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Recently I showed you the best features of Google's newest toolbar. The new BlogThis icon, which lets Blogger users instantly add a current page link and update their blogs, left me, a Movable Typer, feeling left out. So I figured out how to add an MT icon that does the same thing! Follow these steps:
  1. Log in to your MT main menu.
  2. Click "Set Up Bookmarklets."
  3. Choose what you want displayed in your bookmarklet page. (If you don't choose anything, it makes a simple new entry page.)
  4. Click and drag the "Post to MT Weblog" link into the Links area of your toolbar. Make sure the toolbar isn't locked so you've got placement flexibility.
  5. If it says something like "this is unsafe," just say yes anyway.
  6. Aha! Now you've got a handy little link that gets you to a new entry without making you log in to anything!



Change the icon

What if you want something better than the lame IE icon associated with your link? Something a little more Movabley Typey? I hear ya. Here's how I changed mine:

  1. Right-click your new "Post to MT Weblog" icon and choose Properties.
  2. Select "Change Icon."
  3. You'll see options for your current icon. Browse your hard drive to uncover more.



Do it yourself

I didn't find any icons I liked, so I made my own. It was easy and fun! Here's how to do it:

  1. Save the main logo in the upper left corner of the Movable Type homepage to your hard drive.
  2. Open the file in Photoshop.
  3. Select the larger of the two gears in the image. Open that image in a new canvas.
  4. Clean up the edges by whitening the edges around the gear to isolate it.



In order to use the new image as an MT icon, you need to save it as an .ico (icon) file at 16x16 pixels. You can use a plug-in such as ICOFormat ($5 donation) or IconBuilder (free to try, $69 to buy) to give Photoshop the ability to save files in the .ico format. Or use one of these programs:




Now that your new icon is ready for action, get it on your toolbar.

  1. Right-click the new "Post to MT Weblog" icon on your toolbar and choose Properties.
  2. Select "Change Icon" and choose the icon you created.
  3. Close and restart your browser to see the changes.



I was stoked to get this one working. Now I don't have to complain about Google's affiliation with Blogger anymore. Movable Type people deserve the same BlogThis feature on Google Toolbar 2.0, and I already made it work!


XO,
Sarah
sarah@techtv.com

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