Posts Tagged ‘woodie knows wordpress’
Adding a form to your WP.com page – Woodie Knows WordPress
May 9, 2012
Oh spring is in the air and so are massive thunderstorms! I’m typing as fast as my little paws will go…then it will be time to burrow in and have some popcorn with Wilhemina…by candlelight! *wink*
Last week, we added a form to our WP.org site..this week, we’re going to add one to our WP.com site. Ready? Let’s dig in!
When you go to make a post or a page on WP.com, at the top, next to the media uploader is a form button. That’s exactly where we’re headed.
Click and up pops this screen
So, this is your basic contact form. With just this information, someone can contact you to ask a question, leave a comment without having your email address posted on your website.
BUT
We can customize it a bit. Click on the right hand side where it says – Can I Add More Fields? or at the bottom of the form where it says Add a New Field
Now we can add a dropdown box, a checkbox, a radio box – you name it, it’s all in there…
Here’s what I did..
The rest of the form is entirely up to your imagination.
Now click on Add This form to my Post
This will insert the shortcode into your post. Don’t mess with this code! =) I mean it!
Now when you hit Publish – your post or page will show the form.
Voila! If you need to edit your form, just go to the same Add A Form button as before and your form will appear. Make your changes, then click save.
Now, if you’ll excuse moi, the lights are flickering and the thunder is crashing. Sounds like a good night for a little woodchuck snuggling! =)
The World’s Easiest Form to add to WordPress – Woodie knows WordPress
May 2, 2012
Greetings all! I barely had time to sneak in a post today – Wilhelmina and I have been down by the river, playing in the water. Later we’re headed over to her folks burrow for a picnic! Lots of goodies – snap peas, petunias and broccoli!
Since I’m running short on time – due to my hachacha date – I’m going to show you the easiest form in the World to add to your WordPress.org site.
First, go to your dashboard go to Plugins>Add New
In the search box type the word Formidable. If you aren’t sure how to install a plug-in, check this post.
Now on your dashboard, you’ll have a new plugin called Formidable. Go ahead and click on it, then choose Forms.
Now we’ll click on Add New
If you want a quick contact us form, choose that on the left hand side. Want to build your own? Choose Blank form, then create.
In the top box, add a title to your form. Like Want a free Bookmark? In the small box below, you can add in instructions to anyone who might want to email you for a free bookmark.
On the right hand side are a collection of items you can drag onto your form. The top ones are for the freebie version. Here I chose single line text.
In the drop down box I marked that it was required information, I put in the field size (how many letters wide I think it should be) and titled it, First Name, Last Name. Then, click update.
Here I’ve used a single line, followed by a paragraph for their mailing address and checkboxes as to which type of bookmark they’d rather receive.
After that, I’ll click update, and move on to settings.
Here, I want my submit button to say Submit, so that’s good, and the confirmation message is ready to go. The only other buttons I would check under that tab is emails to make sure it arrives in the correct email box. If you’ve made changes here, click update and lets look at Entries.
Under here, you can see a variety of ways to publish your new form. The easiest is to go to option #3. This is shortcode. You can use any of these 3 items listed here and just copy and paste the code in a blank page and voila. Your form is complete. Don’t believe me? Go look at preview, you’ll be shocked what that little bit of shortcode will do!
This is Woodie signing off – I’ve got just enough time to grab a handful of tulips from Carrie’s garden for Wilhemina’s mother!
Posted in Woodie Knows Wordpress | 
Tags: carrie spencer, formidable, forms on wordpress, smartass romance, woodie knows wordpress | 
7 Comments »
Hi Ho – Making your blog posts easier with hand made templates – Woodie Knows WordPress
April 25, 2012
Hellloooo my furless friends! I’ve got a bit of exciting news this week. Are you ready? Course you are…
I’d like you to meet my new friend Wilhelmina. This is a pic Carrie took of the two of us on our first date. =) We went to a walk-in movie and had a bit of a snack. Spring is in the air, and so is….romance. Oooh la la!
BUT…I bet you’re waiting to learn more about WordPress eh? All righty then, lets dig in.
Today, we’re going to make templates. Why? Because it’s easy peasy and could save you hours of work. Well okay, technically 5 minutes of work.
Last week we worked on Copy a Post. Well, this is the non-techie-yet-much-incredibly-easier version.
Every week, when I get ready to post, I open a blank post, find the image of moi and then write my article. At the end of every post is my signature, so I once again go to the image editor, find my signature and input.
Could I save myself some searching by just making a template?
You bet your bippie.
First, we’re going to make a open a blank post. I’ll set the title as Woodie Template. Now, I’m off to the image finder to get my graphic and place it in the upper left hand corner as per usual. Then I’m going to jump down a few lines, search for my signature and add that in too.
Looks a bit boring doesn’t it? That’s okay, I’ve now just saved myself five minutes of work EVERY time I post.
Cool.
Now I’ll go to Save Draft. NOT PUBLISH. This version is for me and me only.
Next time I want to make a Woodie post, I simply go to Dashboard>All Posts.
Up in the top, it says Drafts. When I click on that, it will show me what posts I have on Draft, including Woodie’s template.
Now I’ll select ‘Woodie Template’, and there’s all my hard work. I go to copy first, then open a new post and paste.
Tada. Instant start to my post.
Now if you don’t ever start a post the same like the Crazy Cat Lady and myself, then you’ve just wasted a good 5 minutes reading a Woodie post. =) But you did get to meet my new girlfriend, so all isn’t lost!
Enjoy!
Copy a Post Copy a Post Copy a Post – Woodie Knows WordPress
April 18, 2012
Greetings all! Woodie here with yet another amazing post on WordPress. This week, for those of you on WordPress.com, we’re going to learn how to copy a post.
Whaaat? Why on earth would I want to copy a post?
Here now, don’t get your shorts in a knot. What if every single Monday you posted a recipe with a picture in the center. And every single Monday you built your post, formatted the recipe, formatted the picture, added a special signature and foodie tags.
Gets a bit repetitive doesn’t it?
What if you could duplicate last Mondays post and only change the text and photo? Haven’t you now just saved yourself a good 30+ minutes that you could be doing something fun like terrorizing the cats?
Okay then. Lets get started.
First, open a blank post. An inch or so under the post, you’ll see this.
Immediately a new action box will open
Now you pick the post you want to copy and click the copy button. If you don’t see the post you want to use listed, you can search for it in the box above the content.
***PLEASE NOTE*** If you didn’t start with a blank post, you’ll lose any changes to the post you have open.
Now click confirm copy.
In a couple seconds, your post is up in the window. Photos in the right spot, title and tags ready to roll.
***PLEASE NOTE*** Depending on your permalink structure, this could give a weird title to your post.
If you click on edit, you can change the name of the slide show to match your title, but your permalink structure will stay the same.
Now my tags have transferred over, categories and photos. If I add in new text and maybe a new photo, I’ll have cut my time to make a post in at least half.
Copy away my favorite peeps!
This is Woodie, signing off. I have a hot date and we’ve got a new crop of petunias we’re off to see!
Posted in Woodie Knows Wordpress | Tags: carrie spencer, smartass romance, woodie knows wordpress, wordpress tutorials | 8 Comments »
WordPress.org users – lets all be Sociable – Woodie Knows WordPress
April 11, 2012
Greetings boys and girls – Woodie here with more fun stuff you can do with WordPress! Today, we’re going to show the WordPress.org users how they can add social media to their posts. WordPress.com users? Go ahead and check out last weeks post on sharing.
Okay WP users, we’re going to add a plugin to our repertoire, this is simple and painless. Promise!
On your dashboard go to Plugins>Add New
In the search box type the word Sociable.
At the very top of the page, the Sociable plugin will appear, with an Install Now button below it.
Click install and say yes when it asks if you are sure. You’ll have a few seconds here where you can run for a potty break or grab a quick snack while it installs….
And we’re back.
Now you’ll see this on your screen
Go ahead and click activate plugin.
Now on your dashboard, just below settings you have Select Sociable Plugin. Mouseover that and click on Select Sociable Plugin. Now you’ll have two choices – one gives you a “skyscraper” with the icons listed down the side of your post. The other is the classic view that you can put at the bottom (or top) of your posts. Lets go through the classic view.
Underneath the above icons you can click get Classic View.
Now we’ve got some options.
Preview – shows how it will look on your screen
Tagline – it’s set to say Be Sociable, Share! But you can change it or delete it entirely. I also unclicked the box that links to Sociable, but I like less clutter.
Icons to include – Be careful here. The more you choose, the more cluttered your layout. Start with a few and see how it looks. Uncheck any you don’t want to use.
Icon size – mine are 16×16 but experiment
Icon Style – again, a personal preference and easy to change
Locations – Aruba! The beach! The sand! The – ahem. Sorry, got carried away for a sec…..=) Ok, locations is all about where you want those buttons to go. On mine, I clicked the first four, but again – click some, then go check and see what it looks like! You’re the boss!
General options – if you’re uncomfortable with styling your own buttons, just leave this as is.
Active Sociable Classic – make sure this one is checked then click the big green box that says SAVE CHANGES.
And that’s it. You are now up and running to share your posts with the world. Isn’t that a good feeling?
=)
I’m off for the rest of the day, there’s a certain young woodchuck I can see behind the hedges over there. I think she’s giving me “the look.”
Hubba Hubba.
Posted in Woodie Knows Wordpress | Tags: carrie spencer, sharing posts, sociable plugin, woodie knows wordpress, wordpress | 6 Comments »
