UMass Boston Blogs

12/19/12

Shortcodes and Embeds

Embedding media into a page or post is one of the best ways to make your blog content more interesting to readers, and also allows them to view or access this media without leaving your blog. When it comes to embedding content, WordPress is almost unbeatable in terms of compatability and ease of use; WordPress bloggers can include video, audio, images, documents, Google maps, polls and more in their content. Media can be embedded into WordPress content either through the use of “shortcodes”, or the easy new WordPress auto-embed function.

Shortcodes perform what is known as a “macro” function for WordPress, allowing a complex set of instructions (usually displayed as a long string of complex code) to be simplified into a single shortcode — for example [Shortcode]. A list of default shortcodes that will work with WordPress can be found here, however many installable plugins will add their own shortcodes to this list. Once a shortcode has been properly formatted (directions for manual formatting can be found on the list of shortcodes, plugins format their own shortocdes), all a user needs to do is copy and paste it onto a post or a page.

Here is a Google map embedded via shortcode:


View Larger Map


Certain types of content are also immediately recognized by WordPress and automatically embedded when a URL is copied and pasted into a post or page — however only from specific sites. These sites include: blip.tv, DailyMotion, Flickr, FunnyOrDie.com, Hulu, Instagram, Qik, Photobucket, PollDaddy, Revision3, Scribd, SlideShare, SoundCloud, SmugMug, Twitter, Viddler, Vimeo, YouTube, and WordPress.tv.

Here is an example of an embedded Tweet:



Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

11/16/12

Popular and Useful Plugins

Several plugins are available on the BlogNetwork to add new functioanlity to your blog, and make other functions easier to perform. Our most popular plugins do things like adding contact forms, creating print friendly and PDF versions of your posts and pages, allowing you to schedule content for a release window, and more. Some plugins you might want to check out are:

  • FeedBurner FeedSmith: Identifies all RSS sources on your blog and centralizes all the sources in a single location that allows you to track views more effectively(Requires a Google account).
  • Formidable: Allows you to design, style, and insert custom contact forms into a page or post (multiple forms can be created and each can be inserted multiple places). Elements like reCAPTCHA box, file upload, embedded images, and different size entry boxes are available for form construction. Replies submitted through contact forms are charted and displayed in various graphical representations.
  • Improved Simpler CSS: Creates a style.css that you can access from your blog dashboard under Appearance. From here you can safely style and edit elements of your theme safely without worrying about permanent damage or upgrade compatability.
  • Live Stream: Makes a clean and stylish widget available for placement on one of your theme’s sidebars that displays a live stream of comments and posts made by people registered as users of your blog. Once a person is registered as a user on your blog, posts and comments they make on other blogs will appear in this widget as well. Options include a scrollbar, the number of posts displayed, showing author avatars, and more.
  • MCE Table Buttons: Adds extra buttons to the visual editor used in editing posts or pages that allow you to insert tables, add or remove columns, and style your table. After activation if the buttons don’t appear in your visual editor, be sure to click the “Show/Hide Kitchen Sink” button to display more controls.
  • Print Friendly and PDF: Once activated allows you to add buttons to posts and pages (it will either apply them to all posts/pages, or they can be manually added on an individual basis) to allow viewers to access print-friendly or PDF versions of the post or page. This makes it easier for users to save, view, print, and reference your blog content in the way it appears on your blog.
  • Q and A: Either creates a special FAQ page, or allows you to add a shortcode to an existing page which will create a dedicated FAQ page. FAQ categories are added from the dashboard, and will create jQuery headings that the user can click on to reveal the full category text. This plugin is excellent for keeping a FAQ page neat and easy to navigate.
  • Scheduled Content: Provides the option on posts and pages to include specific content that will be released for a window of time — either monthly, weekly, or as a onetime event. This plugin adds a button to the post/page visual editor that allows you to customize what content will be released, as well as the date, time, and length of time it will appear for. Once applied to a post or page, a countdown to the content appearing will also be displayed.
  • Supreme Google Webfonts: Gives you access to hundreds of new fonts in your post/page visual editor. All viewers will be able to view these fonts normally without changing any settings or installing any new fonts. This can be a great way to add some style to your blog without having to make any adjustments.
  • SyntaxHighlighter Evolved: This plugin allows you to post syntax-highlighted code such as CSS, HTML, Javascript, or PHP. This plugin will maintain the structure of your code, while also making it easier for your viewers to read. (NOTE: code MUST be pasted into the HTML editor, NOT the visual editor).
  • WP LaTeX: Will parse an equation entered into a page or post into a clear, easily understandable .png image once the proper shortcode is applied. CSS styling can be applied to the .png to create a border, etc. The main advantage here is in terms of readability, as commonly recognized mathematical symbols and variables are better represented in the .png produced.

Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

10/25/12

Widgets and Plugins Explained

Blog network users can add new elements and functions to their blogs using the collection of widgets and plugins provided from their dashboard; but with so many options to add and activate, the choices can be overwhelming. Understanding the differences between widgets and plugins, and what each is intended to do can help clear up confusion and also help users decided just what extra functions they want their blog to have.

Widgets are actually a specific type of plugins that add visual and/or interactive functions to a blog that readers can engage with directly. On a WordPress blog, widgets are always located in the sidebars next to the blog posts. For example, to the right of this article is a sidebar containing two widgets: one for the top ten blogs of the month, and one that lists recent posts from blogs across the network. Widgets can provide a very specific service (such as a calendar, contact form, or search bar), or a more flexible application like a text widget, that can contain text or HTML of any kind. Installing widgets is very easy; from the dashboard they can be found under Appearance>Widgets, where the widgets available on the blog network are listed with a short description. To install a widget, simply drag and drop it from the “Available Widgets” box to one of the sidebar boxes to the right; once the widget is installed to the sidebar you can click the widget to configure any available options.

Plugins on the other hand add additional functionality to WordPress blogs, however they typically work in the background and are not user interactive. Currently users on the blog network have fourteen different plugins to choose from, adding functions such as custom CSS styling, calendar pages for your blog, contact forms, specially designed FAQ pages, scheduled content, and more. Plugins can be activated on your blog from the dashboard under Plugins>Installed Plugins, which will display a list of the available plugins with a short description of each. Clicking the blue “activate” link under a plugin’s name will activate it and allow you to customize the available options.

Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

7/30/12

Our BlogNetwork has been upgraded from 3.2.1 to 3.4.0.

The biggest change you’ll notice is that the theme customizer. You can now change many of the theme settings in advance of switching to a new theme. Depending on the theme you can change colors, backgrounds, and custom image headers.

You’ll also be able to see all possible themes we offer in one page view which will save you some clicking and it’s now possible to use images from your media library to populate custom headers and choose the height and width of your header images.

The upgrade will improve your twittering.  You can put a twitter permalink on its own line in the post editor and it will turn into a beautiful embedded Tweet. And finally, image captions have been improved to allow HTML, like links, in them.

Watch this video to see an overview of the changes in 3.4.!

Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

6/5/12

Crediting Images and Creative Commons Licenses

Adding images to your blog posts is an important part of creating interesting and interactive content for your readers — however it’s easy to forget that the images we use are the property of those who created them. Copyright law is designed to protect the creative property and rights of individuals; as soon as a person’s work is preserved in its final form (written, recorded, photographed, etc.) it is automatically copyrighted until its creator has been dead for 70 years (works produced by a company rather than a person are copyrighted for a period of 95 years).

Any works published in the United States before 1923 are now in the public domain, meaning their copyright has expired. Regulations exist for the use of copyrighted materials, but the best option is to use either works in the public domain, or works holding a creative commons license. A creative commons license differs from a traditional copyright in that it allows the owner of the work to specify how it may be used; a common approach is to allow individuals to use, modify, or build upon the original work as long as there is no profit involved.

Best practices for use of works which fall under a Creative Commons license can be found at http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Marking/Users For example, the best way to cite a creative commons image would be as follows:

“Dog sunny Day Afternoon” Photo by Allert Aalders CC-BY-NC 2.0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/allert/424644321/

If you’re interested in a creative commons license for your own blog or other work, further information can be found at http://creativecommons.org

An excellent resource for finding creative commons licensed images can be found
at http://search.creativecommons.org

Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

5/9/12

Print Friendly & PDF Plugin

Interested in giving readers access to PDF and print friendly versions of your blog posts and pages? The Print Friendly & PDF plugin offers an extremely easy way to add a button to each blog post and page that readers can click for easy printing and emailing, as well as PDF versions of your blog content.

Activating this plugin is as simple as:
1. From your blog dashboard, click “Installed Plugins” under the Plugins heading on the left sidebar
2. Scroll down the list of installed plugins until you see “Print Friendly & PDF”, then click the “Activate” link beneath it.
3. Back on your left sidebar, a new subcategory called “Print Friendly & PDF” will have appeared in the “Settings” category; click on it.
4. This will bring you to a page where you can choose the type of button you’d like to add to your posts and pages, as well as other style options.
5. When you have the plugin configured the way you’d like, click the blue “Save Options” button at the bottom of the screen.

Good luck during finals, and happy blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

4/4/12

Adjusting Your Privacy Settings

If you ever want to control who has access to your blog and blog posts, you can adjust your blog’s privacy settings from the dashboard. Simply:

1. Log in to your blog and access the dashboard
2. Scroll down to and click on “Settings” at the bottom of the left sidebar. Click “Privacy” in the list of available options.

From the “Privacy” page you will find a five levels of privacy settings; by default your blog will be set to the first — making it visible to anyone on the internet, and allowing it to appear in search engine results. The next highest privacy level blocks search engines from finding your blog, but still allows anyone to read it. The level below this allows only logged in members of the BlogNetwork to view your blog and posts, while the level after this allows only BlogNetwork members who are subscribed to your blog to view it. Finally, the highest privacy level allows only yourself (or others you assign to your blog as administrators) and network administrators access to your blog.

Adjusting these settings will allow you to keep access to your blog and your blog posts as open or secure as you like.

Happy Blogging!
The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

2/23/12

Adding a Forum to Your Blog

One of the great new features found on the BlogNetwork since our upgrade to WordPress 3.2.1 is the ability to incorporate a discussion forum within a page or post on your blog! This lets members of your blog to engage in active discussion and create conversation threads within the page or post designated as a forum; allowing greater user interactivity but keeping it contained to avoid interfering with the format and style of your blog. Clear, step by step directions complete with pictures can be found here in the Edublogs User Guide

As always feel free to contact us with any questions, comments or issues — and happy blogging!

The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

11/21/11

Our BlogNetwork has been upgraded to WordPress 3.2.1

You’ll find an improved html editor, (with the ability to more easily embed web widgets like youtube video clips), a new dashboard, new plug-ins, and many more blog themes to choose from! Some older themes have been discontinued and were replaced similar new ones.

Don’t hesitate to send an email to blog.admin@umb.edu if you have any questions or need assistance with your blog.

Happy blogging!

The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

11/4/2011

UMass Boston Blog Network to be upgraded on 11/20/11

The UMass Boston BlogNetwork was successfully migrated to a faster server on Oct. 31st, but we noticed post migration that extra characters were inserted into blog posts. We’re working on a fix, but it may take another week to resolve it.

We’ll be upgrading to WordPress (W.P.) 3.2.1 on November 20th. After the upgrade you’ll find new themes and a new dashboard, custom menus, an improved HMTL editor (that allows you to embed code into your posts), and new plug-ins like Google Maps and Feedburner FeedSmith.

Some of you are using blog themes that will be discontinued. Check the table below to see if you’re using a theme that will soon be discontinued. If so, we urge you to change your blog theme before November 20th. Don’t worry, changing your blog theme is as easy! Complete step-by-step directions are posted here: Change your Theme . If you’d like help changing your theme, send an e-mail to blog.admin@umb.edu with a couple of dates and times that you’d like to meet.

Thank you in advance for your help with this!

The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

Discontinued in 2.8 Recommended replacement themes
Entrepreneur Pro Notepad chaos, WPMU Triden
Devart Blix, Misty Look, Contempt
Vanilla Ambiru, Roundflow
WP-Multiflex 3 WP Dixi, WPMU Triden
Aeros Blix, Contempt, Misty Look
iNove Kubrick, Terra Firma, Tropicala
wsWired Steam, Misty Look, Kubrick
Cutline Minimalist, Gonzo Daily, Blue Zinfandel Enhanced
Falling Dreams Ambiru, Benevolence, Misty Look

 

11/1/2011

Blog images may take 72 hours to be copied over

The migration to a new faster blog server was successfully completed? on 10/31/, however, it could take until Thursday, November 3rd? for all the content (including images) to appear in your blog as these materials have to be copied throughout the internet. If you simply can’t wait until then, please feel free to re-upload your ?content and/or images.

If you experience any problems with your blog after 11/3 or have any questions about the migration, don’t hesitate to e-mail us at blog.admin@umb.edu

Thank you for your patience!

Sincerely,

The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu

 

10/31/2011

Blog Upgrade Underway!

Edublogs, our blog hosting service, is currently upgrading our Blog Network to a new server. After the migration your blogs will work exactly the same way they do now – except faster!

We expect the upgrade to be seamless, however it’s possible that you won’t be able to Log-in to the network,? publish new posts or pages to your blog, or view some of your existing blogs for a couple of hours on Monday 10/31. If this happens please try again later in the day. The UMass Boston Systems group will be monitoring the upgrade and will be ready to assist if necessary.

We’ll post an announcement here once the migration is complete and successfully wrapped up.

Questions? Don’t hesitate to e-mail us at blog.admin@umb.edu

Sincerely,

The Blog Admin Team
blog.admin@umb.edu