Cumulus LinkList - How Does It Work?

This lets you decide how you want to list your BlogRoll. You select the LinkList view that pleases you, not the blog owner. So, how does it work?

LinkList Hidden
Here you see no linklist.

LinkList Shown
Here you see the linklist, as you would normally do.


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

Customising Multiple LinkLists

Each LinkList in your blog will have a unique number. You must replace the default record

<b:widget id='LinkList ... type='LinkList'/>

with the code for that LinkList. For instance

<b:widget id='LinkList3' ... type='LinkList'/>

must be replaced with the correct code for LinkList3.

The Cumulus HiddenLinkList code, as provided, can replace LinkList1 thru LinkList7, without modification. Simply select as appropriate.

• Right click, on the appropriate link.
  • LinkList1.
  • LinkList2.
  • LinkList3.
  • LinkList4.
  • LinkList5.
  • LinkList6.
  • LinkList7.
• Choose Save Link As...
• Save as desired into a text file.

If you have a linklist in the blog, other than Linklist1 thru LinkList7, you'll have to download LinkList1, then edit the code, in 9 locations, as shown below. In other words, if you're looking to hide Linklist17, change all 9 instances of 1 to 17.

Note that this code is provided for example only, and is liberally seeded with gratuitous line breaks, to prevent display problems. Always start with proper downloaded code.

To prevent problems, change all 9 "1" identically, to match the existing "<b:widget id='LinkList..." widget.

<b:widget id='LinkList1' locked='false' title='Links' type='LinkList'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<b:if cond='data:title'>
<h2><data:title/></h2>
</b:if>
(Select To Hide or Show Linklist)<br/>
<a href='javascript:void' onclick='javascript:hideLinklist1();
' title='Switch to Hidden Linklist'>
<img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/
5761/839511333942044/1600/Label%20Hide%20Style.jpg'/></a>
<a href='javascript:void' onclick='javascript:showLinklist1();
' title='Switch to Visible Linklist'>
<img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/
5761/839511333942044/1600/Label%20List%20Style.jpg'/></a>
<b><a href='http://cumulusblogs.blogspot.com/2006/12/
cumulus-linklist-how-does-it-work.html'>What Are These Boxes?</a></b>

<div class='widget-content'>
<div id='LinkListDisplay1'>
</div>
</div>

<script language='javascript' type='text/javascript'>

function showLinklist1() {
var display = "<ul>";
<b:loop values='data:links' var='link'>
display = display + "
<li><a expr:href='data:link.target'>
<data:link.name/></a></li>";
</b:loop>
display = display + "</ul>";

obj = document.getElementById('LinkListDisplay1');
obj.innerHTML = display;
}

function hideLinklist1() {
var display = "";

obj = document.getElementById('LinkListDisplay1');
obj.innerHTML = display;
}

// set default to Hidden Linklist
hideLinklist1();
</script>

<b:include name='quickedit'/>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>

Adding CumulusLinkList Code Into Your Blog

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


(Note): Do not omit either step 5 or 9 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 Linklists. Better safe than sorry.

1. Sign on as an adminstrator, to your blog.


2. Select "Customize".


3. You can have multiple LinkList page elements, and hide whichever ones you wish. Go to Page Elements. For each linklist that you wish to hide, edit its page element, and give it a distinctive title. This will let you easily identify its template HTML entry.


4. From Template, select "Edit HTML".


5. Backup your template, before proceeding.


6. Edit the template. Do not select "Expand Widget Templates". Find each record
   

   <b:widget ... title='?????' type='LinkList' />

   where "?????" = the titles given in the above step. See Customising Multiple LinkLists, extract the correct HiddenLinkList text file, and replace each widget record, carefully, one at a time, with the extracted code.


7. Save Template, then View Blog.


8. Test the new linklist.


9. When you are satisfied, Backup your template, again, preferably to a new file (save the previous backup too).


10. Note: Cumulus LinkList code is data sensitive. If you setup the code and carefully check the element numbers (for uniqueness and for consistency), and with links defined in the list, you hit the List Open button and nothing happens, examine each link in the linklist, using the Page Elements link widget. Very long link labels and / or link labels with special characters may make the code inoperable.