Creating a blog site using stacks

If you want to use Tumblr, then Will’s Microblog stack (https://stacks4stacks.com/microblog/) is very easy to set up. You can basically get away with just dropping the stack into a page, then typing the name of the Tumblr blog into the settings and then publishing. There’s lots more you can do bit it’s that easy. And it’s free.

Rob

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Hi Charlie, I totally understand about having to charge for add ons, it makes sense ;-). It’s just the last thing I wanted to do with this particular site, for personal reasons. However it looks like it might be the only solution for me. If I learn RW/Writer then I can use it for my clients’ jobs in the future, if there is some way to white label it? Ie if I purchase for a client to use, can I pop in my own company logo rather than yours?

Rob, I already tried incorporating the Tumblr version of my blog into Rapidweaver using Joe’s stack, which Joe says is working fine, but the photos still aren’t showing up at the right size, so I don’t think it’s worth me trying any other tumblr stacks, will just be more money wasted.

Lordy what a grumpy pots I am tonight!

@Gabrielle Will’s Microblog stack is free and will take about two minutes to try out. I’d say it was worth it.

Of course, I’ve also heard great things about RW Writer.

I’ve tried out the microblog stack thanks for mentioning it. I still can’t get the blog to show up the way I want it to though, so I’m thinking it’s a Tumblr issue. In Tumblr my gallery shows up perfectly, but with both tumblr stack options in Rapidweaver the photos show up either too small or way too big.

I need a Tumblr expert methinks.

There is a way to work with stacks inside the rw built in blog: working with the old, good “pluskit”. So you can create a stacks page for every blogpost, and import this stacks page via plus kits ((@import)) into the blog-post. This way you can style the posts but not the blog-layout.

Hope this may help someone…

I see, although I’m not sure I want to actually create a brand new page every time I want to post something, the whole site would need to re-upload each time you publish wouldn’t it, to account for the new page?

@Gabrielle: Yep, you’re right about the new page per new post thing. That’s the “magic” behind blog type pages as they really aren’t a page. Any blog approach needs to have the ability to have a “master” page (which typically shows the latest blog posts, or short summaries of latest blog posts), plus individual pages for each post (or the permalinked posts), plus more to get the whole thing to work nicely. It’s not easy. (Or, put differently, if it were relatively easier there would be a ton of blog options already out there by other developers.)

Joe and Will have both created very nice Tumblr options: though they work a bit differently. And there’s the fantastic Armadillo. None of those have monthly fees. They all work very well: so it may be useful to select which one seems to fit your needs best and then take whatever time needed (along with developer help) to get them going.

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Ok so I’ve been experimenting with different sorts of blog pages but now I’ve stripped it all back to the simplest choice I can find. I’m using html code to bring in my Tumblr blog page and I’ve deleted the other pages from my project and also deleted them from the server.

The page is now working more or less as I want it here: http://www.seldombluefashion.com/blog/

However now I’m getting this message when I try to upload changes, can someone advise why this might be?

Couldn’t upload to your FTP server: FTP: unknown PASV reply

Yes you can import a stacks page into the blog using pluskit !

Both Dan and Ben do NOT recommend anyone use PlusKit, you can here why on this podcast, so maybe not a good idea to do that.

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The podcast is pretty long and I don’t have time to listen to it now.
What’s the main issue with PlusKit and the blog ?

It happens within the first 6 minutes, and it is not about Blog, but about Pluskit. They just suggest to not use it to import content into other pages. Pluskit actually does more than just that, so should have clarified my earlier post.

I’ve found a solution to my blog issues!

I couldn’t get to grips with the Tumblr stack or the Blueball Tumblr stack because it kept resizing photos when you click on them, which I think was a Tumblr issue rather than a stack issue. Same thing with the Microblog stack. I couldnt use the built in blog because I’m using the wonderful Blueball freestack theme and wouldn’t change that for the world. I tried Pulsepro but couldn’t get Pulse galleries to work with my pulse posts.

In spite of all that, I now have a gorgeous shiny new working blog WITH pictures in a gallery format, PLUS categories just as I wanted them, and it’s all thanks to Jonathan and Armadillo. It’s got a very easy interface setup, and all of my pain and torment is now a thing of the past.

I can’t praise Armadillo enough.

Now I can say with pride, check out ma blog you lot! (if you don’t mind boobies and bums that is): http://www.seldombluefashion.com/blog/.

Thank you Jonathan for being so helpful, I can’t wait to use it as a CMS system for my next client :-).

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“>… (if you don’t mind boobies and bums that is):”

If you can somehow turn your post about your blog into a podcast question to Dan and Ben… oh the giggling that will ensue from the two of them.

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Very happy to help Gabrielle! :slightly_smiling:

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I don’t know what the content of your blog is but I just thought you might like to know that it is being actively blocked by my college network (USA). Labeled as “adult material”. :confused:

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Sorry, is that underwear for Second Life? That’s hilarious! :sunglasses:

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Yes Second Life, sorry everyone I certainly don’t mean to cause offence to your college, although I suspect that every one who is studying in that college probably does wear some sort of underwear on a daily basis (or at least the majority of them). It’s an avatar based online virtual game and I design virtual lingerie for the avatars, and avatars pay me real money to clothe…well…their avatars…

So yes, hilarious ;).

ps Everything on the new blog has all the naughty bits covered up though!

I just think it’s brilliant that someone’s making a living out of underwear made out of pixels.

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Erm. It’s more like a passion, a hobby rather than paid employemnt. Mere pocket money in fiscal terms. But yes it is a bit brilliant :slight_smile: