Getting Started with YASS
So, you have decided to use Yet Another Status Signature to create your very own status images to proudly display around on the Internet. You have just registered an account on the registration page, and maybe you have even downloaded and installed the client script. If so, you can skip right to the configuration section. Otherwise, lets download and install the script.
Download and Install
The YASS script for Messenger Plus! Live can be found at either http://www.msgpluslive.net/scripts or http://www.yetanothersig.com. The script should only ever be downloaded from these two sites.
After downloading the script, double-click the file to install it. A confirmation box will be displayed, showing information about the script:
After importing, the script will ask you if you wish to set it up. If you have already registered, choose yes for this question. You will then be prompted for a URL in which to send data to. This URL is the same as the URL for the homepage for the YASS server you registered on. Once entered, and there are no errors given, the client will begin sending updates to the server.
Configuration of YASS
Ok, so you now have YASS up and running. The next step is to get it to work the way you want. There are a few settings for the client itself, and then the rest is a matter of designing your status images. The settings window can be found off the scripts menu, on the main window of Windows Live Messenger. The options here allow you to disable status updates while appearing offline (Otherwise, someone looking at a status image can notice that you're appearing offline), and to disable toast messages that appear when a connection problem or error occurs with the server. You can choose to turn off all information sent to the server, and change the server URL here as well.
The next step to getting YASS working for you is to create an image for yourself. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to load a pre-made template image, and save it to your selection list. Or, you can create an image from scratch using the image editor. Both can be selected from the Image Selection List on the scripts menu.
Selecting New here will open the image editor with no set values, a blank canvas for you to work with. Or select New From Template to quickly get started.
These options change to Edit and Delete when there is an image saved.
Choose a template from the list, and click OK to save the template to your image list.
Using the Image Editor
The image editor included with YASS allows absolute positioning of all the elements included down to the pixel. Sizes can be selected, each colour can be chosen. Every aspect of a status image is able to be configured. If there's something you think is missing from the editor, please suggest it!
Using the image editor requires some trial and error to get things lined up correctly. To see the changes that have been made, save the image and go back to the selection list. The image can then be viewed or refreshed in a web browser.
Here is a list of helpful hints when using the editor:
- Save and preview often
- Remember to check all the settings on the background tab if you're missing transparency. There's a checkmark there for a transparent background
- Make sure the background dimensions match the size of the image you have chosen, unless you're doing something fancy
- Don't be afraid to experiment. There are 10 image slots, and a very useful delete button for when things go wrong.
- Have patience.
- And finally, be creative!