Blog Index Challenges & Questions (Tag Filtering Solved :) )

I’m having some odd issues on the Blog Post Index page. I’ve read the instructions, reviewed the forum, and puzzled on it but cannot solve. Perhaps others have similar issues/solutions?

The Issues
A. Links from Index to the post.
Presently only the title links to post. Is there a way for the RSS/Summary to auto link back to the individual post? Other than overlaying a box atop the summary, does anyone have a convenient method for a click/tap anywhere on the summary to link back?

B. Blog Tags/links Sorting
When on the index page, the tags/links fail to sort the current Blog Index page. They function only when linking back to the index page. Seems the tags should sort the current sort too, or have I missed something?

C. Show in Blog Index box
Items cannot be selected in the Show in Blog Index (grayed out) when the item is within a group. Is this normal or have I missed something?

D. New Blog Post
When creating a new blog, do you duplicate an existing one or select “New Blog” and copy/paste structure elements? I’ve been duplicating then altering the existing blog and summary but wonder if there is a better approach.

Thanks for any comments/suggestions.

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On the blog index sorting side I was simply told “No that’s not possible. The base assumption of how blogs work is the newest entry is at the top” and yet the index is sorted by date order initially by Sparkle - so where would be the problem in allowing a user/developer to sort the blog index I wonder?

If I am honest, all your soren and problems I did not understand. But let’s give it a try.

A blog, as I understand it, consists of three parts: the actual content page, the associated, usually truncated RSS view, and the index page with the RSS views.

(A) Is the link via the title (RSS) to the content not enough for you? Just make your own links in the RSS view. Also a link to go back to the index.

(B) I don’t understand. Did the update to 4.0.5 improve anything? Or do you mean filtering the blog overview by tags?

(C) Don’t understand what you mean.

(D) Yes, I duplicate an existing blog page and change the content accordingly. I also make sure that the RSS view is the same so that the blog index page appears homogeneous. But that’s ultimately up to each person.

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Thanks @rogerb .

Yes, the default (only?) option is to sort the index in reverse chronology with or without Tags.

A clunky but feasible work around is to alter the publication date in the order you want the sort. Then, if needed, manually enter the pub date where you want the ‘actual’ date displayed. Use tags to include/exclude specific posts.

My question, though, is on the Tag sorting (see response to @Mr_Fozzie’s request for clarification).

Appreciate the response, @Mr_Fozzie. Thank you. And, yes, honest responses are most appreciated because they prompt clarification, hopefully. To that, I turn below.

A: RSS/Summary
My experience with Indices is to click/tap anywhere on the summary to go to the full post. It’s just an intuitive action to direct the click/tap where eyes are focused rather than locate the title to select. I was wondering if I had missed something to auto-create the link from full summary. Certainly, I can, and have, added a box overlay for the link.

Since the latest update (v4.0.5 as I type), however, I see now that each summary includes a greyed overlay, which makes the tap-anywhere even more intuitive. If its not default, I’ll submit to the Suggestions thread.

B: Blog Tags/links Sorting
Update didn’t fix my issue, as far as I can see.

Upon original landing on the Index page, all posts are sorted by date as programmed.

However, when on the Index page, clicking on a tag does nothing, which seems counterintuitive to me (related to @rogerb’s point, I think). That is, clicking on the “Start” button on my index page does NOT change the displayed posts to those with “Start” tag.

But, go to any post and click on any tag (“Setup” tab in this case) returns one to the Index page with only the tag’s posts displayed.

Index with “Setup” posts displayed.

But, selecting a different tag on the Index page (“Tutorials” in this case) does not alter the display.

However, if one goes to any post and selects a different tag group, one is returned to the Index with the new tag group displayed.

See live display at PPemail.net/seminars (although details may change due to updates).

It seems odd that changing displayed posts can happen only when returning to the index page but not while on it. Is this your issue @rogerb?

C. Show in Blog Index
“Show in Blog Index” is greyed out, unselectable.
5

When I first open a post, most (all?) elements in the post can be checked or not. However, when I place an element within a group, the toggle greys and one cannot select. Is this programmed behaviour? Perhaps I am missing something about the option.

D. New Blog Post
Cool. Seems the most efficient method. But I wonder if this generates some of the downstream troubles described above.

Thanks, much, for your suggestions and comments.

Hello.

I still can’t really follow you. Perhaps someone who does more with blogs must continue.

(A) An overlay on the RSS view? Not very elegant. For me, the title is enough as a link. Also an inserted picture serves as a link. Furthermore, I insert the first 25 words of the post followed by [read more …] which is then also set as a link.

(B) The navigation between index and post and filtering / unfiltering is really a bit fiddly. I have in each post and RSS two links leading back: a) back to index b) with javascript only 1 page back. And in all RSS I have the tag “all” which allows quasi “unfiltering”.

(C) This is actually always grayed out for me. One time it’s tagged, then it’s not. I can’t change it anywhere. And I don’t know what it’s for. A developer must say something about it.
Addition: It seems that this option is only available when the RSS overview needs to be recreated in a new blog post. Then you can select or deselect objects.
Since I copy a blog post (with its RSS), I don’t see this anymore.

Mr. F.

Thanks for the attempts.

A. Your method is probably the traditional standard especially when using a mouse. I’ve found that when tapping on touch screens (particularly), it feels more intuitive to tap where my eyes are rather than look for the more/title/image. By the time I’ve determined to read a post, I am well past the title and its easier to just tap anywhere on the feed. No worries, though, it is easy enough to just click on the target.

B. The “All” tag may be a good solution. Thanks.

C. Maybe that explains it: it must be an original RSS/Summary to select. If not original, then its greyed. Thanks!

Retracted. The filtering issue remains.

Hi @rogerb ,

Did the recent updates (v4.0.6/7) fix your Blog Index ‘sorting’ issue?

I now see that our issues are slightly different. Your issue seems to be properly labeled ‘sorting’ but mine would be better identified as ‘filtering.’

My (filtering) issue remains, as described in Item B earlier (although mislabeled as ‘sorting’).

I had built my Blog Index structure with tags/links filters but seems best to remove it for now because they are nonfunctional. The URL link displays properly but, when on the Index page, the posts fail to filter to the tag. Is this the same/similar as your issue or is yours strictly a rearrangement of the posts, ‘sorting’, without filtering per se?

Sparkle’s delay on this fix is understandable as they’ve had a few emergencies of late. I am certain @duncan et al. are working hard; but hoping they can address this filtering issue eventually.

Hello.

I still don’t quite follow you. You seem to be doing something wrong. Filtering blog posts using the tags in the blog overview, works fine for me. At least in the preview, since I have not switched the blog live, for lack of input.

The tags for each blog post I write only in the RSS view. These then do not appear in the blog index of the respective post.

In the blog index, you can show the tags separately and have them sorted either alphabetically or by number. ALL tags are always displayed, even if filtered by a tag.

That’s why I have the tag “all” in every post and sort by number. Then this is in the first place.

Please describe your approach in more detail:

  • Where do you enter the tags of a post?
  • How many tags are there per post (only 1 or several)?
  • Do you have a link back to the index in the (full) blog post?
  • Do you create each post from scratch, or do you copy and edit an existing post?
  • Did you add the tags to the index and do they all appear?

We will find a solution for you here.

Mr. F.

Thanks for your continued persistence, @Mr_Fozzie.

I believe this identifies the vital distinction: You write about an issue without direct experience. The filtering works in Preview for me, as well, but NOT in a live page. The success in Preview with v4.0.6/7 is why I changed the title to “partially solved.” Its continued failure, at least on my live site, is why I removed the laudation.

Check a live page, as linked prior, with Preview successes displayed in images following.

PREVIEW FUNCTIONS PROPERLY
Orignal Landing-All posts, note the two posts displayed with others out of screen.

Filtered by PPecloud Tag, note single post displayed.

It seems, then, that since the tags/filters work in Preview, Sparkleapp intends filtering to work on live sites too; yet, as you now should see, they do not (at least not on my live site). Thus, my continued interest in the solution, whether a Sparkle fix or correction of my (mis)design.

Thanks, much, for your continuing attempt to clarify.

UPDATE:

Working via email directly with @duncan , the lack of filtering on the Blog Index page seems to be a bug. They will work on it on a future update.

Hello.

Then I have made a mistake. Sorry.
I was under the assumption that if it runs in the preview, then also live.

I am trying to put my test blog online for testing purposes.
For that I have to move it to another project first.
We will see.

Or Duncan has actually identified a bug.

Mr. F.

Please, no apology necessary (but readily accepted). We are here to learn, which occurs more efficiently in a climate where genuine suggestions are encouraged even if they turn out misguided.

Also, for the reasons this thread supports, I suggest a Staging site always before live publishing (see post on Sharing Site thread).

The whole thing is really a bit weird.
I pulled my test blog into another project and published it. The result was terrible. The layout was messed up and the links didn’t work most of the time.

Then I deleted everything (old blog) and created a new blog in this project. Everything seems to work there now.

But let’s let the master have his say.

Mr. F.

Hello.

Can it be that the Blog Index page does not cope with wide layouts (1366 px tested)? No matter what I did, the left margin in the index was always pulled in on a published page. In the preview everything was fine.

So I have to conclude that :zipper_mouth_face:
I saved the buggy old project with 1366 px width and can provide it to Duncan if desired.

Here are two more screenshots. Both iMac 27" and Safari 15.4 (sparkle 4.0.7)

It’s just a dummy blog.

I changed the test project to my “old” settings: 1200 auto, 960 custom, 768 auto - all is fine.

Mr. F.

Please send the buggy project yes.

Please don’t promote this idea. When the published page doesn’t work like in preview we 100% consider it a bug and want to know about it as soon as possible and we fix it right away.

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I believe greying of the “Show in Blog Index” issue is solved.

It’s not simply a grouping issue. When the group includes an element that is incompatible with the blog index page (e.g., the Blog Tags) or the group has a special command (e.g., Custom Scrolling), the group and no element in the group is available for automatic inclusion in the summary. The Blog Index page likely has special defaults that make specific settings incompatible and thus, the Show in… option is greyed.

@duncan Is this correct?
Some additional instructions in the Documentation would be helpful, at least I found nothing discussing this issue.

Thanks we’ll try to improve the documentation when we next revise it.

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