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Friday, September 15, 2006

Adding CumulusTopics Code Into Your Blog

This is simpler than it looks. Just go one step at a time.

(Note): Do not omit either step 6 or 12 at any time - always backup the template, before and after doing this. Template backups are exceedingly small. If your disk space is so tight that you can't store half a dozen duplicate copies of your template, it's best that you not use Cumulus Topics. Better safe than sorry.

  1. Download the MultiStyle Labels text. If you downloaded the text yesterday, do it again today. Always get a fresh copy.
    • Right click.
    • Choose Save Link As...
    • Save as desired into a text file.
    • If you like the multi-style concept, but don't want all of the selections, and are handy with coding, you are welcome to customise the menu bar yourself. You can remove any of the menu buttons, for a cleaner look and less selections, if you like. You can also change the default selection. It's your blog.
  2. Sign on as an adminstrator, to your blog.
  3. Select "Customize".
  4. You can only have one Labels page element. If a Labels page element is present, leave it. If not, add one. Position the Labels page element as desired.
  5. From Template, select "Edit HTML".
  6. Backup your template, before proceeding.
  7. Edit the template. Do not select "Expand Widget Templates". Look in the template code, and find the record
    <b:widget id='Label1' ... type='Label' />
  8. Copy and Paste the complete contents of the text file just downloaded, into the template code, replacing the Label1 record.
  9. Save Template, then View Blog.
  10. Test the 4 styles offered in the MultiStyle Labels Menu Bar.
  11. Instructions on customising the installation are being developed. You can customise the captions in the label code, as desired.
  12. When you are satisfied, Backup your template, again, preferably to a new file (save the previous backup too).

CumulusTopics - How Does It Work?




This lets you decide how you want to list the Topics (aka Labels). You select the Style that pleases you, not the blog owner. So, how does it work?

Hide
Select Hide Style to hide everything except the MultiStyle Labels Menu Bar. Hide Style is the default in this blog; other blogs may vary.





List
Select List Style for the familiar long list, alphabetised, with post counts.





Menu
Select Menu Style for a pop up list, alphabetised, with post counts.





Zoom
Select Zoom Style for a long list, alphabetised, using larger fonts to identify topics with higher post counts.






Original code by Ramani of HackOSphere, modified by Chuck of RBS.


(Question):
This rocks! So, Chuck, how do I get this into my blog? For the answer, see Adding CumulusTopics Code Into Your Blog.