Ah yes, 37signal's Backpack is an amazing, simple tool for even those who don't know html. I've compiled a list of tips and tricks to help you get more out of Backpack.
Example Uses
- Simple Photo Gallery
- Travel Itinerary & Confirmations
- Current Concert/Event Listing
- School Notes
- Automatic Caller-ID Log
- Public List of Things (in this case Movies)
- Personals
- See more real world examples on Backpack Shuffle
CSS Customization
I like to customize the appearance with the following (click edit body and paste on your backpack page:
<style>
table {border: 1px solid #aaa;}
#notes a {text-decoration:none;}
#notes a {padding: 2px;}
#notes a:hover {background:blue;color:#fff;}
#notes .date {display:none;}
</style>
This will make tables stand out better, hide link underlines (in notes), make link background change on hover (in notes), and hide the date notes are posted (because i dont ever use that).
Important: Don't include #notes .date {display:none;} if you don't title every note because then you can't edit/delete them.
See More: CSS Customization for Firefox
and Styling List Items.
Formatting, Symbols & Colors
The great thing about Backpack is that even my girlfriend can edit and make good looking pages. This is primarily due to the face that it uses Textile for formatting. See the Textile Reference for a complete listing.A few most useful Textile references:
Create a link:
Use: "Taylor McKnight":http://www.gtmcknight.com
To get: Taylor McKnight
To change text color:
Use: %{color:blue}Pretty Blue Text%
To Get: Pretty Blue Text
Complete listing of possible color names
Symbols:
Use →
To get: →
(Which is good for setting apart important items. Also check out a listing of other HTML Entities that you can use.)
Tables: Easily create tables with nothing more than |'s check out the how-to.
Integrating Images
Adding images into your notes and lists is a great way to visually set apart things and find what you are looking for.For Lists
You can use Item Label Images
For Notes
As seen on my Europe Travel Page, I used images to set apart whether it was a flight, hotel, or train.
To use these simply copy/paste the following as the first line of your note (feel free to hotlink):
<img src="http://gtmcknight.com/log/up/airplane.gif" align="right" />
<img src="http://gtmcknight.com/log/up/hotel.gif" align="right" />
<img src="http://gtmcknight.com/log/up/train.gif" align="right" />
Linking
As seen on my Europe Travel Page I have the top Itinerary linked to specific sections down on the page.The Link:
"Reference to a note":#myNoteId
The Link Destination (Put this in the title of a note):
<a id="myNoteId" />
(To link to other internal Backpack pages simply click the "Links" button on the top menu)
Going Mobile
You can hook Backpack into your daily life by teaming it with your cellphone. Even access your backpack page on your mobile just by adding /mob on the end of your url (i.e. http://gtmcknight.backpackit.com/mob).You can add content via email (like quick notes/links/reminders) and come back to them when you are at a computer. With the recently added Recurring Reminders you'll never forget to pick up Timmy from soccer practice again.
You can also set up Backpack (on the settings link on the top right of your page) to send you reminders. I suggest setting up a seperate page called "Clipboard" or "Mobile Notes" and only send content to that page so it's easy to filter through when you get home.
Alternate way to send reminders to your cell with Teleflip: yourphonenumber@teleflip.com
Other Tips 'n Tricks
- Lock a page (Still shared, but uneditable)
- API Wrappers
- Sending Backpack pages to iPod
Credit for hacks go to the Backpack Weblog, the brilliant folk in the Backpack Forums, and my own meandering experience.
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01:42 PM on 09.27.05
I've never tried that backpack thing.. i'll have to check it out one of these days.
also, on a seperate note, i check your blog through RSS and your blog description hasn't changed.. it's still "The ongoing chronicle of a college student going through dorm life and dumb professors, looking to escape someday." Just thought you might want to update that :-)