tips and tricks for movable type

guestbook with movable type
September 19, 2002

I've had several people ask how I created my guestbook using MT, so I thought I'd document it here. It's surprisingly simple to do.

1. I created a new blog for the guestbook, selecting only Individual Archiving.

2. I posted one entry to the blog, consisting of the title and quote which appears at the top of the main page. I checked to "allow comments" on that entry.

3. In my Main Index Template, I used:

• the OpenComments javascript function to create a pop-up link to "sign the guestbook"

• an <MTEntries lastn="1"> tag to always display the single entry (key because each time a visitor signs the guestbook, the page is rebuilt)

• the <MTComments> container tags to display all of the "guestbook entries"

4. If the guestbook page ever gets too full, I can post a new entry that looks just like the old one, and provide a link to previous guestbook "pages" (i.e., Individual Entry Archives) using <MTEntryPrevious> tags.

5. As an added touch to my site, I put a "sign my guestbook" link on my blog sidebar, which allows people to leave me general comments rather than commenting on a specific entry in the blog:

<a href="http://www.thegirliematters.com/cgi/mt/mt-comments.cgi?entry_id=136" onclick="OpenComments(this.href); return false">my guestbook</a><br />

Update 02.13.02: Since this entry was originally posted, I've changed the guestbook to use inline comments instead of pop-up comments. If you want to view both the original and current version of my Main Index Templates, you can do so here.

Special thanks to Brenna for her awesome Show Templates plugin, which made the demo page for this a breeze!

07:08 pm | site enhancers | tricks | send link

Comments

Brilliant idea! Simple yet elegant...

I presently have a CGI-script running my guestbook, but after seing this (and as I allready am running MT on my site), I will swiftly change the guestbook into an MT controlled one.

/:)

by Mathias | 10.07.02 04:56 AM

It's really great to have as much as possible administered through MT. It is one tool that is far more valuable than I could ever have imagined in terms of site management. =)

by girlie | 10.07.02 07:07 PM

First off...thanks so much for this! I love being able to host my own guestbook even if it doesn't get used much. :)

Question:: I've set it up so that the comment entry is a pop-up without the MTCommentBody tag, so that all of the comments don't show up in the pop-up. The only problem with this is that I can't use the MTSanitize plug in. I haven't been able to figure out how to fix this. Was wondering if you had any thoughts or could point me in the right direction? thanks in advance. Guestbook can be seen here.

by patricia | 01.11.03 08:20 PM

I'm not sure I understand why you can't use the Sanitize plugin?? You can still use it on the <MTCommentBody> tag on your main guestbook page. That's where the "sanitizing" works - on the display of the actual comments.

by girlie | 01.11.03 08:29 PM

Goodness. I'm so embarrassed. Of course. I was just being dense. Thanks again.

by patricia | 01.11.03 08:33 PM

Cool Web Site. I really enjoyed the visit, and hope to come back soon.

by Jesica Brown | 02.11.03 03:58 PM

Yay!! Thanks so much. There was one line I was missing that had been driving me mad. Looking at your templates helped me find it.

by pixel | 02.19.03 08:50 AM

Is there any other way than making a new blog for a guestbook thing? I would have to make around 50 then for what i would like to do. I want people to comment on each state in this game but I want it to be under each state flag. I'm not finding a way in MT that this might be possible other than giving each stat it's own entry and I was trying to avoid that. Any suggestions?

by eve | 03.11.03 08:15 PM

If you want the comments for each state to be separated, then you'd need an entry for each state. Otherwise, MT wouldn't know where to associate the comment. You wouldn't need 50 *blogs* though (if that's what you meant about "make 50").

I'd probably turn the game into its own blog.

by girlie | 03.11.03 08:25 PM

I am trying to understand how to use mt to create a photolog that is a part of a larger blog- something like www.explodingfist.com. Can you help me?

Thanks in advance

by Jean | 03.20.03 04:16 PM

I get the error:

Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in tag: Can't find included template module 'axs_g'

When trying to use the guestbook main index template. I cannot locate this axs_g file anywhere. Please help.

by Chris Hunter | 04.03.03 08:52 AM

Well - you can't copy my template wholesale! It's just an example for you to see how my MT tags are used.

I've got template modules in there, which obviously aren't going to work in your blog.

by girlie | 04.03.03 09:23 AM

Was searching MT Support Forum to see if anybody had used MT to do a guestbook...

Thanks for posting these tips! Perfect for pointing me in the right direction.

I've just added my version on the little 10 year HS reunion site I'm doing:
http://class-of-93.kicks-ass.net/tri-center/

by sandy | 06.08.03 12:06 AM

I was also searching online for how to make a guestbook using MT - thanks for posting this!

I made a guestbook using your original instructions (sort of), but when I tried to config the archives to Individual Entry only (I uncheck all but that), I got a build error when rebuilding:

Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in tag: The archive type specified in MTArchiveList ('Monthly') is not one of the chosen archive types in your blog configuration.

I know you're not here to handhold, but I don't know how to fix this except to keep 'Monthly' checked when configuring the archives. Any ideas?

Sorry if this is a dumb question - I'm sort of new to this stuff.

I like how you made your guestbook so that entries were inline! But, that is WAY above my head. lol.

by N. | 06.08.03 06:58 PM

hi girlie
i'm having the same problem as "N." where this error message always appears -

Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in tag: The archive type specified in MTArchiveList ('Monthly') is not one of the chosen archive types in your blog configuration.

would appreciate any sorta help/comment. i'm still a newbie. thanks!

by ed73 | 07.04.03 11:49 AM

It sounds like you are using an MTArchiveList container in your Main Index Template: i.e., <MTArchiveList archive_type="Monthly">, just as N was. If you don't have Monthly archives enabled in configuration, you'll get that error.

by girlie | 07.04.03 11:55 AM

thanks girlie!

i've managed to get that error fixed thanks to you! I changed archive_type="Individual". but now, i can't seem to get the main index to rebuild itself to reflect new "comment" entries. how do i do that? or should I do that? i've placed the MTComments container tags from Comments Listing Template within MTEntries lastn="1" tags in the Main Index.

by ed73 | 07.04.03 01:36 PM

You need to include a line like this in your comments form:

<input type="hidden" name="static" value="http://www.thegirliematters.com/guestbook/index.php" />

replacing my URL with yours.

by girlie | 07.04.03 01:50 PM

Hmmm... wouldn't it be alot easier if you just create a new category called "Guestbook" with a "Welcome, sign here" entry; users then can "sign" an entry by simply posting a comment.

For perfect disguise, you can build a special Guestbook template, so everything looks like a generic guestbook.

by valken | 08.05.03 12:25 AM

Thanks for the great tutorial! Very classic and simple ... I LOVE IT! It's amazing what you can do with MT and I'm grateful for all the tips you take the time to post! Thank you!

by tiana | 08.18.03 12:45 PM

Great idea, but wouldn’t a new MT blog on your site create an opportunity for Blogshares to list you? Granted, you might not care, but what would prevent the game from linking to your guestbook?

On second thought, that is a delicious idea.

by -J. | 08.22.03 12:01 AM

Nice. Now I just have to figure how to configure the comments to allow dropdown boxes for rating the site etc etc as part of signing the 'guestbook'. I'd also like visitors to add smileys into their comments. Any suggestions how?

by demonsurfer | 09.25.03 03:40 PM

I like your website it's got a cool fill. take
care.
Jos

by Jos Tirado | 09.29.03 10:11 AM

hi girlie,

very nice tip!

used it to build the guestbook for my Photolog: http://DigitalFotoKunst.de/

warning: the site is in German and the guestbook link is called "Gstebuch"! ;-)

/hd

by hdstich | 11.06.03 02:55 AM

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)

TrackBack: 21
(URL: http://www.thegirliematters.com/sf/mt-track.cgi/83)

» [the girlie matters]
Excerpt: [the girlie matters] tips, tricks, and things to do to my site: guestbook with movable type has a post on
Weblog: blogNessie.com
Tracked: 11.09.02 05:14 PM

» Libro de visitas
Excerpt: Cómo hacer un Guestbook con Movable Type (en inglés).
Weblog: Korochi Industrias
Tracked: 12.26.02 04:01 PM

» pure geek part XVI
Excerpt: Thanks to the girlie matters, my guestbook is now hosted on this my site using Movable Type as the publisher. Not that anybody uses the guestbook, but that's truly so beside the point. The point being that I'm a control-freak and if I can create it and...
Weblog: As deep as a puddle after a hard rain
Tracked: 12.31.02 01:05 AM

» Guestbook
Excerpt: How do you add a guestbook to Moveable Type?
Weblog: Site Log
Tracked: 12.31.02 01:32 PM

» Be our guest
Excerpt: Spotted at flat.level.ground -- another great MT trick from the girlie matters. It's a FAQ on how to put together a guestbook for your site with Movable Type. Somedays I wonder if there's anything this software can't do...and anything the girlie matter...
Weblog: Ain't too proud to blog
Tracked: 01.05.03 08:58 PM

» Guestbook in MT
Excerpt: [the girlie matters] tips, tricks, and things to do to my site: guestbook with movable type
Weblog: RC Utility
Tracked: 01.06.03 09:42 AM

» I have a guestbook!
Excerpt: Thanks to The Girlie Matters, I now have a guestbook so go sign it!
Weblog: RunAwaySquirrels
Tracked: 01.07.03 02:38 PM

» girlies guestbook
Excerpt: [the girlie matters] tips, tricks, and things to do to my site: guestbook with movable type -- I keep having
Weblog: lovelinks
Tracked: 02.20.03 02:43 PM

» sign on the dotted line...
Excerpt: okay, so i've followed the guest book tutorial in movable type so here's my rendition/interpretation of a guest book for my own site. thanks to thegirlmatters.com for the awesome tutorial....
Weblog: billy's log
Tracked: 04.21.03 06:45 PM

» the new MT-powered guestbook
Excerpt: the girlie matters has a fabulous suggestion to create your own guestbook using movable type. this is a great alternative to using the free guestbooks that are offered all over the web because you have full administrative capabilities over, well,...
Weblog: feministe
Tracked: 08.18.03 01:58 PM

» Movable Type Enhancements
Excerpt: In trying to determine whether Movable Type (MT) was a feasible backend for OK/Cancel, I found a variety of sites and discovered just how big the MT community really was. If there's a function you can think of (and many...
Weblog: my:dentity
Tracked: 09.28.03 11:34 AM

» Guestbook
Excerpt: If you want to say 'hi', and/or comment on this site, please fill in the below form. Thanks....
Weblog: guestbook
Tracked: 10.09.03 02:18 PM

» Vickie's Up And Running!
Excerpt: Hi everybody! I just thought I'd let you know that Vickie's new website, The Midustouch, is up and running! Vickie's put up her first news post, and has also included some photos of her jewellery. Please nip over and take...
Weblog: IMAGinES
Tracked: 10.12.03 02:39 AM

» new guestbook.
Excerpt: I followed girlie's tutorial on using movable type to host a guestbook. This is a really excellent and easy thing to do and keeps everything within the one system, which is very convenient. It did, however, mean that I can't...
Weblog: distant, early morning
Tracked: 10.13.03 06:45 PM

» Colophon
Excerpt: colophon ( P ) Pronunciation Key (kl-fn, -fn) n. 1. An inscription placed usually at the end of a book, giving facts about its publication. 2. A publisher's emblem or trademark placed usually on the title page of a book....
Weblog: distant, early morning: static
Tracked: 01.10.04 08:49 PM

» Gjestebok
Excerpt: Korleis laga gjestebok med MovableType
Weblog: Medan eg leitar etter vegen...
Tracked: 03.03.04 04:14 PM

» This is addictive.
Excerpt: coverting to MySQL 官方版的說明文件少寫了兩個重點： mt.cfg 要保留原先 Berkeley DB 的兩行 DataSource,...
Weblog: pagras.net
Tracked: 03.30.04 08:04 AM

» 部落格中的留言板
Excerpt:   事情是起因於網友 flower 想在我這破網誌中留言，無意中問了一句，我這才驚覺：是啊，我的確是從來沒想到要在我的"日記本"上留個簽到簿給訪客的.......
Weblog: 布拉格的春天 - Frey 的網路誌
Tracked: 04.11.04 11:05 AM

» Vickie's Up And Running!
Excerpt: Hi everybody! I just thought I'd let you know that Vickie's new website, The Midustouch, is up and running! Vickie's put up her first news post, and has also included some photos of her jewellery. Please nip over and take...
Weblog: IMAGinES
Tracked: 04.14.04 08:24 AM

» Change of address
Excerpt: I just changed my address for F&SF and Asimov's via their nifty forms. I feel like there's something I'm forgetting to do. I wish I knew what it was. In other exciting news, my Internet connection at home is the...
Weblog: Katherine Mankiller
Tracked: 09.07.04 11:47 AM

» sign on the dotted line...
Excerpt: okay, so i've followed the guest book tutorial in movable type so here's my rendition/interpretation of a guest book for my own site. thanks to thegirlmatters.com for the awesome tutorial....
Weblog: billy's log
Tracked: 01.12.05 12:25 AM

« IE6 table centering bug | main | decoder from scriptygoddess »