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1 Nov 27, 2005 00:54    

I have a couple of frustrations with utilizing a php-based blog tool, such as b2evo, to serve our pages:

1) We have keywords for our site and while our site is largely about things that those keywords relate to, I write on enough diverse subjects that the site keywords often are a complete and utter mis-match with the post contents when viewed in a single pane mode.

So ... I would like to see a back-office feature that allows one to add keywords, along with a post entry. IF the post closely matches the site keywords ... one can leave the keyword field blank. But IF the post content differs from the site keywords, one can add "post keywords" that are then served up in the meta keyword tag, when the page is views in single pane mode OR served up with 5/7/$pages other post keywords, when viewed in "posts paged" or some other mode.

This way, the page is more properly formed and there is a better relevancy match between the keywords of the PAGE and the post content.

2) Likewise, there are times when I would like to control the CSS for an individual post. I don't wan to have to burden the client with loading this CSS EVERY time our page loads, only when the page for which the CSS is APPLIED loads.

While I know that I can use inline CSS for many post-specific styling, there are some selectors (a:hover, being one) that does not have an inline equivalent. Also, for posts that contain a CSS technique, it is often beneficial to have the CSS in the <head> tag (or separate, external file) so that a user can view it using 'view source' (or Ffox web developer).

I'm not certain regarding feasiblity, but it would be nice to have the ability to define post-specific CSS.

This would allow users to have one-off CSS files associated with a particular blog entry, without bloating the skin CSS file with (often) non-used selectors and directives.

I do not know how popular either of these enhancement requests might be to others, but both have been niggling at me for some time. (1) Is partly a matter of semantics, but because b2evo is standards compliant, it would seem natural to seek a higher relevancy between page keywords and page content ... that's just good XHTML. (2) Is mostly a matter of personal need, but I believe others would like this capability as well.

-stk :D

2 Nov 27, 2005 05:31

I think both of those could be done as plugins. One of the plugin actions is skin tag, and it could place things in the head, too. Then you could have a backoffice tool that captures the the css or keywords and writes them to a MySQL column that you add. Hit up YaBBa and see if he'll share his proto-documentation for plugins and you could get something started.

I don't think these would be very good features to add to the base install, but with plugins you can do any crazy thing you want. :D

I just had an idea, though. What if b2evolution always added the title of any category you're posting to into the keywords meta tag? Would that help? Or what if each category had an extra field for keywords and they all got added to any post for that category. You could do that individual post pages, but also for displaying that category. Even the front page could use something like this. You would always have different keywords, which would be cool.

I don't know much about SEO, but does Google even look at the meta keywords tag?

3 Nov 27, 2005 06:23

AFAIK google gives keywords credit if they seem to be related to post content. I could be extremely wrong on that, but who cares since google is nothing more than another company looking to make a buck off the web.

I sorta like this idea. Imagine a field in the back office. Maybe it's for higher level users only? Whatever: it's for post-specific keywords and all you have to do to use it is type in your keywords separated by a comma. In my world it would limit you to 8 words (7 commas), but so what. It's not much different than having the option of altering the date stamp, except for it's totally different.

Yabba-dabba-doodle has a quickie guide for doing the plugin thing? Hmmm... I've been meaning to learn something about plugins so's I could maybe simulate intelligence. Perhaps I should badger him a wee bit eh? Then again, he turned my major hackage (that had me scared I'd never move beyond dawn) into a plugin so maybe I should just say nice things and hope for the best... ;)

4 Nov 27, 2005 19:24

Yep ... I sorta figured that Phoenix plug-ins could handle this kinda thing.

I think that (1) is something that should be added to a base install, as this is just "good blogging". (The keywords should be reflective of page content).

(2) is more of a stk-wish thing that most folks could "pass" on, but if it were a plugin ... and someone wanted it ... then they would add it. (Sortof a "bloat yer own" install as much/little as you want kind of option) ;)

I've been following Sir Yabba's dev blog, tho haven't yet read his dealie on plugins *yet*. When the bird rises from the ashes ... I'll be the first one in line.

-stk :D

5 Dec 02, 2005 13:46

Sent you a pressie, when I document it I'll post it on my dev blog ;)

¥

6 Dec 02, 2005 16:55

I hearby nominate ¥åßßå as the best blonde brit b2evo cowboy EVER! :)

Thank you!!

-stk :D

PPL are gonna love this plugin ... as it means not only can you publish post-specific CSS, keywords & such ... but also put javascript in yer blog post. Most excellent dude.

7 Dec 02, 2005 18:32

Lol, glad you liked it ;)

¥


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