is there a way to add a featured image to the blog module?

Hey,

If you use the {tag_blogpostbodypreview,Read More...} tag in your post list layout it will render the opening paragraph of your blog post. If you insert an image into that paragraph it will come through.

That is the worst work around ever. I don't understand how a CMS in 2013 has No, Zero, 0, Zip, feature image options for any of its news/events/blogs....seriously...what the hell is going on at BC? - don't you dare tell me to use web apps if they won't be included in the lower plans

I have a client who wants a simple website with news and event items... and of cource wants a featured image/thumbnail with each item, as you see on EVERY website template or design these days... And I am left telling them they need to go on a higher plan to have images, because they need to use the web apps feature for that 'custom' stuff. Imagine their shock and horror.

I get that engineers are bringing the system upto speed, show me the leaps and bounds of 3.5 years of BC development.

The only radical improvement I can think of thats been released is modules in campaigns...every other release is like "so what, I've been waiting for that feature for 5 years...finally it's here" in my opinion there is hardly anything to celebrate about when BC makes a feature release coz its been so long in the waiting.

I want some cream BC...give me feature images, give me 12 custom fields in Ecommerce, give me multiple web app layouts with out having to copy and past code here and there then customise module code, give me more than 1 gallery option, give me every CRM field as a tag to put in campaigns, give me SEO in blogs.

I pay permium rates for a premium product. Where is BCV3 I see BCV2 with a shine new hat on.

Rant over!

I agree completely. I'm just looking for a simple way to add a thumbnail and a full image to a news item.

Any idea when this is going to be possible, BC?

Thanks

THis is why you have web apps to build what ever you want, like a news module etc.

I actually agree with your rant ;-) please tell me someone from Adobe actually reads these posts and takes note. I am really struggling to figure out how it takes years to add a couple of extra fields when they seem to be such obvious requirements...?

I totally agree with the rant. It feels like all development has stopped and everyone at BC has just stopped listening to their 'partners'. As an example...The 'new rule' of automatically unsubcribing a contact after one hardbounce just caps the issue for us. Why not, as a fail safe make it 2 or 3 hard bounces before unsubscribing a contact like so many of the EDM systems out there do?. Not that we don't understand the logic of wanting to protect the integrity of the mail servers but impementing this without a process for easily managing the bounces is ludicrous. Following is a very typical string of communication. I'll informed untested solutions or work arounds rather than just fixing the issue.

--- [Florin] you can see which customers chose to unsubscribe from each of the campaigns in this report: http://screencasteu.worldsecuresystems.com/Florin/2013-10-09_1832.png. These users are the ones that specifically clicked the unsubscribe link. The ones in the Hard Bounce screen are the ones that the system unsubscribes automatically, as I explained before.

---[Nick] I have been shown this many times, the issue we have is the ability to export a complete list of unsubscribes on an account level not a campaign level. Our clients require to do this at the start of each Term (3 months).

---[Florin] They are not available just for 30 days. For example, take this campaign: http://screencasteu.worldsecuresystems.com/Florin/2013-10-09_1836.png

You can change the filter to show actions that were done more than 30 days ago and I can now see who unsubscribed: http://screencasteu.worldsecuresystems.com/Florin/2013-10-09_1838.png

---[Nick] The filter does not show a list of unsubscribers for the filter period. Again a suggestion that has not been tested? It does not work?

We have already rasied the hard bounce with BC, We told them that it should do some more checks to not just take them off. Its the web and email, there is always the odd issue with sending and recieving that is going to happen.

I do not know when they will make the needed changes.

Liam,

Do you know, if there any articles or posts available on how to build a custom (news or blog) module using web apps?

thx,

You can look at this recording

http://www.bcsandpile.com/_blog/Meeting_Chalkboard/post/web-app-driven-blog-mike-sallander /

Hey liam, how have you gone about getting FB to know which image to use when comments are made using th FB comments on blog posts?

Blogs wise - You cant, because the only way to add images is via the content area and you have no means to server side get that.

For blogs you would add the meta into the blog template or detail layout etc and use a default image like company logo or custom facebook blog image.

Ok, Thanks for the quick response Liam. As I suspected...but thought i may be missing something. Thanks again mate.

This just in from my client where they have latest blog posts on the home page:

"Can you put thumbnail photos in with latest blog posts to make Latest Blog posts look more dynamic and inviting to read".

Even the clients get it BC. The business catalyst system needs a feature image field for blogs - it's not just partners asking for it, our customers are demanding it.

PLEASE BC - can you PLEASE prioritise this! The entire community will praise you I am certain of it!

Billy Bowyer.

I have implemented 3/4 more blogs and 2 changes to blogs with the paragraph preview, provided the width of the container to make images to the clients and advised them to insert into the page.

http://www.vagabondco.com/blog

You can see even with a complex looking blog - all working fine.

Again, custom fields for blog would be nice but considering Open platform and with the right extra updates in the near future people can make their own blog replacement with better features & you can do this right now successfully without much hassle.

So with those in mind I do not see this being a high priority update item.

Sure, the image in the paragraph is somewhat workable, but its hardly 'the solution' making the image click through, different sizes, facebook relevant - all that's missing as options for the client.

I appreciate that the workaround can even be used for the more complex layouts too - your example looks good.

Open platform is going to produce some great plugins - the bells and whistles... but the blog platform is a Core element of BC, why should Partners; 1) wait for the right extra updates to come out 2) wait for the OP community to build a Blog app 3) have to pay for it when BC should make the adjustments to system default Blog Module in the first place? We've been waiting long enough.

I'm not asking for a complete overhaul...just an image field with the 3 usual tags: tag_image, tag_image_nolink, tag_image_value, I mean come on! 1 field - it can not be that difficult, can it? CAN IT? If it is then CRIKEY! we have other things to worry about!

Blog to Facebook feeds and Facebook Open Graph meta data has been around for A LONG TIME and yet BC seem to not have the inkling that updating the BC blog to match may just be an advantage for business :| Its crazy that all BC blog posts either use the one default image or leave it to facebook to pull the right one  - I set up a test and facebook was pulling in the Captcha image!!! rediculous BC!

I've been a partner for 7 years, I know for a fact that this has been a feature request for 7 years, so it has just got to happen. It's just redeculous that it hasn't - completely and utterly discracful that it has not happened Business Catalyst

Liam - this is all feedback for Business Catalyst, not you, not you in the slightest - you're a champ, you just gave me the ammo to unleash my opinions, so if you feel like I'm having a go at you or your support - please know I am not - your input and feedback and support are always very welcome.

Billy

Again Bily,

Not wrong but all but the facebook you indicated at the start is pretty easy, Sizable images is just responsiveness like anything else for example.

I would not really call it a work around, its just the current method of implementation, not ideal and could be improved but not imposible and to be honest not hard at all.

What your asking though you need to understand is a complete overhall though. How the blog is built to integrate something that is custom fields and implement it requires some of the core blog structure to be updated.

You need to assess and review this.

1 field people will ask for 2, 2 fields people will ask for 3... Same problem with the custom fields on products, they are never enough.. BC has always taken the stance of scalable sollutions, be it a good thing or a bad thing (as in quick updates are not done) I respect and understand this development concept.

Totally understand where your coming from and the facebook and other social stuff are issues with BC as it is, but I always like to put balance and scope of a topic or issue on the forums to help people understand the other side of the coin.

As with other things, in the scheme of what needs to be done in BC, this is not one of the high ones... Something that should be looked at but for example... IF BC said Blog or eCommerce to be one of the core BC things to overhall next... Pretty sure most will jump on eCommerce as there is more use, more issues and more requests for updates on it.

Hey BBowyer,

You say that we can get the "Blog to Facebook feeds"? Are you referring to the RSS-feed and services like dlvr.it: share better ? Or do you know something supercool that I don't? I'm very curious now

Anton

Hi Anton,

Sorry mate, when I said "Blog to Facebook feeds and Facebook Open Graph meta data has been around for A LONG TIME" I meant in terms of being available on various other platforms. As you are probably aware Facebook doesn't take direct blog RSS feeds anymore, and you'll need to use a 3rd part tool. I'd suggest Social Media Management Dashboard - Hootsuite it's neat and simple.

I hope that helps!

Billy.

Is it just me, or does it seem like nearly everything in BC is a "workaround". Whether it is custom 2.0 menus, multiple blog list formats, custom web forms without the table styling, etc. Nearly everything I have done in my brief use of BC requires some arcane undocumented workaround. 

Hi there, That is not true.

- Custom 2.0 Menu is not a workaround, more control more options.

- Multiple blog list layouts and any new module custom template is a new feature, not a workaround.

- Customising web forms - Do what you like with the html and anything extra - This is not a workaround.

- Styling - Not a work around.

Someone asked here blog to facebook feeds, which is the wrong way of doing it for SEO but fine to do. Open graph is totally possible bar image but you will be able to do it with liquid markup.

But most of what you mentioned lchogan is just web design and development. You would not say building the foundations of a house or putting up the walls as a workaround if you were a builder. You can not expect to just click buttons and accomplish everything in this industry, no one should expect that.

Thanks, that fix worked great for my blog!

Hi i did like this.

<img class="img-responsive" src="/css/images/{tag_blogposttitle_nolink}.jpg" alt="Post IMG" />

And just add a image with the same name as the blogtitle in the image folder.

Don't know if it's helpful or not

That's an interesting solution. It's dependent on the blog title, but it might be a simple solution for a client who knows what they are doing. It does seem like the web app thing is the way to go to really do this right. Thanks for the response!

A filename on the web as you know should be lowercase and no spaces and funny characters. That is what will happen with that solution.