Blogger Can Save Your Lost Posts!

In a great move that is very appreciated, Blogger has upgraded their post-editing page with a nifty "recover post" link (see screenshot).

I used this feature last night to rescue a post I worked on for 5 minutes. I pushed POST, and it dissapeared! Clicking "Recover Post" magically brought it back. Phew!

Blogger is quick to say "This feature is not guaranteed to work every time you lose a post, but it's always worth a shot."

Beyond that, you can read more about Blogger's Recover Post feature.

Filed Under: blogger updates cool web public blog

Hack: Google from your site

Point-N-Click has a page where you can copy some code to allow you to Google Search from your own website (or allow your visitors to search on their own).

Click here to get the code for this hack.

Notes:

• If you adjust the number in the size="25" attribute of the <input type="text"... tag, then it will make the text box smaller (less width). The maxlength attribute should stay where it is. Having these two set differently allows you to type a lot of text into a small textbox.
• See the Point-N-Click homepage to see how this has also been reworked into the small right-hand column of the site.

Next Post Hack

Movable Type & other templates allow you to have a link bar across the top and bottom of link posts with links to the previous item and the next item in your blog, by title.

You can do this in Blogger now, too. While hacking the Kubrick template for Point-N-Click, Michael Heilemann included this very cool hack.

Code:
<itempage><div align="center">« <a href="<$BlogURL$>">Home</a> <BloggerPreviousItems> | <a href="<$BlogItemPermalinkURL$>">Next: <$BlogPreviousItemTitle$></a> »</div><div style="display:none"></BloggerPreviousItems></div></itempage>


Notes:

• This line of code must be outside the Blogger tags. If you have to, close the Blogger tag (</Blogger&rt;), paste the code in, then reopen the Blogger tag.
• Right now, this will only show up on Post Pages, the pages of your individual items. To show on all pages, remove the <itempage> and </itempage> tags.
• It seems the best place for this is at the top of the posts on the page. In most Blogger templates, just before the Blogger tag is opened the first time is usually great!

Stats Hack: Show your page stats

Use this hack, combined with StatCounter's free website stats application to graphically show your page stats on a website of your choice. See an example on this page.

Using this hack?
Please leave a comment to this post with your website URL

To use:
Copy the following code to your website, editing the first two variables (see comments in the code for details.
Note: Please keep the web friendly--if you use this hack, link back to this post!

Click the "Read More" link, below, to see the code:
<script language="JavaScript">
<!--
//++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STATS HACK +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
//
// written by Robert Merrill
// http://point-n-click.blogspot.com/2005/01/statshack-show-your-page-stats.html
//
// This code is provided free of charge and without support, warranty, and liability
// Please keep reference intact, pointing users to http://point-n-click.blogspot.com/2005/01/statshack-show-your-page-stats.html
//
// To scroll users to the graph on your page, use the code: <a href="#seeStats">See page statistics</a>
//
//++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ STATS HACK +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
//Step One: What is your STATCOUNTER Project ID Number? Default is '513981', the ProjectID for http://point-n-click.blogspot.com
scProjectId = 513981

//Step Two: How many DAYS of stats do you want to show? Default is 15
scNumDays = 15

//Step Three: Sit back and watch your stats graph appear on the page
ed = new Date();
bd = new Date(ed.getFullYear(),ed.getMonth(),ed.getDate()-scNumDays)
bdStr = bd.getFullYear() + '-' + (bd.getMonth()+ 1) + '-' + bd.getDate();
edStr = ed.getFullYear() + '-' + (ed.getMonth()+ 1) + '-' + ed.getDate();
document.write('<a name="seeStats"></a><span class="siteStatisticsGraph">Our statistics for the last ' + scNumDays + ' days:<br>')
document.write('<a href="http://my.statcounter.com/project/standard/stats.php?project_id=' + scProjectId + '&guest=1">')
document.write('<img border="0" src="http://my.statcounter.com/project/standard/graph_daily_summary.php?hide_page_loads=0&project_id=' + scProjectId + '&startDate=' + bdStr + '&endDate=' + edStr + '&guest=1">')
document.write('</a><br> StatsHack provided by <a href="http://point-n-click.blogspot.com/2005/01/statshack-show-your-page-stats.html">Point-N-Click</a></span>')
//++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ END STATS HACK +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
//-->
</script>

Code conversion powered by SimpleCode

Got Hacks?

If you'd like to join us here and post hacks along with us, I can add you as a writer to our blog. Just show me whatcha got. Post a comment here...

Template Tricks

This blog is for all the sweet Blogger template tricks, hacks and hints I've found over time since I began using Blogger. I'll share some smart linking ideas, javascript, html, and more.

Please post a comment to the Wishlist if you are looking for something specific.

And, please remember that this is linkware... it won't cost you anything but a few kilobytes. Just link back to this site, templatetricks.blogspot.com if you use any of these ideas. It's only fair. Besides, if you link to me, I will link to you! And, if your site is interesting to me, I will add you to my newsgator and then the whole world will know about you.

Wishlist

Wanna know something? Post a comment here and we'll all laugh at you see what we can do about it.