This is most odd.

Can you feedback the result of the two tests given in Reply: 8 above please.

From what you describe, it sounds as if there may be some sort of image-blocking going on, suggested by the screenshot - what are you using to take the shot?

Are you able to report on what you see using both Firefox and IE7, as this would give some more clues.

Ah! "don't use firefox"... now we know what's wrong

Seriously though, if you're getting the text displayed on that link, then there's nothing wrong with your access.

What about the result of hovering over the 'Modify' button on one of your recent messages?

I should perhaps add, just in case anyone thinks I'm not checking, I am actually typing this reply in IE7, and all is well - to the server, there's (almost) no difference between me and any other punter having a browse around here, so the problem's very, very unlikely to be at that end of things, or everyone would be seeing the same.

At this stage, I have to say I've not really got any sensible suggestions or hints left in my box of goodies. I've even just tried mucking about with the more obscure image setting and similar in IE7, but they just produced the results I expected, and none of them show red Xs.

While it's not the cause, I recall the Desktop was acquired relatively recently. Can you remind me of the version of Windows and confirm IE7 is in use?

I'd personally now  suggest throwing in Firefox for comparison. SeSco also looks much neater in it because it handles the styling better than IE, which has too many flaws and ignores some of the rules altogether.

It's all very odd, and I'm wondering about any forgotten anti-virus software (now out of date and mis-behaving), or the same with some firewall or similar tucked away somewhere. It all very much as if something was getting in the way.

Does the same happen on other sites, or is it restricted only to SeSco?

You aren't using Vista by any chance?

Hmm.  I have just put up the site on Firefox and have to say the appearance is not as good as IE7!  The lettering looks a bit vague and rather as if it was done on a typewriter whereas on IE it is as clear as a bell.

That's the way it's supposed to look!

As well as nor rendering the font in the right size, or as desired, it also appends the external link graphic very poorly, then there's the various borders that are rendered in a different way than the styling requests, then there's the patch that has to be applied to make certain graphic function work at all, then...

Oh, alright. it's not that bad, but the important thing is that unlike Firefox, IE simply does not follow the standards set out by the World Wide Web Consortium, and we have to program fixes to make it work.

As for the Captain's wee test result...

The good news it confirms some code handling that might have been disabled in his browser is not disabled.

The bad news is another option is gone, and I can't really think of anything else sensible to suggest, so wish him luck in his hunt.

I get the impression when the cause is found it will be something fundamental and patently obvious, not seen because we're looking too hard

Is it just me ?



Every body of a post is like this........

Sorry Captain, it's just you and a side effect of your as yet undiscovered problem with your view

There's some fiddling going on at he moment, and the blue is used to show when we get the code wrong - for us. it appears in IE or Fx if we make a typo, but there's normally a shaded background - which you've probably never seen because it uses a graphic like the X'd images to the left in your clip.

I wish the cause of your odd behaviour was obvious - have you tried asking for help anywhere else?

It has to be some setting somewhere.

Have you got anything installed that could have automatically added this site to a blacklist that blocks images, because that's what's happening if you can see other images, which you clearly can since the pics of eg Dalmarnock, are not sourced from this url, but from a remote host, so have a different url.

I'll ditch the blue soon.

Dark blue should be gone now, and only the Captain will be seeing a pale blue-ish background now

I can't see it  having anything to do with the red Xs, which is a internet/web access problem somewhere, but the reminder about the width being ok in screenshot, but too wide on screen, hints at a possible driver problem.

If you know how and have the info, I'd try downloading the newest drivers for you video adapter - this applies for laptops or desktops, and should be straightforward. You only have to identify the card/adapter and then go the support section of the maker's web site. That should have the latest drivers available for download, and should have instructions provided too.

One other question sparked off by this...

In the screenshots which you mentioned above, obviously the width was ok, but you didn't mention if the graphics appeared in the screenshots as red Xs or as the proper images.

Can you remember this, or check again and let me know?

Yep, that's what I expected - right background too, but then again, it's just a colour and not a graphic, so no surprise there.

It might be worth working through the following notes - a few relate directly to IE and might be worth following through, just to be sure the options are set as needed to stop images being shows as Xs. Some of the others probably don't apply, but then again, I've learned not to dismiss anything to do with software problems out of hand, and I'd check them as well, just to be sure they weren't having an undocumented effect - it does happen!


Problem: The "Show Pictures" setting has been turned off in Internet Explorer.
Solution: In Internet Explorer's Tools menu, click Internet Options, then click the Advanced tab. Make sure the Show Pictures check box is selected under Multimedia, and click OK.

Problem: Your anti-virus or firewall is a little too uppity. Check to see if your anti-virus or firewall software has a privacy setting to "disable web bugs".
Solution: Uncheck or turn it off. (The term "web bug" is a misnomer. They are really just harmless tiny images on a web page or email, sometimes used for tracking purposes.)

Problem: Your Internet Explorer security settings are set too high, preventing you from accessing the web site which hosts the image.
Solution: Reset to the default security settings. In Internet Explorer, click on Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Default Level.

Problem: You've installed the Windows XP/SP2 updates and you're being bitten by the "Block images and other external content in HTML e-mail" security option. This is automatically turned ON in Outlook Express after you install Windows XP/SP2.
Solution: Click on Tools -> Options -> Security. Then UNCHECK the "Block images and other external content" check box, and click OK.