Simple Post list widget fails

[EdB]

Simple Post list widget fails to honor the value the blog has for linking a title. You get the "link to URL" field if there is any no matter what you have on any Blog settings -> URLs page in either the Post titles or Permalink fields. Assuming the item list is not the blog you have the widget on - it might work for your actual blog.

The problem appears to be due to the fact that the simple post list widget assumes the default setting for the universal item list widget, which is "auto", which means use the link to url field if anything is there. The problem here is that is not the behavior specified on the blog's URLs settings page and can't be controlled and isn't specified.

It is an item list, not a linkblog. Either way it should respect what I put on my blog settings page.

The solution is to either change the default condition of the universal item list widget, or, to enable that setting in the simple post list widget. Or something else.

[leeturner]

Good catch. That looks like it is a left over from the other app.

I agree, I think it should respect the setting that the blog owner specifies in the blog settings. Otherwise we just get the unexpected behavior we have now.

L

[EdB]

Yeah another leftover assumption. Or just didn't think of / test that scenario.

The problem with defaulting to what the universal widget says is that the universal widget doesn't default to check the blog, so maybe that is the smart answer? No need to add another setting to something that is supposed to be "simple" right? A quick look at the code showed me no easy answer there. Easy is to restore the setting for "do what with titles", but that starts complicating something that is supposed to be simple.

A totally out there answer might be to ditch the simplified versions of the universal widget and maybe offer a dropdown in the universal that says something like "Be a simple page widget" or whatever, which then sets all the values to that which the simple version currently does. So ALL of those widgets are universals, instead of repackaging with a new name just for the simple-minded out there.

b2evo had (has?) a bad habit of chasing WP, but to my mind it was cargo cult behavior that resulted in more frustration with the actual app which could easily cause people to try WP instead. Unless you really need/want multiblogs straight out of the box.