Saturday, May 31, 2008

date/time together

Q: How can I get the date and the time of the post to appear together instead of the date above the post and the time below?

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. layout
2. edit (on blog post) unselect the first box and select the 4th box which has combination date and time)
3. save changes

changing blog address

Q: How do I change the name of my blog?

A: Please go to settings, publishing (change the name inside the box). Save settings

Time zone setting

Q: How do I make the time and date at the end of my posts to match my actual time here?

A: Settings>formatting>time zone
Scroll down and select your correct time zone
Save settings

add authors

Q: How do I allow my friends to post on my blog?
Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. settings
2. permissions
3. add authors (you may add up to a maximum of 100 authors.)
4. save settings

Screw driver and wrench icon

Q: How do I get rid of the little picture of the screw driver and wrench?
Remove all your page elements and the icons will disappear; but why do you want to remove them? They are not visible to anyone else but you. The icon is a short cut for editing your page elements. The short cut for editing a post is the pencil icon.

Friday, May 30, 2008

adding new page elements

Q: Is there any chance Blogger will let us add a new page to our blog aside from new posts? I need to add more separate pages for maps, about me, etc.

Beside adding new posts to your blog you can also add new gadgets (also referred to as page elements or widgets).
Click on:-
1. layout
2. add a gadget (1844 gadgets listed under: basics, featured, most popular, more gadgets, add your own)
3. add to blog
4. save changes (you can drag and drop the new gadget)
5. save

completely new to blogger

Q: I have never done a blogging page before. Can anyone help me ?
The only way to learn is to sign in to Blogger as a member and try doing it. Go to this screen: https://www.blogger.com/start Sign up as a member, (record down your ID and password)
1. click on "new post"
2. fill in the "title" and write your document inside the large box.
3. when you have finished typing, click on "publish post"
4. click on "view blog" and you will see your very first blog. Congratulations, you are now a blogger!
5. copy down the 2nd top line, your blog's URL address (http:// yourid.blogspot.com/) or save in favourites list for your future reference.

If you have any more questions, please check here first for immediate answers.
If the answer is not there, please post another question on the blogger help forum.
118,000 members on this forum are standing by to help you.


Thursday, May 29, 2008

visitors counters

Q: How do I know how many people visit my blog?

What you need is either a sitemeter or a statcounter. You can download any one of these for free. Get the codes and add them to an html/Javascript gadget  (under layout) in your side bar. Use Google Analytics if you are using your blog for business. 
www.sitemeter.com
www.statcounter.com 
www.google.com/analytics/

Alternatively:
Try a neocounter:
http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/neocounter2
or feedjit:
http://feedjit.com/join/
These gadgets will breakdown all visitors to your blog (by countries).

If you are interested in "followers" only, you can add a followers gadget to your side bar.





I lost my thread

Q: I posted earlier if there was a way to keep track on how many people click onto your blog. I have lost my question somewhere and am going nuts trying to find it!! What should I do?
Click on:
1. more options
2. find messages by this author

Displaying HTML codes on web page

Q: How do I post html codes in full in a post to stop it changing into a clickable link?
A: http://www.plus2net.com/html_tutorial/tags-page.php
Here is a code generator which will convert your html tags to web page friendly display. Paste any html code here and copy the code printed above it. Paste that in your post editor. Publish post.
The end result:
<a href=http://www.plus2net.com>HTML Tutorials</a>

and not the usual click-able link: HTML Tutorials

Hyperlinks

Q: What is html?

HTML codes are not such a big deal. They are quite easy to use. You can read more about it here: http://www.plus2net.com/html_tutorial/b-guide.php
or here: http://www.w3schools.com/
and here: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=41379

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

comments box not showing

Q: How do I get the comment tag to show below my posts so that people can leave comments?

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. settings
2. comments (be sure to select and edit all the boxes you need)
3. save settings

If this does not do the trick, please go to layout, click edit (Blog Posts). A new window opens, select (tick) the 4th box. Scroll down, save.

see other's blogs

Q: Where can I find other people's blogs to read?

1.Click on "next blog" on the Navigation bar
2. Browse recently updated blogs: http://www.blogger.com/changes10.g
3. Do a Google blog search: http://blogsearch.google.com/
4. Update your interests list on your profile eg: reading, golf, blogging. Any interests that you list in your Blogger profile will become links to other people with the same interests.
5. read the "blogs of note" listed on your dashboard.
6. Go to the "coffee shop" (listed under Blogger on this page). Hover your mouse over the bloggers' names. A bubble will show up with their blog's address. Make a bubble for yourself, so that others can also find your blog easily. I have a bubble. You need one too.
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=035fb64bd6666dc9&hl=en
7. Have a look at other people's list of "blogs I follow", (on their profile.)
8. Browse through Argentum Vulgaris's blog: http://avarchives.blogspot.com/

wysiwyg editor

Q: After I am done typing my post, and go to preview it, it looks fine; but when it actually posts it just looks like one big run-on sentence. I also cannot add color to any text anymore and can only see my posts in html format when I am typing them. How do I fix this?
Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. layout
2. settings
3. basic (scroll down, select "yes" for "show compose mode for all your blogs")
4. save settings

Frozen

Q: I look through my own blog to view comments, and it does not show the new blogs. It will be frozen like this for weeks, and then be ok. Also I looked up my blog and others blogs on a new computer that I did not set the account up on and there are all sorts of updates on their pages that I can not view from my blog page. Basically recent posts do not show from my own blog on my computer, nor do new posts from other blogs.




A: Clear your cache and cookies. On the menu bar above. Click:-
1. Tools
2. internet options
3. delete
4. delete all (your browsing history, temp files, cookies etc)
5. ok

My sidebar is gone!

My left sidebar has shifted to the bottom of my blog. I hate how this looks. I have tried shortening my lists and even deleted some things on my sidebar. It's still at the bottom. Please help.
Try to identify which of the items you recently added to your blog is too wide. That one is the culprit. You eliminate each post by editing it and save as "draft", until you see your side bar is normal again. Delete that item and every thing will be ok again.
If not, Chuck has a write up on his blog:
Peter Chen also has this to say:
Rat knows all about it:

Why blog?

Q: How can I start blogging and how many types of blogging possible, and what do I gain in return? Please help me out! 

The Catholics go to confess their sins regularly to a priest. They come out from the church refreshed and recharged to face the world again for another day. The rest of us who are buddhists, moslems and whatever have blogs to help us maintain our sanity.

There are many types of blogs. Mostly a blog is our safety valve for ranting against the government. Blogging is free of charge. Any one can have one or several blogs. Some blogs are more social than others. They have contact lists or links, recipes, hobbies, DIY, interesting articles, photos, videos, music, stuff for sale, comment boxes, gadgets, forums etc. The list is endless. I even blogged about blogging! There is no hard and fast rules. You do what you like with your own blog. Choose any template and fill it up with posts or gadgets.



Please hover your mouse over my ID to read my blogs (I have 53)


some reasons: http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=2dc799e3e43cc352&hl=en

Adding smilies

Q: How can I get the smilies on my blogs

Copy the codes for your smilies.
Use the "add a page element" function on layout, go to dashboard. Click on:
1. layout
2. add a page element (scroll down , select html/javascript)
3. add to blog (paste the codes in the large box)
4. save changes (you can drag and drop your new page element)
5. save

Adding slide shows

Q: How do I add a slideshow?

There are many ways to upload a slide show to your blog.
Here is my way. It works:
Copy your own slide show codes from somewhere. Go to dashboard on blogger. Click on:-
1. layout/design
2. add a gadget
3. scroll down to html/Javascript
4. add to blog (paste your codes here in the large box)
5. save changes (you can drag and reposition your new gadget)
6. save

If you do not have the codes for your own slide show, you need to create a slide show first. Please go to my blog: http://davidchin35.blogspot.com/2005/07/blog-post.html
click on " make your own" under my slide and just follow the prompts to create your own slide show, get the codes and paste as above.

Alternately you can also create a slide-show as a post:
1. Get the codes
2. go to your post editor
3. paste the codes inside the post editor (use edit html mode)
4. publish post.

Date not showing

Q: Why is the date and time not showing on my blog?

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. settings
2. formatting (set your date and time)
3. save settings

Publishing a draft

Q: I saved a post as a draft so I can add more to it later, but now I am ready to publish it but there is no publish button.
Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. posts (select draft)
2. edit (scroll down)
3. publish post

labels list

Q: How to add a labels list?
Go to your dashboard and click on:-
1. design
2. add a gadget (scroll down to labels)
3. "+"
4. save (you can drag and reposition the new gadget)
5. save.
(However, before this will work, first you need to remember to go back and add labels to all your posts)

blog roll

Q: I have one account but multiple blog pages. I want to consolidate all my blogs into one page. How do I do it?

A: You can show a link list (blog roll) of all your separate blogs on your main blog.
Please go to dashboard and click on:
1. layout/design, add a gadget (scroll down and click " +" next to link list )
2. Fill in your URL, (blog address) "add link"
3. save
(you can drag and drop the link list gadget any where on your blog.)
4. save

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Appeal form

Q: My blog is locked as spam blog. I have submitted a request from my dashboard, and I have not heard any thing from the Google team for one week. What should I do now?

Picking a template

Q: When you start your blog, how do you choose a template?

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. layout
2. pick new template (choose from 38 standard templates)

3. save template

sticky post

Q: How do I show the oldest post at the front page?
Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. edit post
2. edit (your oldest post)
3. post options (scroll down, change the date to next year)
4. publish post

A sticky post will stay on page 1 until the future date.


Another way is to use a text gadget and drag it to a position above your first post.


There are other alternatives shown on this thread:
http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=6eeaf049183e7c1a&hl=en

Link list

Q: How do I get friends blogs as links on my page?
Go to Layout. Click on:-
1. Add a Page Element (select "Link List")
2. Add to blog (Fill in the details)
3. add link (if you have more links to add)
4. save changes

Reversed order of posts

Q: Can I change the order of my posts so that the oldest ones come first.

A: There is no quick and easy way; but it can be done. Change the date on each post (one by one). Go to "edit post" screen for each post in turn, look for "post options". Click on it and you may change the date (or the time) to whatever you wish. A new chronological order of post is obtained, with the most recent post (by date) showing first on top. Some bloggers use this feature for writing a book on their blog so that it can be read from beginning to end.

If you go one step further and change a particular post date to 2011 (future) you create a "sticky" post which can be useful for some applications eg: a content list, introduction, preface...

Here is a hack; but not very easy to follow:
http://too-clever-by-half.blogspot.com/2010/05/first-blog-post-order.html

Where are the tags?

Q: Is there any way to browse blogs on this site by topic? I can't seem to find relevant link anywhere.
Under some posts you may find labels (tags). click on those. The other way is to update your interests in your profile and click on those labels which are links to other bloggers who have the same interests as you.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Where are my posts?

1. i have checked the published dates and its been set on time.
2. its not in draft
3. i already erased all my cookies etc
4. my internet connection is fine still i cannot see the last 3 updates that i did. its in my post list though but not on my main page. i can also see it in my multiply account and my google reader.

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. setting
2. formatting (check the first entry "show", change it to 200 posts)
3. save settings (Your main page will now show all your posts!)

Where is the menu bar?

Q: My panel of posts has no buttons anymore. I need the colors, fonts, and everything else to write my stuff and they're not there. Can someone help me please?

If you are looking for the menu bar to change the font, text size etc. It is there. Just change from html to compose mode and it will appear.

Customize side bar

Q: How do I add page elements?
Sign on using your ID and password. Click on:-
1. customize
2. layout
3. add a page element (here is a selection of goodies you can add to your side bar)
4. add to blog
5. save changes

Show more posts

Q: I created a blog and posted 9 posts. I have saved and published them all but cannot see the earlier posts. I can view only the recent one. Why?

At the bottom of your web page there should be a button "older posts". If you wish to show more posts, go to settings. Click on:
1. formatting (you will be able to edit the number of posts you wish to show on your home page)
2. save settings

Photo placement

Q: When I upload images to my blog they come only at the very top of the blog. That requires me to go through an arduous process to move them down to the place where I want them in the blog. Moreover, it seems impossible to place images side by side, rather than one underneath the other. I need much better control of image placement.

That is the way it is in blogger! However, there is another way. Right click the uploaded photo - cut and then paste where you want it to be. As far as side by side photos, you have a choice on the uploading wizard - left, center, right. Depending on the photo size - and its padding, you may be able to place them side by side. This is a trial and error method - unless you can handle HTML codes.
Word of caution:
You need to watch your photo size too, as the sidebar can be pushed away and 'disappear' to the bottom of your page!

setting date and time

Q: How do I change my timestamp format to include the date & time without seconds. i.e. DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM This particular format is not included in the timestamp settings.

Set them separately. For date use "Date Header Format" and for the time, use the "Timestamp format"

bX code reporting form

Q: bX-tu73o0
I'm trying to change my blog background/layout and I keep getting this error. Can anyone help?
A: Try clearing the cache and cookies:
  
If clearing the cache and cookies does not help, please fill out this form and submit: 
https://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pDGYK68-cO4sA0J2wa9fYBQ

so that the Blogger Team will be notified of your problem. Then they will fix it for you. While you are waiting, keep trying, use another browser, another computer, reboot...

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Formatting date

Q: How do I change the date format on the Edit Posts page (the date of when the post was posted) to day-month-year format instead of month-day-year format? My language and timezone are set correctly, so I assume it does not automatically format based on "culture". In the settings I can only find information on how to set the date and time as it will appear on my posts/blog page, not how I prefer it "internally".

Go to dashboard. Click on:-
1. settings
2. formatting (select "date header format", choose a date format from drop down menu)
3. save settings

Adding a link list

Q: Can I create another page from the same blog??? Whereby I can add pictures to the page and later, link the images and the main page of my blog. How do I do that??? Is it possible to do that? Thanks in advance...

Yes, it can be done. Go to dashboard.
1. Click on "create a blog" (go through the process and upload your photos to this new blog)
2. record the new URL
3. go to dashboard, select the main blog,
4. click layout, add a page element (select "link list")
5. add to blog (fill in your new blog's details)
6. save changes
7. save

Page header missing

Q: When I select "dot" template, I do not get page header bar, where as I get page header bar in other template. As I selected dots for my blog, the heading of the blog is not displayed, keeping my blog without header. Can you help me to add header in that template?

Go to layout. Click:-
1. add a page element (scroll down, select "page header" and fill in the text)
2. save changes (you may need to drag the new page element to the top)
3. save

Adsense earnings

Q: I just want to know how can I see if i'm earning from adsense through bloggers, as I have received no report that i'm earning any thing from Google ads.

You have to make some money first from Adsense before you receive a report from Google. It will take a few months and initially, the amounts will be very small. You can check your account here: https://www.google.com/adsense/account-access

Photo not upright

Q: I took a picture and uploaded it to my blog except I had to turn the camera longwise to get the picture. Now it is posted on my blog side ways. Can I turn it so it is right side up? I have not a clue how to do this please help. thanks.

A: Delete post. Use a photo editor to rotate the photo. Post a new photo which is the right way up.

Profile photo not showing on comment

Q: How do I enable my profile picture in comments? I have the little option that says, "show profile images on comments" enabled, and I have a profile image, but it doesn't display next to my comments like other peoples. Any help would be awesome!

Go to dashboard. Click:
1. settings
2. comments (scroll down and select "yes" for "show profile images on comments" )
3. save settings

If that does not work, try this:
Go to Gmail. Click on:
1. settings (against "my picture" select "visible to everyone")
2. save changes

Editing a post

Q: How do I edit a post?

Go to this screen: https://www.blogger.com/start
Sign on to blogger using your ID and password. Click on:
1. edit post (select a post to edit)
2. edit
3. publish post

A short cut is to click on the pencil icon at the bottom of each post.

Lost

Q: I am really new to blogging. Please help me?

Go to this screen: https://www.blogger.com/start and sign on as a member. It is free.
If you are a blogger with a question, please sign up here:
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help?hl=en
This is a public user forum with over 116,000 members. If you have a question, simply post your question here and some one is sure to respond. Be sure to come back here for the answers. There is no need to provide your email address. You may want to read this first:
http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help/web/how-to-report-a-problem

Screw driver

Q: How do I remove the screw driver showing on my screen?
All screw drivers can be removed by removing the corresponding page elements.

My post disappeared

Q: Where did my draft go? All that typing, gone!!

Apparently, the auto-save feature only works on new post.
You can turn it off deliberately. When you plan to make a long post, type one line and publish post immediately. From then onwards, while you are editing this "existing" post, the auto-save will not work again.

Moving a post

Q: Is it possible to move a post to a 2nd blog within blogger ? How?

Yes, use the copy/paste method.
Go to this screen: https://www.blogger.com/start
1. sign in to blogger using your ID and password
2. copy your post (for transfering)
3. go to dashboard
4. create blog
5. paste
6. publish post

deleting post on help forum

Q: How do I delete my post on help forum?

Go to discussions, find your post. Click:
1. more options
2. remove (select "yes, remove it now")
3. confirm

URL

Q: What is URL?

It stands for Uniform Resource Locator, a web page address.

Wikipedia will give more details.

Here is a link: http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?answer=42423&cbid=-f3yvoagm09ie&src=cb&lev=answer

I cannot find my blog

Q: When I look for my blog via search engine, I cannot find it. What should I do?

Go to this screen:
https://www.blogger.com/start
Sign in to blogger using your ID and password.
Click "view blog"
More reading: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=87065

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=7477bda433122156&hl=en

Saturday, May 24, 2008

How many blogs can I have?

Q: Do I have to create a new account to post an additional blog?

One Google account is good for many blogs. If you are thinking of adding another post to your blog, go to dashboard, click "new post". No limit on posts.

On the other hand, if you wish to start a separate new blog, click "create a blog".
All your separate blogs will appear on your dashboard; but you will probably need just one blog.

Making the first post

Q: How do I make my first post?

Go to this screen:
https://www.blogger.com/start
1. sign in to blogger using your ID and password
2. click on "new post"
3. fill in the "title" and write your post inside the large box.
4. when you have finished typing, click on "publish post"
5. click on "view blog" and you will see your very first blog. Welcome to the club!
6. copy down the 2nd top line (on your monitor screen). This is your blog's URL address (http:// yourid.blogspot.com/) or you can save it in your favourites list for your future reference.

Adding an image as background

Q: How do I put an image as the background of my blog, like a theme or template?

Go to layout, add a page element (select page header), add a photo as background or theme, save.

Email alerts about comments

Q: How do I set up an email alert so that I am notified every time a comment is added to my posts?

If you want to receive an email alert, go to dashboard. click on:
1. settings
2. comments. (scroll down and look for "Comments Notification email". Fill in your email address. every time some one leaves a comment on your blog, you will be notified automatically by an email)
3. save settings

Deleting a blog

Q: How do I delete my blog?


A: 
Sign on using your ID and password here: www.blogger.com
Go to dashboard and click on:
1. settings
2. basic (
under "blog tools" you have 3 options. One of them is "delete blog")
3. delete blog
4. delete this blog 



Word of caution:
After you have deleted your blog, you may not be able to access it again to edit it. Your deleted blog will remain for up to 6 months in Google's cache.  Spammers might claim it and use it as a porn blog. It is much better to delete all the posts and make the blog into a 'stub' blog, leaving these words on it: 'Stub Blog'; without actually deleting the blog. You may then take it off your blog roll and forget about it forever. 

(Please note that deleting a blog does not make the URL available for reuse.)

More reading:

http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=7a4875edd3a439d1&hl=en%20will%20give%20you%20the%20answer

Photos between text

Q: Maybe it just takes practice, but I'm having continued difficulty getting a picture to "be" where I want it to "be" within my post. They either land in the wrong order than what I want. Or, I can't really get the text to be evenly spaced next to the photo on either side.

You can move a photo around if you cut and paste the photo's html codes. Go to post editor and click on:
1. "edit html" button (next to "compose") you will be able to see the html codes for each photo (4 or 5 lines)
2. select the codes for each photo, cut and paste these codes as you wish ( above, below or in between other photos or text.)
3. "publish post"

Uploading photos

Q: How do I upload photos?

If you wish to upload photos to your blog. Click:
1. new post
2. "add image" icon. (on the "compose mode" tool bar, 3rd icon from the right)
3. browse (max 5 photos at a time)
4. upload image
5. done

6. publish post

(If you have Picasa, fill the tray with photos you wisk to add to your blog.

Upload photos to your blog directly by using the button "blog this")

What is my blog's URL?

Q:What is a homepage url ? After I have made a blog how do I find it again so I can post and let friends know about my blog ?


Your blog has a unique address (URL) on the internet. Any one can access your blog and see it by pasting the URL inside the address bar and press "refresh".

Authors/owner (you) can go one step further. You can create/edit posts. Only you know the ID and password to sign on and change/edit any thing on your blog. Anyone else can certainly see your blog if you give them the correct address (URL). Older blogs can be "found" by googling key words, without even knowing the URL.

Go to this screen: www.blogger.com and sign on to blogger using your ID and password.
To see your URL (blog address), please go to settings>>publishing>>Blog*Spot Address.

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