Blogging

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Blogging

• February 7, 2006

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What is a Blog

• Is a way to easily update information on the Web
  in a news or announcement type format.
• Is often used for up-to-the-minute news stories.
• Can be easily updated using a web form, from
  anywhere.
• Has the ability to separate content from design
  using XML so that the Blog can be displayed in
  multiple places using different styles.

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VCUs Blog

• We have just upgraded the Blogging system
• We are using Moveable Type 3.2
• Can have Personal Blogs and Organizational/Class
  Blogs
• Can have multiple contributors to a single Blog
• Friendly URLs for your Blog
• http//blog.vcu.edu/yourblog

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Online Help

• Blog Information
• http//blog.vcu.edu
• General Help
• http//www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/blog/
• Displaying your Blog in an HTML page
• http//www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/blog/grabrss.html

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Getting Started

• Login (http//blog.vcu.edu/)
• If you dont have an account one will be
  automatically created for you
• If you would like a special Blog for your
  organization or class then fill out the Special
  Blog Request Formhttp//www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/blog/
  getblog.html
• Add new content often

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Login

• Go to
• http//blog.vcu.edu/
• Click on Login
• Use your eID and Password to login
• The URL of your Blog is
• http//blog.vcu.edu/Your_eID/

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After your Login
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Add a new entry
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Adding Entry with an Image
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Adding Entry with an Image
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Editing Entries
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Categories

• Categories can be used to break up posts in
  smaller groups
• For example a news Blog could have the following
  categories
• National News
• Research News
• VCU News

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Categories
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Using Categories
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Comments

• To prevent comment spamming you can choose to
  approve all comments before they are posted to
  your blog.

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Comment Approval
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Comment Settings
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Setting the Blogs Title
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Blog Settings
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The Rebuild Button

• If you make a change to your Blog you will need
  to Rebuild it.
• If you made a change to your Blog, but do not see
  the change after you refreshed the page, try
  Rebuilding the Blog

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Moveable Type Templates
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What are all the templates for?
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Adding a pre-made Style-Sheet

• Choose one of these, modify it, or use it as a
  template to design your own
• http//www.sixapart.com/movabletype/styles/library
  
• You might also need to upload any associated
  images to you blog using the Upload Files
  option.

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IMPORTANT NOTE

• DO NOT replace the entire Stylesheet.
• Only replace the bottom half where the design
  references are made.
• This section will start with/ name Template
  Name designer Designer Name designer_url
  http//www.website.com developer Developer
  Namedeveloper_url http//www.website.com /

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Podcasting
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Podcasting
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Subscribe to Podcast
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Listen to the Podcast
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Same Blog, Different Places

• Blog Home Page
• http//blog.vcu.edu/tsnews/
• Departmental Home Page
• http//www.ts.vcu.edu/
• Portal
• http//my.vcu.edu
• Other RSS Feed Readers

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Blog Home Page Department Home Page
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myVCU Portal RSS Feed Readers
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RSS

• This is the way your headlines can be displayed
  in multiple places (and be current) and linked
  back to your Blog.
• The headlines and links to your posts are stored
  in the http//blog.vcu.edu/yourblog/index.xml
  file.
• Blog Classes
• There are a couple new Blog Classes that will
  be offered to help people ajust to the new Blog
  or help new people learn about blogging.
• Monroe Park Campus
  
• urse_detail.asp?ID2983"Feb. 7th at 1pm
  
  /
• urse_detail.asp?ID2984"Apr. 18th at 9am
• MCV Campus
  
• urse_detail.asp?ID2983"Mar. 27th at 9am
• I am also available to come to your class or
  department to give special instruction if you
  want to get your students or employees
  blogging.
• http//blog.vcu.edu/2006/01/blog_classes_1.h
  tml
• http//blog.vcu.edu/2006/01/blog_classes_1.h
  tml

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Using RSS

• Add an RSS feed to another HTML page
• http//www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/blog/grabrss.html
• Syndicating Blog in the myVCU Portal
• Add the myRSS Feeds Portlet
• Customize the portlet and enter your Feed URL
  (http//blog.vcu.edu/yourblog/index.xml)
• Podcasting
• http//www.ts.vcu.edu/faq/blog/podcasting.html

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Questions?