Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Get ready for switching to New Blogger NOW

Baga Beach Boat, Goa
Pencil and watercolour
copyright Katherine Tyrrell

I've just noticed a new post in the Blogger Help group dated last Friday which states the following
We've been giving you warnings. The signs have been there. Preparations have been made. Now, it's time!

That's right, it's time to embrace the new version of Blogger! Starting today, a small percentage of users who log in to an old Blogger account will be required to move to the new version. This involves moving your current Blogger account to a new or existing Google Account. After the move, you will need to log in to Blogger with your Google Account username, which is always the email address associated with your account. If you're one of the lucky folks who is prompted to move your account over to the new version of Blogger, you'll be able to postpone this process once (and only once) if you *really* need to get a post out of your head or want to say goodbye to the old Blogger. After that, it's time to befriend the new Blogger!
As predicted - there is no option to remain with Old Blogger. So if you've not switched yet or had the invite as yet, here are a few tips:
  • Read the post "Moving Over to the New Version of Blogger" - a sticky post at the very top of the Discussion Board in the Blogger Help group - it has more details
  • back up your old blog posts
  • copy your existing template to notepad and file
  • identify the third party html code adjustments to your Blogger template which you've added - some will transfer and some will not and you will need to check
  • if you've not got a Google Account think of a name, see if it's available and get one sorted. Bear in mind that if you have gmail/googlemail you'll be wanting to operate your e-mail and Blogger from the same account as logging out of one logs you out of the other. Stupid I know but that's what we're stuck with.
  • and then sit back and wait for your marching orders.
  • When you switch, check first which bits of your old template have moved over and what has been deleted - and then decide whether you want to play with the new templates first or reinsert the old code. Take your time when trying out templates and save copies before making changes.
You can only postpone the switch once only - and then you are required to switch.

Good Luck!

(PS Just in case anybody ever thought I never ever used a brush, the sketch is from 1993 and is probably one of the last watercolours I ever did!)

7 comments:

  1. I love your watercolor and am sad you don't do them anymore. What made you decide to stop? It's really beautiful.

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  2. I really like this one as well - and it really should be worked up into a 'proper piece' - but probably not in watercolour.

    Jana - it's just that I feel very much more comfortable with an implement in my hand which I can manipulate to a greater extent and much more easily than a brush. A pencil, a pastel and a pen with ink for me feel like extensions of my arm and a brush never has.

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  3. my move to new blogger was really straighforward without any glitches at all - in fact in solved one! I did wait until it wasn't beta though

    I like it much better

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  4. Hi Katherine
    thanks for the warning, much appreciated. I will use last exit :).

    ReplyDelete
  5. i wish that i could figure out the blogspot technical stuff as well as you. I had already switched to Beta Blogger a few months ago and now I seem to be stuck with that. I would LOVE to organize my blog with side categories like the new blogger version... Anyway, thanks for all the info.
    Your site is always so informative!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Dee and I have corresponded by e-mail and I think I've identified the problem she is having and am posting my response here as well in case it helps anybody else as well.
    _______________________________

    After you have logged on to Blogger and you're in the dashboard bit what does it say in the URL? Does it say http://www2.blogger.com/home ? That's what Blogger Beta (now NEW Blogger says). If you don't have that I think you're still in Old Blogger and have to wait for your invite to change.

    'Post, settings, template' is the Old Blogger set-up. The set-up within New Blogger for the lay-out page is 'page elements, fonts and colors, edit html. and pick new template'

    If any of the following is missing, does not make sense you are still in Old Blogger and have not transferred to Blogger Beta / New Blogger

    To get labels you need to:

    * in the dashboard of New Blogger - click on the manage layout link
    * in the 'Add and Arrange Page Elements' section, click on the 'Add a page element' link
    * scroll down - the labels module is just above the Blogger logo module and just below the feed module
    * click the 'add to blog' link on the Labels module
    * you then have the opportunity to change the name if you want. I changed it from labels to 'categories'

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  7. I'm dreading the switch..I'm so comfy with old blogger..
    Lovely watercolor Katherine

    ReplyDelete

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