PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal 9.1 PeopleBook: Using Portal Features

Working With Blogs

This chapter provides an overview of blogs and discusses how to:

Create a blog.
Participate in a blog.
Manage a blog.
Publish a blog as a pagelet.
Use blog notifications˙.
Manage tags for a blog.
Search within blogs.
Work with the Blogs pagelet.

Understanding Blogs

Blogs in Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal enable individual authors or teams to maintain blogs (or “web logs”). In PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal, blogs provide these features:

Rich text editing and image support.
Multi-threaded comments that can be moderated or unmoderated.
Tagging.
Feeds.
Ability to search blog content.
Multi-language support.
Public or PeopleSoft role-based security.

A blog is a site, maintained by an individual or group, with regular posts of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material. Individuals post articles on their blogs to let a community of interested parties read about and comment on items and ideas expressed.

Many blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject, and this is most common in an enterprise blog. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of the blog.

Corporate or enterprise blogs can be used either internally, to enhance communication and culture in a corporation, or externally, for marketing or public relations. External blogs can also be used to disseminate information to customers and user groups, suppliers, partners, and so on.

In PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal, blogs can be created as “standalone” in portals and sites, or as an integrated module of a collaborative workspace. Standalone blogs can be accessed through the My Blogs page and the Blogs homepage pagelet.

When portal system administrators create a standalone blog, they can then assign an administrator to manage each blog. The blog administrator determines the membership and privileges for the blog, and has the option to manage the blog as moderated or unmoderated. Blog moderation is applied to all comments or replies. If moderation is set, the administrator has to approve each comment or reply before it can be viewed by the blog participants. The approval or rejection of a post causes an email notification to be sent to the participant who posted to the blog.

Note. Comments and replies posted by an author to his or her own post are not moderated.

This section also provides an overview of:

Blog privileges.
Blogs module in collaborative workspaces.

Understanding Blog Privileges

The following table summarizes blog privileges granted by portal role or privilege set ID. Privilege set IDs are defined on the Define Privilege Sets page. Privileges are assigned to blog participants on the Blog Security page.

Role ID or Privilege Set ID	Description	Privileges
PAPP_SYSTEM_ADMIN	Enterprise Portal System Admin role.	A portal administrator can: Create new blogs. Assign administrators to manage blogs. Manage blogs. Delete blogs. Approve or reject blog comments or replies (when moderation of the blog is enabled). In addition, as a participant of blog a portal administrator can: View blog posts and replies. Add posts to blogs. Add replies to blogs.
EPPBL_ADMINISTRATOR	Administrator privilege set.	Manage the blog. Approve or reject blog comments or replies (when moderation of the blog is enabled). Add posts. Edit any post or reply. Delete any post or reply. Edit own posts or replies. Delete own posts or replies. View blog posts and replies.
EPPBL_AUTHOR	Author privilege set.	Add posts. Edit own posts or replies. Delete own posts or replies (if no replies have been posted to that post or reply). View blog posts and replies.
EPPBL_READER	Reader privilege set.	View blog posts and replies.

Understanding the Blogs Module in Collaborative Workspaces

The Blogs module provides a platform that workspace members can use to discuss posts of interest. The blog can be configured as moderated or unmoderated, and members can post blog posts and replies. The pages used to participate in blogs in the Blogs module are the same pages used for standalone blogs.

See Using the Blogs Module.

Creating Blogs

This section discusses how to:

Create a blog.
Add blog members.
Assign member privileges.
Create a blog policy statement.

Note. Portal system administrators can create standalone blogs and then assign an administrator to manage each blog.

Pages Used to Create Blogs

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Create Blog	EPPBL_BLOG_NEW	My Content, My Blogs Click the Create Blog button. Click the Create Blog link on the Blogs pagelet.	Set the properties for a new blog.
Blog Security	EPPBL_BLOG_MEM	Select the Blog Security page from the Create Blog page.	Maintain blog members.
Set Members Privileges	EPPBL_BLOG_PRIV	Click the Add Member button on the Blog Security page. Click the Edit button on the Blog Security page.	Assign blog participants by user or role. Assign privileges to the participants.
About	EPPBL_BLOG_POLICY	Select the Blog Security page from the Create Blog page.	Create a policy statement for the blog.

Creating a Blog

Access the Create Blog page (My Content, My Blogs; click the Create Blog button).

Use the Create Blog page to set the properties for a new blog.

Title	Enter a title for the blog. This text appears on the Blogs pagelet as the link to access the blog.
Description	Enter a description of the goal of the blog. This text appears on the Blogs pagelet as hover text for the link used to access the blog.
Show in the Blogs Pagelet by Default for All Members	Select to display this blog in the Blogs pagelet by default for all users who are included in the users and roles assigned on the Blog Security page.
Enable Email Notification	Select to allow members to send email notifications.
Enable Search	Select to allow members to search within the blog.
Enable Comments	Note. Blog moderation applies to comments and replies. Comments and replies posted by an author to his or her own post are not moderated. Select the moderation option for this blog: Unmoderated — Comments and replies to this blog are not moderated. Moderated — All comments and replies to this blog are moderated. The blog administrator must review and approve or reject each comment and reply to this blog.
Email Notification For Pending Comments	Select this option to send an email notification to the blog administrator for each comment or reply that requires approval.
Number of Days to Retain Pending Comments	Set the number of days to retain a pending comment or reply. After the set number of days has passed, a pending comment or reply is rejected. Set this field to 0 to retain pending comments and replies indefinitely.

Adding Blog Members

Access the Blog Security page (select the Blog Security page from the Create Blog page).

Edit

Click the Edit button to access the Set Members Privileges page to modify the privileges for this member.

Delete

Click the Delete button to delete this member.

Add Member

Click the Add Member button to access the Set Members Privileges page to add a new member to the blog.

Assigning Member Privileges

Access the Set Members Privileges page (click the Add Member button or Edit button on the Blog Security page).

Member Type

Select the type of participant you want to add to the blog:

Role — Select to add blog participants by role.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: Security Administration, “Setting Up Roles.”

User — Select to add blog participants by user ID.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: Security Administration, “Administering User Profiles.”

Member Name

Select the role or user ID.

Privilege Set

Select the privilege level you want to assign to the member:

Administrator

Author

Reader

Note. At a minimum, every blog requires an administrator.

See Understanding Blog Privileges.

Creating a Blog Policy Statement

Access the About page (select the About page from the Create Blog page).

Use the rich text editor to enter any policies that apply to the blog.

Participating in Blogs

This section discusses participating in blogs and how to:

Access blogs.
Add or edit a blog post.
View post details.
View pending or rejected comments (or replies).
Delete a post.
View blog feeds.
Use tags in a blog.

Pages Used to Participate in Blogs

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
My Blogs	EPPDF_MYFORUMS	My Content, My Blogs Click the My Blogs link on the Blogs pagelet.	Provides access to all of the blogs of which you are a participant.
<Blog Title> homepage	EPPBL_VIEW_POSTS	Click the link for a blog on the My Blogs page. Click the link for a blog in the Blogs pagelet.	Serves as the homepage for a blog listing all blog posts and providing features to participate in the blog.
Create New Post	EPPDF_REPLY_TOPIC	Click the Add New Post link on the blog homepage. Click the Add New Post button in the Blogs pagelet.	Add a post to a blog.
Post a comment	EPPDF_REPLY_TOPIC	Click the Comment link on the post details page.	Add a comment to a blog post. Note. The fields on this page are the same as those on the Create New Post page.
Edit a Post	EPPDF_REPLY_TOPIC	Click the Edit link on the post details page.	Edit a blog post (post, comment, or reply). Note. The fields on this page are the same as those on the Create New Post page.
Add a Reply	EPPDF_REPLY_TOPIC	Click the Reply link on the post details page.	Add a reply to a blog comment. Note. The fields on this page are the same as those on the Create New Post page.
<Post Title> (post details)	EPPBL_VIEW_COMMENT	Click the post title on the blog homepage. Click the Comments link for a post on the blog homepage. Click the link for a post or a comment in the Blogs pagelet.	View the details of a blog post.
View Pending Comments	EPPBL_MY_PEND_SEC	Click the View Pending Comments link on the post details page.	Review comments and replies that you submitted that have not been accepted yet by the blog administrator.
View Rejected Comments	EPPBL_MY_PEND_SEC	Click the View Rejected Comments link on the post details page.	Review comments and replies that you submitted that have been rejected by the blog administrator.

Accessing Blogs

To access a blog:

Select My Content, My Blogs to access the My Blogs page.

Use the My Blogs page to access to all of the blogs of which you are a participant. The My Blogs page provides an overview of the activity in each of these blogs.

Click the link for a blog on the My Blogs page to access the homepage for a blog.

Use the blog homepage to participate in the blog.

Note. Certain functions are available on this page only if you have been granted author or administrator privilege for this blog.

<Blog Title>	Click the blog title at the top of the page to return to the blog homepage displaying all posts.
Add New Post	Click to access the Create New Post page. Note. This link appears only for authors or administrators of the blog.
Manage Blog	Click to access the Manage Blog page. Note. This link appears only if you are an administrator of the blog.
Search	Click to access the Search Blogs page to search in the current blog or other blogs.
	Hover over any of these to view the list of feeds published for this blog. Click any list item to open that feed document. Click the Feed button or Feed link to open the first feed document in the list. Click the Open menu button to toggle the list of feeds between frozen open and closed. See Viewing and Subscribing to Feeds.
<Post Title>	Click a post title link to view the post details page.
Comments (#)	Click a Comments(#) link to view the post details page.
Blog Policy	Displays the blog policy as defined by the blog administrator.
Archives	Click the number to the right of a month in the Archives section to display posts for that month only.
Authors	Click the author's name to display that user's system profile in a new browser window. Click the number to the right of an author's name to display posts for that author only.
Tags	Use the List tab to manage tags at the blog level; use the Cloud tab to view a tag cloud encompassing the blog and all posts.

Adding or Editing a Blog Post

Access the Create New Post page (click the Add New Post link on the blog homepage).

Access the Post a comment page (click the Comment link on the post details page).

Access the Edit a Post page (click the Edit link on the post details page).

Access the Add a Reply page (click the Reply link on the post details page).

Use the Create New Post page to add a new post to a blog.

Use the Post a comment page to add a comment to a blog post.

Use the Edit a Post page to edit a blog post (post, comment, or reply).

Use the Add a Reply page to add a reply to a blog comment.

Title	Enter a title for your blog post.
<edit field>	Use the editor to enter the text of the post.
Save as Draft	Click to save your post in a draft state. The post, or modifications, are not visible until you publish it. Note. The Save as Draft button appears on the Create New Post page and the Edit a Post page. If you edit an existing post and save it as a draft, the post (even the original content) is no longer visible in the blog until the draft is published.
Save	Click to save your comment or reply so that it can be viewed in the blog or reviewed by the blog administrator. Note. The Save button appears on the Post a comment page and the Add a Reply page.
Cancel	Click to cancel any changes without saving or publishing and return to the post details page.
Publish	Click to publish your post so that it can be viewed in the blog. Note. The Save as Draft button appears on the Create New Post page and the Edit a Post page.

Viewing a Blog Post

Access the post details page (click the link for a post on the blog homepage).

Use the post details page to view the details for a blog post.

<Blog Title>	Click the blog title at the top of the page to return to the blog homepage.
View Pending Comments	Click to access the View Pending Comments page to view which of your new blog comments and replies are pending acceptance by the blog administrator.
View Rejected Comments	Click to access the View Rejected Comments page to view which of your new blog comments and replies were rejected by the blog administrator.
	Hover over any of these to view the list of feeds published for this blog. Click any list item to open that feed document. Click the Feed button or Feed link to open the first feed document in the list. Click the Open menu button to toggle the list of feeds between frozen open and closed. See Viewing and Subscribing to Feeds.
Reply	Click to access the Add a Reply page to reply to a comment or reply.
Comment	Click to access the Post a comment page to comment on this post.
Edit	Click to access the Edit a Post page to edit this post.
Notify	Click to access the Notify Members page to send a notification to blog participants.
Delete	Click to delete this post. Any comments and replies to this post will also be deleted.
<Author>	Click to view the system profile for the author of the post, comment, or reply in a separate browser window.
or Tags	Click to view the expandable Tags section for the blog post.

Viewing Pending or Rejected Comments

Access the View Pending Comments page (click the View Pending Comments link on the blog homepage).

Access the View Rejected Comments page (click the View Rejected Comments link on the blog homepage).

Use these pages to view your pending or rejected comments and replies for this blog. The links and buttons are the same for each page. In the preceding example, the View Pending Comments page is shown.

Find	Click to pop up a dialog box allowing you to search the page contents for a specific comment or reply.
Return	Click to return to the previous page.

Deleting a Post

To delete a post from a blog:

Go to the post details page for the post that you want to delete.

Note. You are able to delete a post if you are the author of the post or the blog administrator.
Click the Delete button.
Click OK to confirm that you want to delete that post and any associated comments and replies.

Viewing Blog Feeds

Once a blog is published as a feed, the link to the blog's feed is available on the blog homepage, the post details page, the Blogs pagelet, and in other pages and pagelets in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal system.

See Viewing and Subscribing to Feeds.

Using Tags in a Blog

In a blog, tags can be added and managed in the Tags section at two levels:

At the blog level on the blog homepage.
At the post level on the post details page.

In addition, the Tags section on the blog homepage includes a tag cloud showing all tags (blog level and post level) added to this blog. The following example shows the Tags section from a blog homepage:

In this example, buyer workspace, HR taxonomy and news publications are tags at the post level as shown in the expandable Tags section. The Tags Cloud tab shows all tags in use throughout this blog.

Creating, managing, and using tags is discussed in this PeopleBook.

See Working With Tags.

Managing Blogs

This section discusses how to:

Manage a blog.
Approve or reject pending comments (or replies).
Publish a blog as a feed.
Administer a blog (delete).

Pages Used to Manage Blogs

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Manage Blog	EPPBL_BLOG_MANAGE	Click the Manage Blog button on the blog homepage. Click the link for a blog on the Administer Blogs page.	Set the properties for a blog.
Blog Security	EPPBL_BLOG_MEM	Select the Blog Security page from the Create Blog page.	Maintain blog members.
Set Members Privileges	EPPBL_BLOG_PRIV	Click the Add Member button on the Blog Security page. Click the Edit button on the Blog Security page.	Assign blog participants by user or role. Assign privileges to the participants.
Set Invitation Message	EPPBL_ADMIN_INVITE	Click the Send Invitations button on the Blog Security page.	Set the invitation message and send invitations to blog members.
About	EPPBL_BLOG_POLICY	On the Manage Blog page, select the About page.	Enter a policy statement for the blog.
Pending Messages	EPPDF_PENDING_POST	On the Manage Blog page, select the Pending Messages page.	Approve or reject pending comments and replies to the blog.
View a Post	EPPDF_POST_SEC	Click the title for a comment or reply on the Pending Messages page.	Review the comment or reply text prior to approving or rejecting it.
Reject Expired Pending Forum Posts/Blog Comments	EPPDF_PSTRJT_RUN	Portal Administration, Blogs, Reject Expired Posts/Comments	Run the EPPDF_PSTRJT Application Engine program to reject pending comments and replies that have expired.
Administer Blogs	EPPDF_MYFORUMS	Portal Administration, Blogs, Administer Blogs	Delete blogs. Also, access the Manage Blog page for each blog.
Administer Blogs - Delete Confirmation	EO_PE_YESNOCONFIRM	On the Administer Blogs page, click the delete button for a blog.	Confirm deletion of the blog.

Managing a Blog

Access the Manage Blog page (click the Manage Blog link on the blog homepage).

Use the Manage Blog page to set the properties for a blog.

Title	Enter a title for the blog. This text appears on the Blogs pagelet as the link to access the blog.
Description	Enter a description of the goal of the blog. This text appears on the Blogs pagelet as hover text for the link used to access the blog.
Show in the Blogs Pagelet by Default for All Members	Select to display this blog in the Blogs pagelet by default for all users who are included in the users and roles assigned on the Blog Security page.
Enable Email Notification	Select to allow members to send email notifications.
Enable Search	Select to allow members to search within the blog.
Enable Comments	Note. Blog moderation applies to comments and replies. Comments and replies posted by an author to his or her own post are not moderated. Select the moderation option for this blog: Unmoderated — Comments and replies to this blog are not moderated. Moderated — All comments and replies to this blog are moderated. The blog administrator must review and approve or reject each comment and reply to this blog.
Email Notification For Pending Comments	Select this option to send an email notification to the blog administrator for each comment or reply that requires approval.
Number of Days to Retain Pending Comments	Set the number of days to retain a pending comment or reply. After the set number of days has passed, a pending comment or reply is rejected. Set this field to 0 to retain pending comments and replies indefinitely.
Publish as Feed	Click to access the Manage Blog - Publish Feed Definition page to publish this blog as a feed.
Publish as Pagelet	Click to access the Manage Blog Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page to publish this blog as a pagelet.
Return	Click to return to the previous page.

This section also discusses how to:

Manage blog participants and privileges.
Send invitations to the blog.
Manage the blog policy statement.

Managing Blog Participants and Privileges

Access the Blog Security page (select Blog Security on the Manage Blog page). Use the Blog Security page to assign blog participants and privileges.

See Adding Blog Members.

Sending Invitations to the Blog

Access the Set Invitation Message page (click the Send Invitations button on the Blog Security page).

Managing the Blog Policy Statement

Access the About page (select About on the Manage Blog page). Use the About page to edit the blog policy statement.

See Creating a Blog Policy Statement.

Approving or Rejecting Pending Comments

This section discusses how to:

Approve or reject comments and replies manually.
Review a comment or reply.
Reject expired comments and replies automatically.

Note. The approval or rejection of a comment or reply causes an email notification to be sent to the participant who posted to the blog.

Approving or Rejecting Comments and Replies Manually

Access the Pending Messages page (select Pending Messages on the Manage Blog page).

Use the Pending Messages page to approve or reject comments and replies to the blog.

Select	Select one or more comments or replies to update in bulk.
Title	Click a comment title to access the View a Post page to review the posted text.
Post Status and Change Selected To	Select one of the following statuses: Approved Pending Rejected
Select All	Click to select all listed comments and replies.
Clear All	Click to clear the selection of all listed comments and replies.
Return	Click to return to the previous page.

Reviewing a Comment or Reply

Access the View a Post page (click the link for a post on the Pending Messages page).

Use the View a Post page to review the comment or reply text prior to approving or rejecting it. Click Return to return to the Pending Messages page.

Rejecting Expired Comments and Replies Automatically

Access the Reject Expired Pending Forum Posts/Blog Comments page (select Portal Administration, Blogs, Reject Expired Posts/Comments).

Run the EPPDF_PSTRJT Application Engine program to reject pending comments and replies that have expired. This program searches for all pending comments and replies and checks the authored date for each. If the difference between the current date and the authored date is equal to or greater than the number of days set on the Manage Blog page for that blog, then the message status is set to rejected.

Set the process recurrence for the EPPDF_PSTRJT program to a frequency suitable for your system—for example, M-F at 5pm.

Publishing a Blog as a Feed

Blogs can be published as feeds. Once published, the link to a blog's feed is available on the blog homepage, the post details page, the Blogs pagelet, and in other pages and pagelets in the PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal system.

There are no special advanced options for blog feeds. Therefore, the standard feed publishing process can be followed.

See Publishing PeopleSoft Enterprise Portal Content as a Feed.

Administering Blogs

Access the Administer Blogs page (select Portal Administration, Blogs, Administer Blogs).

Use the Administer Blogs page to delete blogs and to access the Manage Blog page for each blog.

Blog Name	Click the title for a blog to access its Manage Blog page.
Delete	Click to delete the blog.

Publishing a Blog as a Pagelet

This section discusses how to:

Publish a pagelet from a blog.
Publish a blog from Pagelet Wizard.
Edit a published pagelet.
Publish a pagelet to multiple portals.

Pages Used to Publish a Blog as a Pagelet

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition	EPPPB_PGLT_PUB	My Content, My Blogs Click the link for the blog on the My Blogs page. Click the Manage Blog link on the blog homepage. Click the Publish as Pagelet link on the Manage Blog page. Click the Add Pagelet button or the Edit button on the Manage Blog - Publish as Pagelet page.	Create a pagelet definition for a blog.
Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information	PTPPB_WIZ_INFO	Click the Go to Pagelet Wizard link on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page. Portal Administration, Pagelets, Pagelet Wizard, Pagelet Wizard PeopleTools, Portal, Pagelet Wizard, Pagelet Wizard Click the Pagelet Information button from any page in the wizard.	Provide information to identify and categorize a pagelet.
Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source	PTPPB_WIZ_DATASRC	Click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page. Click the Data Type button from any page in the wizard.	Select the type of data source for the pagelet.
Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters	PTPPB_WIZ_DATAPRMS	Click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page. Click the Data Source Parameters button from any page in the wizard.	Configure the data source parameters that are required for data to be displayed in the pagelet. Note. This page is accessible only when you are building a pagelet with a data source that allows modification of associated parameters.
Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values	PTPPB_WIZ_PRMVALS	Click the Values link on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page.	Specify prompt values for the end user to select from when personalizing the pagelet. Note. This page is accessible only for data source parameters for which you have selected the User Specified or Admin Specified usage types.
Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format	PTPPB_WIZ_DISPFRMT	Click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page. Click the Display Format button from any page in the wizard.	Specify the data transformation method and display format for the pagelet.
Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options	PTPPB_WIZ_DISP_CUS	Select Custom as the display format and click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page. Click the Transformation button from any page in the wizard.	Enter the custom formatting details for the pagelet as well as header and footer options. Preview the pagelet.
Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options	PTPPB_WIZ_PUBOPT	Click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page. Click the Register Pagelet icon from any page in the wizard.	Specify the manner in which the pagelet is published. Provide registration, caching, and security details, and register the pagelet.
Pagelet Wizard - Pagelet Creation Confirmed	PTPPB_WIZ_FINISH	Click the Finish button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options page.	Confirm that the creation of the pagelet is complete.
Manage Blog - Publish as Pagelet	EPPPB_PGLT_LST	Click the Publish button on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page. If this blog has already been published as a pagelet, click the Publish as Pagelet link on the Manage Blog page.	Administer pagelet definitions for a blog.
Publish to Multiple Portals	PTPP_PMPUBPRTL	Click the Publish Pagelet in Other Sites link on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page. Portal Administration, Pagelets, Publish Pagelets PeopleTools, Portal, Portal Utilities, Publish Pagelets	Publish the pagelet definition to additional portals and sites.
Publish Multiple Pagelets	PTPP_PMPUBPGLT	On the Publish to Multiple Portals page, select Publish Multiple Pagelets. Portal Administration, Pagelets, Publish Pagelets, Publish Multiple Pagelets PeopleTools, Portal, Portal Utilities, Publish Pagelets, Publish Multiple Pagelets	Publish multiple pagelet definitions to another portal or site.

Publishing a Pagelet from a Blog

Access the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page (click the Publish as Pagelet link on the Manage Blog page).

Use the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page to create a pagelet definition for a blog.

Pagelet

The pagelet title and description from the Manage Blog page appear in the Pagelet group box. You can edit these two fields, if necessary.

Pagelet Title	Displays the title for the blog, which can be edited as the title for the pagelet.
Description	Displays the description for the blog, which can be edited as the description for the pagelet.
Pagelet Folder	Select a folder to publish to. Only folders from the current site are available to select.
Pagelet Security	Select the security options for viewing the pagelet. Available options are: Publish as Public, which enables all users to view the pagelet. Publish with Security Roles, which uses the roles defined on the Blog Security page when publishing the pagelet. Note. If there are no roles defined on the Blog Security page, the system automatically selects to publish the pagelet as public.

Homepage Tabs

Use this group box to define the homepage tab labels and behavior for the pagelet.

Homepage Tab

Select the tabs that will display the pagelet.

Pagelet Behavior

Select the behavior options for the pagelet.

Optional. The pagelet will not automatically appear on the homepage. However, it is available for selection when users personalize their homepages. This setting should not be used for guest homepage pagelets because guest users do not have personalization privileges.

Optional-Default. The pagelet will appear on all user homepages if they have access to the pagelet. The pagelet can be removed when users personalize their homepages. This setting should not be used for guest homepage pagelets because guest users do not have personalization privileges.

Required-Fixed. The pagelet will appear on all user homepages if they have access to the pagelet. The placement of the pagelet cannot be changed and the pagelet cannot be removed from the homepage.

Required. The pagelet will appear on all user homepages if they have access to the pagelet. The placement of the pagelet can be changed, but it cannot be removed from the homepage.

Publish

Click the Publish button to publish this pagelet and display the Manage Blog - Publish as Pagelet page, on which you can review or edit the pagelet definition

Publishing a Blog from Pagelet Wizard

A pagelet for a blog can be created and published using Pagelet Wizard and then managed from the Manage Blog page. This section provides an overview of how to use Pagelet Wizard to complete the following six steps:

Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information.
Step 2: Selecting a Pagelet Data Source.
Step 3: Specifying Data Source Parameters.

Step 3 also includes “Specifying Prompt Values for Data Source Parameters.”
Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format.
Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options.
Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options.

Note. If you access Pagelet Wizard from the Go to Pagelet Wizard link, you will be modifying an existing pagelet definition. If you want to create a new pagelet definition, start from the Portal Administration or PeopleTools navigation path.

Where appropriate, this section provides details specific to using Pagelet Wizard to publish a blog as a pagelet. The PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBooks provide detailed information on using Pagelet Wizard.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard.”

Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page (click the Go to Pagelet Wizard link on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page; or Portal Administration, Pagelets, Pagelet Wizard, Pagelet Wizard).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page to identify and categorize a pagelet.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard,” Step 1: Entering Pagelet Identifying Information.

Step 2: Selecting a Pagelet Data Source

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page (click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Pagelet Information page).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page to select the Pagelet Wizard data source type.

Data Type	For blogs, select Blogs.
Blog	Select the blog to display in the pagelet.
Inputs	Displays the data source parameters that are used to retrieve data for the pagelet.
Outputs	Displays the data source parameter fields that are displayed as output in the pagelet.

Step 3: Specifying Data Source Parameters

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page (select Blogs as the data type on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Data Source page, then click the Next button).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page to configure the data source parameters that are required for data to be displayed in the pagelet.

Note. This page is accessible only when you are building a pagelet with a data source that allows modification of associated parameters.

Field Name	Displays the name of the data source parameter. For blogs, the following data source parameters can be defined: MAXROWS — Limits the number of entries displayed in the pagelet
Description	Displays a description of the data source parameter.
Usage Type	Select the type of accessibility that you want to grant for the data source parameter when it appears in the pagelet. Options are: Admin Specified: Select to enable those users with administrative privileges to specify variables for this field, as well as access the Configure link on the published pagelet and select from those parameters for users. Context Sensitive: Select to enable Context Manager to specify a data source parameter value for this field. Fixed: Select to enter a fixed value for the data source parameter that the end user cannot modify. System Variable: Select to assign a system variable as the data source parameter value. The value of the system variable is automatically inserted into the parameter when the pagelet appears. When you select this option, the pagelet end user cannot modify the data source parameter. For example, suppose that you specify %UserId as the system variable for a parameter name User. When the pagelet appears on a user’s homepage, the User field is populated by the %UserId system variable, which is the user ID used to access the pagelet. User Specified: Select to enable end users to specify a data source parameter value for this field. When a pagelet contains a user-specified parameter, the Customize button appears on the pagelet title bar. End users can click this button to access a personalization page, on which they can select a data source parameter value that they want to use for the pagelet. Users can select a value from a prompt, or they can manually enter their own value if no prompt values are available. See Specifying Prompt Values for Data Source Parameters. If you change the usage type from or to User Specified for a data source parameter on a published homepage pagelet, you must unpublish and then republish the pagelet.
Required	This check box is selected and disabled for parameters specified as administrator-specified, context-sensitive, fixed, and system variable; otherwise, it is selected but enabled for user-specified parameters.
Default Value	You can enter a value that includes the % and * wildcards at the beginning or end of a value in the Default Value field. Note the following about default values: If you select User Specified as the usage type and the data source parameter is a required value, you must enter the default value that should appear before a user enters a value. If the data source parameter is not a required value, you do not have to enter a default value. If you select a default value when defining prompt values on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page, that default value populates this field. If you select User Specified as the usage type, you can also enter a system variable as the default value. For example, to make the current date the default value for a user-specified parameter, enter a default value of %Date. If you select System Variable as the usage type, you must enter a system variable to use as the data source parameter value. You can use the Look up Value button to access a list of valid system variables. See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, "Using Pagelet Wizard," Step 3: Specifying Pagelet Data Source Parameters, Understanding System Variables Supported as Data Source Parameters. If you select Fixed as the usage type, you must enter the fixed value.
Values	If you select User Specified or Admin Specified as the usage type, click Values to access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page. See Specifying Prompt Values for Data Source Parameters.
Text	Use the Personalization Instructions group box to enter custom personalization instructions for the pagelet. These personalization instructions appear on the personalization page of the pagelet. Note. Personalization instructions must be translatable.

Specifying Prompt Values for Data Source Parameters

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page (click the Values link on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameter Values page to specify the prompt values, which are displayed to users when they personalize the pagelet. In addition, specify the default value for the parameter.

Parameter Value

Specify the parameter value.

Description

Provide an optional description of the parameter value.

Default

Select one value as the default value. If the parameter is required, then a default value is required; otherwise, it is optional.

Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page (click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Data Source Parameters page).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page to specify the data transformation method and display format for the pagelet.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard,” Step 4: Selecting a Pagelet Display Format.

Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page (select Custom as the display format and click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Select Display Format page}.

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page to enter the custom formatting details for the pagelet as well as header and footer options, and to preview the pagelet.

Note. If you are modifying an existing pagelet definition or if you modify data source parameter definitions, you might need to reselect the XSL template, regenerate the XSL, or both to have the modified pagelet display actual data.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard,” Step 5: Specifying Pagelet Display Options.

Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options

Access the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options page (click the Next button on the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Display Options page).

Use the Pagelet Wizard - Specify Publishing Options page to specify the type of pagelet that you want to publish. In addition, provide registration, caching, and security details, and register the pagelet.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Using Pagelet Wizard,” Step 6: Specifying Pagelet Publication Options.

Editing a Published Pagelet

Access the Manage Blog - Publish as Pagelet page (click the Publish button on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page; or if this blog has already been published as a pagelet, click the Publish as Pagelet link on the Manage Blog page).

Use the Manage Blog - Publish as Pagelet page to review, edit, or add Pagelet Wizard pagelet definitions for this blog. To edit a pagelet definition, it must be marked as published and have a content reference in the current site.

Note. Pagelets for this blog published directly from Pagelet Wizard also appear in this list.

Edit	Displays the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page on which you can make changes to the pagelet definition.
Delete	Deletes this pagelet definition and the published pagelet content references in all sites.
Add Pagelet	Adds a new pagelet definition based on the current blog.

Publishing a Pagelet to Multiple Portals

Access the Publish to Multiple Portals page (click the Publish Pagelet in Other Sites link on the Manage Blog - Publish Pagelet Wizard Definition page; or Portal Administration, Pagelets, Publish Pagelets).

Two pages are available for you to publish pagelets to multiple portals:

Use the Publish to Multiple Portals page to publish the pagelet definition to additional portals and sites.
Use the Publish Multiple Pagelets page to publish multiple pagelet definitions to another portal or site.

See Enterprise PeopleTools 8.50 PeopleBook: PeopleTools Portal Technology, “Working With Navigation Pages,” Publishing Pagelets.

Using Blog Notifications

This section discusses how to send email notifications to blog participants.

Pages Used for Blog Notifications

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Notify Members	EPPCW_MBNOTIFY	Click the Notify link on the post details page.	Compose and send an email message to the blog participants.

Sending Email Notifications to Blog Participants

Access the Notify Members page (click the Notify button on the post details page).

Use the Notify Members page to compose and send an email message to blog participants. The To field is automatically populated with addresses for all members of the blog who have defined an email address in their system profile.

Note. The email will contain a link to the blog. Only members of the blog will be able to access the blog through the link.

To	Enter additional email addresses for blog participants separated by commas.
Subject	Enter a subject for the email.
Message	Enter the message text for your email.
Notify	Click to send the notification.

Performing Searches Within Blogs

This section provides an overview of searching within blog and describes how to search within blogs.

Understanding Searching Within Blogs

You can search for items within a blog in two ways:

Using the Search link on pages within the blog.

The Search Blogs page allows you to search within the current blog or across multiple blogs and sites.
Using the Search field in the portal header.

The Blogs scope allows you to search across all blogs and sites.

Pages Used to Search Within Blogs

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Search Blogs	EPPBL_SEARCH	Click the Search link on the blog homepage. Click the Search link on the post details page. Click the Search Blogs link in the Blogs pagelet.	Perform a search within a blog or across selected blogs and sites.
Search	EO_PE_SRCH_RESULT	In the portal header, select Blogs as the search scope, enter the search string in the Search field, and press ENTER. In the portal header, select Blogs as the search scope, enter the search string in the Search field, and click the Search button. On the Search page, select Blogs as the search scope, enter the search string in the Search For field, and click the Search button.	Perform a search across all blogs sites.
Search Tips	EO_PE_SRCH_TIPS	Click the Search Tips link on the Search Blogs page. Click the Search Tips link on the Search page.	Display search syntax and examples.

Searching Within Blogs

Access the Search Blogs page (click the Search link on the blog homepage).

Use the Search Blogs page to perform a search within a blog or across selected blogs and sites.

Search Text	Enter the search criteria.
Search Tips	Click to display search syntax and examples on the Search Tips page. See Search Considerations and Syntax.
Search In	Current Blog — Select to search within the current blog only. Note. The Current Blog option is not displayed when the page is accessed from the Blogs pagelet. Current Site — Select to search within all blogs of which you are a member in the current site. All Sites — Select to search within all blogs of which you are a member across all sites.
Search	Click to perform the search.
Hide Summaries and Show Summaries	Click to hide or show the summaries in the search results.
Search Results	Click a link to view that item.
Return to <Blog Title>	If the search originated from a particular blog, click to return to that blog or post.

Working With the Blogs Pagelet

This section provides an overview of the Blogs pagelet and discusses how to:

Personalize the Blogs pagelet.
Use the Blogs pagelet.

Understanding the Blogs Pagelet

The Blogs pagelet lists blogs, posts, and replies. If you do not personalize the Blogs pagelet, the pagelet displays the first 10 blogs to which you have access, including those blogs created with the Show in the Blogs Pagelet by Default for All Members option selected, with three posts per blog and three replies per post. When it appears in the right (wide) column of a two-column layout, the pagelet also provides identification of the author of a post or reply, as well as the date of the post. In any other column, the pagelet does not provide this additional information.

Page Used to Personalize the Blogs Pagelet

Page Name	Definition Name	Navigation	Usage
Personalize Blogs	EPPDF_USER_PREF	Click the Customize button in the Blogs pagelet.	Select the blogs and options for display in your Blogs pagelet.

Personalizing Your Blogs Pagelet

Access the Personalize Blogs page (click the Customize icon in the Blogs pagelet).

Use the Personalize Blogs page to select the blogs and options for display in your Blogs pagelet.

Number of Blogs	Enter the maximum number of blogs you want to display in the pagelet. The default value is 10. The maximum number is 99.
Number of Posts per blog	Enter the maximum number of posts that you want to display per blog in the pagelet. The default value is 3. The maximum number is 99.
Number of Comments per Post	Enter the maximum number of comments you want to display per post in the pagelet. The default value is 3. The maximum number is 99,999.
Order Blogs	Select one of the following: Alphabetically - Ascending — Select to sort by blog title in ascending order. None - Default Sorting — Select to have no sort order. This is the default. Time Ascending — Select to sort by date and time of creation in ascending order. Time Descending — Select to sort by date and time of creation in descending order. User Defined — Select to order explicitly by number. An Order of Appearance column appears in the My Blogs grid.
Select All	Select to select all blogs.
Clear All	Select to clear all selected blogs.
Selected	Select the blogs you want to display on the pagelet.

Using the Blogs Pagelet

Access the Blogs pagelet on the portal homepage.

Use the Blogs pagelet to access and manage blogs, posts, and comments.

	Click the Add New Post button to access the Create New Post page within the corresponding blog.
<Blog Title>	Click a blog link to access the blog's homepage on which you can view details about the blog. The hover text of the blog link displays the description of the blog.
<Post Title>	Click a post link to access the post details page on which you can view details about the post.
<Comment Title>	Click a comment link to access the post details page on which you can view details about the post and comment.
Create Blog	Click to access the Create Blog page from which you can create a new blog. This link displays for users with blog creation privileges.
Administer Blogs	Click to access to the Administer Blogs page for all blogs. This link displays for portal administrators only.
My Blogs	Click to access to the My Blogs page.
Search Blogs	Click to access the Search Blogs page on which you can perform a search of text in the blogs to which you belong.
	Hover over any of these to view the list of feeds published for this blog. Click any list item to open that feed document. Click the Feed button or Feed link to open the first feed document in the list. Click the Open menu button to toggle the list of feeds between frozen open and closed. See Viewing and Subscribing to Feeds.

Edit	Click the Edit button to access the Set Members Privileges page to modify the privileges for this member.
Delete	Click the Delete button to delete this member.
Add Member	Click the Add Member button to access the Set Members Privileges page to add a new member to the blog.