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New Blogger GUI 2011 Confusion: Post Editor Mode

The New Blogger GUI (2011) is newly available to the public - and many blog owners are, gradually, getting used to it's peccadilloes. One source of confusion is the post editor mode. As you publish posts, you can be in either Compose or HTML mode - and there's no obvious indication of which mode you're in.

We see anxious questions in Blogger Help Forum: Something Is Broken.
My toolbar is broken. Where is my Font button (my Linklist button, my Spellcheck)?

The confusion over which mode you're in, when using post editor, has always been a problem. Under the Classic GUI, though, there was a pair of "tabs". You could look at the "Edit HTML" and "Compose" tabs, and see which tab was active. Many people have possibly gotten used to seeing the tabs, and their relative status, as mode indications.

With the New GUI, you have a pair of "buttons" - "Compose" and "HTML". You hit one button or the other, to change mode. Look carefully at the "Compose" and "HTML" buttons - you should see a subtle difference in the background colour of the two buttons. If I did not describe the subtle difference, would you notice?

If your toolbar lacks selections, hit the "Compose" button. Your toolbar should light up again, with the familiar array of buttons.

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Comments

Very interesting! Thank you for this update!
I'll be sure to check in here more frequently now I've learned you really are on the ball!
Rose
Lorelei said…
How is this better? It seems that Blogger makes everything more and more complicated for the every day person who wants to blog and doesn't know HTML.
Unknown said…
Lorelei,

The New GUI Post Editor is better for a lot of people - who have been asking for a larger post composition form, instead of the tiny window in the Classic GUI.

For some people like you, it's not better - it's just different.

Better, or different - you should plan to move forward.

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