Involuntary Makeover

[dolorous_ett]

Checked my journal this morning, and it's gone from tasetful white with grey trimmings to horrid grey boxes.

I've not been near the page where you modify this thing - I'm not even sure which page it is or how it's done. I certainly wouldn't have done it on purpose. It's drab and ugly this way, and I don't like it. I feel like Trinny and Susannah have snuck into my flat without my leave and thrown out all my favourite clothes.

Has this happened to anyone else? More importantly, can anyone tell me how to fix it?
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ETA: With help from krislaughs and swythyv, I have found the settings and sent the vile grey boxes packing. I don't much care for this sappy mauve colour - but it'll do till I can find something that's a bit more me. It's not a personal statement, OK?
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ETA2: Found a layout that won't give people migraines and doesn't involve blue or mauve! (I have nothing against those colours, but this just isn't a mauve sort of journal). A little pretentious, perhaps, but far more my cup of tea.

Comments

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

The modify page is acually quite user-friendly.

Go to the top menu bar: manage: customize.

Make sure you're in S2 (it's a whole lot easier to manage)

Then you have a series of drop-down menus. You can test those out and stop when you find a comination of layout and colour scheme you like.

If you want more, like "this layout is pretty except I wish the font was purple not blue" you can go to: edit customizations at the bottom of the page, and pick the colour tab. Then there's a list of attributes with colours next to them. Pick one and change it to whatever you like.

hth

[krisomniac.livejournal.com]

The other option is to give someone else your password and have them do all the layouts for you. Then change the password, unless you really trust them.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thank you - that's really helpful!

I've visited "manage" - and you're right - it really isn't rocket science. I'll switch things back soon - and go on to play with the fancy bits at the weekend. Though somehow I think I'll stick with a variation on the old layout, which was simple and elegant - I don't have anything to prove in the graphical line - for me, words are the important thing.

I'm sure I can manage myself - I don't think I'm up for letting anyone else near the business end of my journal. Though normally laid back, I guard my privacy like a tigress with toothache guards her young!

[swythyv.livejournal.com]

Same thing happened to me. It looks as though something reset the most basic defaults of those of us who don't mess about with it - so systems gremlins in the night are the suspects.

If you're like me, don't want to fidget, and just want the nice light clean standard pages back, here's what to do.

On your user info page, roll onto the dark blue bar where it says "manage" and then just below it onto "customize" when the options appear. This may take a few tries, I always miss a couple times. ;D

Make sure your selection still says "Old System S1." Then, just below it, click on "Modify Journal." Brace up, we only have to touch one thing in there, and we'll see it as soon as we land. ;D

Right away, you will see "Page Layout," with four things to think about.

"Most Recent Events" has wantonly been reset to "Generator," which has given us those blue boxes. Make it change back to "Default LiveJournal." If you bother with your Calendar or your DayView, feel free to make those change back to their "Default Calendar" and "Default Dayview" while it's handy.

The Friends View is the reason I know how to do this. About a week ago, it mysteriously vanished it's Default LiveJournal setting altogether, and since I only use Friends View I was much taken aback.

If your taste is like mine, I would suggest changing Friends View to "Magazine." It is also light colored, simple, configured nearly the same, and was about all that stopped the windows being bigger than the screen.

Carefully proceed to the bottom of the page and click "Save Changes."

An now with luck, we may now forget all about how to do this.

Have a very nice day. ;D

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Thank you - that's most helpful!

I'm off now to tinker...

[the-reda.livejournal.com]

... but mauve is so you ...
*runs for cover*

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

*gibbers with rage and hurls rotten fruit at you*

[the-reda.livejournal.com]

*ducks*
wow that was one hell of a throw.
ALl the way to China!

[snorkackcatcher]

The reason why it happened can be found here for the record.

I like the new layout, although I can't remember what the old one was like (I normally read flist entries on the friends page, which is where the link above popped up).

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

The old one was just your bog-standard default layout, but in shades of grey instead of the usual LJ blue and mauve.

I'd have changed right back to how it was, but they've subtly changed the colours on offer so that the grey one now has a royal blue border - which is absolutely not the way things should be.

Anyway, glad you approve. And thanks for the link - all is now explained, and I can stop grousing!