Friday, March 4, 2011

FROM GOOGLE ABOUT THE SIDEBAR THUMBNAILS

I got some information from Google about the missing sidebar thumbnails and you might be interested, too, rather than searching for yourself.  I think I understand this and if you give it a try the next time you upload a painting/photo to your blog you can see if it works.  (I think my thumbnails are showing up but will check that on others' blogs, too.)


This is what Peter McCartney sent in response to the question/problem:

Peter McCartney has posted an answer to the question "Many of the sidebar thumbnails on my blog have stopped showing up - some show, some don't. It just began last week.":



Links from this group re your question:


http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=2e61c71e3bb40091&hl=en



http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=6b63804a0420a465&hl=en




In otherwords, images (new address) starting with https://ih6.googleusercontent.com will not show up in bloglists.




Images starting (old address) with http://lh6.ggpht.com/ will show up in bloglists.


To verify this, check your friends latest image properties (right click on their image) For example: Creativity Journey. Its latest image has googleusercontent in its properties.


Where David Lobenberg's latest image has the old address.





The reason for the change of address (taken from the link that I posted) is covered in the Google Operating Blog post titled: Picasa Web Adds HTTPS Support.


Link:


http://googlesystem.blogspot.com/2011/01/picasa-web-adds-https-support.html



There is also a site you can go to to read about this:

http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Faide-blogger-fr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fblogger-feed-thumbnail-missing.html



So, for today's blogroll thumbnails, I went to Mary Beth Shaw's posting (no thumbnail showing), and right-clicked on her painting she posted.  Under Properties it shows it as this:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGbiTFYNv-IzTkqhH_MjV-Fqz8iIO4QHwQsF4KadCrzaIVeK212dfO77k_QnC9Ib1E7kf73pwnx4mzUdEFbto-RC2H0MBtejqlZw3YbDn0cE812LUIMbsAvui4-t8PqUHQZ3UF__bYKJo/s400/Focuslores.jpg

But for Celeste Bergin's posting (showing a thumbnail), I did the same thing to check her painting she posted and it shows, under Properties, this:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIxnACCmiYDoZDlDzR-jh24tNnj_fCJeTGxf-lfcSCUxoo8T0Yy2dF6bR6ePTm8SkjkrBBe28YHOdKJC7QjkfxK3uKFYbcV8UlN_3exS8X2YxQ4HTWYA058SdZVl32OQTMHm0utZ5McE/s320/bergin_rainy_road.jpg


How to change this?  You have to be in Edit HTML as you post for the day and upload photos - and check your own posting to make sure it has http:1bp.blogspot.com in the first few letters other than https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/ in the first few letters.  That's if I'm understanding it correctly.  Try it and see if it works.

It has something to do with the way Picasa now stores all of our uploads and the https is a secure upload while http is not = which means, I guess, that the photo can be used other places like sidebars.  Whew!!!  However, if I understand this correctly, it's up to each poster to post their painting/photo the "right" way to get it to show up on someone's sidebar - the blogger who has the sidebar set up can't change anything.  Oy!!!




15 comments:

mimi torchia boothby watercolors said...

well, if it makes you feel any better, your posts are still showing up in my google reader...so don't let it distract you from your watercolors... or your words... ;-)

Dee Doyle said...

I THINK I understand your post and the directions given regarding the httpS issue. There is another way that issues is being applied, using the https rather than http is on Facebook, under the "my account" heading on the toolbar. Changing your address to include the "S" protects the user from uninvited third party guests. I have paraphrased the info, but you get my drift!

Caroline Simmill said...

Hi Rhonda, thanks. I just wanted to say that I have been away just overnight two days away so missed your post yesterday. I hope those tests go well for you I too would get very stressed out not having coffee or my porridge in the morning! Take special care of yourself now. Love from Scotland!

RH Carpenter said...

I upload my paintings/photos from my computer, not from a Picasa account (or Flickr or something) so maybe it saves it the correct way? I'm not a computer whiz - I know just enough to make things work until some change comes around and I don't have a work around for it. But I'm happy I finally did get a reply from Google.

Dee, sounds like Facebook is doing the same thing Blogger is doing - and it's to protect us but those who don't know computer speak don't know how to make changes. I see more paintings in the sidebar today so maybe more people are checking and making the change.

Thanks, Caroline. It's a minimal thing, I think, so I won't complain too much and will treat myself to a Starbucks latte after it's all over :) When I make a major change in my schedule, I have a tendency to get a migraine so sure hope that doesn't happen.

Citronpiken said...

Thanks for posting this! Finally I get how to fix it. But still don't know why this suddenly became a problem.

RH Carpenter said...

Citron, glad I could help. And it does work - upload your photo, check it under HTML and make the changes listed and it shows up (I tested it on the last post paintings).

irinapictures said...

I look at the posts in google reader and they show very well. Not fat chance that I remember to change the htmn (not sure I write it right) every time I post((.

RH Carpenter said...

It did seem to work on the blogs I checked after posting the photos the "correct" way so hope it's that easy.

Joan Sandford-Cook said...

I think I'll just suffer if it happens - all sounds too technical to me!! but thanks for troubling to post the info.

Debbie said...

Well, I fiddled and faffed and finally reloaded my images on my blog. But now my thumbnail is on some but not all my follows blogs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Strange....!!!???
Rhonda, thanks for pointing this out to us..... I thought it was just Blogger upgrading or something!!!

RH Carpenter said...

Joan, I've been told Blogger is going to make a fix for this because it's happening to so many people - so just hold tight and it may be okay in a week or so.

Debbie, what you did worked - your thumbnail is showing on my sidebar now :) Remember, you have to change it twice (as the https:// vs http:// shows up twice for every photo/painting).

Judy said...

Thanks for this information, Rhonda! I was wondering about the missing pictures too.

JANE MINTER said...

thanks rhonda for thanking the time to right this post ..very much appreciated

RH Carpenter said...

You're welcome, Judy and Jane - hope it works for you.

MB Shaw said...

Oh geez, it is always something, huh? And leave it to me to be doing it the 'wrong' way, lol. You are an excellent sleuth. Although I may end up waiting for the fix.....ugh.