Reformatting text that you've copied into Blogger

Copying text among writing tools can interfere with various text formats. For example, if you copy word-processor text and then paste it into Google Blogger, it is not formatted the same as text that you type directly into Blogger. This document can help you work around the formatting incompatibilities among writing tools. For example, it can help you reformat text that you've copied into Blogger.

Note: Although this document specifically applies to reformatting text copied into Blogger, it generally applies to reformatting text copied among other writing tools. No two writing tools, whether online or off, are fully compatible. Online writing tools include Google Blogger, Google Docs and Wordpress. Offline writing tools include LibreOffice Writer, Microsoft Word and Appache OpenOffice Writer.

Copying text into Blogger
To copy text from a word processor into Blogger, do the following:

1. Write the text in the word processor in any online or offline word processor, such as Google Docs in Google Drive, Writer in LibreOffice, or Word in Microsoft Office. 
2. In your word processor, select (highlight) the text to copy, such as the example LibreOffice Writer text in Figure 1, and then press Ctrl+C to copy that text.

   

   Figure 1 - Selecting text within LibreOffice Writer

3. In Blogger, place you cursor where you wish to insert the text, and the press Ctrl+V to paste the text into Blogger as shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2 - Pasting text from LIbreOffice Writer into Blogger.

4. Remove the formatting from the copied text according to the section below.

Removing the copied formatting
To remove all formatting from your pasted text, do the following:

1. Add several blank lines below the text you had copied from your word processor as shown in the top portion of Figure 3.

   

   Figure 3 - Copying word-processed text (top portion) from within Blogger,
   and then pasting it as text-only text (bottom portion) to within Blogger.

2. Select the copied text and then press Ctrl+C.
3. Below your copied text, place your cursor at the start of a blank line.
4. Press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste the text as text-only, which removes its formatting as shown in the bottom portion of Figure 3.
5. Reformat your new text-only text according to the section below.

Reformatting your new text-only text

After you make a text-only copy for you word-processor text according the section above, you need to reformat that text. As demonstrated in the Example subsections below, separately select each item (such as word, phrase, or list) that you need to reformat, and then use the icons in the Blogger Compose toolbar (Figure 4). Tool-tip text describes each icon as you move your mouse pointer over it.

Figure 4 - The Blogger Compose toolbar consists of formatting icons.

Example italic formatting - In the first paragraph of the word-processor-text, within the top portion of Figure 3, you find an italicized sentence, "This sentence is italicized." To match that formatting within the bottom portion, you would do the following:

1. Find the same sentence in the first paragraph of the text-only, bottom portion.
2. Select This sentence is italicized, and then click the Italic icon.
3. Verify the reformatted italic text as shown within the first line of Figure 5.

   

   Figure 5 - Text-only text reformatted to italic.

Example bold and italic formatting - In the first paragraph of the word-processor-text, within the top portion of Figure 3, you find a bold and italicized sentence, "This sentence is bold and italicized." To match that formatting within the bottom portion, you would do the following:

1. Find the same sentence in the first paragraph of the text-only, bottom portion.
2. Select This sentence is bold and italicized, click the Bold icon and then click the Italic icon.
3. Verify the reformatted bold and italic text as shown within the second and third lines of Figure 6.

   

   Figure 6 - Text-only text reformatted to bold and italic.

Example list formatting - The word-processor-text in the top portion of Figure 3 includes both an ordered, numbered list and an unordered, bulleted list. To reformat these lists in the bottom portion of Figure 3, you would do the following:

1. Find the text for the numbered-list items in the text-only, bottom portion.
2. Select the numbered-list items, and then click the Numbered list icon to number and indent the items.
3. Find the text for the bulleted-list items in the text-only, bottom portion.
4. Select the bulleted-list items, and then click the Bullet list icon to bullet and indent the items.
5. Verify the reformatted lists as shown in Figure 7.

   

   Figure 7 - Text-only lists reformatted to numbered and bulleted lists.

Deleting unwanted line spaces from lists
If the text you've copied into Blogger includes any numbered or bulleted lists, you need to delete all unwanted line spaces from those lists. For more information, see Deleting unwanted line spaces from Blogger lists.

Note: As shown in Figure 7, you cannot see the unwanted line spaces in your lists until after you have closed your post for the first time after reformatting your pasted lists. Therefore, to avoid possible future confusion, you should immediately delete your unwanted line spaces.

To delete unwanted line spaces from the lists in your pasted text, do the following:

1. Click Save and then Close. This initial closing makes the unwanted line spaces visible.
2. Reopen your post to edit it. You should now see unwanted line spaces similar to those in Figure 8. When there are no unwanted line spaces in each list, there is only one line space above, and one below.

   

   Figure 8 - Unwanted line spaces in Blogger lists.

3. Above each list, place your cursor immediately below the preceding paragraph, and then press Backspace.
4. Below each list, place your cursor immediately above the following paragraph, and then press Backspace.
5. Verify that line spacing is again correct, as shown in Figure 7.

Note: After reformatting all your text-only text, such as the bottom portion of Figure 3, you can delete the text you had originally copied from your word processor, such as the top portion of Figure 3.

Deleting unwanted line spaces from Blogger lists

Currently, as of October 2014, Google Blogger adds an extra, unwanted line space both above and below each new ordered (numbered) or unordered (bulleted) list. These unwanted line spaces cause confusion because they are invisible, even in Blogger preview, until you close your post for the first time after adding one or more lists.

This document explains how to create lists in a Blogger post, and then delete the unwanted line spaces before they can cause confusion.

Creating an ordered list
To create an ordered list in a Blogger post, do the following:

1. Type the list items between two paragraphs.
2. As shown in Figure 1, select (highlight) the items in a list to which you wish to add numbers, and then click the Numbered list icon in the Compose toolbar.

   

   Figure 1 - Creating a numbered list

3. Either make additional edits, such as adding more lists, or go to the Deleting unwanted line spaces section below.

Creating an unordered list
To create an unordered list in a Blogger post, do the following:

1. Type the list items between two paragraphs.
2. As shown in Figure 2, select (highlight) the items in a list to which you wish to add bullets, and then click the Bullet list icon in the Compose toolbar.

   

   Figure 2 - Creating a bulleted list

3. Either make additional edits, such as adding more lists, or go to the Deleting unwanted line spaces section below.

Deleting unwanted line spaces
After writing a post in which you have created one or more lists according the sections above, you need to delete the unwanted line spaces from those lists.

Note: You cannot see the unwanted line spaces in your lists until after you have closed your post for the first time after creating your lists. Therefore, to avoid possible future confusion, you should immediately delete your unwanted line spaces.

To delete unwanted line spaces from your lists, do the following:

1. Create one or more lists according to the sections above.
2. Click Save and then Close. This initial closing makes the unwanted line spaces visible.
3. Reopen your post to edit it. You should now see unwanted line spaces similar to those in Figure 3. When there are no unwanted line spaces in each list, there is only one line space above, and one below.

   

   Figure 3 - Unwanted line spaces in two lists

4. Above each list, place your cursor immediately below the preceding paragraph, and then press Backspace.
5. Below each list, place your cursor immediately above the following paragraph, and then press Backspace.

Bypassing animated Google doodles

Google often replaces its browser logo with a graphical variation, which it calls a Google doodle. Occasionally, Google animates a doodle. If you use a Chrome or Chromium browser, or a Chromebook, you probably enjoy most Google-browser startup doodles. However, you might not appreciate Google's animated startup doodles because you find them distracting.

This document explains how to bypass animated Google doodles easily in either Chrome or Chromebook.

Bypassing animated doodles in Chrome
If you use either a Chrome or Chromium browser, you can bypass animated Google startup doodles as follows:

1. As shown in Figure 1, click the Customize button (three horizontal bars) to display its menu.

   

   Figure 1 - Clicking the Customize button.

2. Click Settings to display its page.
3. In the On startup section, select Open the New Tab page as shown in Figure 2.

   

   Figure 2 - Setting each Google-browser startup as a new tab page.

4. Close the Settings page.

Bypassing animated doodles in Chromebook
If you use a Chromebook, you can bypass animated Google startup doodles as follows:

1. As shown in Figure 1, click the Customize button (three horizontal bars) to display its menu.
2. Click Settings to display its page.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and then click Show Advanced Settings.
4. Scroll to the On startup section, and then select Open the New Tab page. as shown in Figure 2.
5. Close the Settings page.

Creating an online archive through Google Drive

If you publish articles, essays, stories or poems through an online publisher, and it shuts down its website, you lose all documents you haven't archived. While you are creating any online document, you might write text directly into a publisher's website. Although this is convenient, you risk losing your work forever if you don't make a backup copy. Therefore, you should archive all your online documents.

You can create an archive either in cloud storage, through an online productivity suite such as Google Drive, or offline on your PC drive or its external media, through an offline productivity suite such as LibreOffice. This document can help you build an archive by creating archive folders, creating portable document files (PDFs), creating archive text files, and archiving image files.

Note: This document specifically applies to creating an online archive through Google Drive, and generally to creating an online or offline archive through other software suites. Therefore, this document can serve as a guideline regardless of your particular writing tools and preferences.

Creating archive folders

Archive folders are appropriate folders and subfolders that help you organize your archive files. You can create a main folder, a subfolder for each publisher, and a sub-subfolder for each document. Here's an example hierarchy:

MyOnlineArchive (main) - contains three publisher folders:
AcmePubs (publisher)
FlyByNitePubs (publisher) - contains two document folders:
HowToWaxYourCeiling (document)
UnderstandingArcticAlligators (document)
GizmochePubs (publisher)

Figure 1 shows the above hierarchy as created in Google Drive folders.

Figure 1 - Example archive folders

Creating archive PDFs

An archive PDF is the primary backup file for your online document because a PDF preserves your original formatting. You should start creating your archive PDFs after creating your archive folders according to the section above. For each online document you wish to archive, create a PDF and then save it in that document's archive folder. Later, if necessary, you can use the archive PDF as a source for a new document that you publish on another website.

Note: You shouldn't simply copy text from your online document and paste it into a text file because this does not preserve your original formatting 

The specific procedure for creating a PDF varies according to your PC and its operating system. Generally, you can create an archive PDF as follows:

1. Right-click anywhere in the document to display a Print menu as shown in Figure 2. 
2. Click Print to display its window, and then select Print to file. If the window displays a Destination field, and it does not contain "Save as PDF," click Change to display a Select-a-destination window, and then click Save as PDF.
3. According to the title of your online document, name its archive PDF appropriately, such as Understanding_Arctic_alligators.pdf.
4. Click Save, select your target folder, such as UnderstandingArcticAlligators, click Open, and then click Save to generate your archive PDF.
5. Verify that your archive PDF is in its appropriate folder, such as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 2 - Selecting your print menu

Figure 3 - An example archive PDF in its appropriate document folder

Creating archive text files
After creating your archive folders and archive PDFs according to the sections above, you can create archive text files. To create an archive text file, do the following:

1. Open the archive PDF from which wish to create a new document.
2. Create a new word-processor document, such as a new Google Docs document in Google Drive.
3. Copy text from your PDF and then paste it into the word-processor document that is your archive text file.
4. Rename the archive text file to match your archive PDF.
5. Save your archive text file into its appropriate document folder, such as UnderstandingArcticAlligators, as shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 - Adding a text file to a document folder

Archiving image files

As shown in Figure 5, you can add image files to any document folder.

Figure 5 - Adding image files to a document folder

Installing Linux into a specific partition

Multibooting more than one Linux operating system (OS) can help you compare precisely how each works on your PC. While installing a Linux OS, you might wish to install it into a specific partition on your hard disk or solid-state drive (SSD). This document can help you create a new logical partition and then install a new Linux OS into it.

Author's note: In my experience, multibooting Linux operating systems works best with Ubuntu and Ubuntu-based operating systems.

Creating a new logical partition
You can add a new Linux OS to a PC on which you have already installed at least one other OS. For example, your multiboot configuration might include two partitions and an extended partition, as follows:

• Partitions /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda2 contain an MS Windows 7 OS.
• Extended partition /dev/sda3, contains three logical partitions for Linux. Allow at least 20 GB for each Linux OS.
• Logical partition /dev/sda5 contains your Ubuntu Linux OS.
• Logical partition /dev/sda6 contains the Linux swap file. Note: Regardless how many Linux operating systems you plan to install, you need only one swap partition (approximately 2 GB).
• Logical partition /dev/sda7 contains your Linux Mint OS.

You need to create a new logical partition before you can install a third Linux OS into the above example configuration. As shown in Figure 1, you can use the Gnome Partition Editor (GParted) to create a new logical partition, such as /dev/sda8.

Figure 1 - Creating a new logical partition, /dev/sda8.

Installing Linux into a root partition

While installing Linux into a specific logical partition you must define that partition as root. To install a new Linux OS into your new logical partition, do the following:

1. Download an ISO image file of the Linux OS that you wish to install, and then burn it to a DVD to create a live disc. Alternatively, you can use an ISO image to create a live usb drive.
2. Boot the live disc and then begin installing your new Linux OS. When you see an Installation-type window similar to Figure 2, select Something else, which lets you install your new Linux OS into your new logical partition.
3. Click Continue to display a window to similar to Figure 3, select (highlight) your new logical partition, and then double-click it to display an Edit-partition window as shown in Figure 4.
4. In the Use-as dropdown menu, select Ext4 journaling file system.
5. Checkmark the Format the partition box.
6. In the Mount-point dropdown menu, select "/" to define your new logical partition as root.
7. Click OK to close the Edit-partition window, and then click Install now. Note: Do not try to skip steps 4 through 7. Omitting them displays an error message, "No root file system is defined. Please select this from the partitions menu." For more information, see Ask Ubuntu.
8. Install your new Linux OS and then reboot your PC to display a Grand Universal Boot (GRUB) menu similar to Figure 5. In this example, Zorin OS 6 is the new Linux OS. Note: If your GRUB menu does not display, you can restore it through an open-source Boot Repair CD.

Figure 2 -  On the Installation Type menu, you select "Something else" if you
wish to create a partition into which you can install your new Linux OS.

Figure 3 - Selecting (highlighting) your new logical partition.

Figure 4 - Double-clicking your new logical
partition displays an Edit-partition window.

Figure 5 - Your GRUB menu should include your new Linux OS, such as Zorin OS 6.

Two phones can be cheaper than one

Two mobile phones can be cheaper than one. Provided you don't need constant Internet access, you can save at least $380.00 per year by carrying two phones; a prepaid 'dumb' phone, and a non-plan, Android smartphone as a tablet PC.

Dumb phone
A dumb phone, also known as a feature phone, lets you make and receive voice calls and text messages through a 3G network. A dumb-phone prepaid plan costs approximately $100 per year.

Typically, you prepay your account by $30, $60 or $100. Larger amounts have longer intervals. For example, if you prepay $100, you have a full year in which to use your $100. If you refill your account on time, your remaining amount rolls over. When you use your phone, the phone company charges your account 10 cents per minute for each voice call, and 25 cents each for text messages.

Dumb phone = $100 per year

Smartphone
A smartphone is far more than a voice-and-text phone; it is a pocket PC that also lets you upload and download Internet data through a 3G or 4G phone-company network. Currently, in April 2014, the least-expensive smartphone plan typically costs $480 per year for unlimited voice, text and data access.

Smartphone = $480 per year

A non-plan smartphone has no phone-company network. You can use any non-plan Android smartphone as a tablet PC. If the phone is not older than two years, it will almost certainly work well as a pocket-size tablet PC.

To obtain a non-plan smartphone, you can ask a friend or relative to sell you his or her old smartphone. Alternatively, you can buy a new or refurbished smartphone, without a phone-company plan. The smartphone is not the main cost; the phone-company plan is the large, on-going expense.

For your non-plan smartphone, you can download free apps that you can run either offline or through WiFi. You should select (on Google Play) apps that you can sync with your other computers. Example apps that you can sync include:

• Wunderlist
• Evernote
• Go contact
• Keep

Not-so-dumb phones
A set of not-so-dumb phones consists of two phones, a dumb phone with a prepaid plan ($100) and a non-plan smartphone. Therefore, by carrying two not-so-dumb phones, you can save at least $380 per year. ($480 - $100 = $380)

Not-so-dumb phones = $100 per year

Getting started with Java development

Java, developed by Oracle, is possibly the most widely-applied, open-source programming language on Earth. Therefore, whether you are studying software development as a professional or a hobbyist, learning to program Java code can be valuable. To develop Java applications, you need two separate packages of Java-programming tools:

• A Java development kit (JDK)
• An integrated development environment (IDE) for Java, such as NetBeans, Eclipse or IntelliJ

Oracle distributes a convenient Java software bundle that contains both JDK 8 for the Java Standard Edition (SE) and NetBeans 8.0. This document can help you download and install a Java bundle, and then create your first Java application.

Downloading a Java Bundle

To download your JDK 8 and NetBeans 8.0 software bundle, do the following:

1. Go to Java SEDownloads as shown in Figure 1.
2. Click NetBeans DOWNLOAD to display the JDK 8 with Netbeans 8.0 window.
3. Click JDK 8 and NetBeans 8.0 Cobundle License Agreement to display its window.
4. Read the agreement and then close its window.
5. Select Accept License Agreement.
6. Click the download file for your operating system, and then wait for the download to finish. Note: If you have a 64-bit operating system, select an x64 bundle. For 32-bit operating system, select an i586 bundle.
7. Continue according to the section below.

Figure 1 - Java Standard Edition (SE) downloads window

Installing Your Java Bundle

Your downloaded Java software bundle is an executable file through which you launch an installation program for the JDK and NetBeans. Install your Java bundle according to the two subsections below:

1. Running Your Bundle Executable File
2. Running Your Bundle Installation Program

Running Your Bundle Executable File - How you run your bundle executable file varies according to your operating system. If you have Linux, your executable file is a .sh file. For example, if you have 32-bit Ubuntu Linux, your executable file is jdk-8-nb-8-linux-i586.sh, which is a shell script that you run as follows:

1. Open a terminal window as shown in Figure 2.
2. At the $ prompt, type cd Downloads and then press Enter.
3. At the /Downloads$ prompt, type sudo bash jdk-8-nb-8-linux-i586.sh and then press Enter to display a password prompt.
4. Type your password and then press Enter to run the script and open the installation-program Welcome window.

Note: For more information, see Installing the Software Bundle on Linux.

Figure 2 - Terminal window in Xubuntu, an Ubuntu Linux distribution

If you have OS X, your executable file is a .dmg file. For example, if you have 64-bit OS X (v10.7.3 or newer), your executable file is jdk-8-nb-8-macosx-x64.dmg. Run this executable file as explained in Installing the Software Bundle on OS X.

If you have Windows, your executable file is an .exe file. For example, if you have 64-bit Windows, your executable file is jdk-8-nb-8-windows-x64.exe. Run this executable file as explained in Installing the Software Bundle onMicrosoft Windows.

Running Your Bundle Installation Program - Run your bundle installation program as follows:

1. Run your bundle executable file according to the section above .
2. In the Welcome window, click Next to display the JUnit License Agreement, select I accept the terms in the license agreement. Install JUnit, and then click Next.
3. Choose the JDK installation folder or accept the default (currently required in Windows), and then click Next.
4. Choose the NetBeans IDE installation folder and the JDK for the IDE, or accept their defaults, and then click Next.
5. Review the Summary, select Check for Updates, and then click Install.
6. After the bundle installation program displays its Setup Complete window, click Finish to close the window.
7. Create a desktop shortcut for NetBeans IDE 8.0, and then continue according to the section below.

Creating Your First Java Application

After downloading and installing your Java bundle, you can create your first Java application as follows:

1. Double-click NetBeans IDE 8.0 (either in your applications menu, or on your desktop) to launch your IDE.
2. Click File, click New Project, click Java, select Java Application and then click Next.
3. Type HelloWorldApp as the Project Name, and then click Finish to display the initial Java code.
4. Scroll to the following comment line: // TODO code application logic here
5. Type over that comment line with: System.out.println("Hello World");
6. Click File, click Save, click Run and then click Run Project (HelloWorldApp) to display Hello World! in the Output window of your NetBeans IDE as shown in Figure 3.

Note: For more information, go to A Closer Look at the Hello World Application.

Figure 3 - Your first Java application in NetBeans

After downloading and installing your Java bundle, and creating your first Java application, you can use the web to learn more about developing Java applications. Here are a few sample links:

• Java Tutorials Learning Paths
• NetBeans IDE Java Quick Start Tutorial
• Webucator Free Java Tutorial
• Developing Applications with NetBeans IDE
• University of Texas Java Coding Samples