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Embedded Comments And Main Page View

The option to display comments, embedded below the post, was made a blog option relatively recently.

This was a long requested feature - and many bloggers added it to their blogs, as soon as the option was presented to us.

Some blog owners like this feature so much, that they request it to be visible when the blog is opened, in main page view.
I would like all comments, and the comment form, to be shown underneath the relevant post, automatically, for everyone to read without clicking on the number of comments link.
And this is not how embedded comments work.

When you view a blog in an index page (archives retrieval, label search, or main page), you have a number of posts displayed, one above the next.

The embedded comment form was designed to appear at the bottom of the page. With both comments and the comment form appearing below each post, an index page would be unacceptably long and complex. And coding for the form would be impossible.

To avoid an unbearably messy index page, each individual post, on an index page, is followed by the comment count for that post, as a link caption.

When you click on an index page comments count link, you then see the comment entry form itself. The form presentation varies according to comment entry style, as chosen by the blog owner - and includes the latest comments for the post.

  • The "Embedded below post" form, appearing beneath the individual post.
  • The "Full page" form, in a full page display, separate from the post.
  • The "Pop-up window" form, in a popup window, separate from the post.

With the "Full page" or "Pop-up window" form, the comments will also display beneath the individual post. You then click on "Post a comment", at the very bottom of the comments, to see the comments again listed, with the comment form.

This blog, right now, uses the full page form. Since this post uses a Jump Break, you are now looking at the individual post page. Look at the bottom of this post, and at the very bottom of the comments, for the link "Post a comment". Click on "Post a comment", and you will see the full page comment form, for this post.

If you wish for your readers to have the existing comments, and the comment form, immediately visible under the posts, you can use Jump Break to present an excerpt of each post in main page view. This will force your reader to read the complete post in individual post page view - and the existing comments and the comment form will be immediately visible.

Comments

Kim said…
I wonder why it is a big deal to allow all comments to be shown. I read all kinds of blog entries every day. I may not care to read all the comments. It is great just the way it is. This is why I am coming to prefer Blogspot over other sites; the neatness of it.

Thanks.
Anonymous said…
I couldn't agree with you more. I saw this request made by a number of people and thought to myself: visitors to my current post will be less likely to muddle through comments to see my previous post.
Unknown said…
"To avoid an unbearably messy main page view, each post in main page view has the comment count, with a link."

that's what's missing on my main page. i spent the last hour looking for html-fix for this, but found nothing. i use a classic template and i know this part ot the 'blog posts' widget is missing, but i can't make it up by myself. if you can help me, please do so :-)
Nitecruzr said…
As far as I know, inline comments are written in XML and are only available in layouts templates. I don't think this article applies to blogs with classic templates, though I could be wrong.
風 said…
Your blog post pulled me in from a search on this topic, I am disappointed to see that you have only offered comments on how blogging should be rather than offering any actual information at all.

Whether showing all visitor comments is messy or not is irrelevant. Since it is possible to do, and some people clearly want the option, why not give it to them? I hacked my own code to make the comments visible, and it works well.
Nitecruzr said…
Since it is possible to do, and some people clearly want the option, why not give it to them?

Every feature that every single blogger wants is an interesting goal, but it's not practical.

This is simply one feature that I believe, personally, is better off as is. It's possible that it will work well on your blog, since you're aware of how it works, and what it's limitations are. It may not work equally well on every blog.

Blogger simply isn't going to immediately provide every feature requested by every blogger. Have you read through the AppsSpot Features Discussion database?
I am thinking I can live with it the way it is if I can make the 'link' more descriptive. For instance, instead of #comments, why couldn't the link say 'view/add comments' or something like that and maybe in a bigger font. Where might I change this? I think I found it in view source but am not sure about changing it.
Nitecruzr said…
You can adjust the "Comments" caption, using the "Blog Posts" wizard.
Bruce Wallace said…
Hey Kaze, how did you do it??
I'm one of the many who WANT comments to appear in line on the main page (not just the individual pages). I think it is fascist to decide which features to implement based on one's own prejudices rather than prioritized by user demand.
So, how do I do it myself?
P.S. I would have contacted you directly but your profile is private.
Whale Tails said…
I would just like my blog to show the comments like this page. I've tried all that I think I can do, and have no joy. The blog is: http://whalesanddolphinsofbc.blogspot.com/ and although I'm just getting going with it, I'd like to get it working. Any help would be great.
liz read said…
I keep coming back to your item re comments SHOWING if a single post is made visible on main page.

Nitecruzer said it was now possible to do...but nowhere is the HOW to do it! I LIKE showing comments since they vindicate the content of the post...or one hopes they do! My "content" is paintings so comments are 1 or 2 lines re "like" or "don't like". Yes I do moderate.....
Mrs. D said…
I'd love to have the comment boxes appear on the main page (NOT the comments, which would take up too much space but the box to enter the comments in). I use my blog for teaching, and my students would be more tempted to write comments if the box appeared on the main page).

Is this possible?
Unknown said…
Can someone PLEASE help... I need my comments box to show so my readers can leave a comment. I moderate the comments - how do i get this feature???
Nitecruzr said…
Neo,

Whether you select "Embedded", "Full page", or "Popup window", for form style, your readers will always have to click once from main page to get a comment form.

That's the way Blogger blogs main page view works.

There is no "comment form" in "main page view", just as there is no "freak" in "chocolate". Sorry.

http://musings.nitecruzr.net/2007/06/is-chocolate-drug.html
SLowmo75 said…
The strange thing is, that you are suggesting it's not a good idea to do exactly what is happening here, aren't you? Or am I missing something? Does this page show comments only because it is on its own page? I arrived here because I would like my comments to appear directly below each post, exactly like they do here, but you are telling me that I shouldn't do that, while you are actually doing it. Aren't you? Am I? Sorry, I feel like I must've missed a point somewhere?
Nitecruzr said…
SL,

If you're reading this comment, then you are either:
1. Looking at the individual post page, and the embedded comments below the post.
2. Looking at the comment wizard itself.
3. Possibly, looking at some version of the comments feed, in any newsreader.

If you look at the main page of my blog, all that you will see, beneath each (possibly summarised) individual post, is a link captioned "nn comments". And, the latter link takes you to this form, for that post.
gg designs said…
What you do here is what I want on the bottom of my page.....but like everyone here, it's VERY frustrating not to be able to do so.

For a supposedly "simple" ap...the blogger software presents many problems, frustrations and glitches.

At the moment this is the one that is bugging me the most!
Nitecruzr said…
GG,

Your point is well made, unfortunately, so many features in Blogger that look so simple are not that way at all. Some of them are unbelievably complex - just what you see is simple.

Have you maybe posted your request for help in Blogger Help Forum: How Do I?, where we can explore your problem in detail? That's a better place to start.
Unknown said…
http://simplessoftwares.blogspot.com/ my blog ..how can i make comment box on all pages?
Nitecruzr said…
Zia,

As explained above, you cannot have a comment box on all pages. The index pages would be unacceptably messy - both in coding, and in appearance.
Rob Overton said…
Oh, the irony! After telling us how messy it would be to include all comments after the original posting and stating, in effect, that we poor misguided souls are better off without that option, nitecruiser DISPLAYS ALL THE COMMENTS UNDERNEATH HIS POST!

I have a blog dealing with a very small niche -- racing rules of sailing -- and receive only dozens of hits and one or two comments on each post. My postings are intended to engage the reader, so the comments are part of the discourse. They should automatically appear below the posting. Apparently, Google has decided that this style of blog is "messy". Well, sometimes discourse is messy -- it's how we learn.

Mr. Google, tear down this wall!

Rob Overton
racingrules.blogger.com
Nitecruzr said…
Rob,

I think the irony here is that you are confusing main page view, and individual post view.

Here is main page view:

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net

Here is individual post view:

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2009/05/embedded-comments-and-main-page-view.html

Do you see comments, in main page view?
Nitecruzr said…
Rob,

Click on the link:

http://racingrulesblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/leeward-mark-rules-quiz.html#comment-form

You should see your comments, displayed neatly, beneath the post.

You just won't see comments, on your index pages.

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