18 replies to this topic

[benfromaix]

Hello,

Is it possible for members to switch their own blog to the standard blog view : one entry per line instead of the two columns with two entries per row ?

Thanks
Ben

[T3XT3]

I would love it!

[JRoss]

I've already had a couple complaints about this. I am well aware that clicking on a given entry is the best way to view and surf a blog. The "summary" pages are to be just that - a brief overview until you see an entry that catches your eye and click it. Yeah, yeah... But, simply stated, many people don't do so. They read along on the individual's blog summary page itself. While I, personally, like the dual column (and "Read full entry" feature) for the overall Community Blog List, I feel this should only be optional for an individual member's blog summary. For all of the "speed readers", the dual column and "Read full entry", along with images not being clickable to enlarge there, totally kills their experience.

Additionally, and not to hijack the main theme of the thread, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out why the only place to see a given blog views counter is on the "List All Blogs" page. Most of my members don't seem to be aware that this page even exists given it is "hidden" on a relatively small/obscure tab on the new Community Blog List page. It seems to me that putting a view counter on each individual's blog summary page (and probably right next to the "comments" listing under each given blog entry title as well) is the logical/best way to go.

[khauber]

Hello,

Is it possible for members to switch their own blog to the standard blog view : one entry per line instead of the two columns with two entries per row ?

Thanks
Ben

I searched in the whole backend of my testboard for that feature and I didnt find it. I think there is no way to do this.
My testusers called the 2-col-display "sh..." and the incomplete blogentries with the "Read full entry" is absolutely rubbish.

[rbiss]

I like the new format. Not saying it couldn't have the option to automatically list. Perhaps it will be an acquired taste for those who aren't crazy about it. What I like is it appears more like a publication, not just another list of forums. It differentiates the look of the blog area from being another version of view new content.

I do realize though that what a community wants is what's really important. Hopefully your members grow to like it even if there is an auto-list default option.

[T3XT3]

Well, it is actually not so hard to get a single blog view with the full entries one below the other. Got to your templates: (Blog) Blog View --> blogview. Then replace the entire code of this template with this:

<if test="disablelightbox:|:!$this->settings['disable_lightbox']">
{parse template="include_lightbox" group="global" params=""}
</if>
{parse template="include_highlighter" group="global" params="1"}
<script type='text/javascript'>
	ipb.blog.withBlocks = true;
</script>
<div id='main_blog_wrapper' class='<if test="hasleft:|:$cblocks['left']">with_left </if><if test="hasright:|:$cblocks['right']">with_right</if>'>	
	<div id='main_column'>
	<if test="checkforentries:|:!count($entries)">
		<p class='no_messages'>
			<if test="$this->request['cat'] OR $this->request['tag']">{$this->lang->words['no_entry_matches']}<else />{$blog['blog_name']} {$this->lang->words['no_entries_yet']}</if>
		</p>
	<else />
		<php>
			// Set some variables
			$prev_entrydate		= "";
			$prev_entrymonth	= "";
			$this->_totalEntries = count( $entries );
		</php>
		<foreach loop="viewentriesloop:$entries as $entry">
			<php>
				$this->_showOpts     = ( $entry['publish'] OR $entry['lock'] OR $entry['del_button'] OR $entry['edit_button'] OR $entry['allow_feature'] ) ? 1 : 0;
				if ( $this->_totalEntries > 1 )
				{
					$this->_isPage       = ( empty( $this->request['st'] ) ) ? 0 : 1;
					$this->_firstOpen    = ( ( ! $this->_isPage AND $entry['_position'] == 0 ) OR ( $this->_isPage AND $entry['_position'] == 0 ) ) ? 1 : 0;
					$this->_isEvens      = ( floor( $this->_totalEntries / 2 ) == ( $this->_totalEntries / 2 ) ) ? 1 : 0;
					$this->_teaserLast   = ( ! $this->_isEvens AND ( $entry['_position'] + 1 >= $this->_totalEntries ) ) ? 1 : 0;
					$this->_teaserClosed = $this->_teaserClose;
					$this->_teaserOpened = $this->_teaserOpen;
					$this->_teaserOpen   = ( $this->_teaserClosed  OR ( $this->_teaserLast AND ! $this->_isEvens ) OR $this->_firstOpen ) ? 1 : 0;
					$this->_teaserClose  = ( $this->_teaserOpen AND ! $this->_teaserLast ) ? 0 : ( $this->_teaserOpened OR ( $this->_teaserLast AND ! $this->_isEvens ) ) ? 1 : 0;
					$this->_class        = ( $this->_teaserLast ) ? 'teaser_wide' : ( $this->_teaserOpen ? 'teaser_left' : 'teaser_right' );
				}
			</php>

			<div class='entry <if test="viewdraftcss:|:$entry['entry_status'] != 'published'">draft </if><if test="$entry['hide_private']">private</if>' id='entry_{$entry['entry_id']}'>
				<div class='entry_header'>
					<if test="showOptions:|:$this->_showOpts"><div id='entry-{$entry['entry_id']}-options' class='entry_options ipbmenu'>{$this->lang->words['bview_options']} {parse replacement="dropdown"}</div></if>

					<if test="canrate:|:$this->settings['blog_enable_rating'] && $entry['entry_rating_count'] > $this->settings['blog_rating_threshhold']">
					<div class='blog_rating'>
						<span class='rating' title="{$this->lang->words['entryhas_votes']} {parse format_number="$entry['_rate_int']"} {$this->lang->words['rate_out_of']}; {$this->lang->words['rate_votes']} {parse format_number="$entry['entry_rating_total']"}">{parse template="blog_rating" group="blog_list" params="$entry['_rate_int']"}</span>
					</div>
					</if>
					<h2>
						<a href="{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}" title='{$this->lang->words['view_entry_alt']}'>{$entry['entry_name']}</a>
					</h2>
					<div class='entry_date'>
						<!--{$entry['_position']}: [open={$this->_teaserOpen}] - [close={$this->_teaserClose}] {$this->_class}-->
						<if test="futureblog:|:$entry['entry_future_date']"><img src="{$this->settings['img_url']}/blog/time_entry.png" title="{$entry['entry_date']}" />&nbsp;</if>{$entry['entry_date_short']}
					</div>
					<div class='entry_comments'>
						<if test="islocked:|:$entry['entry_locked']">{parse replacement="blog_locked"}<else /><if test="$entry['entry_num_comments'] AND $entry['blog_last_comment_date'] > $entry['_lastRead']">{parse replacement="blog_comments_new"}<else />{parse replacement="blog_comments"}</if></if> <a href="{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}#comments"><if test="$entry['entry_locked'] OR $entry['entry_num_comments']">{$entry['entry_num_comments']} {$this->lang->words['entry_comments']}<else />{$this->lang->words['entry_leave_comment']}</if></a>
						<if test="viewqueuedcomments:|:$entry['queued_comment']"><em>{ {$this->lang->words['entry_queued_comments']}: {$entry['queued_comment']} }</em></if>
					</div>
				</div>
				<div class='entry_meta'>
					<div class='entry_tags'>
						<if test="viewhastags:|:$entry['entry_hastags']"> 
							{parse template="tagsAsList" params="$entry['blog_id'], $entry['entry_tags']" group="blog_global"}
						</if>
					</div>
					<div class='entry_author'>
						<if test="isrssimport:|:$entry['entry_rss_import']">{parse replacement="blog_rss_import"}&nbsp;</if>
						<em>{$this->lang->words['posted_by']}</em>
						<strong><a href="{parse url="showuser={$entry['entry_author_id']}" template="showuser" seotitle="{$entry['members_seo_name']}" base="public"}">{$entry['entry_author_name']}</a></strong> {parse template="user_popup" group="global" params="$entry['entry_author_id'],$entry['members_seo_name']"}
						<if test="isdraft:|:$entry['entry_status'] != 'published'"><span class='unpublished'><em><if test="futureblog2:|:$entry['entry_future_date']">{$this->lang->words['entry_is_future_date']}<else />{$this->lang->words['entry_is_a_draft']}</if></em></span></if>
						<if test="isfeatured:|:$entry['entry_featured']"><span class='isfeatured'><em>{$this->lang->words['entry_is_featured']}</em></span></if>
					</div>
				</div>
			
				<div class='entry_content'>
					<if test="viewprivate:|:$entry['hide_private']">
						<span class='private_entry'>{$this->lang->words['blog_private_entry']}<br /><br />
						<a href="{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;showprivate=1" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}">{$this->lang->words['blog_show_privateentry']}</a></span>
					<else />
						{$entry['entry']} <!--IBFxx.ATTACHMENT_{$entry['entry_id']}-->
					</if>
				</div>
				<div class='entry_footer'>
				<if test="viewhascats:|:$entry['_categories']">
					<p class='cats'>{parse template="catsAsList" params="$entry['blog_id'], $entry['_categories']" group="blog_global"}</p>
				</if>
					<p class='has_more'>&nbsp;</p>
				</div>
				<if test="showOptionsMenu:|:$this->_showOpts">
				<ul class='ipbmenu_content menu_blog' id='entry-{$entry['entry_id']}-options_menucontent'>
					<if test="viewpublish:|:$entry['publish'] == 'publish'">
						<li><strong><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=mod&amp;do=dopublish&amp;entryid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}&amp;auth_key={$this->member->form_hash}" base="public"}'>{$this->lang->words['publish_entry']}</a></strong></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewdraft:|:$entry['publish'] == 'draft'">
						<li><strong><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=mod&amp;do=dodraft&amp;entryid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}&amp;auth_key={$this->member->form_hash}" base="public"}'>{$this->lang->words['make_draft']}</a></strong></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewlock:|:$entry['lock'] == 'lock'">
						<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=mod&amp;do=dolock&amp;entryid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}&amp;auth_key={$this->member->form_hash}" base="public"}'>{$this->lang->words['lock_entry']}</a></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewunlock:|:$entry['lock'] == 'unlock'">
						<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=mod&amp;do=dounlock&amp;entryid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}&amp;auth_key={$this->member->form_hash}" base="public"}'>{$this->lang->words['unlock_entry']}</a></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewdelete:|:$entry['del_button']">
						<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=mod&amp;do=dodelentry&amp;entryid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}&amp;auth_key={$this->member->form_hash}" base="public"}' class='delete_entry'>{$this->lang->words['entry_delete']}</a></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewedit:|:$entry['edit_button']">
						<li><a href="{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=post&amp;section=post&amp;do=editentry&amp;eid={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;blogid={$this->request['blogid']}" base="public"}">{$this->lang->words['entry_edit']}</a></li>
					</if>
					<if test="viewfeature:|:$entry['allow_feature']">
						<if test="viewunfeature:|:$entry['entry_featured']">
							<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;feature=1" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}' onclick="return confirm('{$this->lang->words['feature_confirm_undo']}');">{$this->lang->words['feature_undo']}</a></li>
						<else />		
							<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;feature=1" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}' onclick="return confirm('{$this->lang->words['feature_confirm_do']}');">{$this->lang->words['feature_do']}</a></li>
						</if>
					</if>
					<if test="unbanish:|:$entry['entry_banish'] AND $this->memberData['g_is_supmod']">
						<li><a href='{parse url="app=blog&amp;module=display&amp;section=blog&amp;blogid={$entry['blog_id']}&amp;showentry={$entry['entry_id']}&amp;banish=1" template="showentry" seotitle="{$entry['entry_name_seo']}" base="public"}'">{$this->lang->words['bentry_unbanish']}</a></li>
					</if>
				</ul>
				</if>
			</div>
		</foreach>
	</if>
		<if test="$this->_totalEntries == 1 AND ! $links">
			<div class='noheaderbox'></div>
		</if>
		<if test="$links">
			<if test="! $this->_teaserLast">
				<div clear='both' class='noheaderbox'></div>
			</if>
			<div class='baby_go_back alt'><a href='{parse url="app=blog" template="app=blog" seotitle="-" base="public"}'>{$this->lang->words['back_to_blog_home']}</a></div>
			<div class='topic_controls'>
				{$links}
			</div>
		</if>
		
	</div>
	
	<if test="viewleftsidebar:|:$cblocks['left']">
		{$cblocks['left']}
	</if>
	
	<!-- Left bar comes before this -->
	<span id='sidebar_holder'></span>
	<!-- Right bar comes after -->
	
	<if test="viewrightsidebar:|:$cblocks['right']">
		{$cblocks['right']}
	</if>
</div>

Should it not function, restore the template...

[rbiss]

Additionally, and not to hijack the main theme of the thread, but I can't, for the life of me, figure out why the only place to see a given blog views counter is on the "List All Blogs" page. Most of my members don't seem to be aware that this page even exists given it is "hidden" on a relatively small/obscure tab on the new Community Blog List page. It seems to me that putting a view counter on each individual's blog summary page (and probably right next to the "comments" listing under each given blog entry title as well) is the logical/best way to go.

It also shows in the members settings. But yes it would be nice to be more publicly visible.

[madLyfe]

just like ip.content, there needs to be some provided default layouts for users who dont wanna or know how to make new templates and layouts. this should also carry over to the blogs too...

[bfarber]

I don't think we're going to be making several alternate layouts for all of our applications. We have to create a single default theme that we can maintain and that will appeal across a broad spectrum of customers. If what we have now doesn't work, we can try to improve it, but we're not going to maintain several variations of themes as a general rule. It increases our workload exponentially, to the point that making releases would become too difficult.

[madLyfe]

what about diff template layouts that use the default theme? or am i completely off on this..?

[Bryan Sammers]

I don't think we're going to be making several alternate layouts for all of our applications. We have to create a single default theme that we can maintain and that will appeal across a broad spectrum of customers. If what we have now doesn't work, we can try to improve it, but we're not going to maintain several variations of themes as a general rule.

Please stand by that. The design is overall very good. And you even have an additional mobile design. 

[mikesound]

Well, it is actually not so hard to get a single blog view with the full entries one below the other. Got to your templates: (Blog) Blog View --> blogview. Then replace the entire code of this template with this:

Should it not function, restore the template...

could anyone pass on the code to insert into the above
but with the "teaser" rather than the "main body" displaying?

[khauber]

Well, it is actually not so hard to get a single blog view with the full entries one below the other. Got to your templates: (Blog) Blog View --> blogview. Then replace the entire code of this template with this:

[code........

I forgot:

thanks for your help.

[ichadwick]

I don't think we're going to be making several alternate layouts for all of our applications. We have to create a single default theme that we can maintain and that will appeal across a broad spectrum of customers. If what we have now doesn't work, we can try to improve it, but we're not going to maintain several variations of themes as a general rule. It increases our workload exponentially, to the point that making releases would become too difficult.

Sorry, Brandon but the new two-column blog preview is cluttered, ugly and amateurish. One of the worst layouts I've seen in decades of working in print and digital media.

It's a downgrade, not an upgrade, from previous versions. Plus the code is buggy . It would be nice if you had included an option in the ACP to change back to the more professional-looking single-column layout. This is enough to convince me it's time to go to a professional blog service, and find a means to port over my backlog of posts to a more customer-friendly, design-aware service.

See comments here: community.invisionpower.com/topic/306721-reverting-to-one-column-entry-display-in-21/ and here: community.invisionpower.com/topic/307161-reverting-ugly-21-blog-to-better-setup/page__gopid__1938594

[T3XT3]

Sorry, Brandon but the new two-column blog preview is cluttered, ugly and amateurish. One of the worst layouts I've seen in decades of working in print and digital media.

It's a downgrade, not an upgrade, from previous versions. Plus the code is buggy . It would be nice if you had included an option in the ACP to change back to the more professional-looking single-column layout.

True, true...

[SuperJuice]

Having just bought the suite I was shocked to find how average the support is for the blog templates.

I can't agree more that the default blog template is a mess.. has anything happened over the last couple of months to resolve this?

What workarounds are people using?

[Mark]

We will be touching up the blog theme in the next version (i.e. 2.3, not 2.2.2).

[ichadwick]

Any idea when 2.3 will be out? I upgraded to 2.2.2 today and all the fixes I made in the earlier version to restore the professional-looking one-column preview got wiped out. Really a sad, silly look now with that clumsy two-column preview.

I'm not sure if changing the template as mentioned above will work in this new version, so I'd prefer to wait until it gets fixed unless soemone can tell me if the fix above still works.

[T3XT3]

Any idea when 2.3 will be out? I upgraded to 2.2.2 today and all the fixes I made in the earlier version to restore the professional-looking one-column preview got wiped out. Really a sad, silly look now with that clumsy two-column preview.

Why did this happen? All changed templates won't be updated with the new versions, as far as I know... They are left untouched. That's normal update policy!