If you are new to the Fan Spec Database, you might want to read some of the information below.

1. What is this database for?
2. What's New?
3. How do I use it?
   1. How to use the Database Interface
   2. Search Options
   3. How to create your Fan Spec
   4. How to update your Fan Spec
4. Other Information
   1. Link to your Fan Spec!
   2. A note on Factions/Allegiances.
   3. Possible Error messages, and their causes and solutions
   4. WARNING!
   5. Thanks!

What is this database for?

This database is specifically designed to store and allow simple updates to personal information about a fan of Transformers, and to allow TF fans to read about each other and find another fan in their area, or with similar interests or qualities.
If you are a fan of Transformers, you are encouraged to Create your Fan Spec in this database. Other TF fans will be able to read about you, and contact you if they like (and if you provide contact information such as an e-mail address).
All you have to do is have fun! Read about other fans! Share your info with other fans! Make this database the best it can be! :)

What's New?

Since the Fan Specs continue to be improved upon, I thought it would be considerate to include a list of updates to the script. I've done a lot since the Fan Specs were released to the public, which I will summarize. From now on, I'll do my best to keep this list of changes up to date. To incorporate any changes into your Fan Spec, merely update your Spec (you don't even need to change anything ;-)

1. April 5, 2004 - I'm pretty sure I made a minor tweak here and there prior to this, but I just added more IM options (AIM, Yahoo, MSN, and IRC, and removed the ICQ Nickname part) as well as the "Favorite Series/Generation" option. These changes will ONLY appear on specs updated after this addition.
2. February 29, 2000 - added "Favorite Music/Band" field, and 4 new Allegiance choices: BM Maximal, Vehicon, Mutant Beast, and BM Dinobot. Also changed password entry field to password input (showing * in place of letters). These changes will ONLY appear on specs updated after this addition.
3. September 14, 1999 - Fan Specs moved to a different location. Unfortunately, some of the passwords were lost. As far as I know, the resulting problems have been cleared up.
4. July 12, 1999 - added "TransFan Since" field.
5. Before I began this "What's New" section, I made the following update/changes to the Fan Specs: Added "Member of", "Ethnicity", and "Personal Motto" fields; Reformatted appearance of ICQ and Photo information; Reformatted overall order of information in Specs

How do I use it?

How to use the Database Interface...

1. The simple Search form is at the top left. You can also use the expanded Search options available below. The form at the top right is a jump box to help you get out of the Database Interface.
2. If you want to just browse through all the Specs in the database, click "search" without entering any terms. You can also follow the "List All by Pagename" link, which also appears just below the search results.
3. If you are looking for a friend or fan with similar interests, just enter that as a keyword (i.e. I would enter "Seattle" to search for someone that lives near me).
4. Results will appear in the frame on the left. Just choose the name of the Spec you want to view. That Spec will appear in this window.
5. To get back to this page, follow the link that says "Main Page".

Search Options

How to CREATE Your Fan Spec...

Follow these simple guidelines to avoid any problems when creating a new Spec.

1. Note: fictional Fan Specs are strongly discouraged. It's ok to leave things blank, or to be humorous, but a completely fictional Spec will be deleted.
2. Form fields noted in RED are required.
3. Password is CASE SENSITIVE. Choose it wisely.
4. Pagename is user-assigned, and MUST be unique. ALL non-alphanumeric characters (including spaces, but you may use underscores "_") will be removed and uppercase will be changed to lowercase. Do not include the .htm or .html extension, the script will add that later.
5. Only ONE e-mail address allowed.
6. If you do not have your Fan Code handy, you can calculate your Fan code and go directly to creating your Fan Spec after that.
7. To CREATE your Fan Spec go to the Fan Spec Creation Form.
8. After your Fan Spec is created, you'll see a confirmation screen with your pagename, password, and Fan Spec URL for future reference. You'll also get an HTML code snippet you can add to your web site that links visitors directly to your Fan Spec. Be sure to save this information somewhere for future reference. Once you leave this page, you miss your chance to copy the information.

How to UPDATE Your Fan Spec...

Follow these simple guidelines to update your Spec.

1. Do a search for your Spec, or List All by Pagename.
2. View your Spec
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page (your Spec). At the bottom of the page there will be a password entry form.
4. Enter your correct (CaSe SeNsItIvE) password in the blank and submit the form
5. Make any corrections or updates to the information in the subsequent form, and submit the form.
6. Your Spec has been updated!

Other Information

Link to your Fan Spec

1. Use the following code for your Fan Spec. Copy and paste this code into your web page.

   <P ALIGN="CENTER"><A HREF="http://www.ggaub.com/tf/fanspecs/fans/pagename.html" TARGET="_top">Read my<BR><IMG SRC="http://www.ggaub.com/tf/fanspecs/images/specbutt.jpg" BORDER="0" ALT="FAN SPEC" WIDTH="100" HEIGHT="66"></A></P>

2. It will look like this:

   Read my
   

3. Be SURE to change the "pagename" part of the URL to the pagename for YOUR Fan Spec, or the link will not work properly.
4. You are welcome to modify the code to suit your web page layout.

A note on Factions/Allegiances

1. Contact me.
2. Include the web page URL of the group/faction to prove that it is an established group.
3. Include a copy of your logo. If possible, it should be 66x50 pixels, with a transparent background that looks good on a dark/black background. If necessary, I will re-draw/render a new copy of your logo suitable for use on the Fan Specs.
4. Desired name for your faction in the option list.

ERROR Messages

These are some of the possible errors you may encounter along with their causes and solutions.

1. "OOPS!"
   This error occurs when a required field is left blank. The missing field will be noted in the error message. To avoid this error, be sure to fill in all the required fields.
2. "Permission Denied"
   This happens when you try to replace/update your Spec without providing the correct Password. Fill in the CORRECT Password, and the error will not occur.
   This error may also occur to those specs where the password/pagename was lost from the data file during the move last year (1999). If you haven't updated your spec for a long time, and get this error, please contact me to get it worked out.
3. "The page name: pagename is already taken."
   Since Pagenames must be unique, and the name you entered is already in use, you must choose a different pagename. If you are in love with your first choice, try adding a number to it, like people do with AOL screen names.
4. "You cannot name your page index."
   Choose a different pagename, please.
5. "Internal Server Error"
   This error should no longer occur, but if it does it usually occurs when an incomplete e-mail address has been entered. Although the Fan Spec was created or replaced, the script failed when it tried to send you an e-mail. To avoid this error, leave the e-mail address field completely blank, or enter a complete e-mail address (for example: "myname" will not work, but "myname@myhost.com" will, even if it's not a real address). If you wish to enter a correct e-mail address after creating a new Spec, be sure to do a Spec Update instead of a new Spec.

WARNING!

This Database should NOT be considered secure by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, there's a password for each Spec, which should prevent tampering by the various malcontents, but will in no way stop a real hacker from messing things up. Treat this database as nothing more than a fun way to share some "fan" tidbits with other TF fans. If you're a hacker, go for bigger fish, you slacker.

It has been noted that certain unscrupulous people (namely perverts) *might* discover this site and use the information found in this database to contact you and some how seduce you or something. My point is, as with any repository of information on the internet, ANYONE can access it. So, if you're paranoid about this kind of thing, either don't include anything overly personal, or don't create your entry at all. I am *personally* not worried about this sort of thing, because I'm not stupid enough to place myself into a potentially dangerous situation with a complete stranger! I would hope that all of you would have the same common sense. If someone does contact you and you want to meet them, do so in a familiar public place, with lots of people, and a known escape route, and bring some kind of defense, like pepper spray or an alarm/whistle device. If you are a minor, bring your parent or an adult.

Thanks!

WebSearch version 1.11 by Darryl Burgdorf. Latest version is available from http://awsd.com/scripts/. This search script was extensively modified by Greg Gaub for use in the Transformers Fan Spec Database.

HomePageMaker v.1.6 (Basis for the Spec Creation/Update Script) written by Dave Palmer, dave@upstatepress.com, http://www.upstatepress.com/dave/perl.shtml. Modified by Greg Mathews, webmaster@notts.net. This script/code/source/related pages have been extensively modified by Greg Gaub to suit the needs of the Fan Spec Database.

I'd like to thank all the TF fans that provided suggestions for this database. Suggestions continue to be welcome. There's no reason this database cannot continue to improve! To contact me directly, just go to my contact page and put "Fan Spec Database" in the subject.
Thanks!
-Greg Gaub