Web & Screen FAQ
1. We're still using the old Cornell logo on our department's web pages and on our print materials. Do we have to create new materials using the new logo?
ANSWER: Yes
2. We just completed a redesign of our office's web site last year. Now I see that there are new web templates provided on the Identity site. Do I have to use the new web templates on my web site?
ANSWER: No. The developer templates should not be confused with the Cornell web banners. The developer templates are provided as a tool for those wanting an easy and elegant method to create web sites that comply with the Cornell Visual Identity Guidelines, but no one is required to use them. The Cornell banners are required no matter how you create your web site.
3. We are just starting a redesign of our program's web site. Does my web site have to follow the style of www.cornell.edu?
ANSWER: No, but you do have to follow the guidelines presented at www.cornell.edu/identity/
4. Our secondary unit name is long and needs to go on 2 lines. We would like the second line indented. I haven't been able to change the formatting of the text in the logo file. Can you help me?
ANSWER: The logo files are intended for use in the form in which they were provided. Please do not open these files in image-editing software and attempt to edit or reposition the text, or to cut and paste pieces of the signature. Likewise, when creating or modifying your letterhead, please follow the formatting instructions included in the letterhead (Word template) file. For more detailed information about the proper use of the Cornell logo and unit signatures, please refer to the Cornell University Style Guide.
5. I don't like the fact that your banners are fixed-width and centered, can I change this?
ANSWER: No. You may not make any changes to the code for the banners. They should remain centered in the browser window with a fixed distance between the logo and the search elements.
6. Putting your banners on my site changes my fonts and colors. How do I fix this?
ANSWER: You most likely have an older version of the banners. Download them again and use the newer files instead. You should be able to simply replace the old main.css file with the new.
7. The insignia is repeating in my banner. It looks really odd. How do I fix this?
ANSWER: You need to adjust some things in the CSS file. Open styles/main.css, find #unit-signature-links a, and set the width value to:
- 68 pixels less than the total width of your two-line unit signature image. For example, if your unit signature is 268 pixels wide, set the width value to 200px.
- 80 pixels less than the total width of your three-line unit signature image. For example, if your unit signature is 380 pixels wide, set the width value to 300px.
8. How do I customize your searches to work on my own site?
ANSWER: If you have a local search, you will need to input the URL of the script that handles the data submitted by your form. Insert this into the action="" tag. Your search script will need a bit of logic to determine whether the target variable is set to your own search or to Cornell's search engine.
If you would like to use the Cornell Google Appliance to search your site, visit the Google Help Pages for instructions.
9. Putting your banners on my site makes random horizontal lines show up in places that did not previously have them. How do I fix this?
ANSWER: You most likely have an older version of the banners. Download them again and use the newer files instead. You should be able to simply replace the old main.css file with the new.
10. I don't like the fact that your banners are fixed-width and centered, can I change this?
ANSWER: No. You may not make any changes to the code for the banners. They should remain centered in the browser window with a fixed distance between the logo and the search elements.
This does not imply that your page contents must be centered or fixed width as well. You are free to code your content to your own liking.
11. When I hover my mouse over the signature, the links do not line up in the right place. How do I fix this?
ANSWER: You most likely have an older version of the banners. You can either re-download your package and implement them again, or you can go into the main.css file and set the #search-form tag width to equal 300px.
The tag should look like this:
#search-form {
width: 300px;
position: absolute;
top: 18px;
right: 50%;
margin-right: -385px;
}