Technical

Inserting slider into theme files

Code snippets for my own reference, but might be helpful to others…

Edit the theme’s header.php, bottom of the file, above <div class=”site-content”>

Add:

<?php
echo do_shortcode(‘[smartslider3 slider=”2″]’);
?>

“2” being the chosen slider.

Save.
Make sure you install the slider and create a slideshow first!

In Slideshow dashboard, under “Size” set “Overflow-x” to none to remove double scrollbars.

Posted by Redback Graphics in Technical, Wordpress Tips

Creating a Local Folder for email

IMAP accounts

If you have set up any of your email accounts as IMAP, you will need to periodically remove files from the IMAP account. Files can be moved or copied to a new local folder. Check that emails are accessible from the new folder, then you can safely delete them from IMAP folders. Any files/emails/drafts/archives etc in an IMAP folder remain on the server. Once moved from the IMAP folder they will be removed automatically from the server.

Creating a Local Folder

First check that your Email may already have a “Local Folders” folder (you should see it at the bottom of your email accounts/folders list on the left, when viewing your email). You can add a sub folder to Local Folders, and it will also be a “local folder”.

Instructions for Microsoft Outlook to create a new local folder – follow the same principle in other software, but the navigation items will not be the same.

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook to access your email account.
  2. Select Home > New Items > More Items > Outlook Data File.
  3. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and select OK.
  4. Type in a name for your Local Folder, choose its location, and hit OK.
  5. Type in a descriptive name for your Local Folder.  This is the name that will appear in your Outlook screen. Select OK.
  6. Your Local Folder should now appear in the side of your Outlook window.
  7. You can now move emails from the IMAP folder to this local folder. Try a couple first to check they are still readable, then you can move large numbers of old emails. You can also check mail on the server via your cpanel to check that it has left the IMAP folder.

Hint for setting up a new email account (POP or IMAP)
It’s often helpful to view the Properties of an existing working Email account before adding a new account. Take note of the existing incoming and outgoing mail servers, but do not change anything in the existing Email account. You can have several accounts, all sending and receiving from the one computer. Once the new Email address has been tested and working, you can set your new Email address as the “Default” Email address, so that all outgoing Emails will be sent from that Email address in future.

Posted by Redback Graphics in Technical

Free SSL certificates installed

All hosting provided to clients of Redback Graphics have an SSL certificate installed to their hosting. There is no charge, and automatic renewal.

Posted by Redback Graphics in Technical

SSL Email handling

Important changes may require you to change settings

By June 30 2018, all servers will be running on the newer SSL protocol as required for PCI Compliance (see https://blog.pcisecuritystandards.org/are-you-ready-for-30-june-2018-sayin-goodbye-to-ssl-early-tls ).

Subsequently, that requires all email accounts to use SSL encryption. You do not have to purchase SSL certificates, you only have to make changes to your email settings. The servers are already using SSL, you only need to change some settings to use SSL.

For existing clients who are not yet using SSL for your email – you only have to make a couple of changes.

In Outlook (or similar mail client), open the account settings for your email account. Choose the “More” button, then under the Advanced tab:

  • Change the Incoming server POP3 port to 995 (for IMAP use port 993).
  • Select this servers requires encrypted connection SSL.
  • Change the outgoing server (SMTP) to port 465
  • Choose SSL for this connection.
  • Click OK, and you are finished.

These settings should work when using mail servers (incoming and outgoing) mail.yourdomain.com.au. If however you receive an error, please replace the incoming and outgoing mail servers with your serve name, which can be found by logging in to your cPanel (see screenshot at right to locate your server name). Eg. you would replace mail.yourdomain.com.au with c1s3-3m-syd.hosting-services.net.au (example only)

Tip

You can try the new settings on phones to check you have the settings correct, before trying on your computers etc. Please take note of any settings you change prior to changing, so that you can revert back if you are having any issues eg you are using an older operating system as outlined below.

Older operating systems

Microsoft Outlook running on Windows XP or other older Operating Systems (OS), will NOT work with SSL. Your only options (that I am aware of) are to:

  • Upgrade your OS and software eg new equipment, later Outlook running on Windows 10
  • Install free Thunderbird Email. Thunderbird DOES handle SSL encryption on older OS.
  • Consult an IT professional for an alternative solution

Thunderbird
You can install and start using Thunderbird now, before Outlook stops working on older operating systems. That way you will have current emails and contacts already in the Thunderbird software.
Link to free Thunderbird Email software:
https://mozilla-thunderbird.en.softonic.com/download

When adding a new account to Thunderbird though, you should use your server name, not mail.yourdomain.com.au, but, allow Thunderbird to look for you, as it normally will find the server.
To find your server name (if you need it), log into your cPanel, and note the server name at top, see screenshot on right.

 

Adding new account to Thunderbird.
Use the settings detailed above, see screenshots below.




Other ways to access email using SSL
You can always access your email accounts via your webmail.

Posted by Redback Graphics in Technical

GDPR Compliance

General Data Protection Regulation

Effective May 25, 2018.
While on the surface you might feel GDPR has nothing to do with you in Australia, the servers on which websites are hosted collect data automatically. If you have traffic from an EU country, then that visitor’s IP address, browser, browser version, device information and pages they visit, how long they view those pages is collected and stored in logs. You can view this data via your cPanel/AWStats. 3rd party plugins (Forms, mailing lists etc) also collect Email addresses, names, phone numbers etc.
The EU can impose fines of up to €20 million for EU and non EU companies, for failure to comply.

An explanation of GDPR for Australian businesses
https://mumbrella.com.au/an-explanation-of-gdpr-for-australian-businesses-520284

Further information
https://www.csoonline.com/article/3202771/data-protection/general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr-requirements-deadlines-and-facts.html

Australian Government GDPR guidance
https://www.oaic.gov.au/media-and-speeches/news/general-data-protection-regulation-guidance-for-australian-businesses

Your options
Enlist the services of a GDPR professional to make your online interactions GDPR complaint. This is possibly the only way to ensure you are fully GDPR compliant, as it is an extensive, time consuming and technical process.

If you own a WordPress website:

The latest upgrade to WordPress has a built in Privacy Policy page generator to install a generic Privacy Policy page. Just upgrade your WordPress, or see if the feature is already added, via your dashboard, “Settings”, “Privacy”.
You can install various GDPR compliance plugins, but they will undoubtedly state that their plugin does not guarantee GDPR compliance.
You can install a country block plugin, where you can list all member countries of the EU and block them from accessing your website. eg WordPress plugin  “iQ Block Country

 

As the administrator of this website, Redback Graphics has decided to block all EU countries.
No data collected by the servers on which this website resides, or the websites 3rd party plugins, installed software, scripts or code, is collected, stored, viewed, shared, copied or sold by the website administrator, Redback Graphics.

#MoneyChurn #EUMaffia #UnelectedEU #GoJump

 

Posted by Redback Graphics in Technical