Blogging: post via email to WP

I know this is the HAL Forum, but because there are so many CC members who have shared their trips with us by blogging, I’m requesting your input. I have posted into WP also.

I’m trying to set up a blog using WordPress.org. I am almost set up, and need to address posting in an efficient and realistic manner via ship Wi-Fi or very limited cellular.

So, for those who do- what plug ins do recommend for posting to your blog via email?

(I’m hoping POA, or others, might see this.)

Thanks in advance

I know this is the HAL Forum, but because there are so many CC members who have shared their trips with us by blogging, I’m requesting your input. I have posted into WP also.

 

I’m trying to set up a blog using WordPress.org. I am almost set up, and need to address posting in an efficient and realistic manner via ship Wi-Fi or very limited cellular.

 

So, for those who do- what plug ins do recommend for posting to your blog via email?

(I’m hoping POA, or others, might see this.)

 

Thanks in advance

Ironically, I need the same info. I think Theinsidecabin would be able to help, and he usually posts here daily.

I don't use any apps. I work from a laptop and simply email my posts to the address WordPress assigns. I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my mailer but any POP email program will work. If you want to post photos to Cruise Critic, either as links or as images, WordPress assigns each photo a predictable URL.

yourblogname.files.wordpress.com/YYYY/MM/filename.jpg

where YYYY/MM is the year and month you emailed the post containing the photos.

Roy

There's a poster on the Princess boards who cruises every winter and blogs. She uses blogspot. Not sure how she posts though. Her name is PescardoAmardillo (or something like that).

I don't use any apps. I work from a laptop and simply email my posts to the address WordPress assigns. I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my mailer but any POP email program will work. If you want to post photos to Cruise Critic, either as links or as images, WordPress assigns each photo a predictable URL.

yourblogname.files.wordpress.com/YYYY/MM/filename.jpg

 

where YYYY/MM is the year and month you emailed the post containing the photos.

 

Roy

Thank you Roy. You were one of the people I hoped would respond, but thought you were probably on the road (or sea). You had made a comment about having a typo where the pix would go. So I assumed YOU were naming them. I did get an email assigned by my hosting company, but thought it was for something else. I’ll follow up with them. (I was hoping to ask you about it last year on the BsAs -> SCL but had to cancel. This will be attempt #2)

I’ve spent a good chunk of the weekend doing a tutorial on Wordpress and trying to get the host setup. The set up of the pages and posts isn’t that hard. (I got an unexpected crash course at work:eek:). It’s the other stuff I need to know and do that has the steeper learning curve.) And if I can’t get the email thing solved, it’s (blogging) not going to happen.

I’ve got to get packing as I leave next weekend.

I don't use any apps. I work from a laptop and simply email my posts to the address WordPress assigns. I use Mozilla Thunderbird as my mailer but any POP email program will work. If you want to post photos to Cruise Critic, either as links or as images, WordPress assigns each photo a predictable URL.

yourblogname.files.wordpress.com/YYYY/MM/filename.jpg

 

where YYYY/MM is the year and month you emailed the post containing the photos.

 

Roy

Thank you for the info. I don't intend to blog from the fall's Grand Asia, but I would like to send regular posts, w/pictures to family members and friends by e-mail. What is the easiest way to do that? Do the pictures have to be reduced to a certain size and sent as attachments to an e-mail? I don't think that WordPress is necessary, is it? Or is it easier to set up a blog website and just left friends and family click on it?

I have used Windows Live Writer for years on my laptop. You can write and set up the post offline including pictures, and click a Post button when you are online. The application automatically downsizes the pictures and you can add as many as you like. Windows Live Writer is still available for download but is no longer supported by Microsoft. There is an Open Live Writer which is based upon the Windows version. These are extremely easy to set up and use.

TiogaCruiser, it sounds like you are asking how to configure WordPress to accept post by mail. Is that correct? You need to go into WordPress's classic dashboard. The address will be:

yourblogname.wordpress.com/wp-admin

Once there click on "My Blogs" and you should see something like this:

At the second column from the right the title should be "Post by Mail". You will probably see a white button that says "Enable". Click on that button and you will get an address to mail your posts to WordPress. That should be all there is to setting up post by email; if it doesn't work for you let me know.

TampaGirl, it is not necessary to have a blog if that's what you want to do. For what it's worth in Mozilla Thunderbird I use a "template" with the addresses of my blog and also family and friends who get my updates personally pre-loaded. You probably don't NEED to resize your images but when working with ship's internet it makes things a LOT easier and less expensive. You have some time before your cruise and I'll get back with more details on the one I use.

Roy

After using Travel Pod for many years, I had to change when they closed last year, I switched to Word Press, compared with the other ,it was a minefield, to begin with, and many of my readers were not able to access it, I know it is used by many, but lots is for money making blogging, in which I have no interest. Through Lonely Planet advice, I touched upon Finding Penguins, recommended by them, easy set up and good for photos , so I am going with that, on my next journey, it is well worth a look. My main focus is, apart from keeping Friends and Family in touch, to have access to printing into a book at the end, Travel Pod did it, at the touch of a button, Word Press ,in a slightly round about way, [through Blog to Print],did it too, and the book was impressive and photographs excellent, I have to say. Finding Penguins does it easily...it seems.??? I would like to have a meeting of bloggers on the next cruise, I'm sure such a lot could be shared, and it would be helpful. Prinsendam 02/06/18 to 16/07/18.

Thank you for the info. I don't intend to blog from the fall's Grand Asia, but I would like to send regular posts, w/pictures to family members and friends by e-mail. What is the easiest way to do that? Do the pictures have to be reduced to a certain size and sent as attachments to an e-mail? I don't think that WordPress is necessary, is it? Or is it easier to set up a blog website and just left friends and family click on it?

You can easily send pictures and posts to family with regular email, no need for a blog. It may depend a bit on the particular mailer you use but generally it is not NECESSARY to reduce pictures to a certain size but especially when using ship's internet it is much faster and less expensive to send them if they are resized. The utility both Scrapnana and I use to resize pictures is a free program:

http://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/

This is a clone of a utility that was part of Windows XP and perhaps Vista but is no longer included. It is quite easy to use and very helpful. Once it is installed you just select the photos you want to resize, right click, and follow the prompts. It's been a real godsend to me.

Roy

TiogaCruiser, it sounds like you are asking how to configure WordPress to accept post by mail. Is that correct? You need to go into WordPress's classic dashboard. The address will be:

 

yourblogname.wordpress.com/wp-admin

 

Once there click on "My Blogs" and you should see something like this:

 

[ATTACH]414822[/ATTACH]

 

At the second column from the right the title should be "Post by Mail". You will probably see a white button that says "Enable". Click on that button and you will get an address to mail your posts to WordPress. That should be all there is to setting up post by email; if it doesn't work for you let me know.

 

Roy

Thanks Roy. I’ll try it when I get home tomorrow. I’ll install the resizer you recommended too. I’ve been using Photoshop CS6 for that. It’s a bit overkill to just resize.

I recently came upon an app called Journi. I haven’t tested it yet ... too busy trip planning. On the surface at least it seems to be a good way to share photos and can be used either publicly or privately. And if I recall correctly, it allows for a way to be turned into a book later. Might be worth looking into.

I started using WordPress last year after TravelPod shut down. It's not as good IMO, but I keep my blog simple. I just write up my text in Notes on my iPad or Mac (offline of course), select, re-size, and edit (if needed) the photos I want to use and put copies in a separate folder, and then when I'm ready, I connect to the internet, paste in the text, upload the photos, and publish. It can all be done in under 10 minutes of online time, much less if you don't have many photos.

As a WP newbie I didn't even know you could post via email. TravelPod had that feature but I never used it.

You can easily send pictures and posts to family with regular email, no need for a blog. It may depend a bit on the particular mailer you use but generally it is not NECESSARY to reduce pictures to a certain size but especially when using ship's internet it is much faster and less expensive to send them if they are resized. The utility both Scrapnana and I use to resize pictures is a free program:

 

http://www.bricelam.net/ImageResizer/

 

This is a clone of a utility that was part of Windows XP and perhaps Vista but is no longer included. It is quite easy to use and very helpful. Once it is installed you just select the photos you want to resize, right click, and follow the prompts. It's been a real godsend to me.

 

Roy

Thanks, Roy. It is a help. As you mentioned, I have plenty of time before our Grand Asia, so I can play with various utilities.

TiogaCruiser, it sounds like you are asking how to configure WordPress to accept post by mail. Is that correct? You need to go into WordPress's classic dashboard. The address will be:

 

yourblogname.wordpress.com/wp-admin

 

Once there click on "My Blogs" and you should see something like this:

 

[ATTACH]414822[/ATTACH]

 

At the second column from the right the title should be "Post by Mail". You will probably see a white button that says "Enable". Click on that button and you will get an address to mail your posts to WordPress. That should be all there is to setting up post by email; if it doesn't work for you let me know.

 

Roy

I just logged into my site, and now I understand why your Dashboard looks different. I'm using Wordpress installed on a separately hosted site (I'm using Wordpress.org on a domain I purchased).

And I'm sort of wishing I had made a different decision, (and went with wordpress.com).:o:o:o:o

Coming back to say I found a solution and wanted to share it, in case anyone finds themselves in my position.

I just got my own domain, and am using WordPress (the .org variety. Basically my blog will be hosted on an external site). I installed a plug in called Postie. It took some work, and some struggle, but it posting by email is now working.

http://postieplugin.com/getting-started/