Help with Blog « Vfxdude

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Help with Blog

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Started 10 months ago by etczer
Latest reply from vfxdude

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etczer
Member

I am a long time user (several years) of this theme, but only recently did I want to start using the Blog section. I read thru the forum and cannot seem to find an answer to my issue.

I created a page called "blog" and set the template to blogposts. However the page shows a "post" of my front page and includes all my widgets on it. I understand that the "reading" setting of wordpress overwrites the blogpost settings - however you do you setup the format of the blogposts? I only want it to show my blog postings and I want to customize the widgets that show on the page, but I can't find any setting that will let me customize it.

Please let me know where I can customize the blog posts page! Where is the setting?

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

However the page shows a "post" of my front page
It shows pages? There was such a bug with the blogposts template, but it was fixed. What version of the theme are you using?

and includes all my widgets on it
The main sidebar is included in the blogposts template (and also blog archive/search/single post view). It is possible to add a custom sidebar to the frontpage with the widgetarea shortcode. If you remove the widgets from the main sidebar the blogposts template will not use the sidebar.

The shortcode template system can be used to customize the post layout/design of the blog index/archive/search/single. See this video for more info on that.

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

I am use the latest version.

The template system helps, but I am unable to create the template system for collection of videos that I have.

Question - do the videos need to be posted each as individual posts with their own category for this to work? I would like to display a bunch of videos similar to this format:
http://www.vfxdude.com/testblog/shortcodes/thumb-posts/bfthumbs4/

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

do the videos need to be posted each as individual posts with their own category for this to work?
Yes, and then you target archive in combination with that category (in the template), and access the video page when clicking on a category in the blog (archive). The link to it depends on the permalink structure used. The bfthumbs in that template would then be something like this (based on the example you linked to):
[bfthumbs sid="bfthumbs-video" showposts="4" width="414" height="200" numcols="2" marginright="20" text="false" title="false" caption="overlay" popup="true" ajaxnav="false"]

Removing the category parameter, because with the template system it will automatically know what category to use. Also switch numposts with showposts for how many posts per page (and the wp-pagenavi or wp page numbers must be installed for page navigation), and adding ajaxnav="false" to use the normal page navigation method used for rest of the blog.

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

Sorry, I'm either not understanding or it just isn't working for me.

I created a video POST using the shortcode proplayer method. The post works fine and shows the video. The video post shows on my blog (which I don't want it to do).

So I go and create a template called videos, I use the bfthumbs structure above and I link the category (videos) that I assigned to the video post. I choose achieve and then I put in the post ID of the page I would like these to display on.

The page that I choose (with the Post ID) is blank and does not show the thumbnail or the video.

What am I doing wrong?

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

So I go and create a template called videos, I use the bfthumbs structure above and I link the category (videos)

You target the template you mean? by choosing archive and the category in the right list?

The page that I choose (with the Post ID) is blank and does not show the thumbnail or the video.
What do you mean about "the page that you choose"? It's supposed to show in the blog archive for the video category, not in a page. Add the video category to the navigation and you have a link to it.

And I recommend to use iframe embed or url instead of proplayer. If the thumbs do not show video preview images with the proplayer shortcode, then it's because the plugin is changed, or not working with the WP version.

I recommend to test the bfthumbs in a page before using the shortcode template system, and maybe you don't have to use the template system at all, since a page can show a video gallery (the category parameter must be added to the shortcode then). The shortcode template should be used to change the post layout of the already existing blog index/archive/search/single.

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

If you could, can we back up a bit?

I am using version 1.4.2.3. The first issue I had is that I can't get my blog to work. So I went to WP > Reading Settings > from there I have my front page as a static page and my blog was blank, as I wasn't using it. So I set my blog status page to a page I created called "Blog." From there, if I went to my "blog" page it shows my posts but I didn't know how to format how they looked - which is when I asked you how to do it. You instructed me to use the templates feature, which I enabled. It seemed to format the blog page correctly - however it now does not show any new posts. Just the posts that were there from before. I turned the template feature off - and my new posts show up. I turn it on, and they disappear.

I thought perhaps it was the WP > Reading Settings > that maybe was interferring with the new template setting - so I turned that setting to Blank or None again, and when saving then it shows my Front Page (which is a static page) in my blog format, with no posts. So I have to leave that set to my blog page.

So I'm stuck with a blog that doesn't show new posts, or I can revert back to the basic settings of showing blog posts without formatting. So I have 2 questions: 1., how do you specifically change the settings of how the blog page displays posts, without using templates? 2. Is there any way you can log into my theme and see where I'm going wrong or what is conflicting?

Thanks.

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

I recommend to test the bfthumbs in a page before using the shortcode template system, and maybe you don't have to use the template system at all, since a page can show a video gallery (the category parameter must be added to the shortcode then).

Can you tell me how exactly to do this? This is what I want to do - what category parameter? Can you give me an example of the code and an example you tube video? I work best off of examples.

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

Can you give me an example of the code

[bfthumbs sid="bfthumbs-video" category="video" showposts="4" width="414" height="200" numcols="2" marginright="20" text="false" title="false" caption="overlay" popup="true" ajaxnav="false"]

and an example you tube video?
Nope.

Here's how: Create a page, call it anything and add the code above.

An alternative is to create a custom post type for the video library. Use the Simple Custom Post Type plugin to create the custom post type, and then the bfthumbs is like this:

[bfthumbs sid="bfthumbs-video" post_type="video" showposts="4" width="414" height="200" numcols="2" marginright="20" text="false" title="false" caption="overlay" popup="true" ajaxnav="false"]

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

Sorry - I meant that just use any youtube video in an example with the code. I didn't meant you to make a video.

So if you use the code above, I want to know how to add a video to the page. I have a URL, what code do I use to add the video to the page? That is the piece I am missing and do not understand.

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

So if you use the code above, I want to know how to add a video to the page. I have a URL, what code do I use to add the video to the page? That is the piece I am missing and do not understand.
You add the videos as posts (add iframe or url to the video field of the post) and add them to the video category. The short code above fetches those posts.

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

That works great - however my only issues is that these video posts now show up on my blog.

My blog template does not have the category "video" checked, but the "video" posts still show up there. Any ideas on how to make sure they do not? Or is that by design and is there no way around it?

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

My blog template does not have the category "video" checked, but the "video" posts still show up there.
For the blog targeting in the shortcode template all posts will be targeted. It's just for the archive and single (post) combinations can be used (archive and category/tag/taxonomy/posttype).

You can use a category visibility plugin to hide the posts from the blog, or create custom post type with the Simple Custom Post Type plugin. The custom post type is recommended, since those category visibility plugins have been very buggy. Here's how to create custom post type:

1. Install and activate the Simple Custom Post Type plugin.

2. Go to it's settings and add a custom post type. Just add a name, labels and also include the "Custom fields" feature. Then posts can be added to the new post type, and videos added to the video field. The last bfthumbs above must be used then (in a page, not in the shortcode template) with the post_type parameter (same name as used when created the custom post type).

If you want categories, custom taxonomies can be added with this plugin. Just including the standard post categories to the new custom post type does not work, so therefore a custom taxonomy must be used instead. Use the tax parameter for bfthumbs to get posts based on taxonomies (use the Shortcode GUI for more info on the parameters).

Posted 10 months ago #
etczer
Member

I tried the simple custom post type plugin, but after creating the custom post type I didn't understand how to associate that post type with the post itself. I didn't see any option to do so when in the post.

I installed the category visibility plugin and that seems to work great. Thanks for all your help.

Posted 10 months ago #
vfxdude
admin

I didn't understand how to associate that post type with the post itself
You create new posts in the new post type. Here's a video showing this.

I installed the category visibility plugin and that seems to work great.
Good. This is much easier than the custom post type method.

Posted 10 months ago #

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