Things I've Learned for a Better Blogging Experience
One of the things I've learned about posting, although not something I use, is that you can use drafts to save without actually committing the post. One of the complaints was only one draft with that name could be saved without losing everything. The secret to saving the draft the second time is to always be sure to click the Edit Posts tab to get a copy of the file from the server, then click Edit beside the Draft. You can then Save it with any changes or additions as many times as you like. Just be sure to always get a fresh copy from the server. Don't rely upon your browser's still having the draft open, because it can and possibly will timeout your session.
When you want to make a link to some site or blog, open a second browser with that site open. Write away and then select the text you want linked. Now click the button that looks like a green ball with a link of chain over it, its between the Text color and Align Left buttons and if you float your mouse cursor over it, it says "Link" (imagine that). This will cause a dialog box to popup asking for the address. Go to your browser with the site open and drag the icon in the address bar down to the task bar and float over the browser button with your post in it. This should bring it into focus, and drop the icon in the dialog box. Be sure the "http://" isn't duplicated and hit the OK button. You just avoided having to type in all that stuff and any typographical errors.
I've been a bit irritated with losing comments I'm going to post, only to lose what I've entered if I click on a link so I can look for something. I think I have that one figured out. If you click "Preview" the browser treats that as a new page, so even if you accidentally use the window/tab to go elsewhere, when you hit the back button the text you typed is shown there without loss. WhooHoo!
I use Firefox for my browser and XP as an OS, if you use anything else your results may vary.
Speaking of Firefox, if you haven't upgraded to the latest, you're missing out. You now get a close button on each tab, so no more sliding across to the close button, or having to right-click and choose close; and one of the best features it now has is (drum roll, please) Spell Checking!
I hope at least one of these things helps you in your blogging, if you have any tips, please do tell.
Labels: Better Blogging
posted by Charles @ 11:17 AM
Comments: 65 <-<<Add One!
65 Comments:
thanks. that really helps!
& yes I will take the knock of pill right away!
Take care
All good stuff to know. I've had an issue a couple of times recently with Blogger allegedly saving a post only to find out it didn't. I'm pretty sure that's a Blogger rather than browser issue.
good things to know. i have not switched over to firefox. what do yousee as the advantages over IE if i may ask? i have zero experience with firefox
Get yourself some rest, Mona.
Its kind of hard to say where blogger ends and your PC begins, when you consider how much client side scripting is going on. All of that runs on your PC, under your browser. As long as it does what its supposed to, you are usually fine. When it does and things aren't fine, that's blogger. Most of us run our browsers so that if there are errors we never see them, with good reason. 1. Most wouldn't know what the error was about or how to fix it. 2. Even if we did, chances are good we couldn't fix it anyway, since all that code is handed out by the server. 3. We'd rather not know, then we can blame it on whatever we would like to. ;)
The biggest advantage is that it runs no ActiveX. Therefore security is much much better. The new IE 7 looks similar to it, but I'm not so sure about it. I haven't used it much, so I'm not how well they have tightened things up. You'd have to ask someone who does use it about their impressions.
BTW, you can have both FF and IE installed on the same machine, and even running at the same time, some sites actually require ActiveX, so its best to keep it around even if its not your browser of choice.
Firefox is awesome!!!!
I can't sing it's praises enough. I could never willingly go back to i.e. now.
Happy Weekend, Charles!
--snow
thanks charles. i appreciate your input :)
Thanks for all expert advice! I'm not sure I have understood it all, but at least I will try to make use of part of it. What I often do is to prepare a text on Word and then when I feel that I'm ready to post, I just copy and paste. Then of course the photos complicate things; left, right, center, big, medium, small... and they hardly ever fit in exactly where you would want them. Some "modifications" mostly needed.
Hi Snow,
I concur, Firefox is awesome.
Hi Lime,
I hope you have a pleasant weekend.
Hi Peter,
Its not exactly expert advice, but it might be helpful. Tweaking things is certainly helpful, if you have that discerning eye. It sounds more expert than what I've given. It makes sense why you have such gorgeous pics, you definitely have a discerning eye.
We technophobs can never have too much help with this kind of thing.
Do you know how to control linebreaks? Mine take ages to get right and sometimes I just give up trying.
I also find combining the words in a pleasing manner with the pictures difficult and time consuming.
Cathy,
After seeing what you and your brother attempted to do with Mona and myself, and seeing how your brother treated Galen, I will not help you. If you choose to read what I have posted to others and can benefit from it, I can't stop you.
I don't think I like you, and I know I don't like your brother. Go away. Do not ask for my help.
The NERVE!!!!!!
That expression of the kids at my blog is mine at present!!!!
I usually find I can deal with all of these problems much better after a few cold ones. :)
Mona,
Indeed.
Dan,
Unfortunately the fridge at present has no cold ones. I may have been more harsh that others might have been, but I see a trend coming from that family. I do not have to put up with it. I don't know what happened with the parenting there, but I'm certain it had to have something to do with it. I am responsible for my own actions, and will deal with whatever consequences they may bring. Please excuse the ugliness coming from me about this.
Continuing on this rant...
Anybody who would go off on Galen about how family might be reading, and would have an animated gif of a costumed animal shaking giant gonads is a hypocrite. I have no doubt as to why they might be familiar with the term "troll," as I'm certain at least one of them had been called said term at least once, and probably lost a lot of privileges because of their involvement in such activities.
You are my new best friend!! He's been around and he is nothing but MEAN! ;o))
Hope you are having a great wknd!
jillie,
I'm always happy to have worthy friends, friend. Such has been my experience, also.
You have a great one, too.
jillie,
I find it interesting, that immediately after my comment, sis commented, then there's a deleted comment just after that. This was the modus operandi, Say shit, then delete it so people couldn't see how bad she was. This is a snake that will bite you when you are not looking, be cautious.
I see a definite pattern.
charles..thanks for the great tips.
I didn't know how to put a link in a comment before.
It's amazing blogger doesn't supply this information.
I appreciate your honesty charles, although I'm unfamiliar with the actions you are speaking of, we'll leave it at that.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you can enjoy your Sunday.
I don't do much blogging on the weekends other than try to do a little catching up and follow up comments.
Btw blogger has been running smoothly for me this morning.
tc
Mona, ((HUGS))
TC,
Those instructions are for the posts section. If you want to put one in your comments, its a bit more complicated, but drag&drop can be used to great advantage, still. Here's how:
Again, you want to have two browsers open one with your comments open, one with the target site open.
Just drag the icon from the address bar into the "Leave your comment" box, this gives you the address and the title in most cases.
Click your cursor before the address, and insert '<a href="' (note the quote,) then after the address insert '">' (again note the closing quote.) The quotes around the address aren't required by many browsers, but XML does require them, so we insert them for blogger.
Now goto the end of the title (or wherever you want the linked text to end) and insert '</a>'. Now you can click the Preview button to check.
That's it.
Without honesty, no progress could be made.
Glad to hear you're not experiencing the sluggishness, not so glad I am.
Have a great one, Kind One.
I'll use Snowelf's blog as an example (she has some really good writing skills, you should check it out, if you haven't already.)
First I drop in the icon and get:
http://ironiccoincidences.blogspot.com/
Just Another Ironic Coincidence
Now I add the code (don't let the word scare you.)
<a href="http://ironiccoincidences.blogspot.com/">
Just Another Ironic Coincidence"</a>
And the result we get is:
Just Another Ironic Coincidence
Oops. I somehow got an extra quote there after the title, you don't want that there. Dang it, I hate it when I copy, paste and screw up.
Ah! That is really useful! That help I sure needed!! Thanks Superman!
Tops> yes isnt he? & I love him for that honesty!
Some people just feel that pretending to be dissociative is being honest. I feel that is selfish & hypocritical. One has to know that to be honest is to be human. You can't just close your eyes everywhere & pretend as if nothing ever happened, knowing that it did.Such ppl are only saving their own skin & interest.
& having a heart means having the courage to reach out, no matter what. That is human.Charles has a big heart, & Charles has the courage to call a spade a spade.
& I admire him for that.He is a role model of sorts!
thanks a lot charles, I think I've got it.
I've love snowelf's blog and have been going in there for a long time, she's great and I love her new story.
Hi mona, hope you've been able to get some rest.
Enjoy the day folks, I'm logging out for the day.
tc
how's this?
topcat
:)
I'd have to say that is absolutely perfect.
or for you I might say its purrfect.
I DID IT!! YAY! thanks.:)
tc
Always glad to help you, TC.
let me try learning too...
MONA
Now wonder if that will work all right...the muddle head that I am..
all right all right!!..dont say it! I am going!
That works perfectly, Mona. I think you already learned.
And yeah, get yourself to bed, sleep, sleep, you're falling fast asleep...
EVERYBODY IS SHOUTING SLEEP SLEEP AT ME!!!
I AM NOT A BABY!!
I fell off my bed last night :S
I haven't shouted at you, so why are you shouting at me?
You're not a baby, but you are acting like someone who hasn't learned that they perform better when rested. We care about you and your health, kindly listen to us.
If you'd have been asleep, you might not have noticed you'd fallen out of bed. :) Hahaha, that's too funny.
Some good tips there.
Charles u cant track IPs thru Blogger but u can do it via Statcounter. Even then u cant track a comment with it's IP. Just the recent visitor stats with it's coresponding IPs. The only way u can track each comment's IP is thru Halo Scan comments. U have to install Halco Scan for ut blog. I havent gone down that track yet but soon Im planning to.
And I hv informed Blogger abt it's inadequacy when it comes to tracking IPs of comments. They replied back saying that they r intending to add that feature in a future version. Which will be great :)
Hope this helps.
Keshi.
Thanks Keshi,
I'm attempting something using javascript, but getting it to print at each comment is giving me problems.
Hi Charles, just stopping by to say hello!
Go Tc!! You rock!! :)
:)
--snow
(Holy smokes, you guys are embarrassing me! ;) ) But I have to say I feel really loved now! Please know the feeling is mutual! :)
HI Snow,
I don't think I've said anything that wasn't true about you or your skills. In fact, I think I may have understated the facts.
let me know if u succeed. Good luck!
Keshi.
CHARLES!! Hugs
hey charles..stay cool today.
We are supposed to hit 92. Ugh!
tc
Thank you ... I always wondered how to link ... and as a man never asked for directions.
Mona, ((Hugs))
TC,
It actually did a little raining this morning, and it did feel cool. See ya, my good man.
Paul C,
You're quite welcome. You should take a clue from some of the best students, if you don't understand, ask. Its either that, never know, or do a lot of studying. Your choice (but asking is easier.)
how's things in charles' world today?
tc
Hi TC,
Things are going fine, I hope things are going well for you.
I've been reading some from the book "The Road To Dune," today, Frank Herbert is a man to be admired, posthumously or otherwise. Wow, what a writer, what a visionary. And to think the idea started before I was born. Asimov, eat your heart out. Herbert was way better. He wove an entire universe.
It makes me feel quite inadequate to the task of writing my own book.
But, it also gives me hope and a goal to aspire to.
You know...that just sounds way too complicated or else my brain just isn't absorbing what your saying...lol. That wouldn't be the first time. I have firefox and find that on the mac I like it better than safari. But hell, I don't know what I'm doing half the time anyway...lol.
Hope you're having a great day Charles..hootie whooo!!
jillie,
You're using a Mac? That explains why your posts look so much different than most. If this stuff doesn't appeal to you, no biggy, most folks haven't the need for it, some may make use of it, some probably know a whole lot more of it than I do. You don't have to be a techie, but I lean that way.
The day has been good, I just need to get off my butt, and go do some laundry. Well, there goes the day.
Laundry? I can wash a loadful! but I hate doing dishes!!!
Thank God for maids! Thank God for small mercies!!
Mona,
You'd do my laundry? If it weren't so far, I might consider sending it to you, but I don't think it would be economically feasible. Darn it!
Probably cheaper to just buy replacements for what that would cost.
Dear Charles
although I love doing Laundry, the traditional swish swash style, I hate to run the machine. My washerwoman does mine.
Shall I send her to you? :)
Uh, I don't think that UPS will accept living cargo. And by the time she got here, she'd probably be a mess, literally maybe. We'd best put that off.
I've heard of mail order brides, but this is the first I've heard of mail order maids.
of course she will not come by cargo, but with an HB1 & a ticket & a visa, if you wish :)
& of course there there are mail order maids.My sister N living & working in Dubai just got one ordered from India, a nanny for her baby & also a housekeeper cum cook.
& my sister in LA got one housekeeper & a cook from India too.
HEY! what did you just say??? Mail order BRIDES!
Shall I find one???
Do you believe in arranged marriges?
Tell me tell me!!
Mona,
You can read what I had said above.
In answer to your questions:
NO!!! and No.
Charles,
I've just read every comment on this post, I almost forgot about all the drama that occured last week-end...Thats a good thing for sure..
I just wanted to say, thanks for all your support that you have given me..
Blogging is fun
Blogging is therapeutic
Blogging is an outlet
Blogging should not be slanderous and mean spirited.....
Thanks again.....Galen
Galen,
Indeed.
I love Dune, my favorite is the movie with Kyle Mclaughin in it.
tc
TC,
Righty-O. That was my first introduction to it. Then a friend told me of the books. I've been hooked ever since. :D
I'm happy with my addictions.
CHARLES!!!
A HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO YOU!
SARAH>>>>>>> PLEASE CALL YOUR DAD!
[I wish she cud hear me...]
G'day Charles hows ya?
Keshi.
Hi Keshi,
I'm doing fine. Had a wonderful Father's Day, yesterday. Got to see my daughter, fixed her laptop, only to break something else. The power jack on the board had cracked the solder joint, so power was intermittent, so I got out the soldering iron and fixed it, but in disassembly I managed to break one of the antenna cables for the WiFi card. Alas, it was too small and delicate to fix, so a replacement is being awaited. Meanwhile, she took it home and got her internet connection going. So it is at least usable at the moment. She's happy, because now she can leave work on time and work at home. That means I'm happy, plus I felt the accomplishment of fixing something.
Charles!!!!
Wake up son!!!
Time to move on with the posting....You can do this.
You have a great creative mind...how about random thoughts?
Things that you love/hate!..Recipe's?
Sorry G,
My focus has been elsewhere, I'm trying to figure out a way to capture commenter's IP addresses and get them to post along with the comment. Preferably, so that only the blog owner can see them, so that they don't freak people out.
The desire for this is so that we can detect sock puppets, those people that have multiple accounts who post as someone else. I suspect we may already have had problems with one of these already, and would love to be able to say for certain.
A little late for this post I know, but here's my two cents.
* Enable email notifications for comments on your blogs; you won't miss out on comments on old posts ( this doesn't matter, of course, if you have moderation enabled )
* In case you want to follow the thread of comments on a particular post, you can subscribe to them ( if enabled ). That way, you don't have to keep checking the post over and over to see if others have responded.
* Following the above point, you might want to consider enabling feeds for your posts and comments so people can use them and have a better experience visiting your blog. If you don't like Blogger's plain vanilla XML, you could try FeedBurner or other services for more features and control over your feed.
* I prefer writing my posts in an external editor. i. It lets me run a spell-check ( always a good idea ) and ii. In case of any problems posting, you have a backup. Trust me, someday you'll be glad for the backup. I've lost 3 posts when I clicked the 'Publish' button; they simply disappeared and I had blank spaces with the titles! Luckily, I had the text files I'd created earlier with the content.
Since I only post on Blogger, these were all Blogger-specific tips; but I think they should apply with little change, to other blogging platforms too.
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