Hack MSN Spaces: The Power Toys

Windows Media Player

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 20:34:35 GMT

To get a media player onto your Space : [Can be seen on Internet Explorer only!]

Sign into your Live Spaces account

Click on Your Space button on the What's new page. You will be in the edit/owner mode of your space.
Then click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Rearrange or hide modules from the drop down menu.

Click on the Module link and from the drop down menu select Other and then Click on the Windows Media Player Show button. You will notice that a media player has been added to your space. Click on Close and then Save your layout after you have placed the media player module where you like/ would wnat to display on your Space. The page will refresh...
Click on the Edit link found on the Media player module and you will be see the Edit options of the Media Player. The options range from the number of times you want to play your media file to the way the player should be displayed. Select and change the options and after you are satisfied with it, click on Save to save your options.

To get rid of the ugly Windows Media Player title that is displayed when you preview your space.. carry out the steps below which I did for the HTML module. this can be used for removing/ changing the title and also displaying the media player to its full width depending on the layout of your space.

Click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Rearrange or hide modules from the drop down menu (again).

You will notice that the top right hand side corner of every module there will be an inverted triangle. Click on the inverted triangle found on the HTML module and a menu will drop down.
From the drop down menu, click on Preferences.

Enter any title you want and click on save. If you dont want to display a title or border.. Tick the Hide title from Vistors and Hide the border from visitors and then click on Save.

Note:- You will need a URL of a media file to play it. Please see the following tutorials (links below) to learn how to upload your media file online and obtain a URL for it so that you can play video or music on your space. You can also try the media player hacks to add more stuff to your space using the space media player.

The Media player can play most valid video and audio file formats and flash files too.

What is a URL?

Hosting your Media Files online

Play music on your Space

Media Player Hacks

Custom HTML Module / Sandbox

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:19:31 GMT

The Custom HTML Power Toy is designed to allow you to add a sandbox module to your Space in which you can enter text, link to images, and use other HTML features. The Custom HTML Power Toy supports all of the same HTML that you can enter into a Blog entry and can be moved around your Space as a separate module, just like a list or any other Spaces module. Additionally you can control the Title of this module and whether the borders for this module are displayed or not.

Sign into your Live Spaces account

Click on Your Space button on the What's new page. You will be in the edit/owner mode of your space.
Then click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Rearrange or hide modules from the drop down menu.

Click on the Module link and from the drop down menu select Other and then Click on the Html Add button. You can add and remove a many Html modules as you want.

Click Close and then Save your layout.

To add content/Html code to the Html box, click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Rearrange or hide modules from the drop down menu as you did before.

The page will refresh and you will notice that and and edit link on the Html module. Click on it.

The page will refresh and you can add your code in the box and Save it.

Note:-

The HTMl box displays the Html title by default. You may not like it. If you want to change the title or even make the background dissapear so that you can use the box to dislay banners with out the obstructing border and background.

Click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Rearrange or hide modules from the drop down menu (again).

You will notice that the top right hand side corner of every module there will be an inverted triangle. Click on the inverted triangle found on the HTML module and a menu will drop down.
From the drop down menu, click on Preferences.

Enter any title you want and click on save. If you dont want to display a title or border.. Tick the Hide title from Vistors and Hide the border from visitors and then click on Save. I recommend you do this.
Done!

This module is useful in many of the tutorials I have put up on this space.

You can start by adding a banner. Click here to learn how to..

Tip:- You can also add many things like counters , Clocks etc. See the tuorials in the various categories on my space. if you have coding problems. Add all of this onto a blog entry, arrange the position , add the hyperlinks, change the size of your pictures, etc. Click on the button and get the code for it. Dont publish your entry. Paste that code into the sandbox and click Save.

Note 2:-

Incase your code is not accepted due t restrictions you can try the 3rd Party HTML Sanbox gadget has been developed! It takes flash files, embed objects and almost any valid HTML code! Why not click here to get the HTML sandbox gadget! (Note : This gadget does not have the disable module border/background option and a height - width restriction may be applicable ).

You can now have two HTML sandboxes. Click here to learn more..

Customize your Live Spaces Appearance

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 09:12:26 GMT

You can easily customize the following features for your Live Spaces which will change its appearance to some degree.

Text and Link colours
Font Type, Size and Style.
Background Colours
Module Colours and Fonts
Background Image

To access this feature:

Sign into your Live Spaces account

Click on Your Space button on the What's new page. You will be in the edit/owner mode of your space.
Then click on the customize link on the right hand top corner and select Advanced from the drop down menu.

Choose the colour(s) of your choice by click on the colour boxes for different areas.

IF you are not happy with the given choice of color boxes you can choose more colours from the Colour picker given.

Click on the 'Close' button and then click on the 'Save' button to save your settings.

Note: Also see the other tabs like templetes, modules, theme, etc. New layout and themes can give your space a new revamped look.