[e_blogga] email blogging module

[ramjet]

This is the instructions/support thread for the [e_blogga] email upload module.
http://www.contao.org/en/extension-l...000009.en.html


This is a module for creating multiple blogs. Entries to each blog can be added manually in the backend - or added via email.

INSTRUCTIONS
After install Email Blogs will appear in the backend Content section.

[attachment=2:2w4velo0]eblogga.jpg[/attachment:2w4velo0]

CREATE BLOGS
Create a new Email Blog. Configure the Blog name, description, main image, blog entry image resizing, display settings and whether to auto-publish or moderate each entry.
A unique "Subject Code" and images directory (eg: abc123) are mandatory - for use with Email Uploading.
Optional security settings (including restricting filesize, setting start and stop dates for access, and posters whitelist) and email notification settings are also for Email Uploading usage.
You can publish/unpublish the blogs with the "green eye" toggle button.
Create as many different Blogs as you want.

MANUALLY CREATE BLOG ENTRIES
Edit the Blog (pencil icon) then "New Email Blog Entry" - add title and entry. Save and close.

MANUALLY ADD IMAGES TO THE BLOG ENTRY
Edit the Blog Entry - far right square Image icon "Add/Edit Entry Images" , then "New Image" to select an image from the file tree.


DISPLAYING IT ALL IN THE FRONT END
There are 3 types of display modules to be found under Themes::Modules::Email Blogs.
The modules NEED to be embedded AS ARTICLE CONTENT ELEMENTS (NOT as modules in a Page Layout)

1.Email Blog Module
You must create at least one instance of this module - select which Blog to show, and the number of entries per page. Embed this module IN AN ARTICLE on your sites blog page. Style to suit.
This module displays the selected blog (if it is published) and all its published entries.
[attachment=1:2w4velo0]blog.jpg[/attachment:2w4velo0]

2.Email Blog List Module
Optionally create this module - pair it with an Email Blog Module (created above) and include/exclude the Blogs you want it to list. Embed this module IN AN ARTICLE on the same page and/or a different page to your Email Blog Module. Style to suit. It will list all the published Blogs selected, and link to them. They will show in the Email Blog Module you have paired to. This allows you to switch between different blogs.
[attachment=0:2w4velo0]list.jpg[/attachment:2w4velo0]


3.Email Blog Entry List Module
Optionally create this module - pair it with an Email Blog Module (created above) and optionally select how many entries to show and whether to show a teaser. Embed this module IN AN ARTICLE on the same page and/or a different page to your Email Blog Module. Style to suit. It will list all the published Entries of the currently selected Blog and link directly to them. Useful as a sidebar I guess.

There are sample css files in the modules html/css folder to give you an idea of the selectors for styling if you need.


USING EMAIL POSTING
First, set up ONE email mailbox somewhere (eg: uploads@example.com) to receive ALL your emailed blog posts.
Next, fill in Settings (button at top).
Enter the mailbox mailserver/user/pass details and config parameters - and choose parameters regarding mailbox polling and sending acknowledgement/ super-moderator notification emails.
Only then will the manual Poll Mailbox button become visible (at top, beside Settings).
Poll the mailbox to test the connection.
If the connection fails you may need to alter POP/IMAP or the Ports to suit your particular mailbox parameters and try polling again until you get a connection.

Polling the mailbox can be manual (via the Poll Mailbox button), Contao Periodic Command Scheduled (houly, daily or weekly) or externally crontabbed (by pointing your Cronjob to the system/modules/e_blogga/MailboxCron.php file).

ADDING BLOG ENTRIES AND IMAGES VIA EMAIL
Address an email to the mailbox you set up in Settings.
What you write in the subject line becomes the entry title.
What you write in the email body becomes the entry text.
The image files are just attached to the email. "Image file types" from Contao:Settings are accepted.

Place the unique "Subject Code" of the blog you are posting to somewhere in the subject line of the email between square brackets - eg: This is my First Entry [abc123].

When the mailbox is polled (manually or by internal or external Cron), first it will check any emails for the subject code in the subject line, process the ones that pass and delete the rest. The processed ones are then checked against the other settings (whitelist/start date etc) and discarded if they fail. Because the subject code is unique, all attachments that pass the requirements are uploaded to the folder associated with the Subject Code, and the email subject text - minus the [abc123] - body text and image paths are recorded in the database. The processed email is then discarded so that the mailbox is empied after each poll.
Polls and sent notification emails are then logged in the System Log.

[ally1]

Where do the published blog entries go / appear on our websites? I emailed a test blog, which was processed unpublished (so that it could be moderated) just as I'd required. However, once I edited the blog post then published it, the new entry was nowhere to be found on my website. How does one view the published blog? What url can be used for the new entry?

Thanks!

P.S. I also tried adding the new blog as a module to my home page but eblogga doesn't show up in the list of modules.

[Sanderadio]

Hi Murray,

Great new feature in Contao! Thanks!!
One question: is it possible to remove the word "Entries" which appears on my webpage (in the Front End)?

Greetz!

[thyon]

Hey ally1

I believe this module causes some confusion as this creates it's own blog, as opposed to zad_sendnews which takes the e-mail and transforms it into the existing news module in the core.

[ramjet]

ally1, i didn't see your post dated May 6 before sorry (has it just showed up in the forum today?).
As Thyon says, it creates its own blogs.

P.S. I also tried adding the new blog as a module to my home page but eblogga doesn't show up in the list of modules.

Its in there....
You need to create it first. Go to Themes::Modules (the cogs icon) and create it there.
Look for Email Blog Module in the dropdown.
Once you've created it as a module it will appear as a choice in the content elements "module" choices.

Sanderadio - you can do this with CSS by hiding the span or div it appears in, or i think declare

$GLOBALS['TL_LANG']['tl_e_blogga']['e_bloggaEntries'] = "";

in system/localconfig.php