Welcome to the TypePad Connect Blog

Welcome to the TypePad Connect blog. This blog documents, tracks, and lets you give us feedback on the features in the TypePad Connect beta program. Leave a comment if you've got a suggestion or a question - we love comments.

Looking for new features and other information from the TypePad team? Check out the Everything TypePad blog.

How can you share feedback?

We love comments, just like you! Leave us a comment on the relevant post and let us know what you think. It's a creative, quick way to let us and the rest of the community know what's important to you. You can also provide feedback through our beta survey.

Beta Update: Fixes and Features

It's been two weeks since the announcement of TypePad Connect Beta, and the team has been both pleased and excited to see the range of blogs and sites that have chosen to install our comment management platform. We want to give a big thanks to everyone for trying out TypePad Connect and providing us with great feedback. We’d also like to thank our TypeKey users for being patient during the migration process, and we hope that the experience you now get with your new TypePad profiles is ten times better than what TypeKey was able to offer.

While TypePad Connect is still in its Beta release, we do expect to uncover issues and will actively work to resolve them as quickly as possible. Within the first few days of the release some of our former TypeKey users experienced difficultly logging in and commenting on TypePad blogs. There were also some registration issues with sites that had enabled TypeKey authentication on the day of the release. Both issues have been resolved and we apologize for any inconveniences they may have caused. Last week’s bugfix release was small in scope due to the Thanksgiving break but we were able to additionally resolve the following issues:

• TypeKey profiles not properly redirecting to TypePad profiles
• Scrollbars showing up on individual comments
• Incorrect moderation links in comment emails
• Language switcher breaking the TypeKey login
• Disabled blogs not handled nicely in the UI

For the latest list of issues, workarounds and scheduled fixes, please see our Known Issues List. 

We've also received lots of feedback regarding import/export functionality and the availability of a TypePad Connect API. Both of these features are really important to us as well, so keep an eye out for an update in the near future. Meanwhile the team is working hard to incorporate the rest of your suggestions into our roadmap. Here's a list of frequently requested features that we're keeping track of, and please feel free to leave further recommendations in the comments:

• Ability to manage old Movable Type comments
• Friending and following functionality between commenters
• Detailed commenter information in the notification e-mails
• Recent Comments activity modules for blog sidebars
• OpenID improvements
• Non-javascript version of comment threads
• Additional profile features and privacy settings

We've Moved!

To our Alpha subscribers, thank you for participating and providing great feedback!  We've made a number of significant improvements and moved TypePad Connect into a public Beta.  Additionally we've moved this blog into the new TypePad Connect homepage.  Please continue testing and provide us with feedback either in the TypePad Connect Beta blog or in the beta survey.

Known Issues List

This post keeps track of known issues, workarounds and fixes that will affect TypePad Connect users as we go into beta.  Eventually we'll move the list of issues into a separate section of the site for easy categorization and searching.  We're working to resolve these issues as quickly as possible.  If a workaround is available then it'll be listed with the issue. 

General

1. Latest posts on the dashboard are not always the latest but rather the first post within the blog.

2. Comment counts on dashboard and profile also include deleted comments

Setup & Installation

1. The first template available to Blogger accounts does not currently work with our code snippets. Workaround: try another template since we've optimized the code to work with many of Blogger's templates.

2. Deleted Connect blogs still sometimes show up in the drop-down navigation.

Comments & Settings

1. Sometimes URLs do not auto-link in comments left on posts

2. Default comment setting for posts and pages in TypePad application are not being reflected in TypePad Connect.

3. Comment moderation is not always respected on blog-side.

We are in Alpha!

At Six Apart we know that bloggers want to grow their communities and have access to the best blogging tools available.  We also know that not everyone blogs using TypePad, and that’s okay because we want to help all bloggers.  Towards that effort, our product and engineering teams have worked diligently to create a set of TypePad services called TypePad Connect that bloggers on almost any platform can use to make their blogs better. 

The first service that TypePad Connect will offer is a set of commenting and community building tools, which will deliver an engaging commenting experience for your readers, a better comment management experience for you, and eventually free profiles for everyone. 

We've made it super easy for most of our TypePad subscribers to try TypePad Connect with a one-click installation process.  Over time we plan to expand the community capabilities of TypePad Connect and  fully integrate all of these features into TypePad. 

If you’re blogging on a service other than TypePad you can still use TypePad Connect for your blog’s comments as long as you can edit your JavaScript.  While we unfortunately can’t make it a one-click installation we provide step-by-step directions for you to easily install TypePad Connect on your Movable Type, WordPress.org, Blogger, and Tumblr blogs. 

Your feedback is extremely valuable and will help shape this really great service so let us know what you think!  You can post your feedback on this blog or if something is entirely broken, then email us at [email protected].  We can't promise to respond directly to every email but we'll collect all feedback and address it in future posts on this blog. 

Additionally if you know anyone who might be interested in participating in our public beta, please have them visit TypePad Connect to sign up for a notification of our beta. 

Happy testing! 

-- The TypePad Team

What TypePad Can Do For You

TypePad Connect will eventually include a suite of services but the Alpha release is focused primarily on commenting tools.  Here’s what these tools can do for you.

Make your blog the center of discussion

• Your comments will seamlessly match the background and font styles of the rest of your blog.

• Threaded comments allow readers to reply directly each other’s comments.

• Add more personality to the discussion by displaying profile pictures next to each comment.  (Note: feature is not fully functional in Alpha).

• Readers can preview how a comment will appear before submitting it.

• Commenters can enhance their comments with basic HTML tags.

Track and manage your comments with ease

• Setup your comments to appear exactly how you want them.

• Subscribe to receive an email whenever someone posts a new comment.

• Respond directly to comments through email.

• Publish, unpublish, or mark a comment as spam from TypePad Connect or via email.  Your comments are automatically protected with TypePad AntiSpam.

Get started with a simple installation process

• Easy step-by-step directions are provided for TypePad, Movable Type, WordPress.org, Blogger, and Tumblr blogs.

You also will have a profile that you can personalize.  This feature is not fully enabled at this time but you can upload a photo, list your interests, and link to your blogs and social networking sites so you don’t forget to do it in the future.

New post!

This is a new post!

FAQs: General Questions

What is TypePad Connect?
TypePad Connect is a new service from TypePad that allows all bloggers, blog readers and site owners access to some of the key capabilities that our TypePad bloggers enjoy, regardless of which platform is used to publish the site.

Typepad Connect brings bloggers and their audiences into the TypePad Network, a community made up of the most powerful and passionate voices on the web.

The first feature of TypePad Connect is a new comment and community service that will enable richer conversations across the web. 

What are the key features of TypePad Connect?
At launch TypePad Connect can be easily installed using a few simple lines of JavaScript and will feature:

• Threaded commenting that drives more dynamic conversations in your community

• TypePad Profiles: commentor identification with TypePad profiles, which aggregates comment activity across TypePad Connect enabled blogs

• TypePad AntiSpam: free industry leading protection from comment spam

• Comment management tools: for one or multiple blogs via a simple user interface or via email

How do I create an account?
You can  create an account to just comment on TypePad Connect enabled blogs, which will give you a free TypePad profile. Or you can add TypePad Comments to your own blog or site. Either way your first step is to register for a free TypePad Account. To get started, follow the instructions on the  registration page. Once your account is created, you can edit your profile, start commenting or enable TypePad Connect for any blog or  site.

If you already have a TypePad blog you will be given a profile page automatically. Login to TypePad Connect to edit your TypePad profile.

How do I get a TypePad Profile only?
You can register for a TypePad Profile here: http://www.typepad.com/connect/register. It takes only a few moments and is free to use. 

Do I need to sign up for TypePad profiles as a TypePad or TypeKey user?
No, there is no need to go through registration. TypePad or TypeKey subscribers can log in with their existing email address or member name. 

What platforms do you support?
TypePad Connect has fully integrated support on the following platforms:

• TypePad 
• Movable Type 3.x and 4.x 
• WordPress.org 2.0 and higher 
• Blogger 
• Tumblr

If you do not use any of these platforms, TypePad Connect also provides a general code snippet for any website or web application where you can edit the javascript. Additional platform integrations will be available when TypePad Connect is released publicly.

What are the benefits to installing from my readers perspective?
With comment threading and profile integration, your readers will have a richer commenting experience both as a reader and as a commenter. Readers can subscribe to their favorite commenters through various RSS readers, which will allow them to follow friends across the TypePad and Six Apart networks. Not to mention that TypePad Profiles is a great tool for your readers to aggregate their activity across the web.

Can I put TypePad Connect on a web site other than a blog?
Yes. TypePad Connect provides a general code snippet that can be installed on any web site or web application where you can edit the javascript.

Is TypePad Connect a hosted service?
Yes, TypePad Connect is hosted on our servers. 

Is TypePad Connect a free service?
Yes, TypePad Connect is 100% free to all users. 

Is TypePad Connect available in other languages?
Not yet, but we are working on making the service available in languages other than English.

FAQs: Comment Management

Where are my comments stored?
Comments are stored on the TypePad Connect servers. We are working on the ability to export comments so that you will be able to access your comments even if you've disabled TypePad Connect. 

Where can I find an RSS feed for my comments?
You can find an RSS feed for your comments on your public profile. In order to see your RSS feed, you will need to enable the "Recent Activity" module on the profile, which is found on the "Edit Profile" page.

How do I delete comments?
To delete a single comment, from the Comments tab, select the down arrow menu for the comment and select Delete. To delete multiple comments, select the checkboxes next to each and choose Delete from the "Mark checked" menu at the bottom of the page. See below:

How do I approve comments?
To approve a single comment, from the Comments tab, select the down arrow for the comment and select Publish. To approve multiple comments, select the checkboxes next to each and choose Publish from from the "Mark checked" menu at the bottom of the page.

 

How do I edit comments?
Comments are owned by the readers who left them so the option to edit them is not available to the blog owner. You can choose to unpublish a comment if you wish. As a commenter, you may edit comments only within the first five minutes after posting unless there have been replies left on your comment.

Can I import my existing comments into TypePad Connect?
Not yet but we are making this feature available. 

Can I export the TypePad Connect comments to my blog?
Not yet but we are making this feature available. 

Why are my comments not in my blog's admin panel any more?
After setting up TypePad Connect for your blog or web site, the comments will all be managed via your TypePad Connect Comments area. For TypePad users, we've made the integration one step better by importing all the comments that were posted previously into TypePad Connect as well. If you choose to disconnect your blog or web site from TypePad Connect, all of your comments prior to TypePad Connect will be available via your blog's admin panel.

How do I claim my comments from an OpenID account?

If you've made a comment on a blog using TypePad Connect while logged in with your OpenID account, you automatically have a profile with us! To claim the comments and profile, verify your identity by clicking "Claim" on the profile.

Are comments made in TypePad Connect picked up by Google (and other search engines)?
Comments made in TypePad Connect are not currently picked up by search engines. But we're working on it, so stay tuned!

My comments are not showing up! Why?
Your comments may be in your moderation queue waiting for your approval. From the dashboard, click on your blog or website title in the main content area. If you have more than one blog or website, then use the blog/site selector in the navigation to change your dashboard view. In the "Comments" area you can view all comments awaiting moderation.

Additionally, you can customize your moderation settings in the "Settings" tab. Your moderation setting may be set so that all comments must be approved by you, although this is not the default setting.

FAQs: Settings & Account Management

How do I change my Name, Email and Password?
If you are a TypePad.com blog user, your name, email and password is still stored in your TypePad account in the Control Panel > Profile tab. If you are using TypePad Connect on another platform, you can update this information via the Account tab in your TypePad Connect account. 

Where can I change my ‘Elsewhere’ accounts?
You can add, edit or remove Elsewhere accounts via the Profile link. This feature will allow you to add links to your profile on third party services like Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, etc. to your profile . 

I'm not receiving email notifications. Why?
Verify your account settings to make sure that you're properly set to receive email notifications. To do this, select the tab for “Account” that’s found in the navigation after you’ve logged in. Select "Notifications" in the left-hand column. On the page you'll notice several options under the heading "Email Notifications." Check to make sure that your settings are set for you to receive email notifications. 

How come my comment settings are in TPC and my account settings are in TypePad?
This is the case for users on the first-generation TypePad application platform. Once your account has been migrated to the new platform. you'll be able to edit your account settings inside TypePad Connect. 

How do I set the default comment sorting for my blog?
From the Settings tab, scroll to the section called "Display on your blog". Under "Layout Options" select "Threaded" or "Flat, sorted" as your comment display option.

Can I use HTML in the comments?
You can choose to allow limited HTML in comments from the "Settings" tab, under the "Formatting" section.

How can I customize the look and feel of TypePad Connect (using CSS)?

You can override the default styling of TypePad Connect by adding CSS classes to your own style sheet. We've started some of the CSS documentation here: http://kb.typepad.com/id/1337

What are threaded versus flat comments?
Threaded comments allow readers to reply directly to each other's comments, fostering a more dynamic conversation on your weblog. Flat comments are the traditional, chronological comment display.  See below: threaded vs. flat.

   

Is there a "reply by email" functionality?
Absolutely! You can reply directly to any comment email to post a response directly to the blog or website.

What is the custom commenter profile feature?
This feature will allow TypePad Connect users to expand the branding on their sites to the profiles of their commenters. Any reader who views a commenter’s profile from your post’s comment stream will see the profile styled in your blog’s look and feel. 

FAQs: Installing, Disabling & Removing TPC

I’m a TypePad member and want to enable TPC:
We've made it simple for TypePad members to install TypePad Connect. From the dashboard, you can enter the "Connect a blog" flow where you'll find all of your TypePad blogs listed. If you don't see the correct TypePad blogs, then please verify that you're logged into the correct account. Click "Enable" and follow all the steps in the install process.

I’m not a TypePad member, how do I enable TPC?
Not a TypePad member? You can still install TypePad Connect on your blog or web site. Start by creating an account. From the dashboard, enter the "Connect a blog" flow where you'll enter your blog or web site URL to retrieve the TypePad Connect comment script. Please follow all the steps in the install process.

I’m a TypePad user, but I can’t seem to install TypePad Connect?
TypePad Connect relies on the new TypePad weblog platform for integration. Users who have dynamic weblogs (with features like pagination) can install TypePad Connect. Users with static weblogs will be able to use TypePad Connect when their accounts are moved to the new platform. We are moving accounts as quickly as possible, so you should see this change soon. If you do not see options for pagination inside your TypePad account at Weblogs > Configure > Preferences, your weblog is still static.. 

I don't have a blog. Can I still sign up?
Yes. We offer a generic comment script that can be used on any web site or web application which allows you to edit the javascript. You can also set up just a TypePad Profile to use while commenting on blogs or web sites that use TypePad Connect. Register here.

How do I reinstall the TypePad Connect comment script?
To reinstall TypePad Connect, please login into your account at http://www.typepad.com/connect. From the dashboard, click on your blog title in the main content area. This should send you to the comment management page. Select the "Settings" tab and locate "Blog Settings". Click on the link to "Reinstall TypePad Connect comment script".

I’m a TypePad member and want to disable TypePad Connect
We've made it simple for TypePad members to disable TypePad Connect. From the dashboard, click on your blog title in the main content area. This should send you to the comment management page. Click the link to "Remove this blog from TypePad Connect" found at the bottom of the page. Please follow all the steps in the disabling process. 

I’m not a TypePad user and want to disable TypePad Connect
You can disable TypePad Connect from your blog or web site by removing the comment script that you added to your site. Note that comments left while TypePad Connect was enabled will only be available if you re-enable TypePad Connect. We're working on an import/export tool so that you will be able to access your comments both in and out of TypePad Connect.

I want to completely remove my content from TypePad Connect (this is ONLY for non-TypePad users)
To permanently remove a blog or web site from TypePad Connect, you will need to access the "Settings" page for that blog or web site. Locate the "Remove this blog from TypePad Connect" link at the bottom of the page. Choosing to permanently remove your blog will delete any comments previously left on TypePad Connect. This step only removes the management piece, you will still need to return to your blog and remove the comment code snippets.

If you plan on re-enable TypePad Connect in the future, you should disable instead by just removing the comment snippet from your site. This will ensure that your comments will continued to be stored in TypePad Connect.