How to Download WordPress Plugins using HostGator's cPanel

When I first began with WP & HostGator one of my first missions was to get plugins onto my blog but I just couldn't seem to find an answer for the questions I wasn't sure if I was even asking right, hence this tutorial.

This WordPress plugin installation guide is designed for those using HostGator's cPanel and was created for whomever needs a step by step, hold my hand 'cause I have no idea what I'm doing tutorial. Please read this post in it's entirety before you proceed.

Downloading and installing plugins begins with knowing what plugins you want and or need to enhance both the front and the back end of your website/blog. Over 10,000 WordPress compatible plugins can be found here at http://www.wordpress.org/ > Extend > Plugins

How to Download & Install Plugins for WordPress via HostGator's cPanel...  

- Open your WordPress wp-admin account in one window

- Open your HostGator cPanel in another window > File Manager

- Have your chosen WP Plugin open in another window (make sure it's compatible with your version of WP) > Click on the big, red 'Download' button

- Save it to your 'Download' folder (pay attention to the file the plugin is being stored in)

- Go to your HG cP window > Files > File Manager

- Click 'Go' (assuming your info is stored in the same root folder as mine, shown below. If it's not, then you will have to wing it on your own from here)

- File Manager > scan down on left sidebar > www > wp-content > plugins > the big window on the right shows your current plugins (if there are any)

- Upload your Plugin to HG cP (top of File Manager, yellow file folder with the big green arrow)  > locate the file you just downloaded from WP to your computer

- Hit F5 (refresh) and your Plugin should be in the right hand window > www > wp-content > plugins >place cursor over plugin (the small yellow file) > right click > extract > agree > close

The plugin you just downloaded. uploaded and extracted ought to be viewable as a blue folder and as a yellow one

- Go to http://...yourwebsite...com/wp-admin panel > plugins > inactive (your plugin ought to be here) > activate & adjust settings (if required)

Congratulations!!

p.s. ...be warned that even though the teacher is in, this tutorial may not be 100% perfect and I don't offer tutoring outside of this explanation so please, use at your own risk ;)

Thanks for visiting and feel free to comment!

Alter your Blogger Blogspot Blog ie; get a 3 Column Layout!

When I first began to blog with Google's Blogger platform the templates they offered suited my level of understanding just fine but, I also knew at some point I'd want more (such a girl eh!). At the time though, learning to modify a CSS Style Sheet, HTML or even downloading an unzipped file for a free template was beyond my grasp. And now, it's not (big smiles)!! I also couldn't brush it under the rug any longer so long story short...

I spent a full day searching for and trying out numerous tutorials and none of them worked! Until, I found Adding a Third Column to your Blogger Blog created by GardenBloggers.com. It's a simple, easy to follow tutorial with a 'find this piece of code' and 'change it to that piece of code' teaching style I love! You can view the end results of the 3 column blog tutorial on What Wrinkles? or Ontario's Cottage Country blogs anytime you like ;) but they've since been tweaked due to...

...and the even shorter route which enables 3 column, 2 column, 1 column layouts and more, at the click of a button!! I conveniently discovered this method the day after altering code via the above tutorial (go figure!)...

Apparently, Blogger has a 'new' (to me) blogging platform called Blogger in Draft which is a lot more versatile than the original version many use today. Here's the addy for their informative blog (also entitled Blogger in Draft) which will enlighten you further. Or, access the draft mode directly via this web address http://draft.blogger.com/ and you will be taken to the draft platform.

I'd suggest you save a copy of your blog first, directly to your computer, and then go into 'draft' mode.

The looks, layouts, options etc. are quite different (in a good way ;) so if you do end up messing around with some of these new choices you'll at least have the original you started with.

Good luck and please feel free to comment!

Web coding required!...but I'm fluent in English, not HTML?!

The online entrepreneur is a versatile, curious, multi-tasker who may not have a formal degree in IT, tech, business or marketing yet they're able to thrive in an online community. Why? Well, webtechie gurus, webmasters and the like do so because of communication. Not normal, verbal chatter, not even the hand written form, at least not in any language an english lit degree could cypher.

This savvy crew uses code! They talk, type and no doubt dream code! Not Morse Code, or secret code that gets you in the boyz club either, it's a whole other language...there's HTML, XHTML, CSS, PHP, SQL, ASP and even SOAP (which you can't even wash with) along with oodles of others. Most of which are all absolutely foreign, yet required if, one wants to extend beyond being just an end user of the internet.

Even the 'language' Lorem ipsum, that was plastered all over my first Ebay template, had me Sed aliquet malesuada odio, quis placerat magna aliquam in. Proin eu tempor mauris. Suspendisse potenti. Proin ipsum tortor, tristique eu porttitor vulputate, ullamcorper vel dolor. Integer aliquam hendrerit porta...stumped! I actually had to ask the lady what the heck these words meant because on my end the syntax was unrecognizable?! Ha, ha she laughed back so hard at my ignorance but, it does show you (sadly, me at the time ;) how broad the term language really is.

  

Do you need Code Training & Tutorials for free, like it did (and still do)?! My newest, favourite site is W3Schools. They offer help with most everything so it's bookmarked in my fav's as a 'must have' web reference. I also use this Practise Board for HTML code editing because it enables me to see the end results immediately. Tables for Beginners is for...tables ;) and I've used it for years, a tad cheesy in appearance but, it helped me wrap my head around the 'process'.   

So, my adventures behind the scenes on the WWW were at one point OMFG!?!! and now they're just OMG!?! with hope for a bright future.

Good luck to you! and please feel free to comment.