view by clicking on it once. Then hover your cursor over the meeting. After a second or two, a bubble will pop open showing you the info you’re after!

    2. If you already have the meeting open, you can click on the “Scheduling” icon in the top bar. This will open a view of the free / busy status of the calendars of the people who’ve been invited to the meeting for around the scheduled time, and on the left hand side, by their names, you will see small indicators of whether of not they’ve accepted your invitation – a green check-mark for yes, a red cross for no, and a grey dot for no response…