I’ve been a bit scarce in blogging for several reasons. New house. Helping daughter. More responsibilities in my consulting.
And, at WP I wasn’t able to render photos as I wished. If I posted a photo that required you readers to click to enlarge, zip, nada, nothing enlarged. The result was disappointing. It just didn’t render what I visualized. In short, I found posting and photos in particular, discouraging.
Then lo and behold, a fairy godfather dropped out of the cyberspace heavens to lend a hand ‘er wand. Visualize fairy dust sprinkling over my edit screen during my spring break like WP snow over a post in December.
At first in the lower right hand screen I saw a friendly “Howdy.”
“Who can that be?” I wondered. I chose not to respond.
hmmm…only Texans from A&M say “howdy.” The Howdy message persisted. It looked friendly, credible, reliable enough and even familiar as the Howdy appeared in white letters in a blue rectangle. It beckoned to me like the white font that says Publish before we push the button. If you have ever published posts on wp, you know what I’m referring to.
Then I saw an offer I couldn’t resist. “How can I help?” a CHAT screen typed. So I answered him. I told him, my WP angel, everything about the one big thing that was troubling me in my wp experience.
“You know the hovering hand that you can click on so readers can enlarge the image? I just can’t get my computer or ANY computer to produce the hand thingy.”
I continued, “Once upon a time, it worked for me. If you go to my earliest posts and click on any image, the hovering hand assured readers that when clicked the photo would enlarge.”
He felt my discouragement, pain and anguish. He LISTENED.
He stayed with me as I toggled between screens following his directions. He continued to flash his emoticon grin 🙂 in encouragement. He exercised patience as he coached me from start to finish.
And then it happened, the answer to my question, when everything became clear to me. Thank you, Andrew. Yes, my WP angel’s name is Andrew. I’d call him a happiness engineer but the fact is I never requested him. I did post my question on a forum that closed about a month ago. And then, magically he just showed up in the form of a Howdy message in the lower right hand corner of my screen. How did he know I had a burning desire to enable “click to enlarge?”
Andrew You’ll see “Attachment Display Settings”
Andrew Which includes “Links to”
georgettesullins ok…let me toggle on over
georgettesullins okay…I’m smiling…yes, I see that
Andrew Great. 🙂
Andrew So “Attachment page” will be a page on your site that shows the larger image.
Andrew And “Media File” Will be the full size image just by itself.
georgettesullins WOW o WOW!!! THANK YOU, Andrew! Who can I sing your praises to? BOTH WORK.
Andrew Yay, glad it all worked. 🙂
Andrew Thanks for being patient
georgettesullins I’ll say bye now…btw How do I access CHAT when you don’t fall out of the sky?
Andrew Right now we just have chat available when we’re online. We’re working to get it to be around 24/7 this year, though.
Andrew So you should start seeing it around more and more often.
georgettesullins Cool…I’m glad I won today’s lottery.
Andrew 🙂
Andrew Have a good rest of the afternoon!
And now dear blogging friends, (with Andrew’s help) I’ve done it. He revealed to me the secret. Click on the images below from former Good Fences posts and they will ENLARGE!
Hawk looking and resting
photo credit: Rick Sullins
Mourning doves on barbed wire photo credit: Rick Sullins
Yay for Andrew! Did you by chance get his direct extension, Georgette? 🙂 I’ve had several WP issues lately. Blogging shouldn’t be frustrating. Thanks for going the extra mile to provide us with your wonderful photos!
Haha. I never spoke with him, but I did CHAT. It was the oddest thing. This CHAT screen kept popping up like it wanted to CHAT…imagine that. And so I asked my question, met Andrew and feel so much more together when it comes to posting photos. These are just three of the photos that I never could do justice to last fall.
Ha – I’ve had a similar experience with a different problem, and my happiness engineer was named Andrew too. He came with a photo, so I wonder if we had the same rep.
Almost every day now, I see in the lower right corner of my screen, a “Howdy” appearing too, with an offer to chat about a problem. Just months ago, I remember having to join forums which led me down blind alleys with no resolution. I’m glad to see WP is interested in customer service. Encouraging post, Georgette!
hmmm…this is the first time I have noticed this and it came at a good time. My Andrew had no photo. I was cautious about clicking, but he certainly was familiar with wp and understood my question. I am one grateful wp user today.
Awesome! I did wonder what had happened to you. what an encouraging experience. I’m glad you told us about it. DM
I think they are experimenting with this CHAT support for the future and I happened to be online. Boy, was it welcome. Let us know if you get a visit. Do you have any burning questions to ask wp?
I’m so glad you found your WP angel Georgette! I enlarged the dove photo and it is beautiful. I wish Andrew would say “Howdy” to me too. I still don’t know how to include my signature on a photo. The whole thing defies my brain to respond but I see other people have no problems with it. 🙂
hmmm…I think a signature on a photo would originate with your computer. In Picassa for example, you can sign your photos there. I have signed a few of Rick’s photos for him. I should be signing them all, though.
It occurs to me, perhaps other folks will put their questions out there and we can help each other.
I’ve had that box pop up but at the times it did, I wasn’t having any issues. I wasn’t sure if I did something to trigger it. Good to know it’s around. A long time ago I had sent them an email question after I wasn’t able to find an answer in the forums. It took a week to get a reply so I usually try to bang myself through.
I’m curious how present they are. Already you and Marian have mentioned seeing him/them around. I use a CHAT service for my online courses and I tell you, they’re wonderful and responsive at all hours. Usually, I show up as first in line.
Hooray for Andrew! That hawk photo is amazing!
Haha, dear lady. How are you doing? Is there a sequel to Playing Tyler? I think of you and your writing often.
What a wonderful experience…with all the changes (ones I’m not so fond of) in wordpress lately this gave me hope!
I clicked on the hawk…he’s a beaut!
I agree, I think that hawk is special. He didn’t come out as sharp as Rick wanted, but I think he’s beautiful and finally readers can get a full screen view of him. Now…do I have the courage to change my design?
yes, indeedy, they do. such a nice howdy angel to drop in on you. 🙂
Finally, I feel like my site design will not dwarf the photos. It’s been a conundrum for sure.
I enjoyed visiting several of the #51s today.
I am new to your blog Georgette . I found you from Marian’s blog . Glad you found your guardian angel and your wonderful photos are living proof . Now
I shall have fun reading through your archives .
Cherryx ☺️
Cheryl, thank you for stopping by. Perhaps the categories can help direct you to what may interest you.
I’ve been seeing that little box lately. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I ignored it for a while, and then I thought, “yes, I do have a few tech support questions.” I’m so glad I did.
I also have seen the “howdy” box, but haven’t investigated…. I’m afraid I don’t understand the “like the white font that says publish” reference. Is that a way to avoid prematurely publishing a post? If so, I’m all about that! (I have begun scheduling EVERY post as soon as I have a title in order to avoid those premature publishings.)
Sorry to confuse. It sounds like you have already noticed it.
No, I wish there was a way to prevent premature publishings. I’ve done that a time or two — blush.
That chat box has been popping up but I’ve been ignoring it. Since I do have a technical question, and you tested the waters for me, I think I’ll go ahead and ask it. Hope I have the same good fortune as you. Thanks for the post.
Guess what? I’m chatting with Daniel now as I type this. Just call me Questions and I’m glad they are getting answered. Thank you for dropping by and I’m glad you don’t mind the nudge. They are helpful.
Awesome – right when you needed him, Andrew showed up! I’d say that was a sign your blogging must continue!! I’m so happy it will too!
And then I visited with Daniel this morning who answered still another question.
ooo…the weather is so bad. We will get together out in the country when it clears up.
That’s great! as are the photos.
My e-mail inbox received a survey asking me to rate their service. (btw I met Daniel this morning to ask still another question, thus the plural) Like Jacob gave “How’s my driving?” a great review I gave them all thumbs up.
Well phooey. I’ve never seen a “Howdy”. I wonder if I can get a help on how to see a “Howdy”?
hmmm…I will say it’s fleeting and your mouse has to snag and catch it. It happened again this morning when I had still another question to ask. It hovered around, I typed an incomplete question, waited it to reappear, picked up from where I left off, finished typing the question and then I found myself connected to Daniel with a photo this time; Andrew didn’t have a photo. But when you do snag it, and it decides to stick, a conversation does ensue dishing out help. I’m two questions smarter about this now. Oh yeah, one more thing. This morning instead of “Howdy” it displayed “Now Chatting” or something like that.
I have seen that little pop up thingie asking me if I need help. So glad you gave it a try and Andrew helped you to make your pictures bigger. That you once could bigify them and then not would have driven me bonkers. Some things can just make your day! Yay Georgette!!!!
Thanks, Pix. Apparently, when I first started wp, the settings were where they were supposed to be, then “poof” I must have unwittingly changed something b/c it probably sounded like a good setting. For months I have inspected elements/properties/you-name-it trying to unlock the mystery. And then, help came. It was a relief to solve it.
I used the chat function a couple of months or so ago, when they had removed the “edit” function from the drop-down menu on the sidebar. I expressed my considerable frustration, and lo! it eventually turned out that the edit function was removed by accident while they were doing some other tweaking.
What I haven’t been able to figure out from your post is exactly where you find the page where you do all these wonderful things to your photo. I’ve been uploading from an ftp server, but I think I want to go through all of my posts and reload images through WordPress. The primary reason is that, should I die and not pay my ftp bill, all my images would disappear. With wordpress.com, they all would stay in place. Do you get to all these wonders through your media library?
Oh — I remember reading on the forums that they’re rolling out the chat function bit by bit, rather than platform-wide. Anyone who doesn’t have it, will, eventually.
I think I found it! And your enlargements look great. Congratulations!
Of course you did. You are so good at this!
Yes, I do get to the photos I use via the media library. I click on the media button above the post (not the side bar media which Andrew said NOT to click on). Then when all the photos appear in a grid, I click on the photo I want to include in the post. To the right of the photo grid, “Attachment Details” will appear, below that “Attachment Display Setting” and then below that “Link to” where I choose either “Media File” or “Attachment Page.” btw your photos always enlarge when I click on them. 🙂
I remember once discussing this with you when I thought I had solved my issue. My relief was premature because although I got the hovering hand, I discovered when I clicked on it, nothing appeared, i.e. it appeared blank. This time, I kept Andrew on the line so to speak until I was sure I could upload properly, make proper settings, and test it from a post perspective. Rest assured, I have, with the help of Andrew, solved this issue and you won’t have to hear me speak about it again.
I’m not so sure “when I die” my wp posts and photos would stay. I have crossed into the next level of usage requiring me to pay so much per year which leads me to believe if the annual wp bill doesn’t get paid, an awful lot would be lost. hmmm…I need to ask Andrew, Daniel or another techy the particulars of that. Well, all that said, please do not hesitate to ask me any questions…I’m not an expert, but I am learning little by little and would be more than happy to share with screen shots and e-mail. Another thing I found out is how to delete unused header photo files. It feels so much better when one has answers.
I’m just sure that anything which has been posted will stay, even if you’ve expanded your file capacity. I’ll find the discussion — another blogger was worried about it and as I recall found the answer.
That would be wonderful information to have.
Nothing like good customer service to make your day.
Truly, it puts wind in one’s sails.
Bravo, Andrew!
I’ve had similar experiences but with different problems. The many responses to this post show that you struck a chord with many of us, Georgette.
I haven’t had any success with forums and the happiness engineers did get back in a week or so, so the fact that this was real time, instantaneous was great. When you think our photos, stories, and a lot of work are invested in this enterprise, it’s a godsend and much appreciated. That said, I don’t in any way want to criticize the happiness engineers since from what I understand, they are all volunteers. Cheers to the happiness engineers, too, for all they do.
I’ve seen that “Howdy” box in the lower corner, too. But so far I’ve been ignoring it. Thanks for the tip. Glad it helped you!
Glad that WP angel helped you. I’ve ignored the howdy box too, but then I haven’t had a question YET, plus I’ve been offline and not blogging lately either. Hope to get back to my regular routine soon.
I’ve muddled through for four years and have even asked some computer website experts my burning questions. Their response has been “I don’t know wp.” So to see a friendly howdy, was welcome. At first I wondered about the legitimacy of it — didn’t want to be talking to impersonators, phishers, or the like — but then in the end, I was a happy user.
Let’s call it Wow-press! Bravo! I’m so glad you shared this because we sometimes forget the nice team behind us!
As I write this “Howdy” is in my lower right screen. Whew…I appreciate that. It’s a good feeling. Truly though, two issues that have troubled me for over a year got resolved in two separate sessions.