tips and tricks for movable type
smilies with MTMacro
September 08, 2002
I couldn't decide at first whether to use Lynda's hack or Brad's plugin to add smilies to my blog.
I like Lynda's because I wouldn't have to add extraneous info to my templates, but I didn't like the idea of having to remember to re-edit the Util.pm file whenever a new version of MT is released (and since a new release is in the works...well, you know what I'd be doing in a couple of weeks).
With Brad's, I don't have to play hacker with the MT files (though he did help me hack macros.pm to work with Earthlink's old version of Perl - if he releases a new version of MTMacros, I may need to beg for his assistance again). Probably the only thing with MTMacros that I didn't like is that it leaves a large gap in my source code (which isn't Brad's fault; my module for the macros is just damn long because I am using 31 smilies).
In the end, I chose Brad's because I'm a hacker chicken, I guess. :paranoid:
Here's how I did it.
1. I downloaded the smilies I liked from D6 data and renamed them to shorter, easier to remember names where appropriate.
2. I uploaded the smilies to the main images folder of my site, in their own subfolder called (duh) smilies.
3. I made sure I had the latest version of MTMacros installed (and later Brad helped me modify it as noted before).
4. I created a new template module called (duh again) smilies and inserted the MTMacros code for my smilies. (See Dave's tip in the comments.)
5. In each of my templates (Main Index and all Archive-related), I included the module right after my body tag:
and wrote the relevant MTEntry tags thusly:
<MTEntryMore apply_macros="1">
6. When writing my entries, I just type in the string for the smilie I want to use:
(Call for help again: is there a character entity for a colon? Pffft.)
7. When I publish the entry, I get something like this:
:smooch:
TrackBack: 36
(URL: http://www.thegirliematters.com/sf/mt-track.cgi/77)
» Testing smilies
Excerpt: Testing smilies method from http://www.thegirliematters.com/tips/archives/0209/smilies_with_mtmacro.php :claphands:
Weblog: blogNessie.com
Tracked: 11.09.02 07:03 PM
» MTMacro: simple, and it works
Excerpt: Very cool! It's not immediately obvious how easy MTMacro makes some pretty complex tasks. I'm just starting out, but I
Weblog: ThouposBrook
Tracked: 12.09.02 02:29 PM
» Have A Smilie
Excerpt: Alrighty...I started working on this last night, and I thought I was at a good stopping point to go to
Weblog: stacey-lynn.net
Tracked: 12.12.02 12:48 PM
» WOO HOO! Smilies...
Excerpt: Well after reading a kazillion posts on different ways to implent smilies I finally chose this method from as outlined
Weblog: Cranky's Corner
Tracked: 12.22.02 07:25 PM
» Carla, Tabitha, Jayme:
Excerpt: I've installed the MT Authors hack, so now everything gets all nice and sorted by author. This means that
Weblog: gym.blog
Tracked: 01.03.03 08:04 PM
» Smilies
Excerpt: Well, I succeeded in getting two plugins installed on the new blog. I've wanted smilies in my entries and comments
Weblog: ...scribblings...
Tracked: 02.10.03 09:11 PM
» Test
Excerpt: :angry: :beam: :blank: :blush: :book: :computer: :confused: :cool: :cry: :evil: :furious: :gorgeous: :grin: :happy: :hat: :huh: :kiss: :laugh: :leer: :lips:
Weblog: Unix Gal
Tracked: 02.11.03 10:15 PM
» All about the smilies...
Excerpt: GeekGrrl recently added smilies to her site, so it inspired me to make a post all about smilies. First a
Weblog: scriptygoddess.com
Tracked: 02.21.03 09:41 PM
» Fill yo ass up with lead...
Excerpt: Alright! All converted to Movable Type... so far, so good. The only snag is with the smilies - I have to type out smile rather than just :). As you can see. Also gotta make another reference page for the
Weblog: englishsun.org
Tracked: 02.23.03 12:17 AM
» Testing Smilies
Excerpt: Here are some possible images to be used in my web log: :smile: Smile............:frown: Frown :twisted: Twisted.......:evil: Evil :eek: Eek.................:cool: Cool :cry: Cry..................:exclaim: Exclaim :idea: Idea...............:neutral: Ne...
Weblog: Stephen's Weblog
Tracked: 03.09.03 08:53 PM
» yippee!!!
Excerpt: with special help from : the girlie matters I think I got my blog smilies up and running!! :cool:...
Weblog: jeremiad
Tracked: 03.29.03 01:24 PM
» stuffed up smilie heaven
Excerpt: argh. frustrating. am trying to implement smilies on my site, but it seriously stuffs up. double posts and no more...
Weblog: bits & pieces
Tracked: 04.07.03 08:03 AM
» Adding smileys to your blog
Excerpt: This is how I implemented my smilies. It's a combination of the ideas from ScriptyGoddess, The Girlie Matters and my
Weblog: Unix Gal
Tracked: 04.22.03 03:53 PM
» MTMacro¤ÇSmiley :)
Excerpt: [the girlie matters] tips, tricks, and things to do to my site: smilies with mtmacrosmilies with MTMacro MTMacro¤Î¥¤¥ó¥¹¥È¡¼¥ë¸å¤Ë¡¢Macro¤ò¤É¤³¤ËÃÖ¤¯¤«¤¬¤µ¤Ã¤Ñ¤ê¤ï¤«¤é¤Ê¤«¤Ã¤¿¤ó¤Çº¤¤Ã¤Æ¤¿¤éȯ¸« ¤ó¤ÇÀßÄê 1.¤È¤ê¤¢¤¨¤ºMTMacro¤òInstall¡£Manual¸«¤ë¥Ë¥À 2.¿·...
Weblog: [Kp]
Tracked: 05.31.03 09:06 PM
» Smilies with MTMacro
Excerpt: Although we're not using the MTMacros plug-in to create smilies, the instructions given by The Girlie Matters to do so were a great help in understanding how the macro works. Remember that when it says make modifications to the main...
Weblog: thought?horizon
Tracked: 06.09.03 10:15 PM
» Smilies
Excerpt: I am addicted to MT. It's always something with this thing.
The urge to add smilies started when I was over at FreeSticky looking for the
Weblog: Train of Thought
Tracked: 06.09.03 10:44 PM
» Testing Smilies Again
Excerpt: I need your advice people. :smile: I've been messing around with adding smilies and I'm so confused. I've used some...
Weblog: And She Said
Tracked: 07.01.03 12:05 PM
» New Plugin
Excerpt: I have been playing with plugins recently I added one to randomize the tag line everytime I rebuilt the site. I also added one to display a random entry, once more everytime I rebuild the site since I am not...
Weblog: Dark Star
Tracked: 07.08.03 12:01 AM
» Smilies and Post to blog via email
Excerpt: Today was busy! I think people know by now that Rick is home and will watch Kayla while I help them :) I helped Tudy iron out her smilies issues. We used a combination of Girlie's and Lisa's (part 1,...
Weblog: geekalicious.net
Tracked: 07.19.03 08:44 PM
» MSN Emoticons MTMacro available
Excerpt: I got home and wrote a quick, but detailed readme.txt and posted the .zip file here on nathan and is available here: msnemoticons.zip. I also posted a comment about it on the original thread on [the girlie matters] of course....
Weblog: Pumping Irony
Tracked: 08.18.03 11:31 PM
» Smile!
Excerpt: :-) ;-) :-( :-O :-P :-* :D O:-) :[ :! :-/ :-X 8-) Smileys rock!...
Weblog: Matt's Blog
Tracked: 09.03.03 03:07 PM
» Emotibombs!
Excerpt: Ok, this is a test entry to verify that I've correctly installed my new Emoticon Macro. :dude: At Laura's suggestion,...
Weblog: Any Old Actress
Tracked: 09.04.03 10:52 PM
» I'll be back
Excerpt: Phew ! So I've finally inputed all the smilies I think I shall need. To see them all Click Here ! This was done thanks to girlie and here amazing tutorial ! Last night I went with Aditya to play...
Weblog: C:\Arvind.blog
Tracked: 09.28.03 09:23 AM
» s
Excerpt: Finally got smilies to work together with Movatable type. :smile: I'm using the plugin from bradchoate.com and some instructions from The Girlie Matters makes it even easier. And to those that have got my Trackback pings and found that there...
Weblog: Wingie's Cradle
Tracked: 10.04.03 09:09 PM
» All Hail Smilies!
Excerpt: :D I have added smilies to the site, thanks to Brad Choate's MT Macro tag and some implementation instructions from...
Weblog: baileybug.com
Tracked: 10.07.03 12:22 PM
» Adding smileys to your blog
Excerpt: This is how I implemented my smilies. It's a combination of the ideas from ScriptyGoddess, The Girlie Matters and my own thoughts. You need to get Brad Choate's MTMacro plugin and you have to add some javascript to your site....
Weblog: Glimpse of a Grrl
Tracked: 01.02.04 04:14 PM
» Adding smileys to your blog
Excerpt: This is how I implemented my smilies. It's a combination of the ideas from ScriptyGoddess, The Girlie Matters and my own thoughts. You need to get Brad Choate's MTMacro plugin and you have to add some javascript to your site....
Weblog: Glimpse of a Grrl
Tracked: 01.02.04 04:17 PM
» 20 things on My 2 Do list
Excerpt: 1. Add smilies in the 2. | Category | 3. Counting for (x) Recent entries 4. Statistics: " x entries", "x comments", "x users online", "x on this page" script 5. Last 50 referrers 6. 10 most commented entriescomments 7....
Weblog: .::faithjean.com::.
Tracked: 01.08.04 02:25 PM
» 20 things on My 2 Do list
Excerpt: 1. Add smilies in the comments 2. | Category | 3. Counting for (x) Recent entries 4. Statistics: " x entries", "x comments", "x users online", "x on this page" script 5. Last 50 referrers 6. 10 most commented entries7....
Weblog: .::faithjean.com::.
Tracked: 01.08.04 02:28 PM
» Got some smilies working on
Excerpt: Got some smilies working on the journal here! :) :) :( :O :\ :crying: :rolleyes: :mad: That's all I got so far. Special thanks to Brad Choate and his MTMacro...
Weblog: Cameron's Thoughts
Tracked: 02.01.04 12:48 AM
» smilies with MTMacro
Excerpt: http://www.thegirliematters.com/tips/archives/0209/smilies_with_mtmacro.php...
Weblog: YODA
Tracked: 02.01.04 01:18 AM
» Got some smilies working on
Excerpt: Got some smilies working on the journal here! :) :) :( :O :\ :crying: :rolleyes: :mad: That's all I got so far. Special thanks to Brad Choate and his MTMacro...
Weblog: Cameron's Thoughts
Tracked: 02.01.04 01:45 AM
» Smilies
Excerpt: I am addicted to MT. It's always something with this thing.
The urge to add smilies started when I was over at FreeSticky looking for the
Weblog: Train of Thought
Tracked: 03.12.04 10:31 AM
» Adding smileys to your blog
Excerpt: This is how I implemented my smilies. It's a combination of the ideas from ScriptyGoddess, The Girlie Matters and my own thoughts. You need to get Brad Choate's MTMacro plugin and you have to add some javascript to your site....
Weblog: Glimpse of a Grrl
Tracked: 05.23.04 09:23 PM
» Smilies are back!!
Excerpt: At first, I thought because my older version of MT broke the smilies. While Google'ing the net, I found nothing talking about the smilies being broken with MT 3, which is the version that I am using. As far as...
Weblog: Wingie's Cradle
Tracked: 06.16.05 04:37 AM
» Got some smilies working on
Excerpt: Got some smilies working on the journal here! :)
:) :( :O :\ :crying: :rolleyes: :mad:
That's all I got so far. Special thanks to Brad Choate and his and his
Weblog: Cameron's Thoughts
Tracked: 12.28.06 05:58 PM
Comments
Yes Girlie,
I did the same.
And all we have to do now is to install the Smilie bar in MT interface and the comment templates!
Check:
smiliebar
and:
smiliebar comments
Good luck!
Hmmm, will I have to hack my files to do that? =P
And look! I edited your comments to make links out of the URLs - right from this window! w00t!!
Thanks for making that comment look nicer!
Yes for the MT-interface, and with MT version 2.5 coming up, you will probably loose that. :loopy:
No for the comments, because it is in the template! (Do it myself when I get to it...)
:love: Lawrence
BTW
You will need <$MTCommentBody apply_macros="1"$> to have Brads Macros in the comments as well, (our smileys are not showing here! :-)
Lawrence
Yes, your smilies aren't showing here - because I haven't decided to add them for comments yet!!! Including instructions here for inserting the text strings seems too extreme, and I'd have to include the module here as well.
I might end up with the Javascript version from ScriptyGoddess if I can get the layout the way I like it.
I had started out with Lynda's Hack for the longest time, but just recently, I switched over to Brad's. Ya know what is nicer? In Lynda's, you actually have to escape all of the codes but for Brad's, its not required because it does it automatically :) That makes it more useful in my book!! I even set it up so when I type things like : pp : , it gives me a center icon with a link to Participation Positive for my weekly post. Stuff like that is happy :)
I think I'm babbling now ;)
(sorry, I screwed that up!)
I should have decoded it first - here's what got eaten!
(<img src=\"http:\/\/ and so on...) but for Brad's, its not required because it does it automatically :) That makes it more useful in my book!! I even set it up so when I type things like :pp: , it gives me a center icon with a link to Participation Positive for my weekly post. Stuff like that is happy :)
re your own comment about including instructions on the text strings for smilies in comments, I have a link to a popup window with an image showing my smilies and the text string for them. That's the limit of my "instructions". If someone can't figure that out, well...
And for including the module in the comment template too, I just don't until the end of the whole page template!
Hmmm, I actually have my own little "key" file that I pop up when writing my entries to remind me of the text string for the smilies. Maybe I could include a link to that. Dunno just yet how or if I want to do that. =)
I just started playing with the MTMacro package too. To help minimize the number of blank lines inserted into the resulting HTML pages I do this:
<MTMacroDefine ...>
(content)
</MTMacroDefine
><MTMacroDefine ...>
(content)
</MTMacroDefine
>
By sneaking that closing > onto the next line, it helps the macro package 'consume' the newline so they don't get output to the page ...
(edited comment)
how do i add the smilies on my comment entry page? pls help. thanks. i have managed to add smilies on my blog except in comments.
I used this tip from Scriptygoddess to add the comments to my blog.
Thanks for the smilies tip! Just implemented them on my site. Piece O' cake.
Yikes! That is way beyond me. I guess I'll never have smilies in my comments. :(
I just wanted to say thank you for this page! I was racking my brain trying to figure out the instructions and couldn't quite grasp the concept! With this, I got it on the nail! :) Thank you very much!
Is there another place to download the MTMacros plug-in? I seem to be unable to connect to Brad's site.
Ok which is the best way to put smilies in or on the create entry form...clickable that is and clickable on the comments form also...There are so many ways to do this that I am quite confused. I would prfer to use the MTMacro plugin.
Thanks :)
i was about to congratulate myself for succesfully following your easy-go-follow instructions, but when i viewed my site, it looked stuffed up. any idea why this happened?
uh, never mind, i fixed it. :D after looking carefully at the info on the plugin page, and a bit of experimenting, i used the tag around my since the was giving me double entries.. one without the CSS style but with the smilies showing, and the other with the right font size and color etc. but with the smilies just showing up as their string text. hope this info helps anyone who has the same problem.
whoops. isn't there anyway to edit comments? i meant to say i used the <MTMacroApply> around the <MTEntryBody> tag instead of using <MTEntryBody apply_macros="1"> since it didn't seem to work with my blog.
Thanks for the tip, ina, I needed to do the same thing :)
I wrote php script to define each macro (here). I created a new template module, associated it with mt_smilies.php, and included it in the main index template. Then I added:
apply_macros="1" - to the entry body tag, and rebuild the page. But I ended up getting this error:
Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in tag: You did not specify a name for your macro.
I know it doesn't have to do anything with the php script, because I tried it the way you showed, and I still got the same error.
Please help! :)
Nevermind, I found the problem. Turns out that it did have something to do with the php. Instead I just made mt_smilies.php display all the macro codes I needed, and pasted them into the template module.
(example)
found the solving of my probs here :-)
Sorry. spam pinging
and thanks Tips :)
Do you have msn :? I would like to install the smilies like you... I think... It doesn't work.... :(
tried inserting <$MTCommentBody apply_macros="1"$> but my smilies don't show. tried scriptygoddess's javascript thingy and tried inserting img tags but the imgs don't show either! y?? html is enabled in my comments but images don't show...
i did this to the letter, and it worked, except that MT started publishing ALL my blog entries on the main page when i put the apply_macros tag in. when i took that tag away it went back to normal (publishing 4 days' worth). has anyone had this problem?
ack...the second i posted that comment, i realized what i was doing wrong. never mind!
whoops... figured it out. the santise specs were set to default, thus didn't allow images.. heehee.. my bad.
This is the most excellent, most simple method of adding smilies. Seriously. I researched something like 4 different methods before trying this one, and I had this working in a matter of moments. The only difficulty I had, was that like Ina (comment above) I had to wrap my "MTEntryBody" tag (and my "MTCommentBody") in "MTMacroApply", instead of adding "apply_macros="1"" to my EntryBody. The "apply_macros="1"" made my entries disappear so...
Also! I couldn't find any smilies I liked! Jason's are the only matched sets, but they're all kinda yellow and flat. So I made a set of Emotibombs, and wanted to make them available in case other people wanted a more unique selection of smilies. Those are at my personal site here.
Much thanks for the excellent, understandable tutorial!
I cant get mine to work, the smileys show up on the top of the page but not where they should be. :( Help!
Never mind, I got it working but I cant get them working in my comments now. :(
Erm...whenever I rebuild I get this:
Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in tag: You did not specify the type of macro.
Maybe I am just stupid(just learning MT), but how do I fix this?
<MTMacroDefine name="angel" string=":angel:">
The part in bold defines the type of macro. Did you include that attribute in your macro definitions?
Sorry...I am still slightyly confused. When I type in my Index Template, then the error comes up.
Sorry, I meant
When I type in my Index Template, then the error comes up. :S
Hello! I made MSN messenger smilies template
View source
If anybody has better version, please let me know so that I myself can use it. :)
Ask and ye shall receive :)
Here's my version 1.2 of the MSN Emoticons macro, which includes all 69 of the emoticons from MSN Messenger 6, and allows for all of the text triggers from MSN Messenger 6 as well.
All the images are included in the .zip as well as the macro file itself, and full instruction in the readme.txt.
I did try using the brackets ie. [MTMacroDefine ... ] like Dave suggested, but MT kept generating errors until I went back to the method. If anyone can actually fix that, feel free to do it, and let me know.
msnemoticons.zip
do you have any suggestions as to how you can add the smilies without the hack?
Very cool solution. Thanks.
Argh, I am totally incompetant and have managed to royally screw up this hack. (this is for the smiley bar, i think) Could someone please take a look and help me? I think it is something with the smiley codes not matching up. Well, if someone could contact me, that would be great, and maybe they could help sort it out??!!
You can see what has gone wrond here and, yeh.
Thanks :)
no worrys, I sorted it lol
Thank you for the handy guide to setting up smilies! Everything worked pretty smoothly for me. I even designed my own icon set... woo!
I specifically made the smilies with transparent backgrounds... so, now I can change the colors of the smilies at will with CSS. I described this at my blog.
Thanks for the helpful site!
Hi, I was following this tutorial to trip to set up Smilies in MT and I'm having a little trouble. I keep getting the following error when I try to rebuild:
Building entry 'Test...' failed: Build error in template 'Individual Entry Archive': Error in tag: You did not specify a name for your macro.
I'm not sure what the bold part means. I am really new to macros, so maybe I am doing something wrong. Any help would be great, if you have the time. Thanks so much!
I got the same thing! I wish I knew what was up! :(
Ah, nevermind! :D:D
I had the same problem (Error in tag: You did not specify a name for your macro. )
My problem was that some of the shortcut keys to my smilies were like >-(
...make sure you DO NOT put > or
Hey,
I am installing MTMacros and smilies onto a friends install of MT 2.63. After each image MT is adding a carriage return where there isn't one in the comment itself.
I run Mt 2.64 on my own blog and this doesn't happen. Our code is exactly the same and our preferences and sanatise specs are identical.
Would this be a problem in MT 2.63?
I have tried using Dave's comment above to limit output lines but that didn't fix things.
Does anyone know what's going on?
I forgot to mention, I am also using the MTFormatBreaks plugin by Brad Choate.
This is because when adding the images using the MTMacros it seems to remove all line breaks using the standard convert breaks option in MT itself. MTformat breaks fixes this, but then again I still have that extra carriage return after images as mentioned above.
I can't get my smilies to show up in my comments and I enabled html. Can anyone help me?
Nevermind the last comment, After I finally gave in and asked for help I finally figured out what was going on :)
Error in tag: You did not specify a name for your macro.
I get that same error, but the MTInclude worked last night when I was working with it, and now decides not to. The smilie codes are all correct and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with any of them... Maybe someone can help me?
Okie Dokie. I have what I think is a simple question. My MTMacros are defined and running great. A little too well. Every time the word Nick appears in my entries, they are automatically hyperlinked to a site (the behaviour that should happen). But in one entry I need the word Nick to NOT be touched by the macro. How can I do that? Thanks!
I'm trying to add smilies to my site and I get this error in the rebuilding process:
Build error in template 'Main Index': Error in <MTInclude> tag: Build error in template 'smilies': Error in <MTMacroDefine> tag: You did not specify the type of macro.
I have specified that it be a string definition - and just can't get this to work. I changed it and tried the MSN smilies and it worked with pattern. But when I changed it back to string with the MSN stuff, it happened again. So be process of elimiination, it's the string attribute (I think). What should I do? HELP!! lol.
Maybe a link to a .txt file on your server containing the macro code you're using would be useful?
Slightly off topic...but connected to it.
Melanie mentioned in her comment above that she has a popup window open with all her smileys listed. Then when she clicks on one of them, the :string: appears in her comment's window. I believe this would be done somehow using javascript, but I have no idea how to do it. Can anyone help? I have plenty of smileys and I can't display them all on the cmment page, so I really do thed a popup.
Thanks!
Jeez, typo queen over here... Sorry, I meant "comment" and "need", as in "I can't display them all on the comment page, so I really do need a popup"