01.03.07 (12:13 pm) [
edit]
Preparing the tBlog Soup
Yesterday, New Soup performed a haphazard tBlog-local research of current tBlog supports, and user tBlogs that focus their posts on helping other tBloggers find useful information about customizing the look and feel of different tBlog templates.
First, during the long months since the Original Soup made a play at helping people customize their "SPORT" template, tBlog has developed a rather nifty and updated support system, and we recommend that tblog Johnies-come-lately give it a once-over (maybe a twice over) when trying to learn the basics. Check out the tBlog support here .
Second, we uncovered a terrific user-friendly effort made by Inkspector to assist tbloggers with several aspects of working with the tBlog system. Full props to Inkspector. Do yourself a favor and inspect Inkspector's template study here .
Finally, with all of the above in mind, New Soup will attempt to unpack some of the other tBlog mysteries, from customizing headers to rearranging the standard tBlog sections (such as the Archives, Profile and About Me sections) that are essential to tBlog but typically proof against customizing them to fit more attractively into your blog.
We will happily accept suggestions, comments and questions as subjects for our posts. Are you attempting to change the appearance of your blog, but haven't found any way to accomplish your goal? Let us know (please give us some basic info, such as the template you'd like to use, the attempts you've already made, and the name/version of the browser you currently use to surf the web).
New Stone Soup Home
posted by:
sebastianjoshua (
reply)
post date:
01.03.07 (5:27 pm)
it's good if u have a nice computer at home... mine is stoneage... really T-Rex time lol
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.03.07 (7:04 pm)
Very true, Sebastian. How long does it typically take your stone ager to load tBlog pages?
posted by:
commontater (
reply)
post date:
01.05.07 (11:45 am)
GOOD on you! Glad I checked you out to learn your purpose here. This is great news, soup. I'd like to customize my "shop" too, but I'm a novice at such things (although I can build a fairly decent website from scratch. Go figure.) If you're here to help me do this, then I'll be back.
One last thought. I'm amazed at Inkspector's expertise with tblog and have actually been to Ink's blog many times and recently to read tutorials on tweaking tblogs. Many props and sincere kudos to Inkspector, for sure!
PuC
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.05.07 (12:00 pm)
Reply to: commontater
Thanks for the support, commontater! Looks like you're working with one of the tBlog color templates--in general, the color templates seem fairly flexible. Though, if you have some page development experience you're probably pulling your hair out with the tblog limitations!
Nevertheless, there are a few not-so-obvious ways to make nifty, sparkly changes. Are there any template-related headaches that we might ease for you?
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.07.07 (7:19 am)
Reply to: LadyG
Thank you, LadyG.
You are currently using the Pink tBlog template? The Pink template and the Retro template are the two I've never explored--so I just created a test site with the Pink template installed. Not much room for adding javascript, or other sidebar sparklies, is there? Anyway, I'll write a quick post to start a discussion about the Big Pink. Any first thoughts on the template?
And, if you don't mind the questions, what template were you using that caused all the headaches?
--New Stone Soup
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.07.07 (10:00 am)
Reply to: LadyG
Three questions:
1. When you say "hot blog list," are you referring to your "links" section in your sidebar?
2. When I browse your blog with Firefox, all three of your columns fit nicely into my screen window; when I browse your blog with Internet Explorer, your columns are still nice and neat, but my screen window registers a chunk of empty space (no content) to the far right. Is this the problem you're talking about? If it is, there's an easy fix (I think).
3. Which browser do you use: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari or something else?
--New Soup
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.08.07 (7:14 am)
Reply to: LadyG
I wonder whether this is a monitor resolution issue. Do you know how to take a screenshot of your monitor? There are instructions posted on this blog--there's a link in the sidebar. Anyway, go to the hotblog screen and scroll to the place where the funky view is located. Then follow the screenshot instructions. Once you do that, you'll be able to post and/or send an image of the madness.
For the record, I think the default template (and, perhaps, this one New Soup uses right now, the Almovara template) are the two most flexible templates. Most of the color templates seem to be the most finicky because the layout depends on negative margins.
Keep me posted, Lady.
--New Soup
posted by:
LadyG (
reply)
post date:
01.09.07 (1:02 am)
I am having problems, all my comments have disappeared on everyones blog, including yours.
posted by:
newstonesoup (
reply)
post date:
01.12.07 (6:21 am)
Reply to: LadyG
Yes--I did a little looksy and all your comments have vanished. Except this last one. Odd. And they haven't come back yet.
I'm wondering now--sort of a stab in the dark that might explain your hot blog page problem, too--whether you use javascript, or iframes for anything related to your blog.
For example, do you use javascript and/or iframes anywhere in your PROFILE, your BLOG SETTINGS page, or anywhere on your ADD/EDIT page?
Another related possibility could be a form area error--if somehow tBlog's server interpreted, say, your blog name with an extra 20 spaces attached to the end, you could end up with complications on certain tBlog pages. Or, if a server-side PHP tag was entered incorrectly, code lines might blend together, looking more like a perverse chemistry experiment than language.
Let me know how it goes.
New Soup
posted by:
LadyG (
reply)
post date:
01.12.07 (9:00 am)
Reply to: newstonesoup, Stone I either have a very smart enemy or nickster did it by accident. he said he removed 2000 spomething the other night,I can't rememcer what he called them and I think mine got caught up in his house cleaning, which doesn't make any sense to me,because no one else lost any comments.no I don't use frames or anything, very standard blog page, no pictures either.I am just learning how to links good, thanks to ink.did you read my last post?
