Monday, September 04, 2006

3 column template for New Blogger (previously Blogger Beta)

Update 17 July 2007: Informed by Ramani that there are some changes in his Hackosphere site. Don't know how it will affect downloading of his template which is used for this blog. In any case, you can get a modified version (blog Header widened to same width as rest of content plus additonal "Add a Page Element" in the Header section and the Main Column (posts) section of the LAYOUT by joining Google group Photostore. It was somehow set up as a private group, but I think I will leave its status as it is. You just join and you will be approved as a member to get access. Thought it will help me keep track of how many bloggers are interested in the template. Alternatively, you can email me, but the other option is better. You can then come back to read the rest of the post. The part about the warning of widgets getting deleted is normal. What you should do is to backup your template Backing up and changing New Blogger template. I need to update that post to inform readers that it is a good idea to edit the Page Elements one by one and saving them in Notepad files. Some Page Elements like Link List cannot be backed up.


Update 7 April 2007: There are other Hackosphere 3 column New Blogger templates: New Blogger 3 column templates modified by Ramani of Hackosphere

Other New Blogger 3 column templates:

New Blogger template modified by Stavanger

Dots New Blogger template with Header

New Blogger templates by Isnaini

New Blogger templates by Thur

Ramani's New Blogger Neo template

New Blogger template by FinalSense (note: blogs using these templates will have no navbar)

NOTE: I have noticed that some search engines have directed search with the search terms "blogger 3 column template" to this page. If you are looking for a 3 column template for the Blogger classic blog, you will have to refer to this blog Blogger template tutorial - 3 column template




Ramani of Hack-O-Sphere has a cool hack for a 3 column template for Blogger Beta. You can find it here: 3 column templates for Blogger Beta.

I have tested it. Initially, I copy the script from his site and pasted it into notepad, then the template editor, and that resulted in an error message: "XML error message: The document type declaration for root element type "html" must end with '>'." (See update below). It turns out I have to follow exactly the instruction, download the file into my computer (right-click, "Save target as". I downloaded it as an XML file), then upload it into Blogger Beta. That resulted in a message: "Please confirm that the following widgets should be deleted. All the widgets' configuration data will be lost.
HTML1".
When I tried it earlier for another Beta Blog, the message was even longer:
HTML5
HTML4
HTML1
HTML2
HTML3
Label1
but looks like Blogger Beta is undergoing a lot of improvements). Also, in the resulting blog, the labels were missing from the sidebar. This, however, was easily rectified, as Labels could be added back using the "Add a Page Element" for the sidebars.

Update: Contacted Ramani about the XML error message. He responded that if we use notepad, we have to ensure that word-wrap is disabled.

To see the result, have a look at this blog which have been converted to a 3 column Minima Blogger Beta template: Star Home Improvements

NOTE: I have noticed that some search engines have directed search with the search terms "blogger 3 column template" to this page. If you are looking for a 3 column template for the Blogger classic blog, you will have to refer to this blog Blogger template tutorial - 3 column template

21 comments:

aril13 said...

how to create label like star home improvement? tq

Manature said...

First, make sure your posts are labelled by filling in the label box at the bottom of each post editor. Then in Layout, click "Add a Page Element" and if I remember correctly, there is a choice, Add Layout. Chose that and save.

Yan said...

11how do you disable word wrap? i was having a similar problem because i made my layout in notepad and it won't preview in beta version of the html editor.

it says:
Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly.
XML error message: The content of elements must consist of well-formed character data or markup.

??

Manature said...

If you are using Notepad, to disable wordwrap, all you have to do is to go to the menu bar, click on FORMAT, then WORDWRAP. However, there is an easier way to get Ramani's template into your blog.
Right-click on his link to his template, select "Save target as" (this phrase will depend on the browser you use). You will then get a pop-up to save the file to your computer. Save the template in a place you can remember (create a folder for template will be most convenient) give the file a proper name, click SAVE. Then sign into your Dashboard, in the section for the blog, click LAYOUT, then EDIT HTML. Then at the top of the page click CHOOSE, then select the template that you just downloaded, then click Upload.

Cuckoo said...

I like your blog very much..have come here many times. Perhaps commented also.

See my blog at http://cuculus.blogspot.com

I took blogger beta 3 col template & customized completely to my needs. I want to do more, but slowly.

This one is slightly off topic. Shouldn't come under this head actually.
Right now I want to put some audio clip in my sidebar to show my current theme song.
Couldn't get a good site. Could you please recommend any?

VertigoVirgo said...

Hello,

I've cahnged my template over to the 3 column doing Ramani's suggestions. But I am at the point wehere I am supposed to be filling in the code for the "Main-Wrapper" with the "Newsidbar" and I keep getting an message that is telling me I can't have two "Newsidebars"....what do I do?

Manature said...

For questions related to Ramani's template, I suggest you refer to him.

Peter a.k.a. Enviroman
Enviroman Says

MDV said...

I would like to migrate from 2 to 3 column and do like the minima template...however I am using a Mac and don't have notepad or whatever. any idea how to handle?

Manature said...

Right-click on the link to the template at Hackoshpere, save the file as a XML file in a folder you can remember. Sign into your Blogger account, get to your blog EDIT TEMPLATE, browse (or choose) the template you have downloaded, then upload.

Peter a.k.a. enviroman
Enviroman Says

Lovely said...

Hii Peter,
I have also a 3 column blog (http://healthtreatments.blogspot.com) . Can you review it and point out what's more needed to be done and misakes on it ? Thanks

Jude said...

I got htis error
"Your template could not be parsed as it is not well-formed. Please make sure all XML elements are closed properly.
XML error message: The processing instruction target matching "[xX][mM][lL]" is not allowed. "

Unknown said...

the template is broken.. how?

Manature said...

Hi etia,

If you are having problems, perhaps you can try getting a modified version from Google group Photostore.

Peter (Blog*Star 2006 and 2007)
Blogger Tips and Tricks

chikadora said...

i would like to try this 3 column template ( i found your post about rounders 3 column template) but my problem was, if i'm going to copy those codes to my template, all those widgets and meta tags will be wiped out and i don't remember anymore what are those tags that i have added since the first time i customized my blog.

when i used ramani's template, it only produced a wide space between my post area and my sidebars... when i tried to copy the rounders, the other sidebar was always at the top of the post-body area...

sorry for my english i'm really having a difficulty how i will be able to explain my problem.. :(

i don't want to lose what i've done with my blog because it's already gaining a good number of traffic and also my posts are already included on the search results :(

Manature said...

Hi Zephyr,

Can't fully understand your problem so can only point you to a few post that might help you:
Backing up and changing New Blogger template (note the advice to backup Page Element).

Troubleshoot sidebar sliding to bottom of page problem.

Peter (Blog*Star 2006 and 2007)
Generating Revenue from your Website

Micheal said...

Hi,

I have the new blogger hosted on my own domain. Because I have no layout feature, I have tried copying and pasting the code for some 3 column templates directly into my blogger html template editor.

When I use the preview button, I only end up with a page of code.

Then I thought that I would be clever and set up a different account but, host it on blogger.

The 3 column code worked fine in the new account, however when I copied and pasted it into my ftp blogger html template editor, I ended up seeing just the code again.

It works fine on blogger hosted accounts but not on the blogger ftp accounts. I would really prefer to keep my domain hosted blogger. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Manature said...

Hi Michael,

I can't follow your question clearly, but this is what I have to say. If you chose to host on your own and use FTP to publish your posts, you will not be able to use the New Blogger template. If you are tying to use the New Blogger template and paste it in an old classic template as what I seem to gather you are trying to do, you are sure to face failure.

Peter (Blog*Star 2006 and 2007)
Blogger Tips and Tricks

Micheal said...

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the response.

I have an account with Blogger, which I have had for a while that I host on my own domain and I would like to use 3 columns.

The Blogger html editor would not work with the 3 columns new blogger templates.

I created a new account and hosted it on Blogger to see if I could just cut and paste from the hosted blogger to the ftp blogger and as you have explained, it didn't and won't work.

Any suggestions for how I can get the 3 columns on my ftp account?

Should I revert to a classic template that has 3 columns and just cut and paste? Thanks.

Micheal said...

Hi Peter,

Thanks again for your response. I just cut and pasted a classic template into my ftp blogger html editor and it worked fine.

Cheers.

Manature said...

Hi Michael,

If you like hosting on your own so much, you will have to stick with classic templates which are available. See the following:
Blogger for Dummies is now 3 column

Read the complete post because there had been a couple of changes.

Peter (Blog*Star 2006 and 2007)
Blogger Tips and Tricks

DIVYESH SANGHANI said...

Hi,

I seen one of ramani neo's blog temeplmets at here

http://gujaratimilan.blogspot.com/


I want that theme

plz can u give me the link where can i download that blogger theme.

if anyone know then plz send me the link at

divyesh.sanghani@krutarth.co.cc