Still trying — and failed — to replicate the bug that Klaus and Schokokäse reported on the widget’s Hijack-proof issue. I need to rest, and look at this again later. What was that other bug I was suppose to squash?

No related posts.

A quick heads-up on the latest TCW update, in line with the release of WordPress 3.1. This update also addressed the comment hijacking issue that, while wonderfully suggested and fixed by Stuff by Sarah quite a while ago (and implemented by yours truly on v.0.999a) , were not fully effective in blocking the comment spammers. Basically it’s a small rewrite of the database query, that’s all. This means that v.1.4.2 won’t affect your >=TCW 1.4 settings in any way.

Nevertheless, Top Commentators Widget v.2.0 update, to coincide with the next WordPress update (whether major or minor), will again affect your setup.

1. The form control, i.e. what you see in the Widgets section, will be re-arranged to simplify it.
2. Further modification on the look of your Number of Comments will be enabled.
3. Styling of the list for CSS purposes will be improved.
4. Addition of DIV on top of Numbered and Ordered.

I like WP 3.1. Do you?

No related posts.

IMPORTANT: If you have customized the styles in any way on this widget, be aware that this update may break them!

Fingers crossed, this version of TCW (downloadable in WP.org’s plugin repository) should address all of the problems encountered in v.1.4 as mentioned in the comments of my previous post (especially those disappearing settings / changes in form not committing). I honestly THANK YOU for your comments – you have no idea how I appreciate all those bug reports you all have given.

The widget has gone through a heck of a major rewrite between v.1.4 and this one, so what does this really mean for your blog?

1. This version and any future updates of the Top Commentators Widget will no longer be compatible with WordPress installs prior to version 2.8. Sorry, folks, it’s just to inconvenient to make it backward compatible.
2. TCW is finally using the widgets API available since WP 2.8, which means that 1.4.1 beta now supports multiple instances of the Top Commentators in your blog!
3. Due to the support for multi-instances of this widget, the ID and CLASS styles may be called differently. You may not notice much difference especially if you’re only using a single instance of the Top Commentators widget in your blog, but you need to be aware of this in any case.

If you don’t feel at all comfortable with the changes in v.1.4 and this one, the older versions of this widget is still available at the WP.org repository; just find the link at the sidebar named “Older version” and grab the version that fits your blog.

Version 1.4 is so unstable, that I’ve decided to label this update as a beta. However, please feel brave enough to at least install this version in your sandbox and let me know how it goes in your blog. Please please please let me know, working or not, I would really like to know.

The TCW may be deactivated from your Widgets list due to the new API calls it makes. Therefore, once upgraded, please make sure you revisit your Widgets page and re-do your settings, then Save them.

I’d better give my back a rest. This slipped disc injury is scarily painful; I hope I’ll gain full mobility soon. My home and my kids are a wreck without me.

No related posts.

If you have issues with the latest update (v.1.4), keep those feedback coming; please add them in the comments section below. I am currently working on the fix as of this moment.

The latest version is up at WP.org’s plugin repository. As mentioned in the README file:

1. Added the Award option which will display image or icon of a medal/badge once a commentator reaches a certain number of comments determined by blog owner.
2. Modified the form to allow default values to be entered automatically when initialized (i.e. widget’s Save button is pressed).
3. Added support for setting default Gravatars to 404, Mystery Man, Identicons, MonsterIDs or Wavatars.
4. Repaired the query statement for filtering e-mails.

Thanks to Konsti for the award/gaming suggestion. For now it only takes into account a single range. Hopefully in the future the widget can scan based on how active a commentator is, then award these users based on different levels of comments contributed.

Change number 2 is mainly for those who’ve complained that the top commentators wasn’t showing even after the widget is installed. Remember to go to the Widgets option, add the TCW in, and click the Save button to initialize its values. The widget won’t display anything if you do not press the Save button and get those default values entered into your WordPress options database.

A year ago, user iferg requested that the TCW supports other default Gravatars like Identicons, MonsterIDs and Wavatars. I finally had a chance to read up on this, and added that option into this widget.

Last, but not least, user ostin654 contributed a fix to the e-mail filtering bug, so I really appreciate that!

If you would like me to keep updating this WordPress plugin, I would like to ask just one thing from you – if you have a bug and/or a fix to report, or if you have modified the codes in any way that would benefit the TCW users, please share it with us. I’ll be sure to credit you and add those modifications in the next update. This would be the best way to continue making Top Commentators Widget useful and fun to use.

Please skip the rest of my post below; these are just notes to self so that I’ll remember how to update the TCW repo next time.

For new projects (Tortoise 1.7)

1. Create a new folder in your computer.
2. Download and install TortoiseSVN.
3. Right-click on the new folder and select TortoiseSVN -> Create repository here.
4. Right-click on the new folder and select SVN Checkout.
5. Set the WP.org Subversion Repository URL (remember, this is NOT your WP.org plugin URL; find the link in the Developers tab) and WP.org login info.

To edit code

Change the stuff under the Trunk folder within the new folder you created.

To update code

Right-click on the new folder or the Trunk folder itself, and select SVN Commit to check the files in. Add in the message “Version #.#” in the message section.

To tag code

1. Create a new folder within the Tags folder, naming it with the same version number as your current HEAD/trunk.
2. Copy all files in Trunk and paste it in the Tags folder with the version number.
3. Right-click on the Tags folder and select SVN Commit.
4. Add in the message “Tagging version #.#” in the message section for housekeeping purposes.

No related posts.

I am way behind schedule on the TCW update, I know (and thanks for reminding me, Konsti!). Yes, I’m actually done with the changes – 3 of them, in fact – and I am ready to put it up into TCW WordPress.org’s Extend at latest by tomorrow.

I got to be honest here. My delays are almost always (99.99% of the time) caused by two things – one: finding the time to do some coding, and two (a more embarrassing fact): I have little to zero clue how to use Subversion.

I know, right?! How could I, after more than three years developing TCW, still not get a handle of using it? More shameful is the fact that I’m a programmer by trade. Boo me.

It was suppose to be easy, this check-out, edit, commit, check-in thing. There’s a myriad of how-to posts specifically on using TortoiseSVN for WordPress.org. And I’m a programmer, for heaven’s sake! I should know code versioning!

The truth is, I’m a solo programmer and I don’t have to share my code with anyone. So all I needed to do was to create a new folder and dump my latest codes in there. That’s my versioning. Even if I did need to use versioning, it ‘ssuppose to be as easy as using Google Code.

So why is it that every time I tried to commit using Subversion, it Just Didn’t Work ™? I didn’t see the change in trunk to the latest version number. My changelog sometimes reflected the change in WP server, then suddenly I didn’t see it anymore. Went through the steps again, from1 to 10 (or 11, or 20… I lost count of the many how-to I followed).

After nothing seemed to work, I went off the beaten path, and tinkered those options out of frustration. Then suddenly, Eureka! It’s there in WP.org, my latest version of TCW in all its glory! My heart sings Hallelujah as I typed down what I’ve done the best I could, hopeful that whatever I’ve typed would become my next blog post on my stagnant WebGrrrl blog.

But alas. This problem feels like a nasty cycle of procrastination and/or forgetfulness and/or carelessness. Take your pick.

You’ve read my previous post on how “active” I was these past couple of years. So tonight, I shall once again go through the process of committing my latest Top Commentators widget update, typing those steps again into a draft post, crossing my fingers and hope that this time, that post won’t disappear into thin air and I’ll not only have the latest TCW up for you, but also my next Post Of The Week ready for primetime viewing.

BTW, here are some blog posts from WebGrrrl.net readers who are taking on the PostAWeek 2011 challenge:

• Like giving up on sex! by LaViaP The Geek

No related posts.

Another TCW update has been posted in WordPress.org’s Plugins Repository to include two new additions based on user requests.

Show top commentators between certain dates: This option was requested by James Pearse of Avon School District, MA. In his e-mail, he included a link to his school’s blog, demonstrating the idea that having your name displayed in the site and getting listed in the top commentators’ list not only can be used to increase traffic to your blog, but more so to help generate interest and participation on the posts among your site visitors. What a delight it is to see how something as small as TCW can contribute so much to learning and education. It makes developing WordPress plugins that more worthwhile for me.

Open links in a new window: I received a surprising number of requests lately, both through the WP.org Support forum and e-mails, asking me to include this option in the widget, so there you go – pretty straight forward at that.

As always, feedback and bug reports are appreciated. Do so in the WP.org’s Support Forum (preferably) and remember to tag your post with the words top-commentators-widget, or drop me a line via my Contact Form.

No related posts.

I’ve finally come around to fixing the bugs in this version of TCW. I have added in most of the codes that support Gravatar, thanks to the work of Sergio Nascimento.

Hopefully the next update would include the ability to add multiple TCW to more than one sidebar within a blog, as suggested by someone via Facebook. I’ll do what I can

No related posts.

Top Commentators Widget users rejoice! Thanks to my heartburn and insomnia, I finally managed to fix and test the TCW and made some improvements as promised earlier. The updates are as listed in the readme file:

1. Re-arranged functions to avoid redeclare error in WP 2.5.
2. Modified widget control form to repair unclickable control form.
3. Added NoFollow option to links.
4. Added show comment count option.
5. Fixed the reset period. It’s not tested extensively, but it should be working better now.
6. Fixed the URL filtering.
7. Include option to list users by e-mail or user names. This is for you folks who worry about the hijacking matter as reported in various other sites in the blogosphere.
8. Include option to filter users by e-mail.

Get the updated version from the WordPress Plugins Directory, or click on the Update Automatically option if you’re already using WP 2.5. I’m glad it’s done and over with for now. I’m waiting on those bug reports to make TCW a stable 1.0 which I plan on doing so within the next three months.

I apologize for taking so long to update this; can you believe that my greatest challenge was actually figuring out how to update the widget in the Plugins Directory using Subversion, adding to a couple of weeks’ delay at least on the update? It kept getting stuck under the Development Version which I didn’t quite understand. I almost surrendered on it around 10 minutes ago when suddenly — a little Update here, a little Clean Up there — and the dang thing finally updated in the repository! That really helped cure my insomnia, ’cause I’m feeling pretty sleepy right now.

Till next time.

No related posts.

Yes, my friends, the Top Commentators Widget is now officially part of WordPress.org Plugin Directory. I was driven to finish the setup for the widget’s hosting to WordPress.org, especially after seeing the built-in plugin update notifier in WordPress 2.3.

I am SO GLAD I finally completed what I had planned to do since June, but as you have read in my previous post, the tedious work that is Subversion was what made me chickened out of doing so sooner. I’m grateful that Ronald at Weblog Tools Collection did that tutorial on TortoiseSVN and explained in painstaking details how I should go about setting everything up. The slightly intimidating part of hosting in WordPress.org was actually the preparation of the ReadMe file — I’m glad the WordPress team prepared a readme validator to make sure I formatted it well.

Of course, I’ll still be maintaining the Top Commentators Widget page in my blog, but I’ll recommend everyone to start visiting the Top Commentator Widget in WordPress.org as the information in that page is more easy on the eyes.

No related posts.

Updated 06/Jan/2010: Download Top Commentators Widget v.1.3 (refer to the README for customization). And, yes, it works with WordPress 2.9.1.

Holy Molly, I never thought I’d make one so soon, but it’s true! I’ve created my very first WordPress Widget!

Yeah, well, not exactly. I adapted this Top Commentators Widget from the actual Show Top Commentators (hereto known as STC) plugin by PFA. Here’s actually what happened:

1. Went to Giuk.Net as usual, saw MrBadak talking about his newly installed plugins, and I hopped by.
2. Excitedly surfed into Personal Financial Advice to download the STC plugin.
3. Followed the instructions to the dot, only to find out later that it won’t work if you have Sidebar Widgets activated.
4. Googled for a widgetized version of STC, only to find that the download links don’t work.
5. Desperately needed to install it, so I did the next best thing a desperate grrrl would do — build one.
6. Accidentally sacrificed a few other widgets due to carelessness, but nevermind as I always back-up.
7. Destabilized my site with countless access error messages and loads of SQL warnings.
8. Trying so hard to stay true to the original codes, only to surrender at the last minute and decided to strip down most of the original codes off, therefore FINALLY COMPLETING MY MISSION!

But wait….

Crapazoola. After more googling, I found out that the STC plugin does run on widgets, if you installed the executable PHP for Text widgets first.

My ego is effectively squashed by this new-found knowledge. It took me an embarrassing 8 hours just to get this heck of a plugin to work as a Widget, which goes to show how badly I need to polish up on my PHP.

You may happily use this full-fledged Widget by downloading here:

Download Top Commentators Widget v.1.3

Installation instructions

(WordPress 2.5 and above)

1. Unzip to get the topcommentators_widget.php file.
2. Upload the file into the wp-content/plugins folder.
3. In your WP admin console, go to Plugins and activate Top Commentators Widget.
4. In your WP admin console, go to Design | Widgets and click Add beside the Top Commentators widget.
5. Click Edit on the Top Commentators then scroll down and click Change.
6. Drag the Top Commentators to wherever you want it to be, and click the Save Changes button if you want to stick to the default values.
7. That’s it!

(WordPress 2.3.3 and lower)

1. Unzip to get the topcommentators_widget.php file.
2. Upload the file into the wp-content/plugins folder.
3. In your WP admin console, go to Plugins and activate Top Commentators Widget.
4. In your WP admin console, go to Presentation | Widgets (for WordPress 2.2 and later) or Presentation | Sidebar Widgets (for older WordPress versions), and drag the Top Commentators widget to wherever you want it to be, and click the Save Changes button.
5. Nah, that’s it! Remember to read the FAQ to see what options you can play around in the Top Commentators Widget.

Customization

Please refer to the README file or the WordPress Plugins Directory page for TCW for the latest changelog, available options, snapshots, buglist, etc.

Bug Reports

The comments on this page has been disabled. Please go to WordPress.org and post your issues in the Support Forum. Remember to tag your posts as top-commentators-widget (remember the widget part!).

My Wish-List as of 05/Oct/2009

• Allow TCW to be used in more than one sidebar within a blog.Totally forgot about this in v.1.2. Will do so for the next version.
• Allow users to select the default Gravatar to be used.
  

Donate?

Sure, if you want to, though it’s not necessary. Just PayPal any amount to me at “webgrrrl”.”net” (remember to remove the quotes).

No related posts.