[Scribbles]
Creative Experiments - Shoutpost HelpEmbed a Link in a Post
2007-01-27
Get rid of messy long links by embedding them.
Write out what words you want to appear in your link, for instance: ShoutPost.
Now highlight Inkspector (example).
In your create a post edit bar, under the Paragraph box, you will see a faint link and a broken link (circled in red). (On some tool bars (other than ShoutPost), the link is a globe with a link, pictured below.)
Since your word is highlighted, the boxes will appear bolder and "Insert/Edit Link" shows up.
Now you just have to click on the first link picture.
Another box will come up. Just post your complete Link URL in the small box.
Next select "target" and click on that box with the blue check on the right.
Select open in a new window (_blank).
Click insert.
Inkspector at tBlog -- lots of tutorials there -- check out the right navigation column (scroll down) to the articles.
Now people can view your link without leaving your site and never coming back.
You can also do this with a picture. Post your picture, then highlight it, open the link box, and post the URL, select target open new window. Now people can click on a picture and be taken to another site.
Right now, since we are all testing this site, this feature does not work but will eventually.
To unbreak a link or unlink a link -- highlight the link url words, and click on the "broken link" box.
Your link should no longer be live.
If a link is too long in and the box will not accept it try going to TinyURL, put the link in the box, enter, and new shorter URL comes up that you can use instead.
If you have a comment and can't post -- use the Chatango box on the navigation bar to contact me.
HTH
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Stuff
2007-01-25
Stuff I can send:
stationary
kids stuff (small toys)
baby clothes (size)
candy (M&Ms always included)
tea or flavored cocoa packs
children's books (specify age or type)
little things
stickers
beauty products (sealed, new)
my art
small handmade albums
scrapbook or stamp stuff (you can tell me what you are interested in, and I can see if I have it)
cross stitch patterns
baseball caps with various logos
Stuff I am interested in:
remanants of ribbon, yarn, embroidery floss
buttons
postcards or pictures of your area
cancelled postage stamps
candy
travel folders or brochures
maps
old tickets of any kind
anything Moomin
silver charms for a charm bracelet
Fair and reasonable trades.
Depending on where you live, I may have to ship surface mail depending on the size of the package and weight.
I will let you know what I am sending if you desire and don't like surprises.
I will also let you know when I send out the package and how.
Please use the Chatango IM box (with the little white dog) to contact me on the side bar.
(Shoutpost only allows members to post.)
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ShoutPost Template Review
2007-01-23
As of this time -- here is what you can and cannot do to each (selection of 6) templates here at ShoutPost.
The Default Template -- which I have, you can do the most to. Everyone starts with this template once they sign up.
You can add backgrounds for both the background and the Blog Roll links and also the blog entry title bar. There are two HTML boxes also on the navigation bar.
You can put a small banner in the first HTML box however it will sit under your Blog Roll. If you do not use the BlogRoll feature, then your banner will sit at the top of the sidebar.
7/08 - update: You can use this code here to create a floating linked banner with mouse over text that sits over the ugly default one. You can adjust the size a bit (pixel size I used was 563 wide and 152 high). If you make a banner on your own, it needs to be saved as a png. Shoutpost does not accept png files so you need to use an off site photo album to link your banner up.
As of this point, I do not know how this would affect the blog title in searches if it is covered up but it does have the link that takes you to the main page.
Upload backgrounds into your images and select from there.
Fleck -- Blue with the Monkey like image. Right now, this template only offers two things -- add an e-mail tab and change your blog font. No HTML box to add custom links or widgets or change background to a custom background.
Monsters are Waiting -- You can add a body image background, a head image, a left side background and bar. There are no HTML boxes to add custom links or widgets. You need to upload images on your account for backgrounds.
BitterSweet -- You can add a header graphic image (size 630 x 180, upload into your image account here) and there is a right side HTML box. You cannot change the body background so it stays Kermit Green.
Zen Like -- You can add a header graphic image (size 746 x 109, upload into your image account here). You cannot change the body background and there are no HTML boxes to add custom links or widgets.
Creame -- as of this time, the only thing you can change is the main blog font -- no graphic header, no HTML box, no background color change. (Dreaded red x in the box on the template page sometimes.)
You can change your template at any time and revert back if you do not like it.
Background blog images or header graphic images must be uploaded into your account for you to use them in your blog.
On the Default Template, images can be HTML coded and inserted from picture sharing sites like PhotoBucket, Slide, RockYou, etc.
Important: Make sure if you have HTML boxes, that you copy your codes first before you change your template just in case you revert and they don't come back.
I will update when changes are made.
Hope this helps.
Comments or questions are welcomed.
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Comment Glitch
2007-01-23
I came into my control page. by logging in. (I was not logged in permanently this time.)
I see 2 new comments.
I check out my comment page, and see only one.
I check my blog, and the last post, about the logging in glitch had two comments but neither of them showed on my comment page. The response comment I made, does not appear on the comment page.
At this moment, one comment is showing but I already looked at the comments.
This has happened a few times, the comments will show different numbers but I have already looked at the page and as I go to other pages on the control page, that is when it changes.
Question -- If I make my background pictures "private", does that mean that only me and my friends can see them, can people see them if I use them in my blog?
Does private mean they just don't go into the picture rotation on the main page?
Or does private mean, only friends can see the pictures?
I like the little images on the bottom of the front page of recent bloggers with the avatars and the icons for blog, friends, profile, and email.
If you fixed the My Domain code, I can try it again, let me know.
I will test out the other templates. I need to organize myself first.
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Logging Out Glitch
2007-01-21
I log out after a session, but when I come back the next day, I am logged in as if I never logged out!
I will watch this.
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Four templates!
2007-01-20
They all look great. I will have to come back and play with them later.
The names are interesting.
Thanks so much!
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Windy
2007-01-19
Still freezing.
High winds tomorrow, gusts up to 50 miles per hour.
Hope I don't lose power again. May or may not be online, depends.
I hope I don't have to go anywhere. I will be making spaghetti sauce and some brownies, just to keep busy.
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Deep Freeze
2007-01-18
Still cold out.
I was leaving yesterday and pulled out and noticed a bunch of green slimey liquid under the van.
Turns out that the brake fluid had a broken hose due to the cold weather. It got fixed today.
TaeKwonDo is tonight, hope I make it to the promotion.
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New Template!
2007-01-17
I like the new "monkey" template, is that what it is?
The navigation tabs on the top are nice.
On the home front --
One big Olympic sized ice skaking rink outside and zero degrees with a high wind.
Last night the lights were blinking and I was praying no power outage.
At this time, under these conditions, I think of all the homeless people living on the streets and worry about them if they have no shelter to go to.
Can't wait for Daylight savings time -- NEW TIMES 2007! It happens March 11th this year and ends Nov 4th.
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Crunchy!
2007-01-16
Yes it is very crunchy outside with all the iced snow.
Deep freeze the next few days. Hopefully no other power outage like yesterday while I was cooking some soup.
Still adding things to the computer. I think we had a worm. What a pain. And the Norton 2007 did not even pick up on it although we run scans frequently.
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Archive Glitch
2007-01-15
Tried clicking on Archives to see all my posts and not all of them showed up. It looks just as it does now only with the last post pushed on the next page.
Link order in the blog roll still does not work. I need to remove links and then re-add them to get the order I want one by one.
When opening this to edit -- I got the IE box saying the page will not display properly.
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Reply Glitch
2007-01-15
Rocky -- got your note "see".
I did not see the comment "see" on the blog entry, it must be elsewhere on another post.
Responded to the reply but the post ended up not on another entry, just like I think your "see" post did, wherever that may be. I will have to find it.
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Hello Hello Hello
2007-01-15
Tried to post this yesterday but had problems.
I like the add to favorites button for a post.
The little rotating avatars on the front page for recent posting are nice.
Yesterday when I checked my additional HTML in the 1st box, it was still being cut off.
Question: On the make private button for a post, is that so it does not appear on the recent post list but if someone comes to your blog, they can see it?
I am going to try to add an image to the second box, I was doing that yesterday when I got the page cannot be viewed after a save so it did not go through.
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Problem
2007-01-15
Just a note. I am hoping this will post.
I am on another computer right now, not my broken one.
I wrote out a post and then I got kicked off the site. This happened twice.
Hoping this goes through.
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Storm
2007-01-14
We are experiencing a storm, freezing rain, sleet, snow, and freezing temps here in the New England area.
Warnings are in effect till 11 pm on Monday evening. Freezing temps all week.
Gee, it was nearly 70 last weekend.
Mother Nature, please stop playing games.
I hope we don't loose power.
I am experiencing some computer problems.
Seems like we got attacked and all my files are gone! boo hoo.
On the bright side, it could be worse.
Spring is near and we turn our clocks ahead earlier this year than past years. Yea!
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Observations
2007-01-12
Some keen observations here.
Noticed the larger font when you click on post and see all your posts.
Still not working:
The HTML boxes.
No image background to links on nav bar.
The first number in your zip code continues to be removed on the profile page. You need to check it before you save changes for now.
Let me know when you fix the My Domain code and I will test it out again.
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Logged Out Visit
2007-01-12
What is this? I need some clarification.
Someone logs out then just comes back and looks around?
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Reply to . . .
2007-01-11
If someone posts a comment in our blog, will we eventually be able to "reply to" that person by clicking on their name to keep a conversation going or is it just a comment is a comment and no ongoing interaction?
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My Domain Code Test
2007-01-11
This is nice feature also. So I tested the code on a webpage, don't mind the ad at the top, free page, free test, free check.
1. The background shows as the default.
2. When trying to center it on the page, it worked, but all the text then became centered as well. I removed the center code.
3. The Blog Roll, My Stuff, the avatar, and the HTML boxes are now at the bottom of the page.
I would use an iframe code instead.
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Profile Commenting
2007-01-11
This is a nifty feature. Like a little tag board/chat box on your profile.
Thanks!
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Email a Post
2007-01-10
Will there be an address book in the blog controls for this feature?
I know on some other sites, you can import your email address book to your blog and then send out.
Should I test my next post to see if I get a notification or is it too soon to try that?
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Post Glitch
2007-01-10
After the last post, I was taken to the URL page of the post.
I clicked on the Post index file tab again and was taken to the main READ page.
Thanks for adding the "create a post" link on the last post URL page. Very convenient.
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User/Blog Name Change
2007-01-10
I was looking at the profile page and noticed that you can change your posting name and the name of your blog.
How does this work with the URL? Or doesn't it? Does the URL change too?
Thanks.
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HTML Boxes and Widgets
2007-01-10
What is a widget?
It is short for window gadget. They can be slide shows, buttons, interactive things, etc. Visit a few blogs and check theirs out. They are copy and paste codes with a link back to the site you got the widget from in some cases making it easy to find the widget source. Some widgets are "remotely hosted" on other sites but viewable on yours. Slide shows are a good example.
On my site here, I have several widgets on the right navigation bar -- a calendar, a site search box (Blogbar), a chat IM box/button (Chatango), the "bliget" box (from Widgetbox - a site where you can collect lots of various widgets), the ZoomCloud (no categories here at ShoutPost) and the Visual DNA box and the little drawn mood face from PunkyMoods. There are many other widgets out there (like at Sniperoo) and they are free. Most have copy and paste codes that you add to your HTML box.
(Remove the stars from the codes I provide, they are used as place holders in the message. Please note that sometimes the end tag which contains a /slash/ disappears from this post.)
Here are some very basic HTML codes to use.
To leave a large separation between codes use paragraph tags before and after the code:
<*p*>Your code goes here.<*/p*> (Remove place holder *stars*.)
If you want things sitting on top of one another, like in the case of blinkies then just use the break code <*br*> after each entry.
If you install a widget and it does not show, it could be that the code given is not supported by the site. I have had this happen a few times.
Default Template HTML box : Go to --> Manage --> Designer
On the default template, what everyone starts with here, there are two HTML boxes toward the bottom of the designer page.
One box will sit under the fixed Blog Roll but above your Archives (fixed also). If you add things in this box, your Archives get pushed down the page.
The other box sits under your Archives.
As your Archives grow per month, your widgets will get pushed down the page.
So decide where you want them to go.
You can also eliminate the Blog Roll by not using it and then have only the two HTML boxes that will go down the page as described below. You would have to code all your links in your HTML box if you eliminate the blog roll.
Not only can you add widgets but also a counter in these boxes as well as custom links or other graphics if you belong to blog directories.
Here are some simple codes to create custom links (remove the stars, stars hold the code in place on the message so it does not disappear!)
<*a href="YOUR URL"*>Name of your URL<*/a*> - this code will take them off your site to the other site.
<*a href="YOUR URL*TARGET=_blank">Name of your URL<*/a*> - this code opens a new window and your site stays underneath the new window.
To add pictures to this space:
<*img src="URL of your image"*> -- to get a picture out of your file here, just go to it, right click --> click on "properties" and then press on your keyboard "CTRL C" to copy the URL and insert into the code.
If the picture is too big, use this code by reducing the current numbers in the Width and Height:
<*img src= "URL of your image" WIDTH= ?? HEIGHT=??*>
Always remember after you change or add codes, to save your page so that they work. It is also a good idea to save the codes to your notepad then in a file incase something happens to your page or you change your template.
Keep in mind that too many widgets may cause your page to download slowly.
Hope this helps someone.
Widgets not to use!
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Feature Notes
2007-01-09
Just some notes to myself --
Read - Home, Categories (shows 2 most recent posts in category, click on category to see more), HotBlogs, Users Online (indicates their last blog post), In the News (blog news)
Post - Create a post, edit a post (pencil icon), delete a post (trash can icon) edit date (feature)
(Posts can be made private so that only you and anyone on your friends list can see it. (also ShoutPost administrators.
You can also save another member's post as a "favorite".)
Interact -
Profile: Settings and notifications, Designer (look and feel), Images, Blogroll (add links), Feedburner, Interests. Tag/Shoutbox/chat box to post comments directly to you!
Friends (just click to add for you only, no exchange, no asking, no granting)
Subscriptions (like tBlog bookmarks?)
Message Center - indicates if you have comments, mail, visits (also on the top right while in your controls)
My Network - if you have friends, lets you know what they are doing -- adding a post, adding a comment, adding an image. If you don't want this, don't get friends. However, the friends feature does help you get to their blog faster if you do not link them up in your blog roll.
Manage
Settings - personal info, services, blog settings(posts per page, commenting, blog title, blog slogan/tagline), notifications: messages, comments, news. SAVE CHANGES.
Designer - design your blog
Images - get your URLs to post in your posts
Blogroll - fixed component, add your friends blog links or add your own links. I hooked mine up with some of my posts, like this one.
Feedburner -- you need to register your blog to syndicate it.
Interests -- create some cloud tag words so people with similiar interests find you here.
My Domain -- a code to put on your webpage that hooks a visitor up with your Shout Post Blog wth a click.
My Blog
Click and view your blog in a new window.
Updated 1/25/07
Additional notes:
To cancel your Shout Post Blog account -- there is no ShoutPost delete account button. You would have to shout mail RockyRaccoon or Nickster and request your account be deleted.
More templates are available but a few are not developed to be totally customized yet. There is a total of six now.
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