When Google announced that Blogger would be getting a new user interface (UI) and that the existing UI would become legacy, I figured I would give the new version a try since reverting back to legacy was a promised option. At first, I found the new UI somewhat clunky but quickly grew to appreciate the enhanced analytics and formatting options. Soon, editing in the new UI seemed an improvement over the legacy app. All worked well until last week. At that time, I noticed that the thumbnail sketch of my lead photo was no longer appearing on my Blogs Followed list. Curious. Even more curious was that I noticed thumbnails missing from many other blogs I follow. Had these bloggers switched to the new UI too? Perhaps, the legacy UI experiences the same? |
Sample of posts missing thumbnail sketches
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Accustomed to seeing a thumbnail sketch of my latest post and those of others, I set out to find a remedy.
During an exploratory, I discovered that the way in which Blogger references embedded images has changed. To see these differences, one must examine the underlying html. I will use the leading image from my last post as an example.
From the post editor, select HTML view,The script for the above image will look something like this: Notice the highlighted bit of code. This references the image size with width=410 and height=345. Before thumbnails stopped appearing, the lead image size for the thumbnail would be translated implicitly as a square rather than as a non-square rectangle. Without this implicit translation, Blogger does not know how to render the image as a thumbnail. If your lead image is not square then to resolve this "feature" edit the lead image source ("src=" parameters) from 'wxxx-hxxx' to 'sxxx' where 's' signifies 'square'. See below: With this change (make sure to save it!), the lead image will now appear as a thumbnail sketch when published. Until Blogger accounts for this feature, the above provides a work-around for now. If your thumbnails have disappeared, give this technique a try. This technique works for me. Of course, YMMV.
Dear me, this is all a bit technical for me Jonathon. I decided just to stick with the legacy version, although I am fully aware of the risks incumbent with my choice...because one day no doubt,the legacy version will be withdrawn entirely.
ReplyDeleteKeith, the process is a bit technical but straightforward when following my guidance above. I understand your reluctance in jumping to the new Blogger.
DeleteThanks Jonathan, very interesting. I had been looking at blogs to see why some did and some didn’t and I had wondered whether those than embed an image before any text were the ones that were getting picked up, but even that was not applicable to all, so I appreciate your insight and investigations.
ReplyDeleteSince I resize all of my pictures before sending them across to my Chromebook, where I do my blog posts, it seems that for me, it will be best simply to resize the open photo to a square .... would that work? Or do I have to amend the HMTL?
Keith, I thought Legacy support was being withdrawn later this year, but I may have dreamt that :-)
Hi Norm. If you upload a square image then I would expect Blogger to interpret that shape correctly and automatically. Give it a try. If no thumbnail then you may be forced to amend the HTML.
DeleteHi Jonathan, good detective work and very interesting. I've just checked my last post and I'm OK. I will remember this advice in case I have to resolve this issue in the future. Cheers Greg
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greg! Yes, your post still shows a thumbnail so you are good for now!
DeleteGreat stuff Jonathan, and thanks for posting this. I did find another example of someone's HTML script which didn't work, so will be keen to give this a try. Like anything, I am finding the new interface an improvement once you get used to it.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! Your blog is one in which I noticed no thumbnail of late. I hope these suggestions work for you.
DeleteI hate the 'new look', which apparently was done to make it 'work better' for those when viewing on their mobile 'phones. I've kept the legacy version as it works for me and I see no reason for the thumbnails, which make it harder to find my own posts IMHO.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve. It certainly seems the new UI direction is to cater to the mobile crowd. The UX is improved, I think, with increased editing functionality (well, for me, anyway) and less pain in formatting.
DeleteI like seeing a thumbnail so that I can see at a glance what another blogger has in store for the latest post.
Looking at my recent posts I note that all have correctly thumbnailed, more correctly they have been centre cropped to 640px wide. I always embed the images using the Blogger app running in Chrome and always use the “Upload from Computer” command. I am becoming used the the UI now and like you I like the way you can control the text formatting, but there are still some annoying things when posting on an iPad...if your post runs for several paragraphs the virtual keyboard covers what you are typing and there is a lot of mucking about to complete the post
ReplyDeleteYour thumbnails always appear, Mark. I still write posts from my laptop and choose upload from computer too. Attempting to create a post solely from iPad is still beyond me.
DeleteThanks for the analysis, I consider myself onlyslightly competent with IT and having tried the new system found a number of issues uploading photos so reverted to legacy which just seems to work. I guess at some point they will remove it completely and we will all move forward
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome, Matt. An earlier note from Google stated that the Legacy UI will remain but for how long is the key question. I find editing and formatting easier under the New Regime so I will continue testing out the new UI.
DeleteI've gone back to the legacy version after giving it a go,which is weird really as I do pretty much do all my blogging on an android phone, maybe 2 posts have been done with a laptop, I actually found it harder to navigate on the phone, comes of being a luddite I guess!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Iain, you are no Luddite if you can manage creating and posting from a phone!
DeleteI need to check this as I can see my blog on your list with no thumbnail
ReplyDeleteGive this tip a try, Neil. It worked for Lawrence above.
DeleteGood work Jon - well done. I go hot and cold for New Blogger several times a week at present. Overall, I guess it is OK - it has some features I like, and I can work around the things I've lost - thus far! It does seem that it's still changing. Some days I find something isn't working, and later on it's OK. Reminds me of the old days, when business end-users in my organisation used to claim the old systems had days when they were just in a bad mood.
ReplyDeleteI'm keeping a slightly wary eye on Blogger. I know a couple of fellows who have given up on their blogs for the moment. Both of these are birdwatching blogs, very heavy on photographs, and they were very disappointed in the hassle involved in uploading volumes of images.
Thank you, Sir! I am glad to have your confirmation that features tend to be in flux with the New Blogger UI. I have thought the same but figured I might be losing it. One day, I saw the ability to create tables and then later it was gone.
DeleteOn photos, I have no trouble uploading a number of images at one time but I miss the staging area these were uploaded into in the Legacy app. Hopefully, your birdwatching friends will return with the annual migration.
Maybe I am doing something wrong, but I used to choose all the photos I wanted and then pop them in one or two at a time, now it wants to put them all in at once. I have therefore to choose one at a time.
ReplyDeleteHi George. I used to be able to do that too under the Old UI. Now, I can select one or more photos but they get added directly into the post rather than first loading into a staging area from which i could go back and pick. Two steps forward and one step back, perhaps?
DeleteIt was a bit strange to not find so quickly the homecountry of my readers. But these were minor problems not serious.
ReplyDeleteI find much the same when using the new UI; minor problems but nothing serious.
DeleteI havent a clue what you have discovered Johnathan but it sounds correct. I do know that when I attempt to view my reading list, each bloggers page comes up as a http link and not the actual page.Also the images in my reading list are basically crap. So if you could just fly over the Atlantic and sort out my system, there's a drink in it for you.
ReplyDeleteYou make an inviting offer, Robbie! Perhaps, one day, when we are allowed international travel, I may take you up on it!
DeleteOh gawd! I'll have a look!
ReplyDeleteYour thumbnails still appear, Ray. You are safe!
DeleteA very useful tip - thanks
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome!
DeleteThanks Jonathan, I have tried that with my most recent post, it did not instantly work but there may be some sort of delay with propagating the update, or due to 'caching' on other blogs etc. We'll see.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing puzzling me is that if I click on the icon for one of my followers, it shows just the blogs they follow but not their name or the name of any blog of theirs. But if they make a comment, clicking on that image gives that info. So I can only see if they have a blog themselves when they make a comment. A bit puzzling - can anyone explain?
You are welcome, David! I find these updates can be slow in the Blogs Followed widget. What works for me is to revert to draft, make changes, set the scheduled publication for a couple of minutes into the future, and then republish.
DeleteYour second question is a puzzle to me as well. I thought this capability once worked but clearly no longer does. An easy solution is that anyone reading a blog ought to comment!
Hey! Your thumbnail has appeared! Congratulations!
DeleteThanks, Jon!
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome!
DeleteThis thumbnail problem flared up about a month ago, and then went away. Blogger was slow to acknowledge it and then we never did learn what had caused it. I actually got a response from a tech person who basically told me that what I was seeing wasn't happening (at the time). Sounds like it's back. Thanks for the detective work: more of an answer that was provided during the last hiccup!
ReplyDeleteNecessity and curiosity are the mothers of discovery and work-arounds. I hope this fix works for you if you are experiencing this “feature.”
DeleteHave to admit I’m not a big fan of the new UI. Somehow it doesn’t really cut it for me............
ReplyDeleteThe new UI is different but I find editing easier.
DeleteHere we are a month later, and the problem seems to be erratic. I tried your fix on three separate updates, it worked on one. My last two updates appeared without thumbnails, and the one I posted today (23SEP) worked. (Even though I just posted a rectangular picture)
ReplyDeleteI am finding the new UI a little clunky. Little things like picture selection have been reversed and keywords are more unwieldy. That said, I am getting exactly what I paid for..
I have not had issues of late. Thumbnails always post with my fix. sometimes Blogger generated the thumbnail properly without any manual intervention.
DeleteThings seem to be in flux with the new UI. Icons and functionality still vary from week to week.
I think formatting and photo placement has improved over the legacy UI but labels now require fuzzy searches to populate. Under the Legacy, I list of labels appeared. now, nothing until I begin typing the keyword. Still, if I can generate a post without tossing in the towel, I am happy.