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Showing posts from March, 2007

The Many Faces Of The Meta Tag

In my tutorials that instruct you how to make your blog friendly to search engines in general, and to the Google spider specifically, the meta tag is a key element. The meta tags are very versatile code that should be located immediately following the blog title, in the blog header. You'll be using the Template Editor to view, and to modify, this code. As always, if you intend to make changes to the code, backup the template before and after making changes.

This Is Not How To Solve Your Login Problems

On Mar 22, 9:43 am, (Name Has Been Omitted To Protect The Gullible) wrote: I'm seeing lots of login problems posts, so I wanted to share what worked for me to fix my problem. After migrating to new blogger, I could no longer get in. When I entered my id and password, I would just go in circles with a refresh, or sometimes a "click here to continue" link that didn't work. I went through all the blogger helps files and did everything they said to do. I also have McAfee, and thought that might be the problem I changed javascript settings, security settings, privacy settings, and made sure all the blogger.com URLs were in my allowed cookies. I turned McAfee off. Nothing worked. So finally, instead of adjusting security settings manually, I just reset everything with the reset button. I use Internet Explorer. Here's what worked for me: Choose Tools > Internet Options > Security Click "Custom Level" In "Reset Custom Level" choose medium and h

Could Not Connect To Blogger.Com

I suspect that all Bloggers see this well known pink warning periodically. I don't think this is the fault of our Internet connections. This warning was up for a few seconds, while I printed this picture; then it, conveniently, went away. That doesn't happen all of the time. Many times, I am busy in the Post Editor, with the warning displayed. Even when I hit the Publish button, and I am seeing the normal status messages associated with the Publishing process, the warning remains. I've seen this when editing Classic Template blogs (this one, for instance), and when editing Layouts Template blogs (The Real Blogger Status - Beta, for instance). It's my impression that I see this more often during times when more people are posting in the forums, and presumably when more people are Blogging. As far as what does not help with this problem: Clearing cache and cookies does not help, consistently (though I will still suggest it as an initial diagnostic step). Using anothe

bX-qfealt

This is not a Major Malfunction in volume - 18 threads over 2 weeks, with some folks posting into multiple threads. But there does seem to be a trend. And some Bloggers, who have been reporting the problem for over a week, are getting understandably angry. It is a Serious Problem to those Bloggers, and it is not going away. bX-qfealt Additional information blogID: nnnnnnnn uri: /posts.g host: www2.blogger.com (Edit 3/28): Blogger Employee claims Everything seems to be working fine on our end as Bloggers state It makes no difference on what operating system I log in on, what time of day etc.. I've tried different computers, clearing caches and restarting connections and computers - all the the same effect.. >> Forum search links: bX-qfealt >> Copy this tag: bX-qfealt

"Invalid Security Token" Error When Publishing

When publishing a post, or saving as Draft, some Bloggers are getting various error messages Invalid security token. or maybe securityToken : Your request could not be processed. Please try again. or similar messages No further details are typically provided by the Bloggers, and apparently there's no bX- code being issued with the error. I would bet that another scripting change was made recently, and the folks affected have cached script that's not compatible with their cookies. Apparently clearing cache and cookies is the proper solution - several Bloggers have acknowledged this solution in his/her case. Also suggest that the Blogger may need to verify how he (she) is logging in to Blogger.Com . >> Forum thread links: bX-*00015 >> Copy this tag: bX-*00015

"Invalid Security Token" Error When Publishing, 2007

When publishing a post, or saving as Draft, some Bloggers are getting various error messages Invalid security token. or maybe securityToken : Your request could not be processed. Please try again. or similar messages No further details are typically provided by Blogger Engineering - and apparently there's no bX- code being issued with the error. It's probably a variant of the " 403 Forbidden " error. I would bet that another scripting change was made recently, and the folks affected have cached script that's not compatible with their cookies. Apparently clearing cache and cookies is the proper solution - several Bloggers have acknowledged this solution in his/her case. Also suggest that the Blogger may need to verify how he (she) is logging in to Blogger.Com . (Update 2015): This symptom is now being reported as " Invalid Security Token Error 403 ".

bX-gcdngf

This problem is Serious. It started maybe 15:00 PDT today, and 6 hours later, there are maybe 20 separate threads, many with multiple different Bloggers complaining. It is affecting both blogs with Classic templates, and with Layouts templates, though not consistently. Picture uploading is returning bX-gcdngf Additional information blogID: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx uri: /upload-image.do host: www2.blogger.com The problem is not consistent! I managed to upload this to The Real Blogger Status - Beta (Layouts template). I got this error, though, when uploading to this blog (Classic template), and to Nitecruzr Test (Classic template) and to Nitecruzr Test New Template (Layouts template). It does not respond to clearing of cache and cookies (I tried twice). This may be one for Blogger Support to work on, and hopefully urgently . (Edit 3/14 17:00): Blogger has updated the problem , as Resolved . (Edit 3/14 9:00): Blogger has acknowledged the problem . We apologize for the trouble and a

Wordpress: Not Invulnerable Either

At least Wordpress will admit to their failings . ... This morning we received a note to our security mailing address about unusual and highly exploitable code in WordPress. The issue was investigated, and it appeared that the 2.1.1 download had been modified from its original code. We took the website down immediately to investigate what happened. It was determined that a cracker had gained user-level access to one of the servers that powers wordpress.org, and had used that access to modify the download file. We have locked down that server for further forensics, but at this time it appears that the 2.1.1 download was the only thing touched by the attack. They modified two files in WP to include code that would allow for remote PHP execution ...

Post Edit Problem: Uploaded Photos Lack Link To Zoomable Full-Size Copy

One of the advantages of using Blogger, and including photos in your Blogger blogs that are hosted on Blogger, is the automatic thumbnail process. When you upload a photo, 2 copies of the photo are produced. The thumbnail copy, which is properly sized to fit into the blog post. The full size copy, which can be seen when you click on the thumbnail copy. The code generated by the upload process includes both copies. The thumbnail copy is displayed directly in the post. The full size copy is linked from the thumbnail copy. All of this is automatic. You upload the photo, and put the code wherever you like, in your post. Recently, though, this is not the case. Several possibly related problems have been observed. bX-*00002 : Uploaded Photos Lack Link To Full-Size Copy. In cases observed, the thumbnail pictures are only the embedded thumbnail sized image, with no anchor link to the full size photo. The full size photo is, however, apparently being uploaded, and in some cases, we can de

Publishing Problem: Only The Title Is Posting

Blogger Support reports resolution of a problem where A fraction of old Blogger blogs are returning 403 Forbidden errors. All template images served from blogblog.com are also returning this error, resulting in broken templates. Oddly, though, more reports of this symptom keep being posted in the forums. The primary symptom noted is inability to post anything but titles. Subsequent advice in the forums is, for folks continuing to report the problem, to clear cache and cookies . But several questions remain, in my opinion, unanswered. First, when should cache and cookies be cleared? Before publishing? Or after publishing, but before viewing? If the former, then all affected blogs have to be republished, after the owner clears cache and cookies. If the latter, then the owner can simply continue publishing, but all folks who recently read the affected blogs now have cached corrupt content, and must clear cache and cookies. Second, should we clear cache, cookies, or both? Cache is mer

Schizophrenia When Editing Your Post

Lately, there have been a few odd complaints in the Google Blogger Help forums . Help, my toolbar is missing buttons! I can't change the text colour. Where's my font name / size list selection? Why do I see code, instead of text and pictures? Now, these complaints aren't strange at all. Blogger makes changes to their code , and has even admitted to causing these problems , occasionally. You, too, can cause your problems - on your computer or network . Besides permanent changes caused by security on the computer or the network, you can also have temporary, and transient, problems. If we don't use the same URL when we login, consistently , we can have problems. If we don't use the Post Editor the same way, consistently, we can have problems too. Oh No! Where are my toolbar buttons? If you don't see a tab for Compose mode, do not panic. Go to Settings - Basic, and under Global Settings, set "Select post editor" to "Old editor" (or to "

Connectivity Problems With Blog*Spot From The UK

Numerous Bloggers, in various threads, are reporting inability to connect with Blog*Spot. This is similar to previously observed problems in China, Pakistan, and other places . The problem is affecting various ISPs in multiple, widespread areas of the UK geographical region - all areas - England, Ireland (Northern and Southern), Scotland, and Wales - appear to be affected. The problem, as reported, only affects access to "blogspot.com", not to "blogger.com". One Blogger in the UK has done a connectivity test, which appears to rule out an outright traffic block . The problem has been seen by Blogger staff, and has now been acknowledged . For more information, and a master thread list: Problem Affecting Many - Access Blogspot From UK For those who cannot access Blog*Spot, this page may also be available as http://www.pkblogs.com/bloggerstatusforreal.blogspot.com/ 2007/03/connectivity-problems-with-blogspot.html or as http://w1.hidemyass.com/index.php? q=http%3A%2F%2

The Navbar and the "Next Blog" Link

If you have (had) children, or know someone who does (did), would you let a 6 year old child wander unsupervised thru the Red Light district of Amsterdam, New York, or San Francisco (as examples)? Probably not. >> (Note 8/29/2007): There is currently a very real danger , for those who go "Next Blog" surfing. Then would you let a 6 year old (12 year old even) use a computer, and restrict him (her) to *.blogspot.com? Sure, why not? I have NetNanny (or another censorship product). But NetNanny can't block all the blogs with bad content. And any Blogger using the "Next Blog" link on the Navbar is eventually going to land right on a blog that she (he) has no desire to see. Oh No - another porno blog! My children are viewing this!! This isn't a simple situation here - there are two problems here. The first problem is that the "Next Blog" link gets visitors to your blog, and then from your blog to another. It's part of the Blogosphere. As

bX-1us3c3

This is a serious problem. It's not as Major as the bX-sp4hmm from a couple days ago , but it's being consistently reported in the Blogger Help Group . Multiple people, deciding that using Google Custom Domains to publish their blogs, is not helping their efforts (detailed motivation unknown right now), are dropping GCD and republishing back to Blog*Spot. Or, they are trying, anyway . bX-1us3c3 Additional information blogID: xxxxxxxx uri: /blog-publishing.do host: www2.blogger.com Here's 8 examples, from a search on "bX-1us3c3", thru Blogger Help Group . Error - bX-1us3c3 - Can't Switch back to publishing... (**) got an error trying to change to the blogspot hosting.. Error code: bX-1us3c3 bX-1us3c3 Error bX-1us3c3 (**) Can't switch back to publishing on Blogger (**) Problem changing back from own domain publishing problem ** Of the 8 threads linked above, 3 of them (who provided details, as identified so far) stated that they setup forwarding from t

Deleting Your Blog - A Known Problem

I'll say this again - if you really want to delete your blog, you ought to plan the deletion properly . Delete all of the posts in the blog. Delete any personal information in the profile. Add a stub post. Leave the URL in place. You want to do all of the above, so that not only the blog will disappear from Blog*Spot, but from the search engines (and the search hit lists), all over the web. But even when you do all of that, or sometimes when you don't do any of that, your blog remains on Blog*Spot - and an old copy of the blog yet . Jordan aka Blogger Employee acknowledges this problem It turns out that there's a small bug in the old version of Blogger, which sometimes causes a hiccup in fully deleting an old blog. When this happens, there's just 3 things for you to do. Report the problem, using the Contact Form (and reply to the botmail, if you get any). Report the problem, in Blogger Help Group: Something Is Broken . Wait in the forum, for Jordan aka Blogger Employee