Problems with recent changes to the Editor (especially the Classic Editor)

  • Unknown's avatar
    utvolwoody · Member ·

    I hate to keep pointing out flaws with the Classic Editor, but honestly I don’t think it could be any worse to work with. What used to take 10-15 minutes to complete, now takes well over an hour. Using the Classic Editor on existing posts is not as bad (with the exception of not reflecting the color changes while I am editting), but creating a new post is terrible. Even though I select “preformatted”, it arbitrarily changes some sections to Paragraph….and when it does, the floating tool bar does not provide the Bold option. On the entire document (paragraph or preformatted), it ignores any indentations from the text I imported. In addition, if I “re-indent” them using the editor, although it looks indented while editting, when I view the updated post, the indentations are gone. Then, I have to edit the existing ‘flawed’ post to correct all of the issues. I know that IT can have some quirky things at times, but the recent changes to WordPress Editor have made it practically unusable for any new posts, and in need of improvements for existing posts.

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • staff-seneca · Staff ·

    Hi there,

    I apologize for the frustration and inconvenience you’ve experienced while using the Classic Editor. I understand how these issues can significantly impact your workflow and productivity.

    I hate to keep pointing out flaws with the Classic Editor, but honestly I don’t think it could be any worse to work with. What used to take 10-15 minutes to complete, now takes well over an hour.

    I’m sorry that the recent changes to the Classic Editor have made it more difficult and time-consuming for you to create and edit posts. We value your feedback and take it seriously.

    Using the Classic Editor on existing posts is not as bad (with the exception of not reflecting the color changes while I am editting), but creating a new post is terrible. Even though I select “preformatted”, it arbitrarily changes some sections to Paragraph….and when it does, the floating tool bar does not provide the Bold option.

    I understand your frustration with the inconsistent formatting behavior and the missing Bold option in the floating toolbar. These issues can certainly disrupt your editing process.

    On the entire document (paragraph or preformatted), it ignores any indentations from the text I imported. In addition, if I “re-indent” them using the editor, although it looks indented while editting, when I view the updated post, the indentations are gone.

    I apologize for your problems with indentations not being preserved when importing text and the discrepancy between the editor view and the published post. These inconsistencies can be very frustrating.

    Then, I have to edit the existing ‘flawed’ post to correct all of the issues. I know that IT can have some quirky things at times, but the recent changes to WordPress Editor have made it practically unusable for any new posts, and in need of improvements for existing posts.

    I understand that editing posts multiple times to correct formatting issues is a significant burden and hinders your ability to work efficiently. Your feedback is valuable, and I want to assure you that we are continuously working to improve the user experience of WordPress.com editors.

    Here are a few suggestions that might help in the meantime:

    1. Try using the WordPress.com block editor (also known as Gutenberg) for creating new posts. It offers a more intuitive and flexible editing experience and might help alleviate some of the formatting issues you’re encountering with the Classic Editor.
    2. Suppose you prefer to continue using the Classic Editor. In that case, you can try composing your posts in a plain text editor (like Notepad) and copying and pasting the content into the WordPress.com editor. This can help minimize formatting inconsistencies.
    3. If you’re comfortable with HTML, you can switch to the HTML view in the Classic Editor to have more control over the formatting of your content.

    If you have any other questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you have the best possible experience with WordPress.com.

  • Unknown's avatar
    utvolwoody · Member ·

    Actually I create my posts with Word, then copy and paste to Notepad before importing them to WordPress. This has always worked great (using Bold, changing colors, inenting, etc.) until the changes to the editor were implemented on 5/23 (I think that was the date). I have used WordPress for many years and have not had problems of this magnitude before the changes. Even after importing, some of the changes I make when editting are not maintained when posting. I am not comfortable using HTML, and if I remember correctly, when I used Block Editor, there were problems. Its been awhile, so I may be wrong, but I think it only allowed me to work with one block at a time, so I couldn’t select the entire post and select Bold. I believer there were some additional spacing issues. As soon as I get some time, I’ll try using it on a sample post and see what happens.

  • Unknown's avatar
    utvolwoody · Member ·

    For now I can work around it, but its like reaching around my back to scratch my stomach, and it requires three iterations of editing the same document to get the colors, spacing. and indentations the same as what I imported.

  • Unknown's avatar
    utvolwoody · Member ·

    I just tested using Block on a new post and the indentations were not included from the document I imported from Notepad. “Re-indented” them with the Block editor, but they were “un-indented” when posted. Also, the floating tool bar did not have the usual color selctions, instead it had a ‘highlight’ option with a small limited amount of colors (and did not include the one I have been using for years). Lastly, I could not select the entire content of the post for changing the font to Bold, so I had to change each block individually. When I tried to select the entire post, there was no Bold option on the floating tool bar.

  • staff-seneca · Staff ·

    Hi there,

    I’m sorry to hear that you’re experiencing such significant difficulties with the Classic Editor. I understand how frustrating it can be to have your workflow disrupted.

    I appreciate you taking the time to provide detailed feedback about your experience. Here are a few suggestions and clarifications that might help improve your workflow:

    1. Using the Classic Editor:
      • Pasting as Plain Text: When you paste your content from Notepad, make sure to use the “Paste as plain text” option to minimize formatting issues. You can then apply your desired formatting within the WordPress editor.
      • Indentations and Formatting: Since you’re facing issues with indentations not being maintained, try using the preformatted block for sections where you need to preserve spacing and line breaks exactly as they are. The preformatted block keeps any spacing or line breaks exactly as entered.
    2. Using the Block Editor (Gutenberg):
      • Selecting Multiple Blocks: You can select multiple blocks at once by using the List View feature. Click the three horizontal lines icon at the top left of your screen to open the List View. This allows you to select multiple blocks and apply formatting to all selected blocks.
      • Color Settings: The Block Editor provides more customization options, but these settings can vary by block type and theme. Select a block to access the color settings and look for the color options in the right sidebar under the Styles tab.
      • Bulk Formatting: While it’s true that the Block Editor treats each paragraph as a separate block, you can apply formatting to multiple blocks simultaneously. Highlight all the paragraphs you want to format and then apply the desired style.
    3. Other Suggestions:
      • Alternative Tools: If the editor changes have significantly impacted your workflow, you might consider trying different tools for offline blog post creation. For example, the Jetpack mobile app can be a good alternative for creating and formatting content before importing it into WordPress.
      • Feedback and Support: Your feedback is incredibly valuable. We’re continuously working to improve the WordPress.com editors, and your input helps us make better decisions. If you find video guides helpful, I highly recommend our Quick Start: Blogging Webinar.

    Please let me know if you have any other questions or if there’s anything else I can do to assist you. I’m here to help ensure you have the best possible experience with WordPress.com.

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