The Technically Challenged's Guide to Blogger

The End

2007-03-16T13:15:00.001-04:00

This isn't going as well as I would like, so I am going to stop updating this blog.

Maybe I will get back to it one day.

Technically Challenged Humor

2007-02-28T13:20:00.000-05:00

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Next Week's Tech Challenged Topic: Adding links with New Blogger

(Sorry, I have been too busy at work this week.)

Fast Tip: Cut and Paste

2007-02-22T14:41:00.000-05:00

Did you know...

You can use CTRL+X to cut text, CTRL+C to copy text and CTRL+V to paste text. These commands can also be used in programs like Word, Notepad, and Outlook email messages.

Changing your Template

2007-02-21T13:57:00.000-05:00

Assuming Blogger forced you to the new version, and you are still using your original blogger template, you will probably find that it is easier, and more customizeable, to upgrade your template to the new Blogger version. It is especially easy for the Technically Challenged. Or, if you have a friend or relative set up your template, you may want to use the new blogger template features for ease of use, so you do not have to rely on them. Please note that if they set up your blogroll (the links), added pictures, or customized your sidebar in any way, you will probably lose this information.

If you go to your Template tab at the top of your screen, you should get a screen that looks like this.

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As I stated, do not click this button if you have a customized template. Or, if you do, make sure you back up your old template. (Skip past the next graphic if you do not plan to back up your template.) The best way to do this is to go under your Template tab and click Edit HTML. Don't worry so much about what the text says. Just click inside the box, per the example below, and then hit CTRL+A. The text should highlight similar to the example below. If it looks like that picture, hit CTRL+C to copy the text. I recommend opening a program like Notepad and hitting CTRL+V or going under Edit --> Paste to paste your text, then saving the file under a file name of your choosing. (i.e. template backup) Once you are done backing up, it is safe to click the button.

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Once you hit the orange button, you will get a menu of the different templates you can choose from. You will find they are the same templates that you originally could choose. The trick is that you can now customize them without having to know HTML. (Which will be another lesson.)

Once you have your template set, make sure you hit the orange SAVE TEMPLATE button to change your template to the new version.

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New Blogger

2007-02-16T15:57:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure if I was going to continue this guide or not, but with New Blogger, it could still be important. For those of you who check up, I am going to try to start doing my posts once a week, every Wednesday. Also, I am wondering if I should set up a subscription box. Leave me a comment one way or the other if you like that idea.

All my previous posts still apply with New Blogger.

Digital Cameras

2007-01-25T09:47:00.000-05:00

Maybe you have decided to up the level of content of your blog to include pictures. What better way to do so than with a digital camera. Digital cameras are great. You can take as many pictures as you want, without development costs, you don't need a scanner, and you get your photo instantly.

Here is what I look for in a camera:

Pixels - Usually this will be around the lens area. I usually go mid-range, not the highest, because the camera will be more expensive, but I don't want the lowest either. Just remember, the more pixels you have, the better the picture will be.

Comfort - Look for a camera that is comfortable to you. Try to find a salesperson who will cover the options with you, and definately don't impulse buy on a product like this.

Ease of Setup - I don't worry about this step too much, because I am technically minded, and also, I am married to Mr. Technical. Trust me, if I can't get it, Mr. Technical can! However, if you don't have a Mr. Technical in your home, ask how easy it is to set up the camera. Also ask if your model has a docking station. This most likely will make life even easier for you.

Video - Sometimes it is fun to be able to do little video clips. If this is a feature you want, many point and shoot cameras include it.

Of course, it doesn't hurt to bring a technical friend with you, if you have someone.

Other Technically Challeged Areas...

2007-01-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

I think I would like to post on other areas that may affect the Technically Challenged. I will still do the blogger stuff, but expand my horizons a bit so I am not limited to just blogger information.

What would you like to see?

Fast Tip: Adding a Link

2007-01-16T07:12:00.000-05:00

Did you know...

By clicking the green world with sunglasses icon, you can add links easily to your blog.

Fast Tip: Edit HTML

2007-01-12T19:31:00.000-05:00

Did you know...

that if you click the Edit HTML tab, you can better control the display of your blog? Assuming you know HTML, of course.

Change Over

2006-12-31T23:34:00.000-05:00

I made the switch to new Blogger on my regular blog, so I am doing so here as well. I hope to have new content and some fast tips for you all really soon.

Technically Challenged Humor

2006-12-22T13:59:00.000-05:00

Blogger in Beta

2006-08-20T14:24:00.000-04:00

They are releasing a new version of blogger, which I haven't tried yet. We will see how this changes the scope of this blog.

Technically Challenged Humor

2006-08-16T15:09:00.000-04:00

How to Add an Avatar, Part I

2006-07-06T22:59:00.000-04:00

I made an avatar. It is sized right, but how to associate it or link to the blog. And can you just use an avatar in comments without linking to the blog? - Rosie

There are two ways to add an avatar. One way to do so is through blogger directly, and the second way is using an off site host. For this post, we will cover the blogger way.

Create a new post in blogger. Upload the picture that you will want to use for your avatar. For our example, we will use my avatar, Elastigirl.

Once you have uploaded your avatar of choice, you will need to go to the Edit Html tab in the upper right corner of the screen.

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Instead of the nice picture format, see a bit of confusing code. This is how blogger understand how you want your picture. You will only need to find a little bit of this code.

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The code you need is always between the two quotation marks. You can select the text and right click to copy, or select the text and hit Ctrl+C to copy. (Note that you do not need to hit the + key. The + is used to indicate that you hit the two keys together.) Next, you will want to save your post as a draft. Mostly, this is to refer back if you happen to lose the bit of code you need. Next go to your dashboard and click on Edit Profile. (An alternate is to open a new window in your browser by hitting Ctrl+N and opening your Blogger dashboard.)

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Next scroll down your profile until you see Photograph. If you have never done an avatar before, there should be nothing there. If a friend has helped you put up a picture, and you want to find a new one, the old picture will be there. Click on Photo Url and paste in the bit of code we copied by hitting Ctrl+V or right clicking and then clicking paste.

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Next, you will scroll to the bottom and hit the Save Profile button. You should now have a profile picture for your blog.

Technically Challenged Humor

2006-06-30T20:12:00.000-04:00

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How Do I Change my Text Font and Color?

2006-06-21T23:55:00.000-04:00

Say you have a quote that you want to stand out, so you want to put it into a different color. Or you want to bold it, italicize it, or make it smaller/bigger? Using the compose tab, this is actually very easy!

Let's use the following quote as an example:

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

You decide you want Emerson's name to be in a smaller font. First, select the name. Next, click the arrow in the second box from the left, next to Normal Size to select Small or Tiny. For this example, we will choose small.

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After completing these steps, your quote should look like this:

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Next, say you want to put the quote in italics, but you want to bold the name. On your toolbar, you will see an I and a B. The I is for italics, and the B is for bold. First, we select the text we want to italize. Then, we hit the I. It is that simple. For bold, we would select the name and the B. I won't post a picture, but if you try this on your own, your quote should now look like this:

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finally, you want to make the quote orange. First, you select the text you want to change the color to. Then, you will click on the little box with the T and a box of colors next to it. You will be able to find it next to the I button.

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When you are done, your quote should look like this:

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Now you know the basics for changing your text. Remember, practice makes perfect, and after a little practice, we can go into more advance options for customizing your font and colors.

Been Busy

2006-04-18T01:03:00.000-04:00

I am really surprised that a few people have stopped by this little blog and said how much they enjoy it. I am not neglecting my duties, I just have been busy. I am not sure how much I can write on blogger anyway, but we will see how far it will go.

Do you have anything you would like to see on The Technically Challeged's Guide to Blogger? Just leave a comment with your question and I will see if I can help you. I think my next post will be on font colors.

How Do I Link to Another Website?

2006-03-21T21:10:00.000-05:00

Posting a link is easy, once you know how to do it! First, you want to select the text you are interested in linking. You can do this by putting the cursor in front of the text you want to select and hitting the [SHIFT] +[-->] key to then end or by taking your mouse and left clicking at the front of the text, until a box has selected what you want to create a link to.

Next, you will want to choose the button that looks like a green ball with a pair of sunglasses (or sideways 8 on a green ball).

When you select this link, a box will pop up. In this box, you want to type or paste the URL (aka the web address). Click OK, and your text will get an underline.

After you publish your blog, the text will be blue and any visitor can click on that link and go to the website you linked to.

How Do I Post a Picture?

2006-03-10T12:58:00.000-05:00

Perhaps you have been interested in loading a picture, but you aren't quite sure how to do so. After all, those pretty colors and symbols above the text box you are typing in have no meaning for you. You know you are technically challenged, and you are proud of it!

However, you don't want to seem ignorant and ask. What if the person scoffs at you and says, "Dude, it is so easy!" Well, that is why this guide is here! We will help you through your picture crisis!

The first step is to find the pretty blue square on the toolbar above the text box you type in. You can click the picture if you need a larger view. Hit the back button to return to this blog.

After you click the blue button, a box will pop up in a separate window.

From this point, you only want to concern yourself with a few things. Ignore all the rest of the things in the box, with the exception of the five things below.

We are going to assume you know where to find your pictures on your computer. If you don't, you may have to call the neighbor kid and ask him to show you. The reason for this is that each computer is different.

The file bar and browse button: So, maybe you know exactly where your picture is. Well, you have the option of typing it in, of course. But most people choose to click the browse button. With the browse button, your My Documents folder will typically pop up. Find the folder you keep your pictures in. In many cases, this is the My Pictures folder. Choose the picture that you want to upload. Then go to Step 2.
Chooose where you want your picture to be on the blog. If you are really technically challeged and want things to look pretty, I recommend center. However, you can also choose left or right for your picture, and then the text will apppear next to the photo. It is up to you.
Choose how you want your picture to look. In most cases, people visiting your site will be able to click on the picture to enlarge it. I recommend medium or large though, because I don't want to have to pull out my glasses to see a picture either. If you like your pictures to always be Medium and Center, you can choose to put a check in the Use this layout every time box.
Upload Image does just that. When you are done choosing your options, click Upload Image. A box will appear telling you that it is uploading the image from your computer. Sit back and take a sip of coffee. When Blogger is done, you will see a box with a blue DONE button. Click this button and your image will appear in blogger.
The Cancel button is for anytime until the upload process. Maybe you realized Aunt Ida might not appreciate having a picture of Uncle Earl wearing lipstick posted all over the web. Hit Cancel and no one will be the wiser that you tried to upload that incriminating picture of Uncle Earl.