#1 In Weebly, One User may have Many Sub-Domains
Weebly does indeed support "one user with multiple sub-domain blogs".
However, the basic "free" account only allows two blogs; but paying for the "Pro" version allows ten blog sites per account.
On May 14, 2011, I found that, indeed, the "free" account only allows two blogs. When I tried to add a third, a pop-up page prompted me to buy into a "pro" account in order to get past the limit of 2.
On the other hand, this "Xperimental" blog has two blog-style pages, so what do I know?
However, the basic "free" account only allows two blogs; but paying for the "Pro" version allows ten blog sites per account.
On May 14, 2011, I found that, indeed, the "free" account only allows two blogs. When I tried to add a third, a pop-up page prompted me to buy into a "pro" account in order to get past the limit of 2.
On the other hand, this "Xperimental" blog has two blog-style pages, so what do I know?
#2 A Weebly Blog Supports Multiple Static Pages as well as Blog Entries
A Weebly blog does indeed support multiple static pages in addition to blog pages.
The January, 2011 pages of "The DeHaan Blog of Writing" is written as a series of individual pages.
The January, 2011 pages of "The DeHaan Blog of Writing" is written as a series of individual pages.
#3 How Does Weebly Display Static versus Blog Pages from the Home Page?
From the home page, the headings for the static pages spread across the top menu.
However, the blog entries are listed down the left menu column.
From the author's point of view, all the pages are listed down the left menu column.
However, the blog entries are listed down the left menu column.
From the author's point of view, all the pages are listed down the left menu column.
#4 Break Up URLs with Dashes (Weebly and Everywhere)
My other Weebly blog's URL is TheDeHaanBlogOfWriting. A human being with decent English skills can "read" the URL and figure out what it is about.
Search engines do not perform that feat. This blog's URL is "DeHaan-Xperimental-Blog". The dashes allow the search engines to find each word. So this blog would be categorized as a "blog", but TheDeHaanBlogOfWriting is not a "blog" about "writing". At least, the URL does not tell the search engines this. Pity.
Both Environmental Graffiti and Suite 101 take a title, such as "The ABC Guide to XYZ", and automatically transform the title into "the-abc-guide-to-xyz" as the URL. When I set up my writing blog here, and Weebly asked for the URL, I did not remember to punctuate it with dashes.
The other day, very early in January 2011, I read that Google does not use underscore characters as wisely as it uses dashes to break up words.
Another writer has said that we should not break up the URL; that Google can indeed decipher the meaning. Some of my searches seem to bear this out.
Nonetheless, some sites where I submit articles automatically use dashes in the URL. I recomment using this approach: "dash it all".
Today (Jan. 7, 2011) I tried searching for either "The DeHaan Blog of Writing" or thedehaanblogofwriting. The results were very different. First, the search engine offered to search for "the dehaan blog of writing", so it does indeed parse the search string into words at the time of searching. When I chose to search for the one long string, the important result was that it found pages based solely on the URL. That proves that the search engine does not necessarily parse the URL into separate words.
Search engines do not perform that feat. This blog's URL is "DeHaan-Xperimental-Blog". The dashes allow the search engines to find each word. So this blog would be categorized as a "blog", but TheDeHaanBlogOfWriting is not a "blog" about "writing". At least, the URL does not tell the search engines this. Pity.
Both Environmental Graffiti and Suite 101 take a title, such as "The ABC Guide to XYZ", and automatically transform the title into "the-abc-guide-to-xyz" as the URL. When I set up my writing blog here, and Weebly asked for the URL, I did not remember to punctuate it with dashes.
The other day, very early in January 2011, I read that Google does not use underscore characters as wisely as it uses dashes to break up words.
Another writer has said that we should not break up the URL; that Google can indeed decipher the meaning. Some of my searches seem to bear this out.
Nonetheless, some sites where I submit articles automatically use dashes in the URL. I recomment using this approach: "dash it all".
Today (Jan. 7, 2011) I tried searching for either "The DeHaan Blog of Writing" or thedehaanblogofwriting. The results were very different. First, the search engine offered to search for "the dehaan blog of writing", so it does indeed parse the search string into words at the time of searching. When I chose to search for the one long string, the important result was that it found pages based solely on the URL. That proves that the search engine does not necessarily parse the URL into separate words.
#5 Publish After Editing in Weebly
This is too obvious. There is a big orange button saying "Publish >>" near the upper-right corner. After adding or updating, click that button so the world can see the improvements.
#6 Add a Line After the Final Paragraph of a Section in Weebly
On this page, I added an extra blank line after the final paragraph of each of the first 4 sections. Note the difference above: Title #6 is just a bit too close to the fifth paragraph.
Some sites do not seem to need this help, but Weebly does. Using an image at the start of a section helps with the spacing, and makes the page a lot nicer for the reader. So far, this page has had no pictures.
Some sites do not seem to need this help, but Weebly does. Using an image at the start of a section helps with the spacing, and makes the page a lot nicer for the reader. So far, this page has had no pictures.
#7 Add a Picture...and What Did I Just Say About Adding a Line?
Mike DeHaan
So both sections #5 & #6 neglected the extra blank line at the end. Did this image help make the spacing better?
#8 Review the Page as a Reader, Not as a Weebly Editor
I am typing these notes in the Weebly editor. (It says "Weebly editor" in the upper-left of the screen. So there).
To see how the page looks to a reader, I need to go back to my main list of blogs. (Hint: /1/ Publish. /2/ Close...it is the white X in the red stop-sign octogon in the upper right of the screen). From there, click the small-font blog title to read the page. (Hint: The large-font title works like the "EDIT" button, to invoke the editor).
To see how the page looks to a reader, I need to go back to my main list of blogs. (Hint: /1/ Publish. /2/ Close...it is the white X in the red stop-sign octogon in the upper right of the screen). From there, click the small-font blog title to read the page. (Hint: The large-font title works like the "EDIT" button, to invoke the editor).
#9 Search Engines may be a bit Slow to Index a Weebly Site
At least, that is my impression. Maybe the search engine firms take a break for New Year celebrations, but I could not find "The DeHaan Blog of Writing" on Jan. 2, 2011. They did find other DeHaan blogs on Weebly, but not mine. Note that this was across several of the major search engines. This seems painfully slow, since I had started that blog site on Dec. 29, 2010. Three full days have passed since.
I also checked my DeHaan Services "Cross-Reference" page, which clearly used that title. Obviously the updated page had not yet been crawled by the search engines.
According to the Weebly Support page, it is common for the search engines to take days or a few weeks to index a site. My experience with writing aritcles at for-pay article sites is different: they seem to be indexed fairly quickly.
I also checked my DeHaan Services "Cross-Reference" page, which clearly used that title. Obviously the updated page had not yet been crawled by the search engines.
According to the Weebly Support page, it is common for the search engines to take days or a few weeks to index a site. My experience with writing aritcles at for-pay article sites is different: they seem to be indexed fairly quickly.
#10 The Weebly "Pages" Page Can Create Sub-Menus
I just dragged the new "Mysteries" page up from below the post/blog to its proper place below this "Discoveries" page. By doing this incorrectly, I made "Mysteries" a sub-page below "Discoveries". That is a useful function, but was not my intent for this site.
Remind me to deliberately build a sub-page just for the fun of it.
Remind me to deliberately build a sub-page just for the fun of it.
#11 Cursor Control within Weebly's Ordered Lists
This is taken from the related "Weebly Mysteries" page.
When I first started an ordered list, using the "123" control on the editing tool bar, I found that the usual cursor controls such as up and down, and left and right arrows did not perform as expected. At first I thought there was trouble with the backspace key, but it seemed to work. The mouse could not click the cursor where I wanted to make corrections.
By doing the editing within a FireFox browser, rather than Internet Explorer 8, the problems disappeared. This seems to be an example where Microsoft did not conform to the HTML standards.
When I first started an ordered list, using the "123" control on the editing tool bar, I found that the usual cursor controls such as up and down, and left and right arrows did not perform as expected. At first I thought there was trouble with the backspace key, but it seemed to work. The mouse could not click the cursor where I wanted to make corrections.
By doing the editing within a FireFox browser, rather than Internet Explorer 8, the problems disappeared. This seems to be an example where Microsoft did not conform to the HTML standards.
#12 "Paste" Effect is Delayed in the Weebly Editor
As a fan of using "copy and paste", I sometimes thought that the text editor was failing to complete this operation. The cursor would bounce to the right by the number of characters being pasted, but text did not appear...until I touched another key or mouse-clicked.
Since then, I found that it is simply a delayed reaction. My suspicion is that the delay is caused by sending the characters on a round trip, from my keyboard to Weebly's server and back to me. If I have a little patience, the pasted text appears. If not, I have the satisfaction of speeding up the process...or thinking that I do.
Since then, I found that it is simply a delayed reaction. My suspicion is that the delay is caused by sending the characters on a round trip, from my keyboard to Weebly's server and back to me. If I have a little patience, the pasted text appears. If not, I have the satisfaction of speeding up the process...or thinking that I do.
#13 The Best Tip for Weebly Ordered Lists in Internet Explorer
Today (Jan. 6, 2011) I succeeded using an ordered list while running Internet Explorer by doing the following:
After completing used the "Enter" key twice to put this sentence into a new paragraph. Then I carefully proof-read the three sentences which I planned to use in the list. Finally, I highlighted the "list" paragraph and clicked the "123" tool. It became a 1-item ordered list inside a text box, with this paragraph beneath it. I clicked on that box to allow the cursor to work inside. Then I could mouse-click to find the breaks between the items, and pressed "Enter" to make each sentence its own ordered item.
- First, I used the "Enter" key to start a new paragraph.
- Second, I typed each item inside that one paragraph.
- Third, I finished the list with this sentence.
After completing used the "Enter" key twice to put this sentence into a new paragraph. Then I carefully proof-read the three sentences which I planned to use in the list. Finally, I highlighted the "list" paragraph and clicked the "123" tool. It became a 1-item ordered list inside a text box, with this paragraph beneath it. I clicked on that box to allow the cursor to work inside. Then I could mouse-click to find the breaks between the items, and pressed "Enter" to make each sentence its own ordered item.
#14 The Left-Hand Page Name is not Displayed as the Blog Title
Image from The DeHaan Blog of Writing
I just noticed that the left-hand page name, "DeHaan Writing for [date]", is not displayed as part of the title in the main blog entry.
I am tempted to add "(DeHaan Writing: [date])" to the title of each leading paragraph. I wanted to show that date, even if it does not add much value, and I plan to do so.
The left-hand page name is indeed incorporated into the URL, so it can be used for SEO. For example, this image's URL is thedehaanblogofwriting.weebly.com/dehaan-writing-for-jan-21-2011.html . That was changed from "DeHaan Writing for Jan. 21, 2011" as shown in the left-hand page name.
As I think was stated in some advertising, "It may not be a big deal, but it's a good deal".
I am tempted to add "(DeHaan Writing: [date])" to the title of each leading paragraph. I wanted to show that date, even if it does not add much value, and I plan to do so.
The left-hand page name is indeed incorporated into the URL, so it can be used for SEO. For example, this image's URL is thedehaanblogofwriting.weebly.com/dehaan-writing-for-jan-21-2011.html . That was changed from "DeHaan Writing for Jan. 21, 2011" as shown in the left-hand page name.
As I think was stated in some advertising, "It may not be a big deal, but it's a good deal".
#15 Change the Default Design for URLs
Something else I just noticed concerns the default design for URLs in Weebly. This might be part of the overall page design choice, but it can be changed quite handily...and for good reason.
When editing a post or page, click the "Design" tab in the top row (second from the left, between "Elements" and "Pages").
Then click the second row's "Design Options" at the far left of the upper area. It is below the "Weebly editor" title and the "Favorites" tab, and above the "All Themes" pull-down tab.
Then click "Links", the fourth tab to the right of that cluster I just described. It is below "Site Title", "Paragraph Title" and "Paragraph Text".
The editor then shows three squares, with the labels "Link", "Visited" and "Hover". Click the square to display the same 7X10 colour menu that you could use for text inside a paragraph. Pick a different colour for each. The usual choices are blue for a "Link" and a purple for a recently-visited link. While there is no standard for "Hover", I like a bright green. If you use custom HTML or write your own XML framework, you can set up a colour scheme for links. Also, with custom HTML, you can set text to appear when the visitor "hovers" the mouse above a link.
Using these colours lets your visitor know that an underlined element truly is a link, and whether that URL has been visited (if the browser has not yet erased its history of that visit).
When editing a post or page, click the "Design" tab in the top row (second from the left, between "Elements" and "Pages").
Then click the second row's "Design Options" at the far left of the upper area. It is below the "Weebly editor" title and the "Favorites" tab, and above the "All Themes" pull-down tab.
Then click "Links", the fourth tab to the right of that cluster I just described. It is below "Site Title", "Paragraph Title" and "Paragraph Text".
The editor then shows three squares, with the labels "Link", "Visited" and "Hover". Click the square to display the same 7X10 colour menu that you could use for text inside a paragraph. Pick a different colour for each. The usual choices are blue for a "Link" and a purple for a recently-visited link. While there is no standard for "Hover", I like a bright green. If you use custom HTML or write your own XML framework, you can set up a colour scheme for links. Also, with custom HTML, you can set text to appear when the visitor "hovers" the mouse above a link.
Using these colours lets your visitor know that an underlined element truly is a link, and whether that URL has been visited (if the browser has not yet erased its history of that visit).
#16 Weebly Blog versus Weebly Page: a Discovery-in-Progress
I just noticed, in the Help/FAQ section, that the "Blog posts" are supposed to roll down and get filed into an accessible archive.
By contrast, it seems the "Page" contents, as I am using them in The DeHaan Blog for Writing, may go on forever.
Therefore I will post many trivial Blog Posts in this URL, and see what happens.
On Feb. 1, 2011, I finally discovered that Weebly's default is to show the ten most recent Blog Posts on the main page. A "<<Previous" button at the bottom left of the page should point to the archives. I presume that, after one begins scrolling back, that a "Next>>" button would appear at the bottom left.
Thank-you to Jason for leaving a comment in my Xperimental blog. He points out that he would like to:
Also, please refer to the "Comments" below.
By contrast, it seems the "Page" contents, as I am using them in The DeHaan Blog for Writing, may go on forever.
Therefore I will post many trivial Blog Posts in this URL, and see what happens.
On Feb. 1, 2011, I finally discovered that Weebly's default is to show the ten most recent Blog Posts on the main page. A "<<Previous" button at the bottom left of the page should point to the archives. I presume that, after one begins scrolling back, that a "Next>>" button would appear at the bottom left.
Thank-you to Jason for leaving a comment in my Xperimental blog. He points out that he would like to:
- Be able to control the number of blog entries shown on one page, rather than leaving the default at ten
- Be able to modify the <<Previous and Next>> buttons, to make them more "flashy".
Also, please refer to the "Comments" below.
#17 Twin Discoveries: Publish vs Publish, and Dragging Down a Paragraph
The yellow "Publish" button in the right-hand side of the top toolbar creates a little pop-up window that says it is publishing. If you are still using the free version, the pop-up also prompts you to upgrade. This "Publish" button is the only one available for a "page".
However, the yellow "Publish Live" button, toward the upper left of a blog post, does not create a pop-up window. It does the same job of putting the new entry onto the published blog page. The lack of that pop-up window had made me wonder whether the "Publish Live" button actually works, or not.
About "Dragging Down a Paragraph": I had always dragged a paragraph (or paragraph with picture, or any of the other elements from the toolbar) to the bottom of the page. This paragraph module was dragged down and inserted below "#16..." and before "Ten is the Number...". This is just another small feature that I had not tested in the couple of months that I had used Weebly.
However, the yellow "Publish Live" button, toward the upper left of a blog post, does not create a pop-up window. It does the same job of putting the new entry onto the published blog page. The lack of that pop-up window had made me wonder whether the "Publish Live" button actually works, or not.
About "Dragging Down a Paragraph": I had always dragged a paragraph (or paragraph with picture, or any of the other elements from the toolbar) to the bottom of the page. This paragraph module was dragged down and inserted below "#16..." and before "Ten is the Number...". This is just another small feature that I had not tested in the couple of months that I had used Weebly.
#18 Notes for the "Copy and Paste Text" Function
Here are some useful hints on the "copy and paste" function when dealing with text:
- The copy function does not carry text formats to the pasted text, as seen here: "The copy function". Visually, one can see these characteristics get stripped away just after the text has been pasted.
- It is indeed possible to copy special characters into Weebly text. For example, here are some special accented letters I had saved in a Word document that I keep handy for times of need: "É, é, È, è, Ê, ê, Ë, ë".
#19 Ten is the Number in a List of Weebly Post Entries
Mike DeHaan
I love it when the title tells the story.
A Weebly blog lists the ten most recent posts. If the blog has more than ten posts, then the bottom left of the list shows a "<<Previous" button. Click that button to see the ten previous posts. If there had been more than twenty posts in a blog, the "<<Previous" button will be displayed so long as there are older posts not yet listed.
Likewise, once you are in the set of older posts, a "Next>>" button is displayed at the bottom right of the list.
This no big deal, but I did post entries for three solid weeks to test it out.
Note that this page is not a set of blog entries. It is one page with multiple "paragraphs".
A Weebly blog lists the ten most recent posts. If the blog has more than ten posts, then the bottom left of the list shows a "<<Previous" button. Click that button to see the ten previous posts. If there had been more than twenty posts in a blog, the "<<Previous" button will be displayed so long as there are older posts not yet listed.
Likewise, once you are in the set of older posts, a "Next>>" button is displayed at the bottom right of the list.
This no big deal, but I did post entries for three solid weeks to test it out.
Note that this page is not a set of blog entries. It is one page with multiple "paragraphs".
#20 Paragraphs and Weebly Paragraphs
Let me clarify a Weebly naming convention. In the editor, a "paragraph" is a module you can drag from the toolbar. "Paragraph with Title" supplies two elements: title and text. "Paragraph with Picture" supplies three elements: title, picture and text. One may also drag down a "Picture", a "Title", or a "Paragraph".
Inside a Weebly "paragraph", the author is free to press the "Enter" key twice to start a new paragraph in the English language sense: a set of one or more sentences made distinct by line breaks.
So the "Weebly" paragraph is excellent for introducing a title and/or title plus image. There seems to be little reason for pulling down a new "title" or "paragraph" by itself. The author may use various text decorations to make content stand out inside of a paragraph, so a "title" just grabs the attention of a search engine.
As demonstrated above, one may decorate the text of a Weebly "title" also.
Inside a Weebly "paragraph", the author is free to press the "Enter" key twice to start a new paragraph in the English language sense: a set of one or more sentences made distinct by line breaks.
So the "Weebly" paragraph is excellent for introducing a title and/or title plus image. There seems to be little reason for pulling down a new "title" or "paragraph" by itself. The author may use various text decorations to make content stand out inside of a paragraph, so a "title" just grabs the attention of a search engine.
As demonstrated above, one may decorate the text of a Weebly "title" also.
#21 About Comments in Weebly
Thank-you to Jason for commenting in one of my Xperimental posts.
I have therefore just learned about Weebly comments:
I have therefore just learned about Weebly comments:
- Weebly sent me an e-mail advising that this has occurred
- Weebly did not manage to time-stamp the message (or my e-mail client could not understand it), so it was the "earliest" in the list with an "unknown" time (I know the comment was logged in the last day or so, because it was for yesterday's trivial entry)
- Weebly told me to "manage" the comment, but that really meant...
- Log on, see one's home page with the list of blog sites.
- Click the "More v" button (to the right of "Edit" and "Stats")
- Click "Blog Comments" in the drop-down menu from this button
- Hover the cursor over the comment in order to read the whole comment
- Click the check box on that line, then click an action such as "approve" or "delete"
#22 Blog Entries have Permanent and Useful URL Titles
Very recently, I began adding "New Blog Post" rather than "New Page" to my DeHaan Blog of Writing on Weebly.
Each "new blog post" has its title, which is a click-able link. Clicking on that link brings up that one, unique blog entry.
The surprise is that this blog entry uses the original title as part of the URL. This is a very good thing for SEO purposes, and is better than I expected.
Each "new blog post" has its title, which is a click-able link. Clicking on that link brings up that one, unique blog entry.
The surprise is that this blog entry uses the original title as part of the URL. This is a very good thing for SEO purposes, and is better than I expected.
#23 One Blog Page Shows Categories and Tags across all Posts in that Blog
This "discovery" is still being investigated. On Feb. 27, 2011, I had created several highly-focused blog entries in my first DeHaan Blog of Writing blog page. One was an article about Firestick Cactus, written as part of my SEO research. I added "category" or "tag" information for that entry (like "firestick cactus").
The next day I added a new entry. It appears that the category is part of the overall blog page, rather than limited to the one entry.
Upon further review, it seems that all the categories are shown in the right-hand column. However, this is used as a quick filter. Click on a category to show only the blog post(s) relevant to that word. However, it does not show the category beside each post when all are listed.
The next day I added a new entry. It appears that the category is part of the overall blog page, rather than limited to the one entry.
Upon further review, it seems that all the categories are shown in the right-hand column. However, this is used as a quick filter. Click on a category to show only the blog post(s) relevant to that word. However, it does not show the category beside each post when all are listed.
#24 Click Outside a Blog Post Before Publishing It
Mike DeHaan
If one starts a new blog entry, and clicks on the upper-left "publish live" after typing inside an element (eg a paragraph module) but without clicking outside that element, that element will not be included in the publication.
This might not be true for a paragraph inside a page, where one uses the "Publish" button on the top menu bar.
On a similar note: using the "Tab" and backwards tab ("shift" + "Tab") does not guarantee that the Weebly editor has noticed what you typed. It really wants to see a "mouse click" event in the title area (or somewhere outside the text area). Check #29 below; if you have not seen the formatting toolbar, then you haven't "clicked" inside the text area.
To be safe, just mouse-click into the text area when you start with the text, and mouse-click the title again when you finish. Unless you like re-typing your post.
This might not be true for a paragraph inside a page, where one uses the "Publish" button on the top menu bar.
On a similar note: using the "Tab" and backwards tab ("shift" + "Tab") does not guarantee that the Weebly editor has noticed what you typed. It really wants to see a "mouse click" event in the title area (or somewhere outside the text area). Check #29 below; if you have not seen the formatting toolbar, then you haven't "clicked" inside the text area.
To be safe, just mouse-click into the text area when you start with the text, and mouse-click the title again when you finish. Unless you like re-typing your post.
#25 What Does a Draft Post Look Like to Readers or to the Editor?
See my Experimental Blog, item 52, to see how a draft blog post appears. Hint: it is different for the reader and editor. In fact, the editor has a choice of three views.
Someday I will bring that information right here.
Someday I will bring that information right here.
#26 The [ Enter ] Key May Not Work when Beginning a Blog Post
In the "Four-Cubed" experimental blog, I tried to use the [ Enter ] key while typing the first line in the text area. To my surprise, nothing happened.
Once I had clicked on the blog's title, and then clicked inside the text area again, then the [ Enter ] key behaved as I expected, creating a line feed.
That effect is not noticed on a static page, like this one. I dragged down this "paragraph" text area and began typing. When I clicked [ Enter ], the new line was fed.
Once I had clicked on the blog's title, and then clicked inside the text area again, then the [ Enter ] key behaved as I expected, creating a line feed.
That effect is not noticed on a static page, like this one. I dragged down this "paragraph" text area and began typing. When I clicked [ Enter ], the new line was fed.
#27 Pages can be Re-Arranged in Some Themes
If the Weebly theme has many pages, the editor may be able to shuffle their order.
In my "DeHaan Blog of Writing", for example, I had started with a large number of static pages. Later I started one "blog"-style page. I was able to slide that page to the top of the list of pages. This relegated the static pages lower in the list.
I could do the same with this experimental blog site. Here is how:
In my "DeHaan Blog of Writing", for example, I had started with a large number of static pages. Later I started one "blog"-style page. I was able to slide that page to the top of the list of pages. This relegated the static pages lower in the list.
I could do the same with this experimental blog site. Here is how:
- In the top tool bar, click the third tab called "Pages".
- The new screen lists the pages.
- Click on the one that you want to move up or down in the order.
- Drag it along, then drop.
- Click the yellow "Publish" button in the top tool bar, just to be sure.
#28 A Blog Post 'Edit' has a Calendar Pop-Up Link
Mark-up of a section of a blog post, highlighting the 'Date' functional link...by Mike DeHaan
While editing my "trivial blog" post, I noticed that the date (shown between the post title and the text module) is actually a link that turns into a calendar.
#29 Why the Text Format Toolbar Sometimes Hides
I had been wondering why the text format toolbar
sometimes does not show up.
When one starts a new post or new page, the active cursor starts in the title, of course, and that area does not permit bold/italic/hyperlink/etc. But sometimes I would be writing a new blog entry's text area and fail to find the toolbar.
Today's first discovery is that the toolbar remains hidden if one just "tabs" the text cursor forward from the title (past one control button) into the text area..
The toolbar appears when one uses the mouse to click the text area. Likewise, the toolbar disappears on clicking the mouse back into the blog post's title.
When one starts a new post or new page, the active cursor starts in the title, of course, and that area does not permit bold/italic/hyperlink/etc. But sometimes I would be writing a new blog entry's text area and fail to find the toolbar.
Today's first discovery is that the toolbar remains hidden if one just "tabs" the text cursor forward from the title (past one control button) into the text area..
The toolbar appears when one uses the mouse to click the text area. Likewise, the toolbar disappears on clicking the mouse back into the blog post's title.
#30 Two Text Toolbars : One for Paragraph Titles and Another for Text
As I type this text, the text format toolbar has 16 buttons: bold, italic, underscore, colour, larger, smaller, remove formatting, create hyperlink, left-justify, centre, right-justify, no-justify, simple list, ordered (numbered) list, undo and redo.
When I click on the paragraph title ("#30..." above), two buttons disappear. A paragraph title may not be a list. Neither simple nor numbered, the paragraph title may have a variety of format elements ("...Two Text..." above), it may not be a list.
When I click on the paragraph title ("#30..." above), two buttons disappear. A paragraph title may not be a list. Neither simple nor numbered, the paragraph title may have a variety of format elements ("...Two Text..." above), it may not be a list.
- Too bad
- So sad
#31 For a Blog Post, Click 'Publish Live' Before 'Publish'
On a "page", you click the yellow "Publish" button on the top-most Weebly tool bar.
But for a "blog post", you first must click the yellow "Publish Live" (or "Save to Draft") button at the upper left of the editing page. Otherwise, you get a warning that you are navigating away from the post and will lose the changes.
But for a "blog post", you first must click the yellow "Publish Live" (or "Save to Draft") button at the upper left of the editing page. Otherwise, you get a warning that you are navigating away from the post and will lose the changes.
#32 Monetizing Your Weebly Blog
My pet peeve for Weebly is that it does not explain everything very quickly. That's why I started this page.
Still, here is a quote from Weebly's own "Features" page: "If you'd like to include your own advertising, feel free. We even have Google AdSense integration to help with the process."
The "Google AdSense" drop-down control awaits, at the far right of the "Elements" tool bar. ("Paragraph..." tools are at the left). Caution: it behaves a bit oddly. I deleted one just now that I moved.
I want to add my Kontera advertising module. First I need to apply to them for a Weebly account (to go with my DeHaanServices account), then add the code via "Settings" as shown below:
Still, here is a quote from Weebly's own "Features" page: "If you'd like to include your own advertising, feel free. We even have Google AdSense integration to help with the process."
The "Google AdSense" drop-down control awaits, at the far right of the "Elements" tool bar. ("Paragraph..." tools are at the left). Caution: it behaves a bit oddly. I deleted one just now that I moved.
I want to add my Kontera advertising module. First I need to apply to them for a Weebly account (to go with my DeHaanServices account), then add the code via "Settings" as shown below:
...Still #32 "Monetizing Your Weebly Blog"
My image from Weebly
This is the money shot.
#33 Twitter and Facebook Buttons are Sometimes Available
I believe these features were added in May 2011. At the bottom of a post or page, one may find a "Tweet" or "Facebook" symbol.
At this early stage, it seems to be a somewhat random placement. Sometimes I see neither; or only the Twitter button with or without a counter; or sometimes both.
As well, I have not yet tried using the Facebook button, but plan to test it and report sometime. Since I don't have a Twitter account, and don't plan to add one, I will have to solicit comments from my readers.
Certainly it is easy enough to copy-and-paste the URL from one page into the Facebook status or Twitter feed; but these buttons can be convenient if they are consistently placed and well implemented.
At this early stage, it seems to be a somewhat random placement. Sometimes I see neither; or only the Twitter button with or without a counter; or sometimes both.
As well, I have not yet tried using the Facebook button, but plan to test it and report sometime. Since I don't have a Twitter account, and don't plan to add one, I will have to solicit comments from my readers.
Certainly it is easy enough to copy-and-paste the URL from one page into the Facebook status or Twitter feed; but these buttons can be convenient if they are consistently placed and well implemented.
#34 Every Weebly Post Must Contain a Module
"Deleting a Weebly Module" from a screen capture by Mike DeHaan
I tried to create a blog post consisting of only a title. After creating the title, I tried to click on the red-circled 'X' in the upper right corner of the text module.The image at the left shows that I am about to try.
I did indeed succeed.
But no sooner did I finish deleting the text module than another popped into place, taunting me with its invitation to enter some text. I tried several times to delete the only module from the post, but the result was always the same.
The discovery: Every Weebly post must contain at least one module.
I did indeed succeed.
But no sooner did I finish deleting the text module than another popped into place, taunting me with its invitation to enter some text. I tried several times to delete the only module from the post, but the result was always the same.
The discovery: Every Weebly post must contain at least one module.
#35 Resizing Images is Easy, with One Trick
"Deleting a Weebly Module" from a screen capture by Mike DeHaan.
I used the same image in this paragraph as in the previous, just to show that I could re-size an image.
Both started as the same size.
To re-size an image:
There is one trick, which I found while editing the post. It might occur here as well, in a "page", but the post is narrow enough to make it easy to do.
After making the image larger, I could not click in the text area to resume typing. At least, I could not see whether my typing was being captured. The simple trick is to type enough before re-sizing the image that you can still see the text. Weebly is smart enough to move the text around to avoid the image. It just does not make it easy to find the "click here to start typing" message.
To summarize:
Tip (a): Weebly makes it easy to re-size an image after it is loaded into a module: hover over the lower-right corner, then drag that corner.
Tip (b): It is smarter and easier to enter some text before re-sizing the image. That makes it easier to click into the text and continue typing.
Both started as the same size.
To re-size an image:
- Bring in the image
- Move the cursor over the image while editing the module
- Hover the cursor over the red rectangle in the lower right corner of the image
- Click down and "drag" when indicated
There is one trick, which I found while editing the post. It might occur here as well, in a "page", but the post is narrow enough to make it easy to do.
After making the image larger, I could not click in the text area to resume typing. At least, I could not see whether my typing was being captured. The simple trick is to type enough before re-sizing the image that you can still see the text. Weebly is smart enough to move the text around to avoid the image. It just does not make it easy to find the "click here to start typing" message.
To summarize:
Tip (a): Weebly makes it easy to re-size an image after it is loaded into a module: hover over the lower-right corner, then drag that corner.
Tip (b): It is smarter and easier to enter some text before re-sizing the image. That makes it easier to click into the text and continue typing.
#37 Weebly Deletes its Prompt Text When You Click into a Module
This text area had been pre-filled with the words "Click here to edit". As soon as I clicked into the text area, those words vanished.
By the way: I dragged an extra "Paragraph with Title" module below this one, so I could see what it actually said. I did not click into that module at all. After I "published" this page, I went to read the "published" version. That subsequent, untouched module is completely invisible. Yet it sits below this module when I am in edit mode, silently taunting me to "Click here to edit".
By the way: I dragged an extra "Paragraph with Title" module below this one, so I could see what it actually said. I did not click into that module at all. After I "published" this page, I went to read the "published" version. That subsequent, untouched module is completely invisible. Yet it sits below this module when I am in edit mode, silently taunting me to "Click here to edit".
#38 How to Update Categories in Weebly Blogs
In "Edit" mode for a Blog Post, one may enter a list of "Category" values. "All" is the hidden default; I have used "Articles" and "Business Tips". These make it possible for a reader to find all the posts in a category. Any blog post may be part of several categories.
When starting a new Weebly blog, I had two articles and gave each a separate category. I "Published" each, using the upper-left control button. When I went back to edit the blog, I saw all the expected categories.
When I reviewed my blog as a reader, I did not see either of my new categories.
The trick: also use the uppermost top-right "Publish" button: the one that shows the pop-up "You have published" message. That puts the Categories onto the whole blog sub-site!
When starting a new Weebly blog, I had two articles and gave each a separate category. I "Published" each, using the upper-left control button. When I went back to edit the blog, I saw all the expected categories.
When I reviewed my blog as a reader, I did not see either of my new categories.
The trick: also use the uppermost top-right "Publish" button: the one that shows the pop-up "You have published" message. That puts the Categories onto the whole blog sub-site!
#39 Ability to Edit the Blog Image
"Weebly Edit Site Image" by Mike DeHaan
(Original Image provided by Weebly)
Today I finally noticed that the "Edit Image" button is shown when the cursor hovers over the image displayed at the top of the blog.
Click on that to bring on a set of edit functions for the image.
Click on that to bring on a set of edit functions for the image.
#40 Drag a Link Icon...No, Make That a Generic "PHP" Reference
While writing a blog entry today, I clicked on the link icon (the grey "chain link" between the bold/italic/etc... buttons and the "left/mid/right/etc. justified" buttons) by accident. My intention was to drag a "title" module down into the blog area.
Much to my surprise, this happened: " http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php# " !
Next, I will try to drag the "bold" button into the text here: " http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php# ". Hmm, it is the same line.
So it is actually the same URL for any of those function buttons. It is also useless as a link: it simply goes to a "404 Not Found" error page.
What about dragging down the "title text" button, for example: " ". No, that did not work; those module buttons know they are supposed to go onto the background page, not into another module's text area.
Conclusion: It's just not helpful to drag-and-drop any of the functions into the text module area; it is just the URL ("Universal Resource Locator") behind the text formatting button.
Much to my surprise, this happened: " http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php# " !
Next, I will try to drag the "bold" button into the text here: " http://www.weebly.com/weebly/main.php# ". Hmm, it is the same line.
So it is actually the same URL for any of those function buttons. It is also useless as a link: it simply goes to a "404 Not Found" error page.
What about dragging down the "title text" button, for example: " ". No, that did not work; those module buttons know they are supposed to go onto the background page, not into another module's text area.
Conclusion: It's just not helpful to drag-and-drop any of the functions into the text module area; it is just the URL ("Universal Resource Locator") behind the text formatting button.
#41 It is Difficult to Replace an Image
On Aug. 7, 2011, I updated an image for an article for Decoded Science. But since I pre-publish my original images in my Blog of Writing, I had to update the image in my blog entry.
So far I have not succeeded. I suppose I could have tried a "delete old image" option inside the "paragraph with picture" module.
Unfortunately, I frustrated myself with the image editor.
Finally I just dragged down another "paragraph with picture" module into my blog. I copied the text from the previous attempt, loaded my new image, saved the new module and deleted the old one.
If and when I find a better method, it will be noted here!
So far I have not succeeded. I suppose I could have tried a "delete old image" option inside the "paragraph with picture" module.
Unfortunately, I frustrated myself with the image editor.
Finally I just dragged down another "paragraph with picture" module into my blog. I copied the text from the previous attempt, loaded my new image, saved the new module and deleted the old one.
If and when I find a better method, it will be noted here!
#42 Resizing an Image Affects Weebly Text Wrap-Around in Surprising Ways
During my Aug. 20, 2011 update to my DeHaan Blog of Writing (hosted by Weebly), I noticed a surprising side-effect of re-sizing images. Let me explain.
Drag and drop a "paragraph with picture" module into the blog. Browse, select, and insert an image. Add the caption, and the attribution so you can give the image creator credit. Click and start typing where it says to "Click here...".
Unless the first word is quite long, it will likely be in the upper right of the module. Depending on the length of the caption, the paragraph can start with a tall, skinny string of words beside the picture.
One hint is to hover the cursor over the image. The bottom right corner becomes a "re-size" tool. Drag it in a "down and out" direction to make the image larger. As the picture takes more room, it squeezes the text away. Personally, I prefer to get rid of the wrap-around text altogether. I've made it a habit to expand the image to take up exactly the pre-allocated width of the centre column. Once the dashed vertical lines move, I know that the image is a bit too wide, so I shrink it back.
I've made a habit of re-sizing the images in my Blog of Writing as explained above. Today I wanted to check the published version, and was shocked to see some text wrapped around a few of the images. Since I had to make another correction anyway, I swept in and re-sized the offending images...which had already been stretched to the correct proportions, as I could see in the edit page. What was going on with text wrap-around in Weebly?
I finally realized that I had over-stretched an image in a different blog entry. That moved all the margins on the blog page. That left room to wrap text around a normal-sized image in another blog post.
Reading only one blog post at a time re-sized the margins, so the normal images filled the width of the column and text could not wrap around.
Drag and drop a "paragraph with picture" module into the blog. Browse, select, and insert an image. Add the caption, and the attribution so you can give the image creator credit. Click and start typing where it says to "Click here...".
Unless the first word is quite long, it will likely be in the upper right of the module. Depending on the length of the caption, the paragraph can start with a tall, skinny string of words beside the picture.
One hint is to hover the cursor over the image. The bottom right corner becomes a "re-size" tool. Drag it in a "down and out" direction to make the image larger. As the picture takes more room, it squeezes the text away. Personally, I prefer to get rid of the wrap-around text altogether. I've made it a habit to expand the image to take up exactly the pre-allocated width of the centre column. Once the dashed vertical lines move, I know that the image is a bit too wide, so I shrink it back.
I've made a habit of re-sizing the images in my Blog of Writing as explained above. Today I wanted to check the published version, and was shocked to see some text wrapped around a few of the images. Since I had to make another correction anyway, I swept in and re-sized the offending images...which had already been stretched to the correct proportions, as I could see in the edit page. What was going on with text wrap-around in Weebly?
I finally realized that I had over-stretched an image in a different blog entry. That moved all the margins on the blog page. That left room to wrap text around a normal-sized image in another blog post.
Reading only one blog post at a time re-sized the margins, so the normal images filled the width of the column and text could not wrap around.
#43 Avoid Special Characters in Blog Titles
Today (Sept. 3, 2011 for those who need to know) I wanted to add a "Preview of Galileo's ..." entry to my Blog of Writing. I put in the title and began filling in the other modules.
When I returned to the top of the page, I found the title looked like "Preview of Galileo////////////////////////s...". Actually, all the text was the usual black, but I'm just using red to highlight the problem.
I then remembered having a similar problem before. Today, however, I bothered to actually write this "discovery".
As a general rule for all sites, try to avoid having special characters like "'", '"', '/', '\', '#', etc. in the main title; especially if the title becomes part of the URL.
Let's generalize once more, for Weebly: follow this advice for pages as well as blog entries.
The 2 points of this discovery:
When I returned to the top of the page, I found the title looked like "Preview of Galileo////////////////////////s...". Actually, all the text was the usual black, but I'm just using red to highlight the problem.
I then remembered having a similar problem before. Today, however, I bothered to actually write this "discovery".
As a general rule for all sites, try to avoid having special characters like "'", '"', '/', '\', '#', etc. in the main title; especially if the title becomes part of the URL.
Let's generalize once more, for Weebly: follow this advice for pages as well as blog entries.
The 2 points of this discovery:
- Don't use special characters in a main title, because Weebly won't know how to deal with them.
- Check the whole title carefully before saving the blog entry.
#44 Special HTML, especially for Social Media (Google+, StumbleUpon, etc.)
Particularly useful if your blog uses a right-hand sidebar, you can bring in an element for hard-core "custom HTML" to almost any location.
You can code any special HTML your little heart desires, such as your Google+ "Vote me a Plus+1" icon, a Google "G+ to see my About page with rel=author tag", a StumbleUpon vote button, or whatever.
Note that Weebly provides a number of special elements anyway, but if you're ahead of the Weebly development team, you can still embed custom HTML anywhere.
- The edit bar says "Elements, Design,...". Select "Elements".
- The left menu says "Basic, Multimedia, Revenue, More". Select "More".
- The next-from-the-left menu says "Layout, Misc, Forms". Select "Misc".
- The first choice is "Custom HTML", so select it.
You can code any special HTML your little heart desires, such as your Google+ "Vote me a Plus+1" icon, a Google "G+ to see my About page with rel=author tag", a StumbleUpon vote button, or whatever.
Note that Weebly provides a number of special elements anyway, but if you're ahead of the Weebly development team, you can still embed custom HTML anywhere.
Plus+1 this page:
Circle me as a Google+1 friend: .
StumbleUpon this page:
Friend me at Facebook.
See? The above paragraph is just chock-full of HTML-y goodness!
#45 Workaround the Inability to Copy and Paste from Title to Title
On June 1, 2012, I discovered that I could not copy and paste from one title element to another. I was very annoyed.
Let me quote from my "Preview of the Levy Random Walk".
My guess is that what I copied included the HTML tags for starting and ending the title. The solution was to copy and paste into a Notepad.txt file, and then cut and paste the plain text. All that work was needed to copy a simple acute accent over an 'é'!
Let me quote from my "Preview of the Levy Random Walk".
My guess is that what I copied included the HTML tags for starting and ending the title. The solution was to copy and paste into a Notepad.txt file, and then cut and paste the plain text. All that work was needed to copy a simple acute accent over an 'é'!