WordPress MU

I have set up a blogging community using mu 1.2.3.

Users can obviously set up multiple blogs but I have a silly question!

How can my users switch between their blogs?

I just can't find how to do it!

Cheers,
Kev

Each blog will have a unique url...they just need to know the proper url to enter or click on the blog link somewhere on your mu site...usually on the site homepage.

Actually you should have a drop down menu at the upper left on your dashboard to switch between the blogs.

Thanks for the swift response guys.

The drop down menu! That's what I thought. Problem though....
It isn't there.

Any idea how I can get the little fella back? Or failing that, which php script it lives in so I can just restore that file?

Cheers!

No dropdown menu on my site either. I assume this would be for users to switch between "their own" blogs if they have more than one on the site...would be nice, but I don't see it anywhere.

I misinterpreted your initial question to mean how do users find "any" blog on the site (including their own) and to do this I just have a page of all blogs like this...

http://stevehyndman.com/all-blogs/

Steve

Been discussed previously at length.

http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/search.php?q=dashboard+switcher

That's nice drmiketemp, but I noticed you searched on the words "dashboard" and "switcher". Maybe I'm missing the "obvious" somewhere, but I'm not sure how anyone would know to search those terms. The terse response "Been discussed previously at length.", isn't really necessary.

I don't need this feature, so it's no big deal to me, but I clicked your link above and am still confused...is this a default feature or a plugin. If it's a default feature, then we obviously have a problem with our installs...if it's a plugin, then I'm not sure how your responses here would have helped anyone figure that out.

Steve

There were two bits of code for the switcher. My version included modifications of the main core files. Someone wrote up a plugin as well and that verson got included into the wpmu core as a plugin file as Donncha mentioned that he didn't want to modify the core files too too much. It has some issues that you can see via that link (A couple typos, doesn't show the arrow in IE7 I gather, Safari as well, etc.) and if you go look at trac. (To be honest mine had an issue or two as well.)

The name of the feature was labeled "dashboard switcher" as that's what it's called over in wp.com land. When the idea came up over here, that's also the name it got labeled. Those terms were used in my search link so you could see the other threads.

The "Been discussed previously at length." actually was necessary as I didn't want to rehash everything again and I was headed out the door to go help out at a church. I stated that as the reason why I was giving you that link. Please remember that that you don't pay me for consulting and I don't owe you my time. I'm here to help folks. At the time, the best way for me to do that was to direct you to the previous threads so you could review them and see if that helped.

My points is simple, so let me "simply" explain it...

The OP's question was:

How can my users switch between their blogs?

Your response was:

Actually you should have a drop down menu at the upper left on your dashboard to switch between the blogs.

Simple question for you...is that true?

If you still don't see the fundamental flaw with that response, then I can't help you understand. I wasted 30 minutes troubleshooting my site looking for a dropdown which is NOT there in a default install. I (and the OP) sent a follow-up post explaining the we still don't see the dropdown and then get your curt, condescending, response with the link....still no mention of a plugin.

I can understand people giving incorrect advice if they don't know better, but I have got to believe you knew better. You may be pissed off at some over at wp.com, but do us all a favor and leave the attitude and condescending tone elsewhere. If you don't have time or desire to at least try to give a complete, correct answer, then why even post?

If you take my tone in this message as being less than positive, it's merely a reflection of my frustration with coming here and constantly reading your patronizing replies to people. If you are truly here to "help folks", do us all a favor and check the attitude at the door.

I'm not going to get into a flame war with you, so this is my last post on this topic...you can have the "last word".

Steve

You obviously haven't looked in mu-plugins, or know the code the least bit, and while Doc's answer was short, it was straight to the point, instead of dragging it out and moaning and droaning on.

/wp-content/mu-plugins/dashboardswitcher.php

There was no flaw with the response. The OP was pointed to the right direction. What more does one need?

The switcher has been there for quite some time. It is in the 1.2.3 core code as an included plugin like the other plugin files. It is part of the downloadable code and should be present in your site at teh upper left of your dashboard.

It may not work on your site. As stated, there are some issues with the code that was added by Donncha. That's why I gave you the link so you could see that it was discussed previously. I'm sorry if you didn't understand that. All you had to do was say "I don't understand. Can you explain some more" and I would have been happy to help.

And again, if you think you can do a better job of helping folks, please feel free to step up and do so. Please kindly get off your own damn high horse.

But to continue on, what browser are you using? I remember from one of those other threads that there exists a problem with ie7 seeing teh drop down.

Actually I know the code well enough to get by. Again, let me just point out the OP asked:

How can my users switch between their blogs?

and the reply:

Actually you should have a drop down menu at the upper left on your dashboard to switch between the blogs.

If that is true on a default install, then I'm man enough to admit my mistake and stand corrected. If it's not true on a default install, then are you man enough to do the same?

Steve

Okay...just for people who may have this problem in the future, here is a complete "straight and to the point answer".

There is a dashboard plugin in the 1.2.3 muplugins directory. You should see a drop down menu at the upper left on your admin header to switch between the blogs.

But if you use IE7 you probably won't see it. If you use FireFox you probably won't see it either unless you look real dang close at the upper-left side of the admin header (not the dashboard) and just to the right of your site's name, you will see a small downpointing arrow...hover over that to see your other blogs.

Steve

Delete the comma at end of Line 54(dashboardswitcher.php)
border: '1px solid #14568a', and it will work in Safari, too. Oh, and delete the ; in line 51 background: 'transparent url( ../wp-content/mu-plugins/bullet_arrow_down.gif ) no-repeat scroll 100% .2em;',.

If that is true on a default install, then I'm man enough to admit my mistake and stand corrected.

You were saying?

You also owe me an apology for attacking me.

edit:

comma - http://trac.mu.wordpress.org/ticket/366

Don't see the line 51 typo. I'll add in a ticket shortly.

Also note - http://trac.mu.wordpress.org/ticket/367

Yea, my mistake drmiketemp. I didn't realize there was an muplugin in the mu folder that shows-up nowhere if you use IE and isn't in the place you said it was if you use FF. You're response was so helpful...you're a genius. Thank you. I humbly apologize for questioning you...I should know to never question a person with "dr" in their screen name ;-)

Well, it isn't just in his screen name.

I was trying to help. Please remember that. Sorry you took it the wrong way.

As to the dr's, biggest waste of my time. never used them.

Yeah, but using them isn't the point Doc. ;)

A credential is still a credential. :)

Hi,

Im sorry if this question sounds stupid.

In my MU installation, the drop-down dashboard switcher appears. It shows on one but not even for the me as an admin. Is there a setting i should toggle/set to enable the dashboard switcher for all accounts?

Thanks and Kudos WPMU!

Correction on the above post!!

"In my MU installation, the drop-down dashboard switcher appears. It shows on one but not even for the me as an admin."

In my MU Installation, the dropdown of the dashboard switcher appears only to certain users. it doesn't even show up for me as an admin.

Sorry.. :)

Dashboard switcher will only appear for users who are have privs in other blogs (i.e. they can post, approve, edit etc). As an Admin you have control over the whole site (site wide settings) but you don't by default have rights on other peoples blogs... or thats how I understand it

Steve is right. The drop-down will only have things to show if you are expressly listed as a user on more than one blog.

Site admin can login to the backend of everyone else's blog anyway, and it would not be good for the drop-down to list *all* blogs, because then in my case the list would be 400+ items long.