Manage Blog Utilities - Publish, Styles, Address Book, Entries, Import/Export, Multiple Blogs

This section describes tools for managing your blog.

Publish A Blog Site

If you change a setting, change colors for fonts, add categories, change the sidebar or change entries, you may need to Publish your blog to implement and post changes to your public pages.

To republish a site

  1. Log on to http://blogs.psu.edu and enter your blog.
  2. Click Publish Publish button(the circle arrow button) in the top links (located after the Preferences menu.
    Note: If you do not see this option, go to the top white location tab and select the name of your blog.
  3. A pop-window will open. Click the Publish button in this window. You will see messages indicating how many pages are being rebuilt.
    Publish button

  4. Click the View Site page icon bitton in the top links to view your published site. View Blog button in top links (final option)
  5. If you have changed the Theme, click Control+R (Windows) or Command+R (Mac) to refresh all the pages in your browser.

Manage Multiple Blogs

The Blogs system allows you create multiple blogs for multiple topics. For instance, you can create one blog for a course, another as a portfolio and a third for a hobby or personal news.

Create Another Blog

  1. Click on the white system overview tab to see a list of your current blogs. Depending on your location. The tab may list the name of your first blog or say “System Overview.”
    System Overview tab and menu
  2. Click the Create a new blog option to start a new blog. You will see the form to enter your blog title.

Switch Between Blogs

Once you have created an additional blog, you can switch between blogs by clicking the white system overview tab.

Select Styles (Colors/Fonts)

You can use the Styles options to make basic changes in overall appearance of your blog. You can view the video or read the text how-to:

View Quicktime Video

Select the Theme

  1. Log on to http://blogs.psu.edu and enter your blog
  2. Once you enter the blog click Design link then Styles
    Note: if the Design link is not visible, then click the white System Overview tab, then the name of your blog
    Design Menu - Select Styles
  3. You should see a list of available preformatted styles.
    Style preview window

  4. Select from the Professional Website styles if you have chosen that template.
  5. For a Classic Blog template, if you want a non Penn State style, click the option for MT 4 Style Library in the left to see all available styles. Click PSU Styles if you specifically want a Penn State style.
    Note: There may be a delay before all styles are displayed
  6. Highlight a style image to select it (it should be in the right Selected Design column.)
    screen capture of Selected Design area
  7. The Layout menu above the Apply Design button allows you to change the position of sidebar "Thin" column with respect to the content "Thick" column. You can choose between three-column and two-column layouts.
  8. Cick the Apply Design button at the bottom of the second column to select the design.
  9. To view the public version of the blog, click the View button (page icon) in the top set of tool links.
  10. Press Shift+Control+R (Windows) or Command+Shift+R (Mac) to load the new style into your browser.

Custom Themes

See the Advanced Documentation section for information on uploading custom theme stylesheets.

E-Mail Notifications with Address Book

The Blogs at Penn State allows you to send an e-mail message to selected users when an entry is published. You can send e-mail to a group of Contacts within your Address Book list or to a custom set of addresses for each entry.

This can be useful within a course blog to notify students or a project blog to notify users of updates.

To create a Notification List

This tool is useful for small lists. For larger lists, such as a class roster, see Using the eLion List.

  1. Log on to http://blogs.psu.edu and enter your blog.
  2. Click the Manage link in the top then select Address Book.
  3. Click the Create Contact link at the top.
    Blank Address Book
  4. Enter an Email Address and Website URL (if available).
    Note: Each blog you create has its own address book.
    Add Contact Form
  5. Click the Add Contact button at the end of the row. The address will be added to a new list of contacts
  6. To delete a contact, click the Delete button at the top of the list.

Using an eLion List

For large class rosters, you can modify an eLion class list so that e-mail addresses can be copied into a Notification.

  1. Retrieve the E-mail format class list from eLion
    1. Open a web browser and go to: http://elion.psu.edu.
    2. Click on the Faculty link in the left menu. The Penn State User Authentication screen appears.
    3. Enter your Penn State Access Account userid (e.g., xyz123) and Password (i.e., the same password you use when accessing your email); click OK
    4. After you log in, click the Class Lists link in the left menu.
    5. From the main window on the right, highlight the semester for which you would like a class list and click Continue.
    6. Click Get Courses, then check the button for the appropriate course.
      Note: If you see an error message, then check to be sure that you have selected the correct semester and that your department has listed you as an instructor of record in ISIS.
    7. Click E-mail class list (e-mail distribution format. A text file of the class list will be mailed to you from registrar@psu.edu.
  2. Copy and paste the list into Microsoft Word. The format is as follows.
              jtk000@psu.edu		(Kirk James T)
          wtr00000@psu.edu		(Riker William T)
  3. User vertical select to highlight and remove the names column. Highlight the area near the beginning of the first name and then hold down the Alt key (Win) or Option key (Mac) while using the mouse to highlight the colulmn.
  4. Use the Find and Replace function (under the Edit menu) to find and delete all spaces. You should be left with this format of e-mail address names only.
    Note: Extra spaces after address could cause a future notification to fail later.

              jtk000@psu.edu
          wtr00000@psu.edu
  5. Save this file in location where you can find it easily in the future.

Send Out E-Mail for a Single Entry

  1. Write and publish an entry in a blog.
  2. Click the Share link in the upper right of the "Published" box.
    Note: If you do not see this option, make sure you have Saved your entry and set the Status to Published.
  3. You will see a Send a Notification e-mail message window. If you want to e-mail your Address Book Contacts, leave the option for All addresses from Address Book checked.
  4. You can enter additional e-mail addresses in the Recipients field. Addresses can either be separated by commas or listed with one address per line.
  5. Enter text into Optional Message if you want to add explanatory text to your message.
    Note: If no message is written, the e-mail will just include the entry title, date and a link to the blog entry.
  6. Click the Entry Excerpt option to include part of your blog entry text in the message.
  7. Click Entry Body if you want to forward your entire blog entry.
  8. Click Send at the bottom to send the e-mail.

Send Notification Form

Edit and Delete Older Entries

To edit an older entry.

  1. Log on to http://blogs.psu.edu and enter your blog.
  2. Click the Manage link in the upper set of links, then click Entries.
    Note: if the Entries link is not active, then click the white System Overview tab, then the name of your blog
    System Overview Tab
  3. You should see a list of entries in your blog starting with the most recent ones on top. Click the link for the entry you wish to edit. You should see the entry form.
    List of Entries
  4. Make changes as needed and click Save. See the Writing Entries documentaiton for more details.
  5. Set the Status menu to Publish if you wish the entry to be visible to the public.
  6. Click Save to change the setting.
  7. Click the View Site (page) button in the top links to be sure the entry is visible to the public.

Hide an Entry

If you want to hide an entry, but not delete it, follow steps #1-4 above, but set the Status menu to Unpublished.
Note: The Unpublished option is a good way to write a draft for a long blog entry without the public seeing it until it is ready.

Delete an Entry

  1. Click the Manage link in the upper set of links, then click Entries. You will see a list of your entries.
  2. To delete an entry, place a check next to the entry and click the Delete button at the top.
    List of Entries
  3. Click the Publish link given or the circle arrow in the top links. This will remove the entry from the public blog site.

TrackBack Settings and Moderating TrackBacks

What's a TrackBack?

TrackBacks is a feature in which a blog system sends an electronic message or "ping" to any blog you have linked to. These messages are published on another blog much as your comments are. To "accept TrackBacks" means your blog will listen for these pings and publish links to blogs who have linked to you (it's a way to find out if anyone is reading your blog).

Like comments though, TrackBacks can be used to send spam messages so moderated TrackBacks are suggested.

Check TrackBack Settings

By default, new blogs are set to moderated TrackBacks (anyone can submit comments or TrackBacks, but they are not published until the editor decides to do so). If you wish to change your settings, then do the following.

  1. Log in and enter your blog, click Preferences in top toolbar, then select TrackBack.
    Preferences menu
  2. To have moderated TrackBacks (they are not published until approved by you), check the following settings. With these settings, you will receive an e-mail for all comments posted to the Web for you to approve.
    • Make sure Accept TrackBacks is checked.
    • Make sure the Moderation option is checked.
    • Set E-mail Notification to On.

    3. track back settings
    TrackBack Settings window set for moderated trackbacks.

  3. To disable comments completely, turn Accept TrackBacks off.
  4. Click Save Changes before exiting the page.

Approve or Delete Comments

If the approve options are set to No One or Trusted commenters, then you must approve comment submissions

  1. For each new TrackBack, you will receive an e-mail message including the username and the content of the TrackBack.
  2. Click the edit to go to that TrackBack.
    Note: If the link does not work, log in and enter your blog then click the Manage in the upper tool bar and select TrackBacks. Then you can choose from the list given.
  3. Change its status as needed.

Disable TrackBacks

Disabling TrackBacks will block all spam, but will also make it impossible for anyone to send you a TrackBack. To disable TrackBacks:

  1. Log on to http://blogs.psu.edu. and enter your blog.
  2. Click Preference in top toolbar, then select TrackBack.
  3. Turn the checkbox for "Accept TrackBacks" off then click Save Changes tht the bottom

Import Text from Another Blog

You may be able to import content from another blog depending on the platform of the original blog.

  1. First make sure you have exported content from your original blog. See the export instructions of your blogging system for details. The file will likely be either a .txt text file or an RSS file.
    Note: Users within the older Penn State blogs (Movable Type 3.3) can refer to the Export from Movable Type 3 documentation
  2. Log in to http://blogs.psu.edu.
  3. If necessary, create a new blog.
  4. Click the Blog Dashboard (home)house icon button. You should see a “dashboard” for your blog listing Blog Stats.
    Note: You can also click the Dashboard link at the bottom of the page.
  5. In the Handy Shortcuts section to the right, click the link for Import Content.
    Handy Shortcuts to right
  6. Select a platform in the Importing from menu. Your options are:
    • Movable Type – the option for importing content from other Penn State blogs
    • Word Press extended RSS (WXR)
    • Another System – Use this option if your system is not Movable Type but has created a Movable Type File.
  7. Use the Browse button to select the external file to import on your local system. It will likely be either a .txt text file or an RSS file.
  8. Click More options if you need to select options for text breaks, encoding or default categories.
  9. Click the Import Entries button at the bottom to begin the import. You will see a new window listing imported entries.
    Import Entries Window
  10. Click the Publish Site Publish Site circle arrows iconbutton in the top bar to post the entries to your blog Web site.
  11. Click the View Site View Blog Page iconbutton in the top bar to see if the entries have been imported correctly.
    Note: If you do not see the entries, make sure you have clicked the Publish Site button. If problems persist, contact blogs@psu.edu.

Notes on Import Options

  • The Text Formatting option refers to the line-break options of your import file. Refer to your blog system instructions if the initial import does not work.
  • The Import File Encoding option refers to Unicode options. Leave it set to Auto-Detect unless you encounter difficulties.
  • The Default Category menu lets you select default categories you have already created. If you need a Default Category, you must create one before you import a file.

Export Blog Text

This operation preserves the text of each entry, but images and links will be lost.  To export text:

The recommended browser for export is Firefox. Blog files may not correctly export from Internet Explorer 7.

  1. Log in and enter your blog.
  2. Click the Blog Dashboard (home)house icon button. You should see a “dashboard” for your blog listing Blog Stats.
    Note: You can also click the Dashboard link at the bottom of the page.
  3. In the Handy Shortcuts section to the right, click the link for Import Content. This takes you to both import and export.
    Handy Shortcuts to right
  4. Click Export in the left Activity Log menu of import window.
    Export Link
  5. Click the Export Blog button in the next window. A .txt file will be downloaded onto your computer.
  6. If you wish to import these entries into another blog, consult the new blog service for information on importing new text entries from a file.

Other Files

This operation allows you to save other files including images, raw HTML code and custom stylesheets.

  1. Use SFTP or the Penn State Portal Pass Explorer (http://www.psu.edu/portalproject/passexplorer/) to navigate to the /blogs folder in your Personal Web space www/ folder.
  2. These files can be downloaded and saved.

Discontinue an Entire Blog

If you wish to discontinue a blog and take it offline.

Export Blog Entries

Use the export tool to download blog entries including dates, categories, tags and comments. It is possible that they may be uploaded into another blog.

Delete Future Entries

Note: The ability to delete blogs is currently unavailable. If you wish to remove a blog from your site, please read the following instructions below.

Remove Past Entries

These options allow you to remove your past entries from public view.

Option 1 - Unpublish Entries

  1. You can either delete each entry or set the Status of each entry to Unplublished (see editing past entries). This will remove the entries from public view.
  2. It is recommended that you write a final entry explaining that the blog has been discontinued and pointing them to the new blog if available.

Option 2 - Delete Files in PASS Space

Past entries are also stored as static pages in your Penn State Personal Web space. To remove these pages:

  1. Use SFTP or the Penn State Portal Pass Explorer (http://www.psu.edu/portalproject/passexplorer/) to navigate to the /blogs folder in your Personal Web space www/ folder.
  2. Download any files you wish to archive then delete all folders files in the blogs directory.
    Note: If you have multiple blogs, delete the folder for the corresponding blog.