HELP - FAQ
Blogtronix Help FAQ
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Blogging
Q: How do I write a blog?
A: To write a blog, you can use the navigational menu at the top of the page, or the group menu to select which group you would like to post in. Finally, click “New Post” in the User Menu and a window will open allowing you to add content. (Goes to How to add multimedia content)
From this blog window, you have multiple options. You can select which categories the blog should be in. You can add keyword tags, enable or disable comments or trackbacks. You can also decide when you’d like the blog to be published.
Q: Can I use Blogtronix to podcast?
A: Certainly. Our platform was designed with all types of media in mind. You just have to use our media manager utility to upload the content to our site, then cut-paste the file directly into your blog. It’s that easy. We support Flash, HTML, Video, Audio, and Images.
Q: What is the Media Manager?
A: When you write a blog post, there are a list of icons in the top row. These are the managers for different types of content. Using these, you can copy media from other hosted sites or upload them directly from your computer. Also, you can create new folders so that this uploaded media is easy to find for later use.
Q: What is a group?
A: A group is the starting point for managing blogs. You can post blogs only on your main page, or you can divide them by topic into different groups.
Q: How do I create a group?
A: There are two types of groups that can be created. These are main groups which are visible from the home page, and subgroups. Each can be used to organize your information. Both can be created using the same “Admin Menu” tab in the “Group Menu” panel. Just navigate to “System Administration” and Create a Subgroup. All groups are subgroups of your main company group. You will only be allowed to create a subgroup if your blog administrator has given you rights to do so. You can create unlimited numbers of subgroups.
Q: What is a Category?
A: A category is a feature which allows you to better organize your content within your groups. For example, a company might choose to break down its blogging groups by department. Within the Customer Support department, you could have multiple categories which track progress on different types of product issues. You can use the Administration Menu to add as many categories as you like.
Q: How do I add multimedia content to my blogs?
A: When you create a new post, it’s easy to add whatever image, flash, audio, or video illustrations you need. Simply click on the appropriate manager in the top bar of the blog post window, and you can upload files straight into the blog, or insert them using existing URLs.
Q: What are tags?
A: Tags are an easy way of telling people what your blog is about. They are keywords that you would like to associate with your blog to make them easier to find for people looking for discussion on a certain topic. For example, if you wrote a blog about your new BMW, you might add a tag like “cars.” This way people can search for blogs by subject. You can enter them in the “Keywords” box below a new post.
Q: What is a trackback?
A: A trackback is a way for you to reference other peoples’ blogs in your own posts or comments. If an author has enabled trackbacks on his blogs, then you just have to copy and paste the trackback link at the bottom of that post into your own. Trackbacks also allow the author to see who has referenced his blogs so he can take a look at the other post and respond. There is a clickable box below a new post which selects this option.
Q: How can I post something later?
A: Simply write the post, then enter the date you’d like it to be posted. To edit this and other drafts, go to the My Drafts tab in the User Menu.
Q: How do I insert HTML into my blog?
A: This is simple to do. At the bottom of every blog window, such as when making a new post, you can see an icon of a pencil, one of a pair of brackets, and one magnifying glass. The pencil allows you to design your blog. The brackets, when selected, allow you to insert HTML code directly into the blog. The magnifying glass shows you a blog preview.
Q: What is Auto-Post?
A: The Auto-Post feature allows users to publish directly from an RSS feed. This way you can integrate multiple blogs, either from within your own system or from anywhere on the web. Simply paste the RSS link into the Auto-Post box, and every time the blog you’ve linked to posts something, the full content will appear as a new post on your blog.
Reading and Subscribing to Blogs
Q: Does my profile stay with me when I go to other Blogtronix sites?
A: Yes. You can use your same login/pass for every Hosted Blogtronix site. However, if a user has decided on an On-Site install they might use their own profile server. In this case, you must register for an account with them separately.
Q: How do I subscribe to an RSS feed from one of the groups?
A: Blogtronix has an integrated RSS reader which tracks two types of feeds, internal and external. Your feeds can be accessed by going to My Site, and clicking on the RSS Reader. To subscribe to an internal feed, navigate to the “RSS for This Group” module and click on “All Posts, Comments, News, Events, WIKI, or Custom RSS Feeds.” You will be taken to a page where you can add the feed to your internal reader.
To subscribe to an external feed, just go to My Site, and click on the RSS reader. You should see a button that says “Manage My Feeds.” Click there, and copy the RSS link into the appropriate box. As a point of note, if you want to subscribe to an author, even if he/she is part of the Blogtronix system, you must add the RSS link as if it was an external feed. Also, only posts made from the author in the group you linked from will be fed to your RSS reader.
Q: How do I use the Blogtronix Internal RSS Reader?
A: Our unique profile system allows you to manage all of your online blogging through one portal. An aspect of this is the internal reader which can be accessed by clicking on the “My Site” tab in the upper most right portion of the screen. Then click on the RSS feeds reader tab. Here, you will see a list of the Internal (Blogtronix or your own personal company network) Feeds, and External Feeds. Click on “Manage My Feeds” to add and delete feeds you’d like to subscribe to.
Q: How can I find blogs which interest me?
A: The easiest way to do this is through our advanced search. You can look for blogs by title, or you can search by category, by group, by author, or by timeframe. Another way is through the usage of tags which is explained here. Of course, it’s possible to explore the blog hierarchy manually by group and category title, or by checking for most read, most commented, or most highly rated posts.
Q: How do comments work?
A: Comments are the feedback you can receive from people reading your blogs. You can enable or disable them in you blog settings. You also may comment on what other people have written. Comments you have written may be tracked by using the RSS reader. Simply go to “My Site” using the tab in the upper right portion of the page, and copy the “My Comments” feed into the Blogtronix RSS reader.
Q: How does the rating system work?
A: Readers can rate blogs from 1 to 5 stars. The rating will display on the blog itself, and can be used by site administrators to determine which blogs will show up first on the main page. You can also search blogs by rating.
Q: How do I follow an interesting post?
A: You can either track it using an RSS feed, or you can simply click “Add to Watch List” by the post. This way, it will automatically appear at the top of the main group page when you enter that group.
My Site
Q: What is My Profile?
A: Your profile consists of all of the blogs you’ve written, as well as whatever personal and professional information you’d like your readers or others on the Blogtronix Network to see. Generally if you decide to blog, it’s best to share as much information about yourself as possible. To do this, go to the “My Site” tab in the upper right portion of the page. When you are viewing your own profile, you can click the Personal Information tab in the “My Site Menu.” From here, you can fill in your details. To upload a photo, please go to the Administration tab.
Q: How do I connect with other people?
A: Blogtronix allows you to socially network with other people using the Administration menu in “My Site.” Here, you can view who you’re currently connected to, as well as edit those connections. You can search for other people on the network here as well. To view someone else’s profile, simply click on it. From their profile page, you can copy the RSS link to subscribe to their blogs, or use the Quick Menu tab at the upper right part of the page to send them a private message.
In order to send out group invitations, you must be a group administrator. This can be done using the group admin panel.
Q: How do I change my password?
A: Go to the “My Site” Administration tab.
Documents
Q: What does the Documents section do?
A: This is a place where a company or a blog user can store all documents such as Word or Excel files to reference later.
Q: How do I organize my Documents?
A: It’s easy to create different folders, then add files to them. This can be arranged very similar to a shared hard drive on a Local Area Network in your office.
Q: How do I lock documents?
A: You can lock documents simply by clicking on the padlock icon next to them. This assumes that you have administrative rights to do so. If you can add a file, then you can lock a file. However, those with the right to “Edit / Delete document or folders in the document management system” can still view your document.
WIKI
Q: What is a Wiki?
A: A wiki is a place where people can collaborate or share knowledge on anything. A single user can create a topic, for example, on a new piece of software that is being developed by your company. Here, an original article can be written which can then be updated and edited by anyone with permission by the company administrator or the author. Additionally, all changes that are made to the original topic are recorded (and are reversible), so it’s easy to see who’s been saying what and when.
The benefit of a wiki is that unlike blogging or forums, it’s possible to have just one page with the newest, most relevant information instead of a list of posts. When multiple people are working on something, the wiki always has the latest version. In the business world, this format is a one click place to see project status, instead of having to stay up to date on all team member communiqués.
Q: How do read wiki articles?
A: When you click on the WIKI tab, you start by seeing all of the documents that you’ve written, as well as the most recently updated ones. You can then explore by file name to see articles that are relevant to you.
Q: How do I edit wiki documents?
A: Editing is simple. You just have to click on any of the documents, then click the edit button in the toolbar. You can add text, media, or document links. Wiki automatically tracks changes so it’s easy for everyone to stay up to date.
Q: How do I look at changes that have been made to the wiki?
A: In order to track changes, click on a wiki article, then click on the “Document History” icon in the toolbar. All of the past iterations of the document will display, and you can compare them, and see who made the alterations. Alternatively, you can go to the WIKI management tab in the Administration menu.
Q: What if I don’t want anyone to edit my wiki entries?
A: All you have to do is click the “Lock” icon in the wiki toolbar. This way, other people (except administrators) with rights to read the wiki will not be able to edit anything.
Q: Are wikis associated with groups?
A: Yes, each group has it’s own wiki. Alternatively, you could setup the system so that the wiki can only be a part of/accessed through the main group.
Q: What are wiki chapters?
A: Wiki chapters function like a table of contents. When you create a document, you will be able to write whatever you like. However, if it’s a long document, it would be prudent to create a linkable TOC. To do this, start by creating a document, then type in your introduction and click “Save.” Then click the green “Add Chapter” button, and create as many chapters as you’d like. You can edit them later. The wiki will produce a TOC from your chapter titles.
Group Administration
Q: Does the Administration panel change settings for the whole site, or just for an individual group?
A: Just an individual group.
Q: How do I edit system settings, such as allowed file extensions, and log archive length?
A: Just go to the System Setting tab in the Admin panel.
Q: How do I change the invitation template?
A: In the Admin panel, please click on Invitation Template under “System Administration.” You can edit text, etc, from here.
Q: What are Rights, and how do I assign them to users?
A: The rights system controls who can see and/or edit content in your blog page. When someone accepts your invitation, they automatically become a user on the site. There are five different types of users on the site, which range from administrator to guest. Administrator is the highest, followed by Moderator, Member, and Regular. A guest is someone who has not logged into your site or registered for an account. Once someone logs in, they default to the “regular” user rights level. You must manually give them more access.
Rights are assigned based on user level. To set these, simply go to the Rights section of the Administration panel, and select which privilege goes with each user level. A higher level user automatically gets all the rights a lower user receives. For example, let’s say that you only want users with a rank of Moderator or higher to be able to create groups. Simply set the tab next to the Group creation option to Moderator.
Q: What are ping servers?
A: A ping server is a server that gets notified every time there is a new post on your blog site. These generate more exposure for your posts. You can add and disable them from the menu in the Admin panel.
Q: How do I use Spam and Corporate Compliance protection?
A: When a user reports spam by clicking the SPAM button next to a post, then the administrator will be able to use the Spam Panel to check out the report. If it turns out to be spam, it’s easy to ban the user and delete the post. The Corporate Compliance engine has two types of words. The first is a forbidden word. If any of these is found in a post or comment, it can’t be posted without first removing the word. The other type is the warning word. You can still post something with a warning word in it, but the administrator will be able to see which of your posts had the offending word and take appropriate action.
Q: What is post approval?
A: The administrator can choose which posts are “approved” or not by simply clicking a button next to your post. All are approved by default, but if they are disapproved of, then they move to a special folder in the Admin panel where they can be reviewed.
Q: What is the Edit History Log?
A: This log tracks all the changes that have been made to posts and comments. These are stored according to your group’s system settings. Here, you can restore old posts and comments to their original, unchanged states.
Q: Can you tell me about Undeleted Items and WIKI Management?
A: Undeleted Items are a list of every group, post, or comment that has been deleted recently. Here you can choose to restore anything that was deleted, either by a user or by an administrator. Wiki Management does the same thing, but for the wiki instead of the blog.
Q: How do I look at Site/Group traffic stats?
A: Simply explore either the System or the Group Dashboard in the Admin panel.
Q: How do I add News, Favorite Links, Poll Questions, or Events?
A: First, you must make sure that you have a News and/or Event module enabled. To do this, you must go to System Modules, under Content Administration in the Admin Panel. Once this has been done, you can use the News or Event Admin tabs to easily add these to your blog site.
Q: How do I add copyrights to my site?
A: Use the Static Pages/Copyrights tab in the Admin panel. You can choose where they will be seen on the site.
Q: What are Custom Modules?
A: Blogtronix allows our users to create custom modules which can be placed anywhere on the site. Using this tab in the Admin panel, you can insert any text, media files, or HTML code into the content box, and a module visible on the group’s main page will be automatically created for you. You can do anything with this from add additional informational links to put music in your background or add widgets.
Q: How do I use Meta-Tags?
A: Meta-Tags are a way to identify the content on a particular blog site to search engines. Using the corresponding tab in the Admin Panel, you can customize what they are so people looking for the content you offer can find it more easily.
Look and Feel
Q: Can I change the appearance of my blog site?
A: Yes, there are multiple ways you can change the way your site looks.
-You can use the Customize or Delete Group tab in the Admin Panel to change the description of the group as well as the top banner.
-You can select from a variety of Themes in its tab. These will change the color scheme as well as the font and box design quite dramatically.
-The Layout box allows you to organize the sizing of your blog windows and modules.
-The Personalization tab enables you to rearrange, show or hide your modules.
-You can use the Language tab to change the titles of many of the site’s options.
-The Group Menu buttons can also be rearranged using the Group Menu Customization tab.
Q: Can I add banners?
A. Yes. Just click on the banners tab in the Admin panel and follow the instructions to add banners on the top and bottom of your blog site.
Other Features
Q: Does Blogtronix work on mobile devices?
A: Yes. Our blog system is mobile friendly, so you can blog when you’re on the road with your PDA.
Q: What platform is Blogtronix built on?
A: We are .NET 2.0 based.
Q: Can Blogtronix be integrated with Windows?
A: Yes. We are fully compatible with Microsoft© Active Directory". This way our users can log in to the network with a single user/pass; and work with Blogtronix as easily as with any other familiar application.
Q: Do you have secure solutions for sensitive data?
A: Yes. We offer a behind the firewall package. Instead of being web-based, we will lease our blogging appliance to you so that you can restrict access to your data as much as you see fit.
Q: Where can I get that cool orange server?
A: Just give us a call, and we’re sure we can work something out.