A user must be logged in to create blog.

http:yoursite.com/weblogs/create/

Blog Field Descriptions

• Title: Name of Blog.
• Header Image: Select an image that will be Displayed with the Title.
• Display: List in Public Indexes, to be searched on the News site and appear in “SEE ALL” lists or “RECENT BLOGS” list. If the user does not list in the public indexes, they would have to send their blog’s URL to fellow readers.
• Groups: Select a group(s) to associate the blog with.

Ellington allows users to manage multiple blogs on the site.

Go to: http:yoursite.com/weblogs/dashboard/

By clicking on “manage entries” users can edit the name of their blog, the header image, if the blog is to be displayed in public indexes, and which Groups to assign to their blog.

http:yoursite.com/weblogs/dashboard/  

Example: http:yoursite.com/weblogs/the-food-beat/manage/

Ellington blogs have multiple tools to give writers extensive options in creating multimedia posts.

Oembed: OEmbed is a format for allowing an embedded representation of a URL.The oEmbed API allows Ellington to display links posted by users as the video or photo located at said link. Users can use links from Youtube, Flickr, GoogleVideo, HuluVideo and more.

UGC Photos: UGC ‘user-generated content’ Photos allow users to post photos within comments or blog entries. The photos are then stored on the site for access by users or staff members.

HTML for Staff and Markdown for Public Users: Adding HTML to blog text entries is kept to standard markdown for public users. However, Ellington does check whether a blog is designated a “Staff Blog” or if the user posting a blog entry is designated as a ‘staff member’ who writes stories. If either of these two requirements are met, HTML is fully allowed.

Blog Editing Interface: The Ellington blog-editing interface presents two components, or “windows.” One is an editable text box into which the text is entered. A toolbar is presented which allows users to add various types of formatting, links, and Code entry.

Users will also have access to Keyboard function keys if they prefer not to use the toolbar links. Hover tool tip over the Function name and user will see the short cut keys. In the example below Ctrl +B will bold the text.

At the bottom of the text entry field is a separate window containing a preview of the blog in format view. This window is not editable, but will update automatically in response to changes in the text-editing window (a refresh of the preview is triggered automatically any time an inline is added, formatting is changed, or whenever the user stops typing in the editing pane).

• Blog If a user has multiple blogs, a drop-down box will appear to select the blog to which you would like to post.
• Title: Type in Title of post entry.
• Body: Type in the content of the story. In the Body of the post the user will have access to all of the new editing tools. User can also use Keyboard Shortcuts, or HTML Markup.
• Summary: Type in brief synopsis of post.

• Publish this entry publicly: Will post immediately for the Public user to review and make comments to. Will be found on the News Site index, as in Most Recent Blogs, Latest or any type of Grouping that is set up by this site.
• Publish the entry, but don’t list is in public indexes: This Blog will post, but will not be found on the site index, as in Most Recent Blogs, Latest or any type of Grouping that is set up by this site. User would have to forward the URL to fellow users to whom they wish to share the link.
• Save this as a draft instead of publishing: Save in draft mode and Post later.
• Post: Complete the Blog using Display choice.

Comment moderators as well as blog owners have the ability to manage a blog entry’s comment status. Blog entries will by default be set to comments enabled. To change a blog entry’s comment status, enter the blog entry and change the status via the drop-down menu.

Comment status’ have the same functionality as story status’.

• Disabled: Users cannot comment on this blog entry.
• Frozen: All existing comments stay, but users can no longer comment on this entry.
• Enabled: Users can comment on this entry.
• Verified: Only verified users can comment on this entry.

Weblog/Blogs

While it’s simplest to do your blogging from the public interface, administrators can also add blogs using the Admin Panel or Edit existing blog. The best use-case for adding a blog via the admin is when you would like to isolate a blog as a “staff blog,” assign the blog to multiple sites, add multiple users to a single blog. Once blog is created, use the Public facing interface.

1. Locate Blogs and click the ‘add’ icon. If editing blog, select title of blog and edit.
2. Fill in the title, tagline and description fields.
3. Check the box in the Authoring tab next to ‘is staff blog’. Staff members can create Blog on public facing side, and then come to the /admin/weblogs/blog/ model and select this check box.

4. Click the magnifying glass next to Authors to select the blog author. By repeating this process, you can assign multiple users to a blog. All users will have access to posting to a single blog.
5. Select the site(s) this blog will be available on.
6. Upload a header and tease image from your hard drive.
7. Select the blog group(s) this blog will belong to.
8. Fill in the created date/time.
9. Select ‘Public’ to display the weblog.
10. Click save.

The Entries Model is container of all entries that have been made on the site. In this model staff has the ability to:

1. Remove an entry from the public facing side. Change Status from Public to ‘Removed by Staff,’ Remember: Never delete an object in Ellington. Changing the status will remove it from the public view.

2. Assign Category to entry. This is useful if designer is pulling in “Sports Blog” Entry into the sports page via template tag.

Blogged about items: This field in the post is a link to an object that this post may have been written about on the public interface. Do not use this field to link to any object.

Featured Weblogs, Groups, Entries: Current Ellington default templates do not expose the Featured or watchlist objects. A designer could build a template or use tags to expose featured objects. Using the featured objects tags, a designer can build unique/custom view for featuring weblog content. For example, after building a template, a view such as http:yoursite.com/weblogs/featured_blogs/ could be used to display featured blogs as selected by staff editors.”  

http:yoursite.com/weblogs/featured_blogs/

http:yoursite.com/weblogs/featured_groups/

http:yoursite.com/weblogs/featured_entries/

Each blog has a unique linkroll that can be used to share links associated with the blog.

1. Go to http:http:yoursite.com/weblogs/post/link, or click “Post a link” in the Blog tools toolbar.
2. Select the blog to which you will post.
3. Enter the Link URL

4. Enter a title and description for the link.
5. Select whether or not it should be excluded from public search indexes.
6. Click the ‘post link’ button.

Groups allow blog entries to be related to one another. All users can create new blog groups and belong to multiple blog groups. To create a blog group click the ‘create a blog group’ link when on the blog homepage.

1. Enter a group name
2. Enter a group description.
3. Click the Browse button to select an image to use as the group’s image.
4. Select the option to be included or excluded from public search indexes.
5. Click the create button.

The Weblogs application has a special page just for staff blogs. To view staff blogs, visit http:yoursite.com/weblogs/staff. Any blogs that are flagged as staff within the administrative interface will be displayed.