Simple options that need to be there for Premium members
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So if I had known that there was a massive difference between .com and .org sites I would have never spent my companies money on a .com blog. At this point I am trying to do basic edits and changes that I think should be available.
For instance.. the blog is a private blog for my work and so when people show up to our web address (bought through wordpress.com) they are greeted with a generic wordpress logo. I want that to be out logo but it seems even as someone who has paid money for their site here we are stuck with that basic generic logo. Am I missing something? Can this logo be changed here on wodpress.com?
If simple things like the above and having more plugins and control over the look of the site are not made available I might have to transition over even though I really do not want to.
Any tips for those of us who bought into this site not knowing how limited it was?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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I want that to be out logo but it seems even as someone who has paid money for their site here we are stuck with that basic generic logo.
Do you mean the blavatar or favicon image that appears in the Admin bar? if you do then read what follows.
See: http://en.support.wordpress.com/avatars/blavatars/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/avatars/gravatars/Gravatars/blavatars do not show up instantly after uploading them. Gravatar images are cached and frequently take several days to display after a change. Do not keep uploading!
For best practices for uploading gravatars, avatars and blavatars scroll down to below the video here: http://onecoolsitebloggingtips.com/2010/01/24/gravatar-avatar-blavatar/
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Thanks for the info Timetheif.. I will look into the Blavatar as that sounds like it might solve my problem. It is certainly not clear or was not after hours of looking around. Appreciate the input!
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If simple things like the above and having more plugins
re: plugins
WordPress.com is a multiuser blogging platform. Our blogs are not free standing. There is no FTP access to free hosted WordPress.com blogs and we bloggers cannot install any plugins. There is no upgrade you can purchase that will provide FTP access and the ability to install plugins, upload themes, and/or edit templates and themes in a free hosted WordPress.com blog.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/adding-new-themes/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/
To use plugins you must hire a web host and then set up your own WordPress.org install.Comparison here http://support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
By default the front page of the blog is the only page that will display all published posts on it. As soon as you publish a post not a page the error message will be gone. http://en.support.wordpress.com/post-vs-page/
For creating a post see here http://en.support.wordpress.com/posts/#publish-a-new-post
For creating a page see here
http://en.support.wordpress.com/pages/#create-a-new-pageFor editing see:
http://en.support.wordpress.com/posts/edit-posts-screen/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/pages/edit-pages-screen/On the bottom of your Admin page you will find a link to the Learn WordPress.com blogging Tutorial prepared by Staff. http://learn.wordpress.com/
The support documentation is all found at the Support link http://en.support.wordpress.com which is also on the bottom of your Admin page.
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The only themes we can use on free hosted WordPress.com blogs like your blog are the themes found here http://wordpress.com/themes/
There is no FTP access to free hosted WordPress.com blogs and we cannot upload any third party themes, create child themes or our own themes or edit templates.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/adding-new-themes/There is no upgrade you can purchase that changes that.
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WordPress.com sells custom design upgrades. They allow us to “preview” change that do not actually display on the blog unless we purchase the upgrade.
If you have not purchased the custom design upgrade note that no changes you try out aside from those such as Custom Background, Custom Header, etc. which are stated on the theme description pages in the features column (right hand side) will be visible to visitors.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/editing-css/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/custom-design/custom-fonts/You do not need to load the design tools unless you have the Custom Design upgrade. All of these functions can be accessed from your dashboard – without loading the custom design tools – no upgrade required.
Appearance > Header
Appearance > Background
Appearance > Theme Options (applicable only to some themes)
Settings > Reading (set a static front page)
Site Title and Tagline > Settings > GeneralIf you are using the preview mode for the Custom Design upgrade some of the settings in that mode will save but they won’t show up on the front end unless you purchase the upgrade.
To go back to the free options, go to Appearance → Themes → Customize → Colors and click the “exit the preview” link in yellow at the top of the panel on the right.
See also: http://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/01/18/video-tutorial-customizing-your-theme/
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I understand all that and appreciate the links, I have viewed all that. I was more expressing the desire for more options even pre installed. I just wish (and perhaps this is just my fault) that I knew this going in as I would have set the blog up on another server.
Again thank you for the info and the blavatar info. Much appreciated.
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What function is missing?
Having shinny Plugin envy is common, but there are many Plugin’s already here, they are called Widgets and Short Code. Many of which started as a Plugin.
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I was more expressing the desire for more options even pre installed.
Pardon me. I didn’t recognize that you were only venting. Do know that you can hire a web host and move your content into a self hosted install anytime you want to.
To move your content you need to create an XML export file of your content. It will not include the theme as they cannot be exported. See 3 below.
Note: Premium Themes that are licensed for WordPress.com use only cannot be transferred to self-hosted WordPress.org sites. http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/premium-themes/
Also note that if you have purchased a premium theme you will have to contact the theme designer and request a wordpress.org version of it.
WordPress.com and WordPress.org are completely separate.
http://support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/1. Hire a web host http://wordpress.org/hosting/
2. Set up a WordPress.org install and equip it with a theme and plugins.
http://wordpress.org/themes/
http://wordpress.org/plugins/3. Export your content out of your WordPress.com blog http://en.support.wordpress.com/export/ and import it into the install.
4. Purchase a site redirect upgrade from wordpress.com
http://en.support.wordpress.com/site-redirect/ or if you have domain mapping then update the nameservers http://en.support.wordpress.com/domains/domain-management/5. Transfer subscribers and stats. See http://en.support.wordpress.com/moving-a-blog/moving-your-subscribers/
6. Set your wordpress.com blog visibility to private. To change blog visibility to private go to > Settings > Reading scroll to Blog Visibility and choose option 3 . See the guide here http://en.support.wordpress.com/settings/privacy-settings/
Alternatively you can purchase a Guided Transfer and Staff will do the move and set up for you http://en.support.wordpress.com/guided-transfer/
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The biggest thing for me is many of the user managing plugins that would be nice.
And since the blog is for a big company I am being asked if certain things can be done and often the answer I am having to give is I do not think so.
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The biggest thing for me is many of the user managing plugins that would be nice.
Specifically which plugins do you feel you cannot do without?
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Morning @TT – yes the vent is common – I have lost count of the “no Plugin this place is junk” rants – then finally when they tell us what function they can’t live without, turns out it is built in already (gallery and contact form are the two most common)
And sometimes the person needs a function that is not easily done or can’t be done here – then we can help them to move to another host.
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Even though this thread has turned into pretty much making fun of me I will respond to your question.
The plugins I have located at least promise far more control and ability to create new user groups and manage them along with simple information as an example..
When I shoot an invite out to a new user via email. They sign up on the site with a user name. Because we are a private blog and a company eventually some of these people will no long be an employee of this company so we would like to remove access to that person. The problem is there is no way to connect user name with email address if they are simply viewers. I am currently working around this by adding everyone as a contributor but this opens them up to at least writing stories and then wondering why they are not being published.
I realize you guys have answered these questions a million times but I assume you as someone who is very familiar with how to find info the internet and this forum are often full of half answers or information that is very old. Again I take full responsibility for not fully reading what can and can not be done I just assumed based on my limited knowledge that wordpress blogs, no matter where they are hosted could use plugins.
I tend to want to tweak and adjust and control things like websites and while I understand many of the plugin features are offered here and buried inside widgets it is my nature to want to be in control of it.
So again I appreciate the answers and the feedback, sorry for making you explain this again to a new user. I will now.. avoid any questions/opinions here on these forums as they are looked down upon.
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For Private blogs I think the staff will remove users for you. yes sort of awkward and there is still the problem of the name and email. Your setting people as Contributor is a awkward but nice workaround.
You might be better off with managed hosting that has less restrictions than here. That would give you most plugin’s and i think there are many plugin’s for keeping a site as members only. Cost more than here but your IT folks will not need to learn about WordPress.ORG installs.
WP Engine is one managed host that I have heard good things about (but have not used myself) – they do the upgrades for you of the WordPress software (as is done here). WP Engine uses WordPress.ORG software so not much of a learning curve. They also have some sort of a sandbox feature that lets you test ideas without disturbing the blog everyone is using
Best bet is to make friends over at WordPress.ORG and describe exactly what functions you need that you are struggling with here and see what guidance they can give you. You will need to open a new account but can use the same email as here.
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PS – I just set my test blog to Private and invited another user as a “Viewer” – they accepted the invite and could view the blog and nothing else.
There was also a “Delete” button and I was able to delete the Viewer from the test blog.
So that looks like a bit better solution that inviting as Contributors
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That is what we were doing but there is one big issue.
When you send out an invite you invite via email address. Then the user follows the sign up process and picks a user name. They are listed in the viewer section by their user name but NOT by their email. I have no idea what user picked that username. We could have upwards of 100+ people joining the site as viewers. And since eventually some will move on to another company I need to be able to identify the email with the user so I can delete the correct user if they move on from the company.
So that is the issue.. the disconnect from when you send via email and they pick a user name. I just want to know what email address connects to what user.
So the only way I have found to be able to do that is to make them a contributor.
Hope that makes sense…
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yes it makes sense – I don’t do much with private blogs and then only with a small number of users.
The only workaround I can think of would be to have the employee open a WordPress.COM account and send you the account name, employee name / ID / email etc then invite by account name and keep a cross reference in a spread sheet or something
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