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The Popular Posts Gadget Is Broken

This month, we have numerous reports of problems with the Popular Posts gadget, and its size being out of control.

Some blog owners cannot get their gadgets to display as many as entries are selected - while others have more entries displayed, then are selected. And some report differing success with displaying "Last 7 days", or "Last 30 days", as opposed to "All time".

One forum helper has suggested a CSS tweak, which may help in some cases - but not consistently.

If you look at the bottom of the sidebar, in this blog, you will see the Popular Posts gadget there.

Please count the number of entries, in the gadget.


I count 7 entries displayed. But the wizard shows 10 selected.

One forum suggestion suggests a workaround for the problem, using an added CSS rule.

Add a CSS rule, to the template, adjusted for how many entries you wish to be displayed.
.PopularPosts ul li:nth-child(n+6){display:none;}
The above rule will limit the display to 5 entries - when more than 5 entries are displayed. I don't think it will increase the number displayed.

How do you code that, to get 10 entries, when only 7 are available?
.PopularPosts ul li:nth-child(n+11){display:none;}
I don't think that will accomplish anything. I wonder if this is related to the problem with deleted posts and the Popular Posts gadget, reported earlier this month?

Anyway, Blogger Engineers are aware of the problem. So, we'll just have to be patient.
(Update 7/20, 10:00): Blogger Engineering has developed a fix for the problem - and the fix should be in place within 24 - 48 hours.

Comments

pipdig said…
We received an influx of support requests when this bug hit. I wonder why it took them so long to fix such an issue :/
Nitecruzr said…
Pip,

I wonder many things. Wondering about Blogger problem resolution policies is as non productive, as anything that I can imagine.

I'll just be thankful, if the problem is resolved. My count is still stuck on 7.

Alan Winter said…
"Last 7 days" isn't working for me. Really old posts show up with that option checked. Other options seem ok.

But then I am also using some custom code.

.popular-posts ul{padding-left:0px;}
.popular-posts ul li {background: #FFF url(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oOVUW06ghgo/UHwuqL9TltI/AAAAAAAAGKU/Nj4DQnvft8k/s1600/1.gif) no-repeat scroll 5px 10px;
list-style-type: none;
margin:0 0 5px 0px;
padding:5px 5px 5px 20px !important;
border: 1px solid #ddd;
border-radius:10px;
-moz-border-radius:10px;
-webkit-border-radius:10px;
}
.popular-posts ul
li:hover {
border:1px solid #6BB5FF;
}
.popular-posts ul
li a:hover {
text-decoration:none;
}
.popular-posts .item-thumbnail img {
webkit-border-radius: 100px;
-moz-border-radius: 100px;
border-radius: 100px;
-webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, .4);
-moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, .4);
box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, .4);
}

hrnd.co.uk
Nitecruzr said…
Alan,

Thanks for the question.

For a blog with any history, you will have a few posts that are very old, that remain popular. This is normal.

The time period "Last 7 days" selects the popularity sampling period - it does not select the time range for post publication. Do you see the difference?

Look at the gadget, on my blog. You'll frequently find "Adding Your Blogger Blog To Your Web Site" and "Leave Comments Here", listed in the popularity set. Both are very old posts - and since they are old, they have a lot of reputation.

A few people visit my blog, to find advice for combining blogs and websites - or possibly more people than look for advice on "Jump Break", for instance.

Your "Plymouth Brethren" post, published in 2013, may simply be a favourite post for people who read your blog. Since it has established popularity, it may well remain popular - at least, until you write another more topical new post that becomes popular.

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2007/06/adding-your-blogger-blog-to-your-non.html

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2005/06/leave-comments-here.html

http://blogging.nitecruzr.net/2015/07/jump-break-is-visible-only-in-index-page.html
Alan Winter said…
"popularity sampling period" - okay, I thought it may have had something to do with that. I'm not someone who easily gets their head around the concept!

On my news blog, hrnd.co.uk it does make me wonder which set of results to encourage people to read!

RESULTS SHOWN FOR LAST 30 DAYS
20 July 2015 ~ Old Palace Lodge
18 July 2015 ~ Campaigners To Present
14 July 2015 ~ Houghton Regis Central
31 July 2015 ~ Accident Increase Rate
14 July 2015 ~ Trees Now on Database

RESULTS SHOWN FOR LAST 7 DAYS
31 July 2015 ~ Accident Increase Rate
30 July 2015 ~ Police Issue Alert
16 May 2015 ~ GO!Houghton
21 April 2015 ~ Arriva Bus
20 July 2015 ~ Old Palace Lodge

Nitecruzr said…
It's your blog, Alan. You get to choose. There's no wrong or right here, just what you do.

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