Please help.
2009 June 17
Ok, friends, please HELP!
How do you do that sweet thing where someone else’s blog post shows up EITHER in the comments with the title of the other person’s post as the bolded comment heading–as if the comment was created by the post itself?!– OR as a so-called “trackback” link at the bottom of the comments?
In other words, HOW do trackbacks and pingbacks work??
Seriously, I can’t figure it out! I’m sure it’s totally easy (because WordPress is generally designed for dummies, which I simply adore) but the Help page isn’t explaining trackbacks and pingbacks in a way that I understand. Please help!
Trackback attempt #1:
http://aroomofourown.wordpress.com/2009/06/16/more-finger-wagging-from-man-lovers/
Hi Undercover Punk,
If you go to your dashboard, then to settings, and then to Discussion, you will see different options for default article settings. You’ll want to make sure the boxes are checked for “Attempt to notify any blogs linked to from the article” and “Allow link notifications from other blogs (pingbacks and trackbacks).” That should do the trick. Those settings will make the trackbacks/pingbacks pretty much automatic unless you’re trying to link a blog that doesn’t allow them, or such a blog links to you.
Margie
Oh, THANK YOU, Margie!
Ok, I clicked this box, which was unchecked (b/c I like to talk shit without notifying anyone-ha!)
Attempt to notify any blogs linked to from the article (slows down posting.)
But THIS one was already checked:
Allow link notifications from other blogs (pingbacks and trackbacks.)
Maybe my blog is defective. I am going to try to TRACKBACK to AROOO by adding a link to you in this post…that should do, like, something, right?
Hmmm. I should have gotten a ping when you did that. You might have to try actually entering the URL you want to ping into the edit view of this post. If you scroll down, there will be a space for you to enter all websites that should get a ping. See if that does it.
Ok, done.
Damn it. OK, one last thing. Since you just recently changed the universal setting to send pings to other people that you link, it’s possible the setting for this particular post did not change. Go into the edit mode and change the allow pings/trackbacks setting on this post, instead of from the overall dashboard settings.
If that doesn’t do it, I’m all out of ideas
Ok, the settings for this post are definitely set to “allow” trackbacks and pingbacks. So, I’ve published a NEW post with a final trackback test. Please let me know if this works! If it doesn’t, at least I’m not being dense. (I always like it when there is a good reason for my failure to understand!) Either way, THANK YOU very much for being a friend and trouble-shooting this problem with me.
Nooooooo. It didn’t work. I’m sorry.
If I can figure anything else out, I’ll let you know. How annoying.
Really!!! I want to PING! And TRACKBACK!!
Well, thanks again for your kind help.
I obviously could not have determined that it isn’t working the way it’s supposed to without the help of a fellow-blogger. I’m off to start complaining to WordPress now. And if it does get fixed, be prepared for some serious tracking and pinging coming your way from Undercover Punk!
AFAICT this feature sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t. Dunno why.
Whooo! I got a TRACKBACK!!! How freakin’ exciting is *this* brave new world?! I am PSYCHED. Thanks, Amy
!!!