Google Gadgets & SEO

For those who have attempted to make iGoogle themes just to find they are not working, here are the comments I put out on the iGoogle themes group.

There are some problems with the examples provided in the API, so if you are having problems, no need to stress, this should get you going.

1- Problem: You try to submit your theme but get an error that says “missing title, missing description, etc.”

Solution: You have most likely encountered this problem due to using the example code from the Developers Guide. The code on that page is not the correct format. I am sure Google will correct it quickly, but for now here is the how to correct it:

The incorrect format shown in the developers guide….

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″ ?>
<ConfigMaps>
<ConfigMap type=”Skin”>
<Meta name=”title”>Simple Theme</Meta>
<Meta name=”description”>Simple theme example.</Meta>
<Meta name=”author”>Katie M.</Meta>
<Attribute name=”header.background_color”>teal</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.logo”>white</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.link_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.text_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.body.link_color”>#8B4513</
Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.unselected.text_color”>gray</
Attribute>
</ConfigMap>
</ConfigMaps>

The correct format for this example:

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″ ?>
<ConfigMaps>
<ConfigMap type=”Skin”>
<Meta name=”title”>Simple Theme</Meta>
<Meta name=”description”>Simple theme example.</Meta>
<Meta name=”author”>Katie M.</Meta>
</ConfigMap>
<ConfigMap type=”Skin”>
<Attribute name=”header.background_color”>teal</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.logo”>white</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.link_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.text_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.body.link_color”>#8B4513</
Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.unselected.text_color”>gray</
Attribute>
</ConfigMap>
</ConfigMaps>

The difference is that after the Meta info you must add a “</ConfigMap>” to close the first “<ConfigMap type=”skin”>”.
Then you must open a new “<ConfigMap type=”skin”>”.

That is the correct format (or atleast the one that works for submission).

2- Problem: You are still receiving errors during submission, even though you just did the “fix” described above.

Solution: Make sure there are no blank lines in your code. See the code above, and how there is no space between any of the lines? Make sure your code is the same way.

3- Problem: You receive an error when submitting your theme that says “thumbnail.url” and/or “Screenshot.url” are not supported.

Solution: Change the “thumbnail.url” to just “thumbnail” and change the “Screenshot.url” to just “screenshot”
To illustrate all of the above fixes, here is the code for the theme I successfully submitted…

<?xml version=”1.0″ encoding=”UTF-8″ ?>
<ConfigMaps>
<ConfigMap type=”Skin”>
<Meta name=”title”>Colberticon</Meta>
<Meta name=”description”>This theme provides truth, justice, and the American icon Stephen Colbert.</Meta>
<Meta name=”author”>Colberticon</Meta>
<Meta name=”author_email”>free…@colberticon.com</Meta>
<Meta name=”author_location”>America, America of the United States of America</Meta>
<Meta name=”author_affiliation”>Colberticon</Meta>
<Meta name=”thumbnail”>http://www.colberticon.com/thumbnail.jpg</Meta>
<Meta name=”screenshot”>http://www.colberticon.com/screenshot.jpg</Meta>
</ConfigMap><ConfigMap type=”Skin”>
<Attribute name=”header.background_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.center_image.url”>http://www.colberticon.com/col.png</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.tile_image.url”>http://www.colberticon.com/tile.png</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.logo”>beveled_white</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.link_color”>#2e3192</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.text_color”>#2e3192</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”header.text_color”>#c90000</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.selected.background_color”>#CEDAE6</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.selected.text_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.body.link_color”>#2e3192</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.unselected.background_color”>#f0f0f0</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.tab.unselected.text_color”>#2e3192</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.border_color”>#2e3192</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.header.background_color”>#CEDAE6</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.header.text_color”>#ffffff</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.body.link_color”>#c90000</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.gadget.border_color”>#CEDAE6</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.menu_icon.image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_menu.gif</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.menu_icon.hover_image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_menu_hover.gif</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.collapse_icon.image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_collapse.gif</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.collapse_icon.hover_image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_collapse_hover.gif</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.delete_icon.image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_delete.gif</Attribute>
<Attribute name=”gadget_area.delete_icon.hover_image.url”>http://igoogle-themes.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ffffff_delete_hover.gif</Attribute>
</ConfigMap></ConfigMaps>

To see how this theme looks live goto…
http://www.google.com/ig?skin=http://www.colberticon.com/colberticon.xml

To see the code version go here

Okay, I hope that helps!

Note for Google: The location of three main things that seem to need correcting in your documentation are….

1- The example code found here…
http://code.google.com/apis/themes/docs/reference.html#Ref_Metadata
is misleading and does not show the need to close the <ConfigMap
type=”Skin”> after the Meta data

2- The example code found here…
http://code.google.com/apis/themes/docs/dev_guide.html#What
also is misleading and doesn’t mention the same thing as above

3- The attributes “thumbnail.url” and “Screenshot.url” are notsupported when a user submits a theme.
http://code.google.com/apis/themes/docs/reference.html#Ref_Metadata
Also the “s” of the attribute “Screenshot.url” should be lower case I think. What does work is “thumbnail” and “screenshot” (without the “.url”)

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 20th, 2008 at 2:30 am and is filed under google gadgets, iGoogle.

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