Expression web ad rotator control
The adrotator control in the expression web asp.net control tool box, allows
you to easily ad rotating images to your web pages or web site. And its one of
the most simple controls to use.
What type of images can be used?
You can create your own images, or you can use
images from your affiliate programs for example or from a third party.
How does the adrotator control work?
Its quite simple, the adrotator control draws its information from and XML
file - an example is included in the download and
simply display ads/graphics based on your instructions. Lets look at some
example code.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Advertisements>
<Ad>
<ImageUrl>images/banner1.gif</ImageUrl>
<NavigateUrl>http://www.expression-web-designer-help.com</NavigateUrl>
<AlternateText>Shown the least amount of times</AlternateText>
<Keyword>Computers</Keyword>
<Impressions>1</Impressions>
</Ad>
<Ad>
<ImageUrl>http://www.ftjcfx.com/image-2774817-10408713</ImageUrl>
<NavigateUrl>http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-2774817-10408713</NavigateUrl>
<AlternateText>ProStores 1 Month Free Trial</AlternateText>
<Keyword>E-Commerce</Keyword>
<Impressions>3</Impressions>
</Ad>
</Advertisements>
The example above, will randomly show 2 images, one is my image linking to my
web site and the second is an commission junction affiliate image.
If you click on my image, you will be taken to the web page i specified in
the xml file. If you click on the other image, you will be taken to (in the
example above) e-bay as specified in the xml (via the affiliate web site)
Lets examine the xml code
<ImageUrl>images/banner1.gif</ImageUrl>
You specify where the image can be found - in this case it is in the images
folder and is a relative link but equally it can be an absolute link to an image
anywhere on the internet.
<NavigateUrl>http://www.expression-web-designer-help.com</NavigateUrl>
This is the link that you wish to send users to when the click on your ad. In
this case i have used an absolute path to my other expression web, web site.
<AlternateText>Shown the least amount of
times</AlternateText>
The alternate text is no different to a standard image alt text! It is important
that you include this text, if for no other reason, the image may fail to load
but the alt text and link will still display.
<Keyword>Computers</Keyword>
Use it to provide a keyword or keywords specific to the image or the link to
image will take you to.
<Impressions>1</Impressions>
Very important. This determines the amount of times an particular image is
displayed. The higher the number, the more times thee image will display.
So finally lets look at the image control in action.
Click refresh a few times and you will see the ads
change. I am aware that some of the images burst my display area and this could
be overcome by using different sized images. A link to the tutorial can be found
under the ads.
