Dynamic Template Blogs, And Some Proxy Servers

Some Blogger blogs cannot be viewed, in some proxy servers.

Proxy servers are useful, when diagnosing connectivity and other blog display issues. They are more useful, though, when the content of the blogs being diagnosed does not contribute to the problems.

The reported discrepancy appears to start with blogs published using dynamic templates.

Comparing blogs displayed using Anonymouse and GeoPeeker, we frequently see a discrepancy in display content.

One discrepancy appears to involve blogs published using dynamic templates. Both Anonymouse (a single location proxy) and GeoPeeker (a multi location proxy display) have been useful, repeatedly, in diagnosing and reporting multiple issues.

I first used GeoPeeker, as part of the EU Cookie Advice Banner discussions. I have used Anonymouse frequently, in demonstrating and diagnosing various blog problems.

First, examine this blog.

This blog, blogging.nitecruzr.net, is published to a non dynamic template. It is visible, in multiple proxy server displays.

Here's a display from Anonymouse, showing this blog, "blogging.nitecruzr.net".

http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/https://blogging.nitecruzr.net/

Anonymouse, showing this blog, "blogging.nitecruzr.net".



Here's a display from GeoPeeker, showing this blog "blogging.nitecruzr.net".

https://geopeeker.com/fetch/?url=blogging.nitecruzr.net

GeoPeeker, showing this blog "blogging.nitecruzr.net".



Now, examine my blog, published using a dynamic template.

My Musings blog, musings.nitecruzr.net, is published to a dynamic template. It is visible, in some proxy server displays.

Here's a display from GeoPeeker, showing my dynamic template published blog "musings.nitecruzr.net".

https://geopeeker.com/fetch/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmusings.nitecruzr.net%2F

GeoPeeker, showing "musings.nitecruzr.net".



Here's a display from Anonymouse, showing "musings.nitecruzr.net".

http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/http://musings.nitecruzr.net

Anonymouse, showing "musings.nitecruzr.net".



Where's the beef, Clara?

And a third blog, also published using a dynamic template.

A third blog, thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com, is published to a dynamic template. It is visible, in some proxy server displays.

Here's a display from GeoPeeker, showing a third dynamic template published blog, "thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com".

https://geopeeker.com/fetch/?url=thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com

GeoPeeker, showing "thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com".



Here's a display from Anonymouse, showing "thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com".

http://anonymouse.org/cgi-bin/anon-www.cgi/https://thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com/

Anonymouse, showing "thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com".



The owner of "thestimulatedbrain.blogspot.com" points out that many Blogger blogs, and non Blogger websites do display properly, using AnonyMouse and similar proxies. I will add details, as they are provided.

I'll check out more blogs, and more proxy servers, as the week continues.

I'll continue, by examining more blogs - dynamic template and non dynamic template - possibly using additional proxy servers - as time permits.

I'm not sure how many of these discrepancies can be - or should be - handled by Blogger Engineering. That said, I note a suggestion by a Blogger Support expert, that the opportunity be provided to Blogger Support, to diagnose and enhance the dynamic templates.

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It appears that some #Blogger blogs do not display properly, using some proxy servers. The discrepancy appears to involve blogs published, using dynamic templates.

This makes verification of world wide blog visibility confusing, to some blog owners.

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Dynamic Templates And The Navbar

If your blog is published to a dynamic template, neither you or your readers will have a navbar, when your blog is being viewed.

The navbar, found on blogs which use a non dynamic template - when selected by the blog owner - has a number of reader friendly icons and links.

Dynamic templates have a "menu bar" 1/5 of the way down the page - which provides a combination of the Pages gadget, and limited navbar functions. At the far right end of the menu bar, you'll see 2 tiny icons - when you are properly logged in as the blog owner.

• New post, the "pencil" icon.
• Home, the "home" icon.

Blog administrators have limited navbar functions, on a blog that's published using a dynamic template.

Blog administrators have limited dashboard access using menu bar icons.

The menu bar, just below the dynamic template title section, has the "New post" and "Home" links.

There's the menu bar, just below the Title / Description.

At the far end of the menu bar, the "pencil" and "home" icons.



You'll see the "pencil" and "home" icons - when you are logged in to Blogger, as the blog owner.

Blog readers have no navbar icons, in the dynamic template menu bar.

If you're not logged in to Blogger, you get no menu bar dashboard access.



If you never logged in to Blogger, or if you have a problem with a filter blocking access to the login cookie, you won't have any dashboard access.

If you can't access the dashboard using icons, you'll be able to login - just use a bookmarked link.

https://www.blogger.com/home

If you have a cookie filter problem, you may have to login again, to access the dashboard for your dynamic template blog.

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A #Blogger blog that uses a dynamic template won't have a navbar, with easy access to the dashboard, and a convenient login / logout link. Dynamic templates provide a menu bar, which is a combination of a miniature Pages gadget and navbar.
target="_blank"

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Dynamic Templates, And Improved "Follow by Email"

We see some concern about providing email subscriptions, from blog owners in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

How do I provide email subscriptions for my blog? Neither Follow by Email or Subscription Links works, for email!

The blog in question is using a dynamic template. In some cases, even "Subscription Links" does not provide a "Subscribe by Email" option - and it appears that the blog owner is really out of luck.

The "Subscribe by Email" gadget does not work, with dynamic templates - and some dynamic templates don't support the "Subscription Links" gadget with "Subscribe by Email" added.

Add "Subscription Links" to a blog with a dynamic template - for some blogs.

In some cases, you may not even want to use "Subscription Links". You can, however, use a LinkList gadget, to do the same thing - and to make an improved "Subscription Links" gadget.

In this case, add "Subscribe by Email" as a linklist gadget.

Just add the "Subscription Link Code", in a linklist gadget. Here is the code, from the FeedBurner Publicize dashboard page, for my blog, Chucks Musings.

The "Subscription Management" page, and "Subscription Link Code".



Add the link caption as "New Site Name", and the link code as "New Site URL".

<a href="https://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=ChucksMusings&loc=en_US">Subscribe to Chucks Musings by Email</a>

The "Subscription Link Code" caption, and link.



Just add a new LinkList gadget.

• New Site Name: Subscribe to Chucks Musings by Email
• New Site URL: https://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=ChucksMusings&loc=en_US

Copy into a LinkList.



Click "Add Link" - then "Save" - and finally, "Save arrangement".

And we have a new sidebar accessory.

And if you click on the link, you get the FeedBurner "Email Subscription Request" verification form.



So, either add "Subscription Links" - or make a custom LinkList accessory. One, or the other, will give you "Subscribe by Email", in a dynamic template.

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Some #Blogger blogs, which use a dynamic template, won't display "Subscribe by Email" as an added option, in "Subscription Links". Or, in some cases, you may actually want a more robust "Subscribe by Email" - or "Subscribe" menu.

In this case, add a LinkList gadget - and add the subscription form as a FeedBurner hosted form, using "Subscription Link Code".

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Private Blogs Limit Other Blog Features

Private blogs affect other Blogger features - and the combination of results are inconsistent.

With dynamic templates, the private blog selection causes an inoperable display. Conversely, with Google+ Comments, enabling Google+ Comments disables the private blog (designated reader) selection - and vice versa, in the various Blogger dashboard pages.

The two interactions - and differing mutual exclusiveness - contribute to some interesting diagnostic sessions, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

Intriguingly enough, when one of the known limitations with private blogs is diagnosed, some blog owners may treat the limitation as a personal insult.

Not all blog owners understand the technical limitations, with private blogs and other Blogger features. The limitations are based on simple technical interactions.

• Dynamic templates, and private blogs.
• Google+ comments, and private blogs.

Dynamic templates, and private blogs.

Private blogs do not publish blog newsfeeds. Dynamic templates require comments and posts newsfeeds, to generate the displays.

You can make a blog private - and you lose the "Dynamic Template" selection, in the dashboard Template page.

Some of the templates offered on the Template page, for a public blog.
Simple.
Dynamic Views.
Picture Window.
Awesome Inc.

Some of the templates offered on the Template page, for a private blog.
Simple.
Picture Window.
Awesome Inc.



If the blog has a dynamic template already, you can change to private access (edit Permissions, and designate readers), with no warning. The next time the blog is accessed, you will see the Spinner of Death.

My Dynamic Template test blog, set to Private.



Google+ comments, and private blogs.

When Google+ is used, no access to the Blogger permissions database is available. Since Google+ Comments are (or can be) Google+ stream posts, Google+ Comments can only support public blogs.

If you enable Google+ Comments, you will see a warning in the Permissions wizard - and you'll have no ability to Edit "Blog Readers".

Google+ Comments enabled. Learn more

If the blog is private already, you'll similarly see a warning on the dashboard Google+ page.

Google+ Comments are unsupported on non-public blogs and blogs marked as containing adult content. Learn more

So Google+ Comments, and private blogs, are mutually exclusive, on the dashboard - though Dynamic Views and private blogs are not, with intriguing result.

Why won't my blog load? It was fine, yesterday!

And when the blog address is provided with the problem report, we can see the problem.

Learn More.

• More information about Dynamic Views blogs.
• Manage Google+ Comments for Blogger.
• Control access to your blog.

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The option to designate permitted readers, for a #Blogger blog, affects other Blogger features. Not all blog owners know about or understand the limitations that exist.

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Dynamic Templates, And "Follow by Email"

We see occasional concern about providing email subscriptions, from blog owners in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

How do I provide email subscriptions for my blog? Follow by Email does not work!

The blog in question is using a dynamic template - and it appears that the blog owner is out of luck.

The "Subscribe by Email" gadget does not work, with dynamic templates.

Add "Subscription Links" to a blog with a dynamic template.

For email subscriptions, and a blog with a dynamic template, you use the "Subscription Links" gadget. Here is my blog, Chucks Musings.

Use "Subscription Links" with a blog that has a dynamic template.



When you add "Follow by Email" to a blog with a non dynamic template, it sets up the "Email Subscriptions" service, in FeedBurner. "Subscription Links" is a collection of various subscription services - and won't activate "Email Subscriptions".

You may need to activate "Email Subscriptions".

You will probably need to activate the "Email Subscriptions" service, to use "Subscription Links" instead of "Follow by Email".



To use "Subscribe by Email" as a selection in "Subscription Links", be sure that the "Email Subscriptions" service is activated, from the FeedBurner dashboard.

Alternately, add "Subscribe by Email" in a linklist gadget.

Sometimes, you may not want to use "Subscription Links". So, just add the "Subscription Link Code", in a linklist gadget.

Here, we have a new sidebar accessory.

And when you click on the link, you get the familiar FeedBurner "Email Subscription Request" verification form.



So, either add "Subscription Links" - or make a custom LinkList accessory. One, or the other, will give you "Subscribe by Email", in a dynamic template.

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Owners of #Blogger blogs, wishing to provide email subscriptions, find that "Follow by Email" won't work with a dynamic template. Fortunately, "Subscription Links" will provide email subscription - though the necessary FeedBurner service has to be activated.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/blogger/lsAVQuj_FOw

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You Cannot Fit Your Entire Blog Onto The Main Page

Some blog owners would like their readers to view the entire blog in one page.

A small blog, with very limited size, can theoretically fit on one page. If you intend to publish a blog with any future, and page rank, you will have to publish content periodically - and the size of the blog will increase, steadily.

And eventually, thanks in part to main page limitation by auto pagination, older posts in your blog will be forced into archive pages.

For a blog with any future, and publishing activity, there are four possibilities for main page size.

• Segment main page, limiting post count.
• Segment your blog, using virtual blogs.
• Use a dynamic template, and "continuous scrolling".
• Use a non dynamic template, and Jump Break - and accept archiving.

Segment main page, limiting post count.

One of the simplest ways to make your blog reader friendly is to limit main page size, using a post count limit. This won't work as a final solution, however, if you're planning to publish the blog with any regularity.

Segment your blog, using virtual blogs.

If you can break your blog into multiple subjects, you can use a Pages tabbed index to access each different subject. You can fit each different subject, possibly using Jump Break, onto one page.

To complement the virtual blogs, you can have a static main page - providing a "welcome" message, and / or indexing the virtual blogs.

Use a dynamic template, and "continuous scrolling".

For public blogs, a dynamic template, with continuous scrolling, may provide a solution. Dynamic templates, unless you a very comfortable with editing the blog template, will never offer the accessory and customisation possibilities of non dynamic templates, however.

With a dynamic template, you won't be able to use Jump Break - though some dynamic views may provide a summarised main page view.

Use a non dynamic template, and Jump Break - and accept archiving.

Careful use of Jump Break will let you limit the size of the main page. If you continue to publish posts - which is necessary for a blog with any future - you will eventually have posts displayed on archive pages.

For best results, design the blog structure - and the posts structure - consistently, and accept archiving and pagination.

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Some #Blogger blog owners would like to display all post content in one page - and ignore page display size. They do not realise that not all blog readers want to read a blog with an unlimited page size, all at once.

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Dynamic Templates, And Jump Break

We see occasional evidence of confusion, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, from blog owners who are using a dynamic template.

Why does the Jump Break not show up, in the blog display?

or

Why can't I see the entire post?

Not all blog owners understand the limited options, in the dynamic templates.

Compare the main page of this blog, to a formatted feed page of this blog.

Do you see the differences? I use Jump Break consistently, on my main page posts. Unfortunately, newsfeeds do not include the Jump Break, because the newsfeed standard was developed before Blogger developed their post summarisation feature, Jump Break.

Blog feeds will not contain Jump Break tokens.

Since dynamic views format the display using the blog posts feed, they have no way to include the Jump Break. The posts feed contains each post, in its entirety. The "Jump Break" token is part of the main page display, not the posts.

This is just one more reason why dynamic templates won't be chosen, on all blogs.

If you want to display your main page as I do, you can't use a dynamic template. Dynamic templates format their posts without using jump break. Some dynamic template "main page" views include text, broken; others include text, unbroken; and still others include only photos. None of the dynamic views include the Jump Break.

Dynamic templates require a full blog feed - comments and posts.

Remember that to use dynamic views, you have to set the blog feed to "Full". If you set the feed to "Until Jump Break", dynamic views won't work. The dynamic views format the post displays to the requirements of each different view (selected by the reader), and require the complete post content in the feed.

To see an example of what happens, using "Until Jump Break" - and with a Jump Break included, you can click here. If you want to display your blog in a dynamic template, you have to let the template determine (or not) where to break the posts.

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All Template Changes Won't Always Be Visible, When The Blog Is Published

Not all blog owners appreciate the differences between using the various template wizards, and what they will actually see, once the blog is published.

The confusion about the various template wizards, and what is actually seen, expressed in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, is numerous.

Why aren't my changes to the template being saved?

This question is expressed in a number of ways - and has a number of causes.

There are a number of causes of template problems, in general.

• Some problem are caused by Blogger Engineering, as they manage the Blogger application.
• Some problems are caused by the blog owners, as they use (and yes, misuse) the Blogger application.
• Some problems are simply caused by the perception of the blog owners, and will never be resolved, to everybody's expectations.

If you're viewing this blog using a desktop / laptop computer, with a "normal" browser, and you can find the "View Source" control, take a look at the source for this page. Compare what you see there with the display in the Template "Edit HTML" wizard (and allow for some confusion, when using "Edit HTML").

• If you have a "normal" browser, and are viewing this blog in a "Designer" / "Layout" template, you'll see a lot of the same code, in both "Edit HTML" and "View Source".
• If you have a "normal" browser, and are viewing this blog in a "Dynamic" template, you'll see very little of the same code, in both "Edit HTML" and "View Source".
• If you have a "normal" browser, and are viewing this blog using a redirected "mobile" browser view, you'll see very little of the same code, in both "Edit HTML" and "View Source".
• If you're using a "mobile" computer, you probably won't even have an option to "View Source".

The bulk of the options in the Template "Edit HTML" wizard, in the "Layout" wizard, and in the Template Designer, are intended to change the "Designer" / "Layout" template views. The three wizards have much less effect, against the "Dynamic" / "Mobile" template views.

If you tweak the CSS settings in "Edit HTML" or the Template Designer - or if you change the layout using "Layout" or the Template Designer - you may not see all of the changes reflected in either a Dynamic or Mobile view.

Sometimes, this is because you have already tweaked the template improperly, preventing the wizard from saving your latest changes. Other times, it may be simply because the Dynamic and Mobile templates are not designed to let you tweak the settings in question.

We've also seen vague suggestions that having the mobile template active can cause the Template Designer font and style selections to be non operational. Font settings, made using the Template Designer, won't be saved and won't appear in the blog, when published. Right now, we're unsure whether the Live Preview window updates reliably.

And recently, uncontrolled customisation of the blog accessory complement, and of the dynamic template code, have caused instability in network access, when viewing blogs using dynamic views.

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What Are The Mysterious Turning Gears?

This is a question, occasionally seen in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.

I cannot view some blogs - all that I see are gears, turning endlessly. What is going on, here?

The gears are animation, displayed by Blogger, while a dynamic template and blog content loads on the computer being used. Generally, the gears will play for a few seconds, then the blog will be seen. For an example, check out my Musings blog.

Sometimes, all that you will see are the gears, endlessly turning - waiting for the templates and blog content to download.

The dynamic templates, used by some Blogger blogs, represent an innovative approach to providing web content.

Normal web content, provided in Blogger blogs which use Classic, Designer, and Layout class templates, consists of comments, gadgets, posts, and templates, arranged together in pages (dynamic and static).

Blogs which use Classic (HTML only) templates arranges everything when the blog is maintained. Blogs which use Designer / Layout templates (HTML / XML) arrange the content when the blog is maintained - then build the individual pages when the blog is read by each viewer, dynamically. For all 3 classes of templates, the content is served from Blogger / Google servers, in individual display pages.

The Dynamic class of Blogger templates take the concept of dynamic publishing to another level. Dynamic class templates load a significant amount of script code (the template) directly to each client computer. Instead of reading the pages of blog content from a Blogger / Google blog server, a dynamic template script, running on the client computer, reads the published blog feeds from a newsfeed server - then turns the feed content into a display.

A Dynamic template is a specialised Newsfeed Reader, similar to the dashboard Reading List, or to Google Reader.

By offloading a large amount of the publishing process to the client computer, and by using the blog comments and posts feeds, Blogger provides blogs which can be viewed in a number of different ways - selectable by each individual viewer, and at the convenience of the viewer. This selectability is not without cost, unfortunately.

• The templates require a significant amount of script code.
• The templates require the blog comments and posts newsfeeds.

For most blogs using a dynamic template, and being viewed on most computers, the "turning gears" icon plays briefly, while the template code, and the blog comments and posts newsfeeds, are downloaded. As soon as downloaded, the content is assembled into a display, and the viewer can view the blog. This does not happen, in all cases.

• Some client computers may filter the template code.
• Some client computers may not have a fast Internet connection.
• Some blogs may not publish a full newsfeed.

If the client computer has a slow Internet connection, the viewer may watch the turning gears for more than a few seconds. If the computer filters scripts aggressively, or if the blog does not publish a full newsfeed, the gears play, endlessly, while the computer waits for the scripts and newsfeeds to finish downloading. In the latter case, the viewer can only find another blog to view.

If you encounter one or two Blogger blogs playing the turning gears, endlessly, then you are experiencing the reality of dynamic templates - some blog owners do not realise that they have broken their blogs. If you encounter a large number of Blogger blogs doing this, then you might want to check the filters, on your computer - including, but not only, the browser cookie and script filters.

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Blogger And Mobile Computers

Using the term "mobile computer" is an example of the challenges involved, in using this variety of computer.

Even identifying this device, which is present in so many different manifestations, is confusing.

• Mobile Computer.
• Mobile WiFi device.
• Personal Digital Assistant.
• Pocket phone.
• Smart Phone.
• Tablet.

As the use of mobile computers becomes more common, we're seeing more and more problem reports and questions, from people unable to use Blogger.

• Some folks would like to maintain and publish their own blog.
• Others would like to post comments to their friends blogs.
• And still others don't understand why all of the various gadgets on their blog don't work for their friends, who are also using their own mobile computers.

One of the challenges of mobile computers involves the use of smaller displays, and the need to simplify the content displayed. This requires the use of special browsers and templates, which are designed to accommodate the limitations. The need to support additional browsers and templates creates more work for Blogger Engineering, who now has more different products to support.

Also, many mobile computers are designed to work over proprietary networks, provided by various "phone" companies. Blogger has traditionally supported use of alternate services - email, and SMS - for publishing posts to their blogs.

All of these differences create complexity, and additional possibilities for failure. And we see more problem reports, attributed to use of "mobile" computers.

Full function ("desktop" / "laptop") computers have challenges - but they are still easier to use.

We know about the different major browser brands, and the differences created by the use of each browser, on our desktop and laptop computers.

Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari all have their various peculiarities. These differences are multiplied, when considering the issues involved in developing new features - and in keeping up with new browser versions, and continually updating the various Blogger features and wizards, when required.

Besides the various different browsers, we have to consider the different activities involved in using Blogger. Browsing blog posts, browsing comments, publishing comments, maintaining the blog, and publishing posts, are all different activities - and have their own different needs.

The relative lack of limitations in "desktop" / "laptop" computers still makes each different activity simpler for the blog owner or reader. The process of developing and supporting the different Blogger features is easier for Blogger Engineering. These differences are not so transparent, when using a "mobile" computer.

Mobile computers have known limitations.

• Reduced display size.
• Reduced display colour depth.
• Reduced processor speed.
• Lack of various system features and utilities.
• Lack of a physical keyboard.

All of these details require mobile browsers and templates which operate differently, and the various Blogger features and processes must be used differently.

Try performing the various tasks identified above, using your desktop and mobile computer - and observe the differences. You'll quickly realise the differences, when browsing blog posts, browsing comments, publishing comments, publishing posts, and maintaining your own blog.

One of the workarounds, used by Blogger, to deal with the reduced functionality of a mobile browser / computer, is the "mobile" template. The mobile template, which is optional for all modern Blogger blogs, displays only text and pictures - and eliminates the many accessories, gadgets, and shiny formatting which may be seen in any blog with a "normal" template.

The different layouts of the posts and comments, on a mobile template, makes posting comments a different experience - and the lack of the various gadgets will produce different visitor activity.

Alternatively, when one wishes to publish Blogger posts using a "mobile" computer, the "Blogger" mini app - written specifically for the various different "mobile" computer platforms - may be used. The "Blogger" app has its own shortcomings, such as causing posts to mysteriously revert to Draft status, from time to time.

The differences between the various "desktop" browsers are considerably less noticeable than the differences between some "mobile" browsers and computers. Most desktop computers use 3 different operating systems.

• Apple / Macintosh.
• Linux / Unix.
• Microsoft Windows.

Even with the different operating systems, the realities of marketplace competition creates some interoperability between the different desktop operating systems - and the different browsers are similarly common in design.

The better known mobile computers also have 3 major different operating systems.

• Android.
• Apple/iOS.
• Microsoft Windows.

Not all PDAs and smart phones use the standard 3 operating systems, however - some use proprietary browsers and operating systems, unique to the manufacturers. And the proprietary networks, provided by the different phone companies, further reduce the possibility of interoperability.

Lack of interoperability is going to create differences in how well different applications, such as Blogger, operate on the different mobile computers. These differences will be more significant than the differences created by the various "desktop" browsers, and operating systems - and we'll see more complaints from blog owners who can't use Blogger on their tablet, or whose readers can't post comments, using their smart phones.

Increasingly common use of multimedia content (both music and video) on mobile computers - combined with the lack of consistent support for cookies and scripts (and possibly, filtering of cookies and scripts) - will make availability of content differ, from computer to computer. Another problem here is lack of consistent support for the Adobe Flash product - which makes some YouTube content non playable, on some mobile computers.

Also consider the various security issues which may be different with mobile computers. Both the different security threats, and the different protective features, will make secure use of mobile computers a challenge - particularly when carried in public.

Fortunately, as mobile computers benefit from ongoing technological advances, improved design of mobile computers may make some limitations less significant. Improved displays, operating systems, and additional security devices are all coming. Google "Material Design" techniques will merge designs for "desktop", "laptop", and "mobile" variants of various Blogger / Google services.

As people buy and use more mobile computers, the differences between "desktop" and "mobile" computers will narrow. And use of different new desktop and mobile features, like innovative computer desktops, and products like Android Wear and Google Glass, will force desktop, laptop, and mobile computers to converge in functionality.

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Some Blog Owners Reporting The Template Designer Changes Do Not Update On Their Blogs

For several weeks, we're been seeing various reports in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, mentioning problems with template updates, being made using the Template Designer wizard.

The reports are not so widespread to indicate a complete malfunction - but neither can we dismiss the problem, as being unique to one browser, one template type, or one particular update pattern.

It's likely that we are looking at a number of problems, aggregated and compounded, into one common symptom.

I cannot Save changes in Template Designer.

With a problem report like this, some examining of the details may be appropriate.

The Template Designer wizard, which is a component in the Blogger Dashboard, is a complex and sophisticated collection of menus and utilities, which runs on the blog owners computers.

Like most Blogger code, the Template Designer is subject to the effects of other programs, and various security settings - which may be installed or set on each individual computer, with or without the understanding of the blog owner and / or computer owner. In some cases, the blog owner and computer owner may be different people.

If you are seeing a problem with the Template Designer, when trying to update the layout on your blog, there are several tests which you can make, which may help to isolate the problem.

• Try making the same updates, using another computer.
• Try making the same updates, using another browser on your current computer.
• Try setting up a new blog, with the same template, and make the same updates to the new blog.

If you're able to make one or more of the above alternate updates, that will help to eliminate some, or many, alternate suspects, as the cause of your problem. If other people are reporting this problem, their results from the above tests may or may not correspond with yours - because their base problem may differ from yours.

Right now, we're seeing seven different causes of these problems.

1. Changes made by Blogger Engineering, to support new browser versions and browser updates, and to provide new template features.
2. Changes inherent in new browser versions, made by the browser vendors.
3. Third party browser add-ons, installed by the owners of the various computers.
4. Security settings, inherent in new browser versions and third party add-ons.
5. The cumulative effects of various template tweaks, both made using "Edit HTML" and the Template Designer itself.
6. Unrealistic expectations of blog owners, about effects of Template Designer settings, against all templates provided by Blogger.
7. Unrealistic expectations of blog owners, about effects of Template Designer settings, against templates not provided by Blogger.

Of these possible causes, only #1 (and possibly #2 and #6) are the sole responsibility of Blogger Engineering. The blog owners (and computer owners) must assume some partial responsibility for #2 - and sole responsibility for #3, #4, and #5. The blog owner, and the developer of any custom, third party template, must jointly assume responsibility for #7.

Recently, Blogger Support acknowledged the problem, in part.

Some users have reported that the Apply to Blog button in the Template Designer is non-functional for some Dynamic View templates.

We also have a Rollup Discussion, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, where individual details are being provided by various blog owners.

Right now, we're starting to suspect that some "problems" are actually caused by the blog owners, who are simply not aware that not all changes made, using the Template Designer (or the Layout or Template "Edit HTML" wizards), are designed to update all templates used in viewing our blogs.

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Let Your Readers Decide Which Dynamic View To Use, When Viewing Your Blog

Some time ago, I pointed out that our readers should provide the final voice, in deciding how to view our blogs. Not everybody seems to agree with me.

I have been told by my readers, having viewed my blog, that they have the option to change which dynamic setting - because the drop down menu is accessible to them. I have tried this myself when not logged in, and it completely messes up the view I want. How can I fix this so only I can change the settings?

This blog owner believes that only he knows how his readers should see his blog.

It is possible, through the use of the right CSS, to remove specific view selections from the View Select menu, in a dynamic template. Your knowledgeable readers, though, know that the dynamic views are directly accessible through the proper URLs.

Here are three views of this blog. Today, you'll see this article, at the top.

1. This blog, in non dynamic view.
2. This blog, in Magazine view.
3. This blog, in Sidebar view.

Click on the second link, in the list. That should open a new tab or window in the browser, showing this blog, in Magazine view. Look at the browser address window.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/view/magazine

Now, type "sidebar" in place of "magazine", in the address window, and hit Enter.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/view/sidebar

Your readers can do the same, when viewing your blog. Why not allow them the convenience of doing just that, without typing? But, it's your blog - and in the end, it's your choice.

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