* Changing Default Colours for website creation

[Gowermick]

During the creation of a website, at stage 7, one has option to change colours, including Restore Defaults.

What I can't find is a way to change/set the default colours, i.e. is there a hidden Set As Default option I missed?

[tatewise]

You are correct. There does not seem to be a feature to do that.

I tried using the Colour Scheme feature, but that had no effect on the website Step 7 Colours.
See Tools > Preferences > General tab, Colour Scheme setting and the Help page description.

I guess you know that whatever Step 7 Colours you choose become the default for that website Package when it is rebuilt, and each Package can have its own Colour settings.

[Gowermick]

Mike,
it is frustrating to come up with a decent colour scheme, then not being able to apply it to other websites.

With my limited knowledge of HTML, I did find a clumsy workaround, which is to copy the stylesheet (fhstyle.css) from the good website and use it to overwrite the default stylesheet in c:\Program Files (x86)/family Historian/Web. Then when a new website is created it uses this as the new website stylesheet.
It is a dirty way of doing it, because when you edit the website, when you get to step 7 and click on colours, the colours shown do not reflect the colours used in the actual stylesheet, but if you cancel the Colour Dialogue box, the stylesheet isn't changed, and the new colours are retained.

[ColeValleyGirl]

Doesn't Copying a Website package copy the colours? So you could create a package with you most commonly used settings including the colours, and copy that, then customise the copy to create a new website. Better than messing around with css.

[Gowermick]

Doesn't Copying a Website package copy the colours? So you could create a package with you most commonly used settings including the colours, and copy that, then customise the copy to create a new website. Better than messing around with css.

Helen,
Good thinking, a lot better way of doing it.

A good starting point would be a very basic website which is quick to create and then continue editing it until you get the colour scheme to your liking. An added bonus is that any 'Standard' text you want to include on the introductory page, would also be copied.

I like it more and more

[tatewise]

To apply such Colours to a new website, use the Copy... button instead of the New... button.
Then when you edit the 'new' website all its settings will get changed except for the Colours inherited from the original website.
I recognise that does not work with established websites.

Your idea of overwriting the default stylesheet in C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Web is fraught with risks.
Also, it will get reset when FH is next installed, so you will have to remember to overwrite it again.

[Overlapped with Helen's posting.]

[Gowermick]

To apply such Colours to a new website, use the Copy... button instead of the New... button.
Then when you edit the 'new' website all its settings will get changed except for the Colours inherited from the original website.
I recognise that does not work with established websites.

Your idea of overwriting the default stylesheet in C:\Program Files (x86)\Family Historian\Web is fraught with risks.
Also, it will get reset when FH is next installed, so you will have to remember to overwrite it again.

[Overlapped with Helen's posting.]

I did say it was 'Dirty'

[dewilkinson]

I keep my own css file, index.html and image.jpg in a master folder then after generating an updated website just copy them across to the Packages>Website>Data folder, takes <10 seconds each month. Very simple and then independant of FH updates and under my control.

[tatewise]

David, you don't necessarily need to keep copying those files every time.
Certainly, the CSS file and maybe the JPG can be kept in a _custom subfolder of the Packages\Website\Data folder.
Such subfolders are not deleted when the website gets rebuilt so the files are preserved.
See FHUG Knowledge Base Family Tree Tips ~ Alter CSS Default Styles and Family Tree Tips ~ Set Page Background.
But I doubt if that will work for the index.html file.

However, I don't believe such 'tricks' will work for website colours as they are dotted throughout the fhstyle.css file and interleaved with codes derived from other wizard settings. I would be interested if you can achieve a solution for colours.