Upgrade Classic Template without the "UPGRADE YOUR TEMPLATE" button.

Authentic Blogger Statement :

"I would like to change my 'Template' to 'Layout' but on the tab 'Customize Design' I don't even see the button of 'Upgrade', what should I do? "

Recently have seen many such appeals in the Blogger Help Group so I decided to investigate. Apparently the Blogger Team is working on a fix. Till then you can try out what I discovered..............


Blogger blogs have either Classic Templates or Layouts with widgets/gadgets. Classic templates are retained by those who wish to have the Ye Olde Blogger look. Layouts are preferred by those who do not want to be bothered too much with code and want a click and drag graphical user interface.


Those who wish to switch between Template and Layout could do easily using the UPGRADE YOUR TEMPLATE button (See picture below)



Many bloggers have reported the abscence of this button and hence the inability to upgrade their blogs to layout templates.

THE FIX

1. First Backup your blog to be on the safe side. This can be done using the export-backup function or the old backup method.

2. Backup blog Template using select-all-copy-paste from your Template Code box (Template---->Edit Html tab) to a Notepad file and save it on your disk.

3. Find your BlogID Number : This is essential as it will be used in the next step. To find it login at Blogger.com and click New Post button on Dashboard under the title of the blog you want to upgrade to Layouts. The Create Post page will open with a blank Post Editor. Copy the content of the address bar. It will look something like this :

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=BIG_NUMBER

Copy the BIG_NUMBER at the end of the address/URL.

4. Login at Blogger.com if you are not already logged in and open a new tab in your browser. Copy the URL below and paste in the address bar :

http://www.blogger.com/customize-template-choose.g?blogID=BIG_NUMBER&templateName=Minima

Replace BIG_NUMBER with your BlogID Number you copied in Step 3 above. Hit Enter key on keyboard.

If you have followed all steps correctly the Select New Template tab will open. Select your template and click the "Save Template" button.





NOTE : This is not same as picking another Classic template for your blog. The URL for that is :

http://www.blogger.com/template-choose.g?blogID=BIG_NUMBER

The URL for picking a new Layout is :

http://www.blogger.com/choosetemplate?blogID=BIG_NUMBER


Enjoy!

Migration to Beta Blogger Imminent!

Skip to POST UPDATE.

All Bloggers will be requested to migrate to Beta Blogger in a "few" weeks .......
as per a reliable inside source.

Beta Blogger debuted on 14 Aug 2006 and is now fast approaching the final stage. You will get warning before it's time to migrate over to beta. However, that time is coming up sooner than you expected.

WHAT IS "ALPHA", "BETA"?

Alpha is a first release of a software product that is usually tested
only by the developers

Beta is a pre-release software that has received an alpha test but
still has more bugs than a regular release; "beta
software is usually available only to particular users
who will test it".

This blog is to help newbies to blogging and those who are migrating have a smooth and satisfying experience. Feel free to comment, contribute, rave and rant by clicking on 'COMMENTS' at the bottom of every post. Reader feedback is essential to make this THE definitive site on Beta Blogger.

If you are in old blogger you will get an invitation to migrate on the Dashboard which will look like this :









IMPORTANT NOTICE BEFORE MIGRATING TO BETA :

1) First Backup your Template as described in How to Change Template.

2) Backup your blog using a free utility like WinHTTrack from www.httrack.com

3) Backup your Comments by setting their settings to send you an email everytime a comment is posted. Then you have all your comments backed up as emails.

4) Make a Test Blog in Beta to see all its features.






5) IMPORTANT NOTE : After migrating to beta you cannot go back to Classic Blogger. Your Blogs and Profile will remain the same. You can however choose not to upgrade to a beta or Layout template. Then you will have a Classic Template in the New Blogger. You will not be able to use widgets or page elements if you have the Classic Template. Check out the differences between Layout and Classic Templates.


6) After migrating to beta go to Template--->Customize and

MIGRATION is the first step and then UPGRADE to a beta Template in the second step.

there you will find a link to Upgrade to a new beta template. Without this template you will not have most of the new features of beta like Layouts etc. See picture below. Click on picture for bigger view.

IMPORTANT :Only the new templates will give you Layouts and Fonts and Colors options. Migrating without upgrading to new template will not give you the new advances.

After migrating to new Blogger you cannot switch back to old Blogger. Most of the new features are due to the new templates. Hence if you feel you are having problems you can revert to the Classic Templates.

Technorati Tags:alpha, beta, introduction, migrate, upgrade

POST UPDATE

All Blogs are now in the new Blogger. Beta Blogger and the old Classic Blogger no longer exist. What exists now is only Classic Templates and Layout Templates. You can switch or interchange from Classic Templates to Layouts in the New Blogger. Enjoy!!


For a complete timeline of events leading to New Blogger see Blogger Buzz: Old Blogger is dead! Long live Blogger!