How to Create a Custom Button Using the Microsoft Image Composer Button Kit

Tired of the same boring buttons and text links? Use Microsoft Image Composer to create custom buttons that match your Web page. Microsoft Image Composer 1.5 is available on the Microsoft Web site (see Related Sites), as well as on the FrontPage 98 CD-ROM.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computers
• Microsoft FrontPage
• Microsoft Image Composer
• Web Browsers
• Web Sites

Creating a Button

1. Start Image Composer. Click Insert and choose Button.

2. Select a button style and click Next.

3. Choose the number of buttons to be created (the default number is one). Creating multiple buttons at the same time ensures that the buttons will match and be the same size. Click Next.

4. Type the text label for the button (the default is "Home").

5. Add an image by clicking on the browse icon next to the Image box, or by typing the location of the image in the box. Make sure the Image box is checked before doing this. Click Next; if you're creating multiple buttons, you'll be prompted to enter information for each button.

6. Choose Exact Fit for Each Button to automatically size each button to fit the text.

7. Choose Same Size for All Buttons to make all of the buttons the same size. Click Next.

8. Click Finish when done to create the button.

Editing the Button

9. Select the button to be edited and double-click it. This will open the Button Editor.

10. Choose the Style tab to change the button's style.

11. Click on the Label and Image tab to make changes to the text, font or image on the button.

12. Pick the Shape tab to change the shape and highlighting of the button. Choose a category from the drop-down list to select other types of shapes, such as circular or stackable.

13. Click on the Fill tab to change the fill color and texture.

14. Choose the Size tab to make any changes to the size of the button. Click OK when finished.

Saving the Finished Button

15. Choose Save for the Web from the File menu.

16. Select whether or not you wish the button to be transparent (only the image will show against a background). Click Next.

17. Choose your page's background color, or click on the tiled radio button. Click Next.

18. Verify the information, clicking Back if changes are needed, and click Save.

19. In the Save window, select the folder the buttons will be saved in. Click OK.