Most bloggers have been able to install this flash-based widget successfully using the default installation instructions. However, for those using long label names or who have many JavaScript/Flash based widgets present in their blog layout, there seems to be a "blank widget" issue where Blogumus is present but will not display the animated tags.
Thanks to some helpful insights from Roy Tanck (the original author of Cumulus on which this widget is based), I've been able to construct an alternative method for installation which embeds Blogumus as a flash object rather than relying on JavaScript.
If you have experienced problems in displaying Blogumus in your Blogger template, this alternative method for installation should enable Blogumus to display correctly for you.
How to install Blogumus using this alternative method
This method of installation is very similar to the original one.Firstly, go to Layout>Edit HTML in your Blogger dashboard. Do not check the "Expand widget templates" box as this would complicate the process!
Using your browser's search function, find this line in your template code:
<b:section class='sidebar' id='sidebar' preferred='yes'>Immediately after this line, paste the following section of code:
<b:widget id='Label99' locked='false' title='Labels' type='Label'>
<b:includable id='main'>
<b:if cond='data:title'>
<h2><data:title/></h2>
</b:if>
<div class='widget-content'>
<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://halotemplates.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-cumulus-example/tagcloud.swf" width="250" height="200" allowscriptaccess="always" >
<param name="movie" value="http://halotemplates.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-cumulus-example/tagcloud.swf" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" />
<param name="flashvars" value="tcolor=0x000000&mode=tags&distr=true&tspeed=100&tagcloud=<tags>
<b:loop values='data:labels' var='label'>
<a expr:dir='data:blog.languageDirection' expr:href='data:label.url' style='12'><data:label.name/></a>
</b:loop>
</tags>" />
<p>Blogumulus by <a href='http://www.roytanck.com/'>Roy Tanck</a> and <a href='http://www.bloggerbuster.com'>Amanda Fazani</a></p>
</object>
</div>
<b:include name='quickedit'/>
</b:includable>
</b:widget>
Now preview your template. If the installation is successful, you should see the Blogumus widget appear in your sidebar. You can then proceed to save your template.
This version of Blogumus should display all of your labels without issue, and can be moved to other sections of your layout through the Layout>Page Elements screen.
Customizing this alternative Blogumus installation
As with the original widget, it is possible to customize some aspects of Blogumus to better match the style of your blog.By default, this installation uses the following values:
- The width is 250px
- The height is 200px
- Background color is white
- Text color is black
- Font size is 12
Change height and width
Both of these options can be configured in the following line:<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" data="http://halotemplates.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-cumulus-example/tagcloud.swf" width="250" height="200" allowscriptaccess="always" >Change these dimensions (in pixels) to a more appropriate size for your sidebar or widget section. Note: it is better for the tag cloud to be wider than it is tall (landscape proportions) which enables proper display of the tags.
Change background color
To change the background color, alter the hex value found in this line:<param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" />
By default, this is set to white, but you can alter this to any value you prefer.
Change the color of text
The tag-links are black by default, though you can change this within the following line using the tcolor value:<param name="flashvars" value="tcolor=0x000000&mode=tags&distr=true&tspeed=100&tagcloud=<tags>This six character tag is actually a hex value without the preceeding # symbol. You can alter this to be any hex color code you prefer.
To alter the size of tags/links
In the following line of code, the size of the tag links is "12" (proportionate to the size of the widget). You can change this value to a smaller or larger number depending on whether you prefer the links to appear smaller or larger in your widget.<a expr:dir='data:blog.languageDirection' expr:href='data:label.url' style='12'>
For example, if you prefer smaller links, change this value to "10" (or even smaller). You can always preview the changes before saving to ensure the links appear in the style and size you prefer.
I hope this alternative method works for you!
After much testing and modifications, I feel assured that these new installation instructions for Blogumus should work for any Blogger "layouts" template, regardless of the length of label names, other scripts present in the widget, and so on.As far as I can tell, no labels should be "missing" from the cloud (an issue reported by many in the previous thread, for which we cannot discover the problem!).
If you do experience issues with this alternative method, please do let me know.
Special thanks to Roy Tanck for his help with the "object embed" solution on which these instructions are based :)
41 comments:
plz help me to fix this blank box instead of label clouds.
dudes, a tag is missing for me too. if you wanna solve the problem, just add an extra tag. ;)
Hi.. I think Kamran Idea is work. At first I also face the same problem. Only Blank box come out. Than I change all the Labels and removed all the tags with symlols (!@;?> etc...) and It work fine.. Thanks amanda and Thanks Kamran..
http://johanchamps.blogspot.com
still getting a blank square
Hi Amanda, how do I make it so the text changes color like a normal link when I hover over a label?
Hi - just tried adding the word cloud in both versions; First version nothing came up with the exception of your credits, 2nd version left me with a blank space.
I'm using a Blogger blog, with Flock as a browser, but nothing to unusual I suppose. I look forward to hearing from you
Cheers, Roo
I've found the solution for the non-clickable links problem.
Adding [allowscriptaccess="always"] inside the object [element] is not enough. You have to create another element like this:
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
It works fine for me now. You may check it out at my site.
I've found the solution for the non-clickable links problem.
Adding [allowscriptaccess="always"] inside the object element is not enough. You have to create another element like this:
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
It works fine for me. You may check it out at my site:
http://tkresevic.blogspot.com/
doesn't work for me either :(
One problem: 1 marker is missing!
A reader called me about a problem with the tag cloud.
When used, not a label.
For example, if I have 7 markers in the tag cloud appears only 6.
what is happening? Aguri reply.
Thanks! Works great for me! Looks awesome.
BRILLIANT!
xoxo
Amanda, I love it. Your tips are always the cleanest and clearest of the many who are offering up their hacks.
I love the cloud because it looks like a golf ball, which is perfect for my site.
http://GolfTipReviews.com
My CPU usage is about 4% when the ball is not spinning, about 8% when it is spinning. Seems well worth it to me.
Thanks Again,
GolfTipEditor
thanks Amanda..
it works great on my blog!!
wanna see it in action?
yeah! sure..
feel free to visit my blog..
http://zuhdijohan.blogspot.com...
Thanks Amanda. Cheers ^^
this is the answer after my 48-figuring out why the previous method didn't work at my blog
Great thanks to, err... Amanda?
^_^
Hey Amanda,
Nice work with the conversion of this cloud. I implemented it in my custom blog, and I can't get the links to work any ideas?
Still not eork for my template, here's the message :
"We were unable to preview your template
Please correct the error below and submit your template again.
Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure that all XML elements are closed properly.
XML error message: The reference to entity "mode" must end with the ';' delimiter."
Hello.
I tried both widget. none works.
best
T.
Hi, Amanda! I've been trying to use this on my blog since you posted this. It works but there's always one label missing. I've tried using other templates but I still get the same problem. Help!
Thanks!
Hi, this problem - one label missing - happens because the version 1.20 of Blogumus have some kind of bug.
Try to download the old version (1.19 or more) in Download Section and substitute the link in widget for this one (you need put this archive "tagcloud.swf" online)
For me, this worked.
See you
Andre
It still doesn't work for me either!!!!!! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
its not easy for me...trying several days and hours now...
do i have to learn xml and xhtml and javascript?
i followed your hints how to implement blogumus but i cant see any cloud... what am i doing wrong?
it still doesn't work for me at all
Pra mim tambem não funcionou, tentei as duas sugestões, e o resultado foi identico nos dois modos...que pena ... mas valeu..achei muitas outras utilidades aqui no seu espaço.
um abraço.
somebody who speaks freaking spanish please???!!
beacuse i understand so good, but, i've a problem, my tags of the cloud, doesn't have any link, so i don't know, and i had just 2 tags!! i want more, what can i do..
if somebody can write to me in spanish .. thanks! =)
I love this widget, but haven't been able to get it to work for me anymore. It worked the very first time I added it about a month ago (with the old codes)....then it suddenly went blank about a week later. I have no clue why it won't work anymore....any ideas?
http://whatevermama.blogspot.com/
http://mamasmoneysavingtips.blogspot.com/
(both have widgets on bottom of sidebar since they are blank and unsightly)
very difficult!!!!!!!!!!!!
This will not work for me at all. And I cannot seem to make it have a transparent background.
In any case, I either get a blank white, bright green or black box.
No label cloud for me, apparently.
Is there any fix at all for this?
Hello Amanda,Why this tutorial doesnt work?heres my blog http://komputer28.blogspot.com Thanx
I have get it to work, there are two small modifications for the code:
1.Adding
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
somewhere in the code to make the labels clickable in IE.
2. Adding
<param name="wmode" value="transparent" />
to get the backgound transparent.
I also figure out how to position it onto the header with a glittering title text.
Now I really love the special effect on my blog's title area.
http://cyberjedizen.blogspot.com/
Hello Amanda
I tried using both the versions of the code but both of them result in a blank widget! I read through few of the comments here and few have doubts about the number of labels, but I have very few labels. I am not able to figure out the problem!
Hi Amanda,
I am having the same problem as Bala. I have tried both versions resulting in a blank widget.
Can you help?
Natalie
amanda, i cannot get this to show up! the widget is there but there is absolutely no picture/text/cloud...help, please!
All I get is a white box as well. Please help!
thanks amanda.. this fixed my problem in IE
http://www.vinaymanda.com
can someone help , it works in firefox , works with IE in the home page when i goto individual post it shows blank widget , please help !
http://webspherehelp.blogspot.com
Tried both methods, nothing but white boxes.
Spent hours eliminating any kind of tag with characters that did not solve problem but I have hundreds of tags and some long tags but I read above and followed instructions, I even tried to make the box bigger to include longer tag lines and that did not work.
Could this be a problem with three column blogs, I tried both sidebars and even main section. Could change colors no problem but cannot get tags to appear.
There has to be an easy fix to this code where you can change the number of tags to start with 40, 50 or more.
I also deleted tags from layout and kept them in before adding code and still nothing.
Finally, I settled for this which worked but not what I wanted which is visible now.
http://www.bloggerplugins.org/2008/06/label-cloud-widget-for-blogger-blogspot.html
Thanks You. Beautiful widget but very disappointed I cannot get it to work.
This is the blog I'm experimenting in:
http://www.newyorkislanderfancentral.com/
Any answers would be appreciated.
Hi Amanda!
Well, I inserted the revised code and it worked. Then I changed its position in my blog sidebar, and now it sometimes works and sometimes not.
Is it possible there are too many tags? Needs re-sizing?
Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!
My blog is: http://jakaplan.blogspot.com
Can someone help me! When I used the first code I got nothing. When I used the new revised code all I got was a blank while box. NOTHING! I've gone to different websites and it still doesn't work. Is it me?! Can ANY blogger help me please?
my blog is
bookwormbarista.blogspot.com
Is it because I have a 3 column blog?
I fixed mine by taking apostrophes out of my tags.
Took me 3 days to figure it out but working now!
Go and edit your tags people.
:)
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