The Featured Post Gadget, With Multiple Posts

The "Featured Post" gadget is a useful tool, for spotlighting individual posts.

One of the limitations of the gadget is that it, like many (though not all) Blogger supplied gadgets, allows only one copy on the blog, at any time. The gadget is, after all, called "Featured Post" - not "Featured Posts". Blogger does not give us the ability to feature multiple posts, simultaneously.

Given a little imagination, we can make the gadget work, for multiple posts. We can't feature multiple posts, simultaneously - but we can alternate featured posts, sequentially.

Combining the "Featured Post" gadget and labels, we can alternately feature multiple posts, in a daily or weekly sequence.

I added a label in this blog, "Featured Posts".

I identified a couple dozen posts, in this blog, which need to be featured - and gave each post the label "Featured Posts". My intention, once the Blogger Followers gadget rewrite effort is behind us, is to feature one different post in "Featured Posts", each day.

Just edit the "Featured Post" gadget, and select a different post - each day.

The "Featured Post" gadget is at the top of my blog.

I can edit the gadget, and open the label list.

And, select "Featured Posts".

That gives me a list of my posts, with the "Featured Posts" label.

And, I selected the currently featured post, "Dear Followers Of This Blog".



Next month, I may select a different post to be displayed as a Featured Post.

So I can't feature more than one post at a time - but I can alternately feature different posts. And with some planning, I can make it easy to alternately feature different posts.

---

The #Blogger supplied "Featured Post" gadget can't be used with more than one such gadget on any blog, simultaneously. It is called "Featured Post" - maybe, for a reason.

With a little planning, though, you can organise the posts to be featured - and change the gadget, daily or weekly.

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Blogger Magic - Using "Add a Gadget"

One of the most useful features of Blogger is the ability to add many different accessories, to a blog.

There are accessories, for every blog - and for every owner preference. The "Add a Gadget" wizard, in the Blogger dashboard, is the best procedure for adding accessories, to customise a blog reliably.

Using "Add a Gadget" is a simple process. It will be most useful, in the long term, if used cautiously, however.

Adding a gadget is not difficult.

Start from the Blogger dashboard Layout page.

Click on any link to "Add a Gadget", to that template section.

This link, for instance, will add a gadget to the right sidebar.



Choose any of dozens of interesting and useful accessories.

Be knowledgeable, when adding accessories.

Similar to the process of adding an HTML gadget, there are a few mistakes that you can avoid, when adding a gadget in general.

1. Some sections of the Layout page may not allow gadgets to be added.
2. When you find an interesting gadget, be selective!
3. Some Blogger provided gadgets are found under "More Gadgets".
4. Don't use "Add your own" - unless you know what you're doing!
5. Add a new gadget, when adding important features.
6. A gadget, as added, will be displayed on every page of the blog.

Some sections of the Layout page may not allow gadgets to be added.

Each template section can be subject to gadget limits, and to locking. This will prevent addition, removal, and / or re positioning of gadgets.

If you're unable to add, remove, or reposition a gadget, you may have to edit the template - and change the section settings.

When you find an interesting gadget, be selective!

"Add Gadget" lists gadgets produced by third party developers, as well as by Blogger Engineering. Some non Blogger produced gadgets won't benefit your blog, in the long term.

Look for "By Blogger", for the best choices.



Not all third party gadgets are intentionally malicious - but the most reliable gadgets will be explicitly labeled "By Blogger".

Some Blogger provided gadgets are found under "More Gadgets".

The "Basics" tab in "Add a Gadget" contains mostly gadgets "By Blogger" - and most gadgets "By Blogger" are found in "Basics". Some gadgets "By Blogger" are in "More Gadgets" - and you may have to search that list, carefully, to find what you need.

Don't use "Add your own" - unless you know what you're doing!

There are 3 tabs, in "Add a Gadget".

1. Basics.
2. More Gadgets.
3. Add your own.

The latter, "Add your own", can lead to frustration.

If you are not familiar with coding XML gadgets (and probably do not need this advice), don't bother with "Add your own". Stick with "Basics" and "More Gadgets".

Add a new gadget, when adding important features.

You can install HTML code using the Template Editor - or you can add an HTML snippet into an existing HTML gadget - if you wish. I highly recommend that you add a new HTML gadget, for each important accessory, though.

A gadget, as added, will be displayed on every page of the blog.

By default, a gadget, once added, will be visible on every template page. You can, with some care and effort, make specific gadgets display selectively.

Enjoy adding accessories, properly.

So enjoy accessorising your blog - just accessorise carefully.

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You can add any number of useful accessories, to a #Blogger blog, using the "Add a Gadget" wizard in the dashboard Layout page. The best choices are explicitly labeled "By Blogger".

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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".

Read More

Would Be Followers Being Blocked By Blog Owners

This month, we have a few reports, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue, about problems Following some blogs.

Why am I being blocked, from Following?

Some would be Followers are taking this personally. Please, don''t do that.

What you're seeing (maybe, when trying to Follow this blog, too) is not an owner initiated conspiracy.

The Blogger Followers gadget rewrite is taking shape.

If you're trying to use a non Google account to login to Following, you'll be seeing this, for some blogs.



If you want to Follow some blogs, you will need to use a Google account. The OpenID and similar non Google logins are not usable, with Following, any more.

We were warned, several months ago, about changes to Followers.

As we mentioned some weeks ago, starting this week, we’ll remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. To follow a blog via Google Friend Connect now, readers will need a Google Account (the same they use for Gmail or YouTube).

It's happening, finally. One day, we'll have a new - and more stable - Followers gadget.

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The #Blogger Followers gadget rewrite is continuing. This month, some would be Followers are seeing a notice, instead of the gadget, when they try to Follow some blogs, without Google accounts.

The Followers Gadget Rewrite Continues
Would Be Followers Being Blocked By The Blog Owner

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Music Is Personal - And Player Choice Will Be, Also

Some blog owners decide to include music, to accessorise their blogs - and the first thing they ask for is instructions.

Please give me step by step instructions, to add music.

They don't consider that adding music, for any blog, will be their personal choice - and a music player will be personal too.

The choice of music player needs to be based on the music library provided.

You will probably want your music choice to match the blog content.

Some one who wants to provide classical music won't want to add a music player, published by a disco / techno website. Similarly, if you want to decorate your blog with country music, you will not be pleased by a player provided with a jazz website.

Each music website will provide their own player, to accompany their music library - and their own installation instructions, to install their player. You will probably be provided HTML / JavaScript code, by the website - so you will want to add an HTML / JavaScript gadget.

Position the player so it is convenient and visible, to your readers.

You will want the player controls to be visible - so you should position the new gadget, in a convenient and visible location, on the blog.

The one suggestion, that is consistently provided, is that you should choose a player that lets your readers choose whether to listen to the music. Please, don't use any player that only provides "autoplay".

The choice of music will be yours - and some readers will choose to view your blog. But some will choose to not listen to your music - and unless you want to limit reader population to those who can listen as they view, you will want to make the music optional.

---

Some #Blogger blog owners want to decorate their blogs with music - and they request detailed instructions for adding a music player. Music players are individual to the website providing the music - and the smart blog owner will choose the website, for one offering an appropriate music library.

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The "About Me" Gadget, And Google+

Some blog owners are accustomed to editing their Blogger profiles, from time to time.

Publishing a blog that presents oneself to ones readers, openly, is important to some blog owners. The Blogger profile becomes a blog component that is edited, periodically, to keep the blog reader friendly.

The Blogger profile editor produces content which is displayed in the "About Me" gadget, for single owner blogs. Multiple owner blogs, complementarily, display "About Us" - which provides a different display.

Google+ profiles are edited using the Google+ desktop - and Google+ desktop content does not display in "About Me", in Blogger.

"About Me" displays Blogger Profile content. Once you upgrade to a Google+ profile, you won't have access to the Blogger Profile Editor - and you'll have no way to edit Blogger Profile content.

If the blog has been upgraded, you won't be able to edit your Blogger profile.



If you can edit your Google+ profile, sufficiently, you'll be good. If not, you can work around the problem.

Just create your own custom "About Me" gadget, using a Blogger HTML or Text gadget. You can do this in under an hour.



Add an "HTML / JavaScript" gadget. That's how you start.



Use the Layout "Add a Gadget" page, add an "HTML" or "Text" gadget, and fill the gadget content with your profile. With a little work, you can make a gadget with as much detail as any Google+ page or profile.

• Desktop banner background / icon.
• Photos.
• Text.
• Video.
• Whatever interests you - and your readers.

With a little work and imagination, you can have a blog that looks like part of your Google+ desktop.

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Owners of #Blogger blogs that use Google+ profiles want to edit their "About Me" gadgets - but find no way to do that. With a Google+ profile edited using the Google+ desktop, no "About Me" displayed content is produced.

Fortunately, it's not difficult to produce a custom "About Me" gadget.

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/blogger/Ifg3aW2yMrg

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Blogger Magic - Add An HTML Gadget

Many popular accessories start with raw HTML / JavaScript code, from different third party services.

One of the advantages of publishing a Blogger blog is the abundance of available accessories. With Blogger being in the top 3 of Internet publishing platforms, every third party service wants customers who publish using Blogger.

There are plenty of abusive or malicious accessories, that should not be installed, even when offered - and there are ways to best install the accessories, that can be safely installed.

Most accessories, from third party services, will be provided as HTML / JavaScript.

To add HTML / JavaScript code, to a blog, you can use any of several techniques - though a new HTML / JavaScript gadget is the smartest choice. Adding an HTML gadget, to a Blogger blog, is not difficult.

Add an HTML / JavaScript gadget, using "Add a Gadget" in Layout.

Start from the dashboard Layout page, and select any convenient link to "Add a Gadget". Select "HTML/JavaScript" from the "Basics" tab, in the "Add a Gadget" wizard.



Select "HTML/JavaScript" in "Basics".



Paste the code, that you have to add, into the "Content" window, in the "Configure HTML/JavaScript" wizard. And if you wish, give your new gadget a Title.



Paste the code that you have, into "Content" - with the wizard in HTML mode ("Rich Text" displayed).



Avoid several well known mistakes, when adding gadgets.

There are mistakes, that you can avoid - if you know what to do.

• Be selective, when adding third party code.
• Add a gadget, using "Basics".
• Edit an HTML gadget, with "Rich Text" displayed as the caption.
• With a dynamic template, attach or embed the content in a static page.
• With a mobile display, enable the gadget, if you want it to be viewed.

Be selective, when adding third party code.

It's your blog - and you are allowed to install any accessories and tweaks that interest you. For long term stability and success, though, you should try to only install code from reliable sources.

Your readers will be happier, with your blog using reliable accessories.

Add a gadget, using "Basics".

You'll start with an "Add a Gadget" link, on the dashboard Layout page - and the "Add a Gadget" wizard.

The "Add a Gadget" wizard has the "Basics" tab, with the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget in the list - and it has the "Add your own" tab. You should find the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget, in "Basics".

Edit an HTML gadget, with "Rich Text" displayed as the caption.

The "HTML" / "Text" gadgets, intriguingly have the "Edit Html" / "Rich Text" tabs. If you want to add / edit HTML or JavaScript, the caption should read "Rich Text".



The HTML gadget, in HTML mode.



With a dynamic template, attach or embed the content in a static page.

Adding gadgets to dynamic templates is not a straightforward process. Gadgets have to be written specifically to support dynamic templates - and the HTML gadget is not written for this.

If you want an HTML gadget to work in a dynamic template, you'll need to attach or embed the gadget, in a static page.

With a mobile display, enable the gadget, if you want it to be viewed.

By default, the "HTML / JavaScript" gadget does not display, on a mobile browser. You will have to use the Template Editor, and enable the gadget to display, in mobile mode.

It's your blog.

There are ways to make an HTML gadget work, differently. Long term success will be much more likely, though, with attention to the advice above.

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One of the most common accessories, added to a #Blogger blog, starts with an HTML / JavaScript gadget. This is a very versatile gadget - and it's not difficult to install. There are several common sense details, however.

Read More

Disable AdSense Gadgets, On Static Pages

One problem with AdSense, that some blog owners have reported, is that AdSense ads are not permitted on pages with very little AdSense relevant content.

Unfortunately for some blog owners, the responsibility for preventing this is left to the blog owner.

Blogs with static pages, and AdSense gadgets in the sidebar, are a problem here. Static pages with little blog relevant content - such as label indexes, expanded owner profiles, special gadgets like Followers displays - cause problems with the AdSense ad classifier - and can cause blogs to lose ads.

As an AdSense publisher, the blog owner is expected to ensure that ads are not displayed on unsuitable blog pages.

Fortunately, it's not difficult to block AdSense ads from static pages. Just add a CSS rule with a "static page" conditional, to block display of each AdSense gadget.

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'>

If you want to block gadget "AdSense1" from displaying on all static pages, that's a simple CSS rule, added using "Add CSS".

Note that I wrote this to selectively block AdSense gadgets from displaying - but you can use it with any gadget, that you need to block. AdSense is simply one gadget that needs to be selectively displayed.

<b:if cond='data:blog.pageType == "static_page"'>
<style>
#AdSense1 {display: none !important;}
</style>
</b:if>

As always, be aware that the blank line above and below the code, as displayed here, is not intended to be decorative. Any time you add CSS rules, the blank line is required, to separate each CSS rule - and make each rule operational.

If the blog publishes actual blog content on some static pages, conditionals will be a bit more complicated. This is one more reason why static pages are not typically used for blog content.

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Owners of #Blogger blogs with AdSense ads, that use static pages without AdSense relevant content, need to block ads from displaying on such pages. Failure to display ads selectively can cause problems with ads on the blog.

Fortunately, a simple CSS rule can be used, to block ads from static pages.

https://productforums.google.com/d/topic/blogger/7ANVOrQuvIo/discussion

https://productforums.google.com/d/topic/blogger/-p6mdLF2B08/discussion

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Add A Fixed Location "Subscribe" Button To Your Blog

To encourage email subscriptions, and other social connections, some blog owners provide gadget toolbars, with useful links.

Some blog owners would like to position their gadgets in fixed screen positions.

I want to have a subscribe button hover at the top of the page, while people read my blog.

This blog has a hovering AddThis toolbar, which provides selected social sharing options. And, it has a hovering "Top of Page" button.

Adding a custom subscription gadget, in a fixed screen location, is not complicated.

AddThis has a large library of social sharing gadgets, with their icons - but they don't have any email subscription selections. But you can add an icon based "subscribe" button, "hovering" at the top of the page.

An occasional request suggests using a popup window, containing a subscription form. We don't recommend using a popup window - but a subscription form, on a FeedBurner hosted page, will provide the same function.

1. Add FeedBurner "Subscribe by Email".
2. Add a "Subscribe by Email" FeedBurner hosted form, and a link.
3. Add a suitable icon, containing the FeedBurner subscription link.
4. Try It.

See below "Try It.", for the detailed procedure.

Add FeedBurner "Subscribe by Email".

Using the dashboard Layout page, and "Add a Gadget", add a "Subscribe by Email" gadget. This creates a blog posts FeedBurner hosted feed.

FeedBurner provides the "Subscribe by Email" gadget, with the choice to display either an on screen form - or a simple link to a FeedBurner hosted form page.

Add a "Subscribe by Email" FeedBurner hosted form, and a link.

Once a "Subscribe by Email" gadget has been added, get the gadget link from the FeedBurner dashboard, at Publicize - "Email Subscriptions" - "Subscription Management" - "Preview Subscription Link…".

Start from the dashboard, at Publicize - "Email Subscriptions" - "Subscription Management".

The "Preview Subscription Link…" window contains the code, that we need.



Add a suitable icon, containing the FeedBurner subscription link.

Choose an attractive icon to contain the FeedBurner supplied link. Add an HTML gadget using "Add a Gadget", containing the icon with the link to the FeedBurner form - and displayed in a fixed location.


Try It.

I added a button, and a new subscription, to my test blog, "Chucks Tech World".

See the icon, in the top right margin?

See how the new icon floats?

See how it floats from the top - and from the right?



Start with an icon, uploaded:

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-R3uaQFsSkF7azHhm7XAnONPpN0QRrpZ0hhW9S0Y5AqdP3Ar3iopGgFViycf75jvJ-tcpRgd_sSJsGrdb-qHCRsJtyMcq_1dQ7RfZnlhbEveDjdAYj16U6TrBivx0ym6VfzLJwQtT9Fk/s1600/Subscribe+Icon.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-R3uaQFsSkF7azHhm7XAnONPpN0QRrpZ0hhW9S0Y5AqdP3Ar3iopGgFViycf75jvJ-tcpRgd_sSJsGrdb-qHCRsJtyMcq_1dQ7RfZnlhbEveDjdAYj16U6TrBivx0ym6VfzLJwQtT9Fk/s320/Subscribe+Icon.png" /></a>

Here's the FeedBurner Subscription Link:

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

Here's the Floating Top Of Page Button:

<a style="display:scroll;position:fixed;bottom:20px;right:60px;" href="#" title="Top"><img border="0" height="60" width="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik2HLf375pL7ukmgwXSv3ti2luCRyGVIsZEL5d6FGjrsfaN_HYL8vy8Jr1BNRzB6cRoLeBP_JSX5r6FX8l7tjV5fkOdQU3ISmbtwLORtbbwnHACD1QWmEPawWFylh4lCixVTPGc2tpaRhA/s320/Up+Arrow+4.jpg" /></a>

And put them all together:

<a style="display:scroll;position:fixed;top:40px;right:60px;" href="https://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=ChucksTechWorld&loc=en_US" title="Subscribe by Email" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="60" width="60" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-R3uaQFsSkF7azHhm7XAnONPpN0QRrpZ0hhW9S0Y5AqdP3Ar3iopGgFViycf75jvJ-tcpRgd_sSJsGrdb-qHCRsJtyMcq_1dQ7RfZnlhbEveDjdAYj16U6TrBivx0ym6VfzLJwQtT9Fk/s320/Subscribe+Icon.png" /></a>

And that's it.

I now have a hovering subscription icon, in my test blog. Given a collection of icons, carefully arranged, you can have a hovering toolbar - to maybe complement a social media button toolbar.

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Some #Blogger blog owners would like a hovering button or toolbar, to provide an email subscription form. This is an accessory that is not difficult to add.

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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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Add A FaceBook Gadget With FaceBook SDK Code

Some blog owners can't get their new FaceBook gadgets to work, on their blogs.

We see the occasional report, in Blogger Help Forum: Get Help with an Issue.

The blog won't accept the code that Facebook Developer generated for me.

Adding HTML gadgets - and HTML gadgets using FaceBook code - can be frustrating. But, it's possible.

Adding a FaceBook gadget, to your blog, is not difficult - but success is found, in the details.

• Add the gadget as a new HTML gadget.
• Add the FaceBook SDK code, to the first FaceBook gadget.

Add the gadget as a new HTML gadget.

Blog maintenance is far easier, with a FaceBook gadget - or any other HTML / JavaScript based accessory - added as content, in a new HTML gadget - far smarter than using Template Editor.

Add the FaceBook SDK code, to the first FaceBook gadget.

FaceBook instructs us to add SDK code to each page which will display a FaceBook gadget - but advises that we should only add the SDK code once / page.

Gadget code, as provided by FaceBook Developers:

<div class="fb-comments" data-href="http://ourladyofoutrage.blogspot.com/" data-numposts="5">
</div>

Gadget code, as added to a new HTML gadget:

<div id="fb-root">
</div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {
var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.5&appId=528167400699401";
fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>

<div class="fb-comments" data-href="http://ourladyofoutrage.blogspot.com/" data-numposts="5">
</div>

A new FaceBook gadget, being added.



Just pay attention to the details, for best results.

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Some #Blogger blog owners try to add accessories provided by FaceBook Developers, without success. They don't realise the importance of the details involved.

Read More

Train Security Products, And Keep Your Blog Clean

Everybody who uses a computer - and expects to use their computer for any amount of time - has one or more protective products on their computer.

Anybody who publishes a blog, with an audience that has any need for security, is going to receive occasional reports from would be readers.

I can't read your blog! My computer displays an "Unsafe website!" warning!

All computer security products, unfortunately, will occasionally generate false positives. Analysing false positive malware reports is as much a part of every security product, as identifying the actual malware.

If you publish a blog, you need to know how to handle reader malware alert reports.

Know online tools, for researching reported problems.

Google provides 2 websites, for analysis of blog / website malware alerts. Both Google SafeBrowsing, and VirusTotal, are Google products that can help to identify actual problems with blogs and websites.

Besides the two Google products above, I use 3 security analysis websites, which can identify specific security problems in blog / website code. Quttera Online Website Malware Scanner, and Sucuri SiteCheck, and Trend Micro SIte Safety Center, have been useful at various times, when a security problem is reported.

You may, from time to time, use all of these - and possibly others - in identifying and verifying a security problem with your blog, or with blogs and websites that you link. For best results, always specify the canonical blog URL, when requesting security analysis - and when sharing the blog, or individual posts.

Specify the canonical URL.

Not a country local domain.



Know what you need to do, to keep your blog healthy.

As a blog publisher, you will occasionally have 2 jobs to do, when receiving a malware alert report which references your blog.

1. Verify / identify / remove any actual malicious content.
2. Report false positives, to the protective service displaying a false positive.

Everybody who publishes a blog, with any reader audience, has seen this advice, or something similar, when surfing their blog.



Know how to keep your blog clean - and your reputation clean.

You have to use online malware analysis services, to identify any problem which you may have created, by installing the latest "gotta have this!" accessory on your blog. And, you have to report any false positive alert, to the owners of any security product, that falsely identifies your blog as a problem.

You do both, to support your readers. You do not want your readers computers hacked, through your inappropriately accessorising your blog - but at the same time,you want your readers to be able to read your blog.

1. Keep your blog content clean.
2. Keep your blog reputation clean.

Do both - or you may not have readers, to read your blog.

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Any #Blogger blog owner needs to support the blog readers, by publishing a blog clean of any malware, and with a good reputation with the various security products that prevent malicious action by dangerous blogs and websites. Your readers need the ability to use their computers to read your blog - and they need their security to not falsely identify your blog as a problem.

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Some bX Codes Caused By Zero Alpha ("rgba") Value

We're seeing a few reports of bX codes, that are not solved by simply resetting the template - and do not involve the mysterious "500 Internal Server Error".

In some cases, the blog owner may see a bX code when trying to use "Configure Blog Posts", or another Layout gadget wizard. If the blog itself can be viewed, and Template HTML Editor is usable, the bX error may come from use of a "0" Alpha color setting.

Blogger Engineering is aware of the problem, and has suggested that a fix is being developed. While we await the necessary fix, we may need to work around the problem.

The suggestion by Blogger Engineering is that we use a "Transparent" option, instead of "0" alpha value.

It seems that this issue is triggered by color variables with a value that has zero alpha, e.g. 'rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)'.

Some gadgets, and template sections, have the "transparent" selection in their color setup. Not all have this option, however. Some template CSS rules are not so easily edited.

The problem here is the "rgba" 4th value of "0" - ie, the "alpha" "0" value. The simplest solution is to change the "0" to a non zero value - without changing the "rgb" values.

The simplest solution, to get "Configure Blog Posts" or any other affected gadget usable, may be to use Template Editor, and change the values, directly. Look at every CSS rule, that has an "rgba" setting - and look for a 4th value of "0".

• For "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" - Change to "rgba(0, 0, 0, .1)".
• For "rgba(255, 255, 0, 0)" - Change to "rgba(255, 255, 0, .1)".
• For "rgba(255, 255, 255, 0)" - Change to "rgba(255, 255, 255, .1)".

A transparency setting of ".1" should be visually close to "0" - and should get the blog in question back online and updatable. And after Blogger Engineering fixes their gadget / template editor code, to accept the "0" value - and if the ".1" creates a noticeably unacceptable condition - this can be corrected, when necessary.

It's possible that this error, being seen, is part of a larger problem. You may need a persistent solution.

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Some #Blogger bX codes, being seen in the forums right now, do not appear to involve terminal template corruption, and the mysterious "500 Internal Server Error". Some bX codes can be easily corrected, when they involve a "0 alpha" value (a CSS color rule involving an "rgba" setting).

When the Template Editor is usable, a simple search and replace for "rgba(nn, nn, nn, 0)" to "rgba(nn, nn, nn, .1)" may be sufficient to correct the error.

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Claiming Your Blog, In BlogLovin

When you use the BlogLovin supplied instructions to claim your blog, you will get a BlogLovin link, with an embedded token, which you install in your blog.

Paste this text into a new blog post ... In some blogs, it's necessary to put the code at the top of the blog post.

BlogLovin would have you publish a new post, and put the link / token at the top of the post. This ensures that the claim link displays at the top of the page, in the blog.

I'm not going to publish a new post, for joining yet one more non Blogger service.

I try not to clutter the blog feed, with posts that are only needed, to host a link - particularly a link for verifying a new service connection. With Blogger blogs, you may be able to use a gadget, in the sidebar. The sidebar is static - so what you position in one place stays in that place.

First, get the BlogLovin blog claim token, using "Claim blog".

You start, by getting the BlogLovin link, and embedded token, from the "Claim blog" wizard in "Blog analytics".

Either publish a new post, or position an HTML gadget properly.

You will probably have to position the gadget, containing the BlogLovin link, near the top of the sidebar. Apparently BlogLovin claiming verification only reads the top of the blog content - whether posts or template objects.

1. Get the claim link / token, from BlogLovin.
2. Add the link / token to a post, or an HTML gadget.
3. Publish the post, or position the HTML gadget, near the top of the sidebar.
4. Return to BlogLovin, and click "Claim".
5. Wait, anxiously.

Maybe, BlogLovin only reads content above the fold. BlogLovin is allowing for blogs with activity, where new posts would push the post containing the claim link token, down the page - before the BlogLovin claim verification can find and read the claim token. Or maybe they want the new link so it's visible - and advertises their service.

The uncertainty about claim link location, combined with the need for a valid feed - but criteria for valid feed being itself uncertain - will make claiming some blogs, in BlogLovin, a bit of trial and error.

Then replace the claim link / token with a properly decorative button.

Once your blog is claimed, you can replace the ugly claim link with a semi decorative BlogLovin button ("Get the Bloglovin button"). I was able to consolidate two BlogLovin claims, for this blog - so I removed the two ugly links, from the sidebar.

My sidebar HTML gadget, with two ugly links. They are now gone.



I used the "Move Followers to" option, so I can have one page for this blog.

Why they had two entries, for this one blog, I don't know. Their advice here is a bit vague.

This might happen when a blog have two or more different addresses to its RSS feed.

All Blogger blogs, publishing a blog feed, have at least two diffeent feed addresses. Does BlogLovin only use RSS, specifically? Or are they unaware that Blogger publishes one feed, in two flavours - Atom and RSS?

Anyway, BlogLovin lets you move Followers, from one blog to another - and I now have one BlogLovin page for this blog.

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Some #Blogger blog owners use the BlogLovin social sharing service, to provide access to their blog. The BlogLovin "Claim your blog" process uses a BlogLovin link with an embedded token, to verify blog ownership.

The claiming process requires proper positioning of the claim link - plus (as previously noted) proper blog feed availability. This combination of requirements makes a BlogLovin claim somewhat unpredictable.

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Use A Canonical URL, With Page URL Conditionals

Not all blog owners can successfully add a conditional display of a template object, to their blog.

Some owners carefully copy the conditional code that I provide, add it to their blogs - and it does not work (for them). In some cases, it may work, for me, when I check their work.

Conditional code, that involves people in countries subject to the country specific domain redirect, won't always be comparing against "blogspot.com". People in the UK may see their blog as "blogspot.co.uk", for instance.

People in the USA, right now, will always see BlogSpot blogs, as "blogspot.com".

This blog, and other blogs published to custom domains, will always be viewed under their domain URLs - so there is no worry about country specific domain redirect.

How do you compare a blog URL, with country specific domain redirects in use?

But what of blogs published to "blogspot.com", outside the USA? How do they conditionally display objects, with the conditional URL varying according to the country specific code of each reader?

When you do a URL comparison, to conditionally display a template object - and the blog is published to "blogspot.com" - check against the canonical URL.

Use the canonical URL, for conditional comparisons in BlogSpot blogs.

Since your blog could be read by readers in any country, if your blog is published to "blogspot.com", you will want to base any URL comparison against the Canonical URL.

• Compare "data:blog.canonicalUrl" - not "data:blog.url".
• Compare against the URL, ending in "blogspot.com".

Your readers could be in any country - either the same as you, and subject to your country local domain - if one applies. Or, they could be different from you, and subject to a different country local domain - again, if one applies.

<b:if cond='data:blog.canonicalUrl != "http://mypersonalblog.blogspot.com"'>
<style>
#Text1 {display: none !important;}
</style>
</b:if>

or possibly

<b:if cond='data:blog.canonicalUrl != data:blog.homepageUrl'>
<style>
#Text1 {display: none !important;}
</style>
</b:if>

Just avoid using

<b:if cond='data:blog.url != "http://mypersonalblog.blogspot.com"'>
<style>
#Text1 {display: none !important;}
</style>
</b:if>

and

<b:if cond='data:blog.url != data:blog.homepageUrl'>
<style>
#Text1 {display: none !important;}
</style>
</b:if>

This way, everybody in every different country can see the gadgets only when necessary, as you design. And maybe, you can check your blog using a service like GeoPeeker.

---

Blogger blog owners, in some countries outside the USA, occasionally observe that they cannot conditionally display template objects, in BlogSpot published blogs, as people in the USA can do.

Owners who live in the USA may not realise that people outside the USA may not see their blogs properly, with conditionals added. If you want your blog gadgets to display properly, in BlogSpot published blogs, use a canonical URL in the comparisons.

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Put A Notice, To Your Followers, On Your Blog

Thanks to the Followers rewrite - and the Followers database cleanup - this blog has lost over 500 Followers.

Blogger Support suggests that we should publish a notice to our Followers, letting them know what is going on - and why some might be no longer Following.

The notice, if published as a post, will go out to everybody subscribed to the posts newsfeed.

People who were affected by the Followers cleanup weren't subscribed to the newsfeed, using the Reading List - and did not lose a newsfeed subscription (nor did we lose a subscriber).

If they are subscribed, they will be using a third party newsfeed display - and any third party display won't be affected by the cleanup. Basically, the only thing that your blog (or mine) lost is somebody's photo, on our blogs.

Any ex Follower should see the notice, at the top of the page.

If an ex Follower was subscribed to a blog using a third party newsfeed display, that subscription still exists. If they view the blog, as a normal reader, the notice at the top of the blog should catch their eye. You can do the same, on your blog.

Look at the top of the page, here. Do you see the gadget, directly under the header?

Dear Followers Of This Blog ...

"If you did not use a Blogger / Google account when you Followed this blog, years ago, you are probably not Following now."

I think that says enough.

That is simply a Featured Posts gadget, displaying my post from January 2016, Dear Followers Of This Blog ....

The notice is simply a Featured Posts gadget, displaying last week's post.

When I installed my Featured Posts gadget, I positioned it at the top of the posts column ("Main"). Having selected "Dear Followers Of This Blog ..." as my Featured Post for the near future (probably the next month or so, anyway), I renamed the gadget to "AN IMPORTANT UPDATE".

And that's all that I had to do. I actually installed the Featured Posts gadget several weeks ago, shortly after Blogger Engineering released it. I had been changing it daily - and showing a different older post, each day.

Until the Followers rewrite is finished, and my "missing" Followers start returning, I'll probably leave that featured post in place.

You can do something similar, with your blog.

You can do something similar with your blog, if you like. Just note, as I did by experimenting, that the post content, as displayed in the gadget, has a limited length. You'll do best with a short and carefully phrased opening sentence.

Oh Yes, I did tweak the gadget Title line!

.widget .post-summary h3 {
font-size: 28px;
font-weight: normal;
}

I'll probably go back to "22px" after this episode is over - but for right now, "28px" makes the title "Dear Followers Of This Blog ..." stand out a bit. Hopefully, some former Followers will see and react.

You could do the same, with a Text gadget, if you wish - though again, using a post puts the notice into the posts newsfeed - as this post will go. I just found the Featured Posts gadget to be the natural medium for an advice to my (former) Followers. As always - YMMV.

---

Thanks to the #Blogger Followers gadget cleanup / rewrite, this blog (and many others) have lost a significant amount of Followers. It's possible that the people who were dropped may re Follow - if they are aware that they need to so so.

You may notice my advice, at the top of my blog page, "AN IMPORTANT UPDATE". Hopefully, some people who are now not Following will read the advice, either on the blog, or in their newsfeed reader.

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Unfold Widgets Selectively, Instead Of All At Once

The new Template HTML Editor has been with us for just under 2 weeks.

Not every blog owner sees the new editor as an improvement. Some folks don't understand how to find the code sections, where they need to apply changes - and would probably be happier if "Expand All Widgets" were an option.

Like the old saying goes, you just cannot please everybody.

Fortunately, with this change, it's not difficult to find the code sections that need changing - you just do a little bit of research, before using "Edit HTML".

With the old editor, finding a section that needed changing could be a bit frustrating - though simple, given enough time.

1. Hit "Expand Widget Templates".
2. Search for a recognisable section of code.
3. Try very carefully, to find the right section of code.
4. Be careful, and don't select the wrong section of code.

With the new editor, you have a bit more work to do - and what you have to do appears to be simply repetitive.

1. Find a folded code section.
2. Unfold the section that's folded.
3. Repeat, until everything is visible.
4. Search for a recognisable section of code.
5. Try very carefully, to find the right section of code.
6. Be careful, and don't select the wrong section of code.

Instead of spending so much time unfolding, searching, and rechecking everything, why not do some research? Figure out what needs changing. Look at the display on the dashboard Layout wizard (previously called "Page Elements"). Identify the widget to be changed, using both the relative position on the page, and the title.

Find the widget id, by looking at the widget to be changed, then at the URL behind the "Edit" link. If you're editing the post template, you'll be looking at "Blog Posts", which has the widgetID of "Blog1". Click here, for instructions on determining the widget id.

Once you have the widgetID, for the specific widget that you need to modify, go to the Template "Edit HTML" wizard, use the "Jump to widget" pull down list, select the widget by widgetID, and there it is. Now, unfold that widget, and do what you have to do.

Isn't that simpler, when you think about it?

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The Option To "Expand Widget Templates", In The Template "Edit HTML" Wizard, Is No More

One of the more confusing features of the Blogger Template "Edit HTML" wizard, used to be the option to

Expand Widget Templates

With the new "Edit HTML" wizard, that option is not needed. Given the choice to "Expand Widget Templates", the typical blog owner was frequently caught between a rock, and a hard place, when editing gadgets.

• Don't use the option - and the gadget code section, which was to be edited, remained concealed.
• Use the option - and all gadget code sections were expanded, revealing all gadget code.

This frequently left the owner with either no information - or too much information, from which to work. Broken templates, caused by improper template HTML edits, were common.

The new Template "Edit HTML" wizard replaces the single "Expand Widget Templates" option with selective widget expansion. Now referred to as "folded" code, a concealed widget code section is identified by a fold marker ("sideways arrow icon"), next to the line number.

The code inside the widget is folded by default.

Clicking on any fold marker, the concealed gadget code section is revealed. If the now revealed code section itself contains concealed code sections, those sections are displayed as folded, and can then be revealed - if necessary, and only if necessary.

Thus we can eliminate unnecessary depth (internal gadget code sections) and width (additional gadget code sections) from being displayed when we only need to edit a specific gadget, at a given level of complexity. This will make it easier to identify and to edit the necessary lines of code, and to avoid editing lines of code which should not be edited.

If you're looking for a specific section of the template - for instance, the CSS rules - you may find that section folded also. CSS rules, for instance, are at the top of the template.

<b:skin>---</b:skin>

and

<b:template-skin>---</b:template-skin>

On the other hand, if you're looking for the content of an HTML / JavaScript gadget, that's still edited from the specific gadget in the Layout wizard.

<data:content/>

Gadget content is not folded.

Hopefully, we'll soon see less problem reports, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, about broken templates - though we will probably continue to see confusion, about templates that only appear to be broken.

As always, if you change template code, remember to clear browser cache and restart the browser, before concluding that your changes were not effective.

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Blogger Blogs Being Hijacked By The Sociable Gadget

We're seeing a steady stream of reports, from blog owners in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, from Blogger blog owners, reporting the latest hijacking of their blogs.

My blog is being redirected to a search engine display.

or

My blog has a porn popup attached!

These are all blog owners who have installed the latest hack, willingly distributed by Blogger / Google.

This appears to be yet one more gadget, intentionally installed by many Blogger blog owners, which is now redirecting unwilling viewers. The redirection target is a website which provides commercial advertisements for various Internet services, which creates a variety of symptoms, as reported in the forums.

The Sociable gadget appears to be a Blogger accessory installed from the Blogger "Add a Gadget" wizard, when selected intentionally by many Blogger blog owners.

As with many reported hijacks, access to the Blogger Layout wizard appears to be affected. If you need to remove this code from your blog, you may find yourself unable to use the Layout wizard. In this case, you will need to use Firefox with Noscript - or a similarly well protected browser - to prevent the redirecting code from executing.

After removing the identified code from your blog, as always, clear cache and restart the browser. Finally, I'll remind you again, to please be particular - only install third party code from trustworthy providers.

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Blogger Blogs Displaying Mysterious "SECURITY WARNING" Popup Boxes

This week, we're seeing a few concerned blog owners, in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken, asking about a mysterious SECURITY WARNING popup box, on their blogs.

Like the earlier concern about the transparent boxes covering the blog, this appears to be another broken FaceBook Connect gadget.

The mysterious SECURITY WARNING isn't too hard to resolve.

Generally, the problem will start with a new FaceBook accessory, recently added.

<div id="fb-root"></div>
<script>(function(d, s, id) {
  var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];
  if (d.getElementById(id)) return;
  js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;
  js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/id_ID/all.js#xfbml=1";
  fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);
}(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>

<div class="fb-like-box" data-href="http://www.facebook.com/xxxxxxx" data-width="265" data-show-faces="true" data-stream="true" data-header="true"></div>

If you can identify the problem gadget in your blog, you can edit the gadget, and Remove it. Some owners have installed the code in question, in a specific post.

As an alternate solution, you may add CSS which will hide the warning. Using the "Add CSS" wizard in the Template Designer Advanced menu, add the following code:

#fb_xdm_frame_http, #fb_xdm_frame_https
{
 display:none !important;
}

As always, after you add or remove the code in question, and save the changes, you will need to clear browser cache and restart the browser, to accurately test success in resolving the problem.

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