Check it out - the new and improved editor

As you've probably noticed, we've been making the new editor available to more and more of our bloggers over the past several weeks. During that time, we've been listening to your thoughts, feelings, and experiences as you tested the waters and got used to the improvements and new features, like the newly updated auto-save feature, which prevents loss of work if your browser or computer crashes. The Restore button is now located in the Rich Text toolbar:

We're happy to say that we're hearing good things from our bloggers, and look forward to hearing more in the coming weeks. Now, the new editor is live on everyone's compose page, and we want to know what you think. As always, we rely on your feedback as a vital part of what makes TypePad great, so speak up! We're listening.

Comments

[Sheldon Townsend]

It works better than the old editor but it STILL deletes spaces after hyperlinks.

[SpiritPathNow]

Still have difficulty with formating, in fact even more so...

Before I used to be able to copy text from one page and paste it into a post and it would all hold it's formatting. When I did that with the new editor all the formatting was lost. A real pain. I had to manually add in carriage returns and redo all the formatting for headlines... the fonts, sizes, bold, color. It took me two hours longer than usual with the new text editor.

It dind't help that it now doesn't tell you when you highlight text what is the STARTING font or font size so you don't know which one to choose to go up or down in size.

How about being able to SET custom defaults for the headers(font, size, color, bold) rather than fighting with the formatting. I preferred the drop-down headline styles but the styles never fit the rest of my text formatting so I couldn't use them. Taking that option off rather than allowing it to be user defined for each blog was a move in the wrong direction.

There should be an UNDO button. In looking at the code it just looked like it piled all the text formatting changes on top of each other as I tried out different fonts, sizes etc... When I asked for help sorting it out one of the staff said there was all kinds of 'erroneous code' on the page.... well, that all got there by using the text editor.

When trying to indent second line of a list it indents first one too unless you put a carrriage return in that is double spaced. Can't figure out how to get an indent on the very next line without a blank line between.

Nice to have option for adding files, but we should either be able to highlight text and link to the file or the dialog box should include the option to add descriptive text rather than just printing out the often rather obtuse file names.

How about an option that all links default to target=_blank so they open in new window and don't take visitors off the page.

[Michel]

OK. I am new at TypePad and followed with interest the discussions about the new editor. Just had a chance to try it on my client's blog and have to wonder...why, but why, do you not provide the Heading drop-down anymore?

HTML Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) tags are the basic tags needed to define a web page's organizational structure.
- They are essential to make the content accessible to visually impaired people using screen readers.
- They are used by search engines to extract keywords.
- They are used by mobile devices to correctly display headings and sub-headings.
- And they can be styled by CSS so that you can change a website typographic look at once.

You could argue that for a blog post you do not really need them because the text is typically short and its title is set by the template with a heading tag. But this is not true for a page post which content can be long and typically will be structured in several sections and sub-sections.

Please reconsider that decision! Or make it an option so that SEO experts and professional web designers/publishers can follow web publishing standards and best practices.

[Luci Weston]

I used the new editor for the first time yesterday. Luckily, I was uploading a picture that already held a description. While I was playing around, I noticed the photo option to add a description to the picture did not come up. How are we supposed to add the image description info to a new picture? Image searches help with SEO as much as text content. Did I miss something?

[Mo'a Romig-Boyles]

I just used the new editor while working on my latest post today. I was unable to embed links...I resorted to listing links at the bottom of my post to find out that they are not active. I also wanted to use a new category for my post only to find out that categories are also not active.
Please explain.

[Jennifer Hayslip]

I just had the same problem with my blog post today. I can't embed links. Very frustrating. Not sure how to correct it.

[Steve Niles]

I agree with the comment as to the css. no longer providing h1, h2 styles to choose from greatly impacts websites built for non-html people. it would be great if that would come back.

[Steve Kaye]

The new editor has a major flaw regarding carriage returns.

I compose my blog text off line, and then I paste it in to the text editor. Now I get double carriage returns. So, I have to go through the entire text fixing each carriage return.

The old text editor did not do this.

I consider the new text editor to be completely unacceptable.

I have posted seven tickets asking to have this problem fixed. I received one reply telling me that the staff is investigating the issue.

Please help.

Thanks.

[marco barsotti]

Hello

how comes loading images from flickr (add URL option) loads a very SMALL image ? This happens as of today.
thanks!

[Candice]

I need my old font size to come back. You really limited the options and will make my blogs look odd with the pre-selected sizes. I used 17. 18 is too big and then the next size down is 14? How does that make any sense? Why did you even put a font size limit or make them mandatory in those sizes? I realize this is a small issue but annoying none the less. I have had issues with the constant tweaking that no one has asked for. As a paying customer I beg that you stop redesigning the laying and making asinine tweaks and changes. Focus on larger issues and be a leader in making upgrades that do not require layout changes or stupid tweaks.

[Bri]

Thanks so much for your feedback. :)

We are absolutely looking into adding back the Headers option, as well as additional font size options, and we appreciate your speaking up and letting us know those are things you'd like to see added to the new editor.

As for the undo button you've asked after, there's already one within the editor! It's located on the second toolbar, which you can see in this screenshot: http://screencast.com/t/TWFNdUlN

As for indenting, are you using an Ordered or Unordered List? The way those are formatted, the individual list items cannot be indented without affecting the entire group. Your best bet may be to insert an additional list within your existing one. I created an example of that, which you can see in this screenshot: http://screencast.com/t/V3npDVPniC

When you're inserting files, and the default text appears, you can click once on the added text/link, then once on the "Insert Link" button. The dialog window will appear and you'll be able to edit the text.

For your request re: default targets, are you wanting that to be an option in your blog settings for the whole blog, or for post settings so only links added to your post could be defaulted to open in a new page? As links stand right now, you can select to open them in a new window as you create them, which gives you greater flexibility, particularly if you're referencing one of your older posts or pages and don't want to force a new window on someone.

Let us know how all of the above works out for you! :)

[Bri]

Hello! We are definitely considering adding the Headers option to the new editor. Keep checking back in with this blog to find out when new features are released to the editor!

[Bri]

Hi Luci!

You can still add a description to your images. In fact, if you take a look at the screenshot linked below, you'll see the field used to add the description: http://screencast.com/t/Cq0coyh7rVFI

To access that, insert your image per usual, then double-click on it within the editor. You'll see the image dialog window appear and you'll be able to make your edit to the description field.

What's great is that the image description adds both ALT and TITLE, so all browsers will display the description when the image is being hovered over. As you pointed out, the image description is vital for SEO and image searches, which we completely recognize and wanted to make sure was available to you. :)

[Bri]

Hi Jennifer! It looks like we're already working with you in the ticketing system, so we can continue our discussion there. :)

[Bri]

Hi Mo'a! We've already resolved the issue you experienced, which was an older browser conflict. Hopefully knowing this will help any other users experiencing the same behavior. :)

[Bri]

Hi Rob!

Thanks so much for sharing your feedback. We are taking the request for the Headers to be added to the new editor into consideration. We appreciate your speaking up and letting us know this is an important feature for you! :)

[Bri]

Hi there!

It seems like you're reporting two different issues here--(1) inability to add links and (2) can't add an indent on a new line--is that correct?

Could you check that you're using the most recent version of your browser? Most browsers have a "check for updates" option in the Help menu at the top of the window. That may help with the inability to add links. If it does not, please open a ticket to discuss this issue with us at Help > New Ticket.

As for indenting a line, how are you inserting the line? Is it part of a paragraph, an Ordered or Unordered List, or an entirely separate line added via the keystroke Shift+Enter?

If you would like to discuss this privately, we can do so in the ticketing system at Help > New Ticket.

I'm confident we can get the issues you're experiencing cleared up. :)

[Bri]

Hi Steve,

We have your ticket on the issue you reported and are working with our engineers to locate the source of the issue so that a fix can be developed. We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this issue as efficiently and quickly as possible.

[Michel]

This comment is a spam, Brianna, and should be removed. It repeats random phrases from other comments. Its only purpose is to display/advertise a link.

[Bri]

Hi Candice,

The two editors have completely different backends, so features like font sizes have different sizes. The new editor has standardized font options, but we're looking into adding more sizes in the future.

Thanks for sharing your feedback!

[Bri]

Hi Marco!

Are you using the Beta tool to add a Flickr URL into the Insert Image dialog window, having the tool grab the photo for you? If so, you'll want to make certain that you haven't inadvertently selected a small default size for the Insert Image tool to use.

Sometimes it's easier to illustrate how to do something, so I've made a video screencast for you to see how to insert a Flickr URL and change the image size: http://screencast.com/t/FwKo4Wr4b5

Hope that helps! :)

[The DollarMan]

I miss Vox.....

[W♥M]

Can't you just put "%20" or "& nbsp;" (minus the first space) or in the place of the space of your links? Whenever I want spaces, that's what I use.

[Luci Weston]

Thank you, Brianna. I just tried it and it worked perfectly!

[Steve Kaye]

Hello Brianna,

When do you estimate the new text editor will be fixed?

The extra carriage returns are a major nuisance for every blogger who composes text off line.

Thanks.

[BILL LOONEY POOLROOM PROPRIETOR]

I WAS going to try my hand at blogging BUT Candice Alstrom said she was a paying customer and I thought it was free. Then it seems you people have an awful lot of unhappy campers. Unless you can convince me otherwise I may have to grab my hat and grab my coat and hit the trail to Betterblogville,USA.

[.]

I tried for and hour to upload one photo and it did not upload.

[Durant and Cheryl Imboden]

The old editor worked better, from my point of view. The new image controls are a huge step backward: If the editor had worked this way when I tried out TypePad last year, I wouldn't have signed up for TypePad Pro--I would have gone with WordPress.

I can't figure out how to add padding to images unless I edit TypePad's cluttered HTML manually, which defeats the purpose of using blogging software. Also, the borders that I've been adding don't stick: The images display without borders even after I've selected a 1-pixel border, clicked "Update image," and republished the post.

I strongly urge TypePad to either (1) roll back the editor to the old version or (2) provide an "Old Editor" option for those of us who are having problems with tne new editing tools.

[Durant and Cheryl Imboden]

Since writing my earlier post, I've discovered that borders do "stick" in the new editor, but they're invisible against a white background because their default color is white. (Curious choice, I must say.) I'm still looking in vain for a way to add padding, though. And I still wish the old editor were an option, since it did the job with additional steps or workarounds.

[Francha Cavitt]

I'm VERY frustrated that the feature to add padding to an image in a post is gone! This is a must have feature and seems odd to me that it would be eliminated from the new editor.

[Account Deleted]

I am new at TypePad and followed with interest the discussions about the new editor. Just had a chance to try it on my client's blog and have to wonder...why, but why, do you not provide the Heading drop-down anymore?

HTML Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) tags are the basic tags needed to define a web page's organizational structure.
- They are essential to make the content accessible to visually impaired people using screen readers.
- They are used by search engines to extract keywords.
- They are used by mobile devices to correctly display headings and sub-headings.
- And they can be styled by CSS so that you can change a website typographic look at once.

You could argue that for a blog post you do not really need them because the text is typically short and its title is set by the template with a heading tag. But this is not true for a page post which content can be long and typically will be structured in several sections and sub-sections.

Please reconsider that decision! Or make it an option so that SEO experts and professional web designers/publishers can follow web publishing standards and best practices.

http://padana.com

[Right Brained Gal]

Does anyone else have this problem? For the past three days, I have written my copy, hit publish and then it takes me to the sign in page, and I lose everything. I am so discouraged that after four years, I may have to go somewhere else.

I agree with everyone, that all the upgrades make it harder to use. I miss not being able to use 11pt text. I know code, so I do it myself, but it is more work than it is worth. I miss the old typepad.