Lots of Problems – Links, Paragraphs, Error Messages, Comments…

  • Well, I emailed WordPress customer support, and they said all my problems were Microsoft Word and I should do it in a plain text program.
    So I did, but I still get the problems, so I turn to the forums. Hopefully these can be more helpful.

    My first problem is with hyperlinks. In the plain text, I enter the HTML code for links (), and it works if I view the page as an HTML page. But when I put it into WordPress (in the Code section of course), I get a host of problems. Firstly, the link is changed:
    “http://jamesgibbins.wordpress.com/wp-admin/%E2%80%9DLINK%E2%80%9D”, so it doesn’t work. WTF? Also, the code is often distorted so it doesn’t work (i.e. remove random quotation marks, spaces, equals signs…target=”_blank” to target_blank for example).
    tags work though, so why the hell is WP messing up my links?
    This isn’t too bad, as I can do it all in the WP editor, but it’s damn annoying.

    The second problem can’t be solved in the WP editor. In the editor, on the Visual mode (no code), I add a paragraph break (i.e. Enter) to a paragraph. Save and preview, and the two paragraphs have merged into one. Go back to the editor, and it’s one.
    I tried retyping it, with the same problem.
    The only real solution is to manually add tags, but I really can’t be bothered to do so for so many paragraphs.

    The third problem happens when I click “Save and Continue Editing”. Every time after it reloads, I get this error message:
    [IMG]http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p215/PaRaSiTe_X92/grr.gif[/IMG]
    Sorry, but that’s just plain retarded. Of course there is existing text, I told it I wanted to continue editing. And of course I don’t want to overwrite with a backup, I want to CONTINUE EDITING!

    Lastly, every time I save a post once it has been published (i.e. edit it), it leaves a comment on it from me with a link to another page. What the hell? Why? Is this a bug, or is it an option?

    Sorry about the tone of this, just I’ve spent a LONG time (hours) trying to fix all these, to no avail. So I’m a bit pissed off to say the least.

  • Damn. I was meant to say strong tags, but instead I put in the whole tag, with the <>s. Can I edit it anyhow?

  • And another thing, I don’t seem to be able to change my email address. It says I will be sent a confirmation email, but I never am.

  • Your confirmation email is in your Junk folder. Trust me. Make sure you’re checking the right email address, too. Check on the Options page; it’ll be going to that address, not the one in the profile.

    Why did you put a STRONG tag in there and not close it? If you’re doing the same on your blog, no wonder you have problems. Don’t use tags if you don’t close them.

    Please give us a link to your blog so we can see it for ourselves, and tell us what browser and version you are using. Also; the Visual editor isn’t designed for adding code, so click over to the Code editor to add code. That is why you’re getting the first error.

  • Thanks for the reply!

    As for the confirmation email, I have. I’m able to change my Profile email address (under User) but not my blog one (under Options). Oh well.

    I’m not stupid enough to do that on my blog! ;-) I just go on a lot of forums, which use [b] etc. I ALWAYS close tags in HTML/blogging though.

    And I DID use the Code editor, that IS the problem. I’m using Firefox 2.0.0.9.
    An example of the problem is the last paragraph here:
    http://jamesgibbins.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/firefox-the-essential-addons-part-i/
    (Ignore the link, that was when I gave access to my friend to see if he could fix some of the problems).
    The last paragraph should be split up – After “less school!” and “Get posting!”. I tried in the Visual editor to add a space, but it never works. I think it works by adding paragraph tags, but surely the whole point of the visual editor is you don’t have to go into the Code editor for simple things such as paragraphs!?
    I also haven’t got any of the links described above, because I manually changed them all in the Visual editor.

    Sorry about the tone of the first post, just I wasn’t in a good mood at all. :-)

  • Change email address
    -> Options -> scroll to:
    E-mail address: ________________
    This address is used only for admin purposes. If you change this we will send you an email at your new address to confirm it. The new address will not become active until confirmed.
    Enter the new email addres and click “Update Options”. The verification email will arrive at the first email address that was enetered there to prevent someone from “taking over” your blog.

  • I don’t get an email in either of my email accounts, that’s the problem.

    What about the other problems though?

    Don’t mean to sound like I’m just excuse-making, but maybe I’ve just got a dodgy account/install/whatever? I might try deleting my entire account and starting a new one, if possible.

  • @jgibbons92
    G’day,
    Volunteers cannot help with your email address change problem. You need staff intervention. Support hours are from 9-5 PM Pacific time and here’s the link http://wordpress.com/contact-support/
    HTH

  • OK, thanks timethief! :)

  • Was the link problem every resolved? I’m having the same exact issue. My URLs are having extra characters added. I know HTML and use the Code screen.

    The site that I’m linking to is getting errors in their log because of the extra characters.

    How can I stop this from happening? I’m using IE 6.0

  • The dumb linebreak thing is ticking me off.

  • I would suspect you are using Safari. TinyMCE, the page and post editor used by wordpress is not compatible with Safari yet (listed as experimental or partial). My suggestion would be to download and use Firefox for mac and use it for working with wordpress.

    You can also download and use one of the offline blog editors available for Mac. Timethief has a great collection of them here: http://wpbloggingtips.wordpress.com/2007/10/26/offline-blog-editors-reviews/

    I use Ecto and I’m quite happy with it. It can for some reason once in a while get some code doubled up and I have to switch to code view and take out the offending code, but for the most part it’s a great program.

    Another solution is to turn off the visual rich text editor (my profile, uncheck “use visual rich text editor” and then click “update profile) and do everything in code view but if you are like me, I find that confusing.

  • This is a great resource for writing links of all sorts: How to write links: http://faq.wordpress.com/2007/07/01/how-to-write-links/

  • The save and continue thing may be related to the syntax or format of the link. Again, see the above referenced FAQ. When I write my links like it shows, I never have a problem (unless I mess up and forget a space or something).

  • Hmm, please clarify. Just this week I started having a similar problem with paragraph breaks. Even if I use <p> tags, they are erased after I save and continue. I have been using WordPress for nearly a year with no problem, but Monday some new screwy thing has started.

  • Read my posts above yours if you are using Safari. Also, Opera has some issues as well when it comes to wordpress, but I’ve never investigated to see exactly what those problems are.

  • I am using an explorer browser and always was able to make paragraphs by hitting enter but this week the paragraphs are all blended together part of the time. If I hit enter about 4 times I might get a paragraph break, or I might not. Did something new happen to the wordpress software this week to cause this? I’ve also cleared my history cache. I don’t know how to write code so I always used to just hit enter.

  • All I can do is shrug and say I don’t know. I’ve never heard of this problem with IE.

    What version of IE are you using and what operating system?

  • I just found out that my editor was still set to Frontpage and I changed it to Word. This might have been the issue. Thank you and have a nice day.

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