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 merely temporary Internet files, which get replaced periodically, and expire at the convenience of the websites.
• Some cookies contain long term web use configuration, and may be intentionally retained by the computer owner (blog reader).

Both cache and cookies affect access to multiple servers, not just Blog*Spot. Telling people, particularly blog readers, to clear cache and cookies because of a Blogger problem, shouldn't be done casually.

Third, what is the actual scope of the problem? Old Blogger (unconverted?) blogs, or New Blogger blogs, with Classic templates? Blogger Status specifically mentions

We apologize for this failure of old Blogger (you can see why we’re getting rid of it).

Or have Old Blogger (unmigrated) blogs, and New Blogger Classic template blogs, been given the same (temporary) status?

If this is happening to you, try and diagnose the problem.

• Verify how you are logging in to Blogger.
• Clear cache and cookies (and the two are not the same).
• Check security on your computer and on your network. Make sure that all necessary trusts are given to "blogger.com", NOT just "www.blogger.com", especially for cookie management, pop up blockers, and script control.
• And if you're using Internet Explorer, check cross-frame scripts. Or use another browser.
• And look at other known login problems.

(Edit 4/6): It looks like this problem continues, but is a bit more problematic when it happens to posts saved as Draft.

(Update 3/21): Blogger Employee is considering the browser, and plug-ins, as a possible part of the problem.

What browser are you using? Is is the latest version of the browser? What happens if you use a different browser? Do you have any plugins installed on your browser? What happens if you disable them?

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