Installing a Ringlink Webring

To install your new Ringlink Webring you would first go to that Ringlink Webring System's Home Page (For example purposes we will use the Ringlink Demo Webring System). Once on the home page of the Ringlink Webring System that will be hosting your webring, you would then click the link to add a new webring (In this case it is 'Add new ring') which will then bring up the following form if this system is a 'Open' system:

Ring title
Description (max 400 characters)
Ring homepage URL
Ring ID	Password	Do not use a valuable password.
Ringmaster name
Ringmaster email
Allow site additions	Language de - German en - English es - Spanish fr - French ja - Japanese nl - Dutch ru - Russian sv - Swedish tr - Turkish zh - Chinese
Hide HTML code URL

   

Note: Some Ringlink Webring Systems may have this form disabled, thus requiring you to contact that system's 'System Manager'. These Ringlink Webring Systems then being known as 'Ask' or 'Closed' systems (See the Ringlink Systems Directory for a list of some 'Open', 'Ask', or 'Closed' systems).

The information requested in the above form is pretty much obvious, except the functions of the two checkboxes:

'Allow site additions' when checked, will make the webring open to all new website applicants. When unchecked, the webring is closed, and you are no longer allowing any new websites to join your webring (The default is checked).

Hide HTML code URL when unchecked, the URL address of the website's home page or entry point (index.html) is listed, as well as the the URL address of the web page where that webring's Navpanel (webrings.html) has been placed. When checked, only the URL address of the website's home page or entry point is listed (The default is unchecked).

This simply means that if the checkbox is 'checked' a new ring member can list only one URL address, and that the ring's navpanel must then be placed on that one web page!

Moving your Ringlink Webring

Ringlink version 2.33 has a new feature that allows Ringmasters to more easily move their webring/s between different Ringlink Webring Systems. It allows them to do so by having added a new 'Backup ring' feature in Ringadmin, and a new symbol for the Navpanel in the 'Customize HTML code' section. The 'Backup ring' feature saves a copy of your webring's data to your computer, and the new symbol [cgiURL] automatically inserts the correct url address of the new system once you have moved to that system (You would ask the new System's Manager to upload your data for you). To get this new feature you only need ask your current System Manager to upgrade to version 2.33. Even if not moving, being able to save a copy of your webring's data to YOUR computer will give you great peace of mind! :-)

Note: Moving a ring between two systems still requires that all the ring's members change the CGI URL in their navpanel's code, but this is now the only change that they need to make. This change can be easily accomplished either by using any text editor, or by simply downloading a new version of their navpanel's code from the new System's Siteadmin section.

Managing your Ringlink Webring

Okay, once you have your new webring installed, you are off to the "Webring Administration Page" (In this case it is 'Ring admin') which is the page where you the new 'RingMaster' can manage your new Webring! :-)

In the drop-down menu you would select 'demo' and enter your password which is also 'demo', and then click the 'log in' button. Everything here is fairly self explanatory (Please feel free to click all the buttons displayed below, and if you change anything in this webring, please change it back, and of course do not remove member websites or the entire webring)!

For further details concerning customization and forms, please continue this tutorial by visiting the Examples Demoring and the Examples Demoring Customizations Page!