10 Essential configuration settings before getting started with Windows Live Writer

Recently I started using windows live writer which is going to increase my productivity in the same way for power point 2007 tips which we discovered lately. I am writing this Live writer tips based one the problem which I faced while using it for the previous article and think it will be useful for you too. Windows Live writes is a tool which allows you to create , modify and update your posts on many common blog services like blogger, wordpress, Sharepoint and MSN space. You can download windows live writer if you want to give it a try. It’s worth it. Moreover I have written this in taking care on the account for beginners also. You can download Windows Live Writer Beta

Windows Live Writer

Here are some essential settings before you get started

#1 Update Style:

This feature allows you to get the style setting from your theme so that you can get the same look and feel as on your blog itself. For an example it gets to know how wide is your space for writing article and restrict to write in same amount of space. Go to Weblog > Edit Weblog Settings > Editing and click on Update Style button. This will extract your style and make necessary settings for you.

update_style windows live writer

#2 Setting the Preferences

Live writer comes with some default settings which might or might not be suitable for you. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on preferences. Change the following options as it suits you.

Under Post Windows , Select Open a new window for every post. This is essentially required if you want to open another post for your reference, By default it will try to open in same window and will ask you to close the already opened.
Under Publishing Check on all these - View post after publishing, Remind me specify a title, Remind me specify a categories, Remind me specify tags.

preferences

#3 Setting the Spell Check choices:

Spell check if extremely important when you write an article. Its a good thing if somebody reminds you every time before you are going to publish the post. Spell Check settings does it for you. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on Spelling. Change the following options as it suits you.

Under General options - Select all three ,Use real time spelling check ( This can tell you as soon as its a spell error) , ignore spell check for Upper case and words starting with number.
Under Spelling from options - Check remind me before publishing and uncheck - use automatic corrections. This last option will be preferable for food blogs which use of native language.

spelling check for live writer

#4 Preparing your Link Glossary:

A link glossary is like collection of links which you can reuse anytime by just one click. You might prepare it now or do it as it comes. This will be handy when you refer some links more often or you want to add it for future reference. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on Link Glossary. There is an ADD button which allows you add a link with some predefined links. Add and use it any time :).

#5 Setting up the Web proxy:

I asked some people around and they said some for some people are behind proxy and so the connection setting fails. So if you work with your live writer from office or a network do not forget to set up your proxy settings. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on Web proxy.

Check on Specify Custom Proxy settings.
Enter your username, password , proxy server address and post number.
By Default it uses port number 8080. If this fails for you , try asking your network administrator which post to be used.

proxy settings for live writer

#6 Setting up Ping servers:

Ping Servers are services which when notified come to your blog and read the latest article you have written. This is essential for anybody so that your details gets updated at services like Technorati and others. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on Ping Servers. Check on Send ping to these URLS. Add the below list into it .

http://ping.amagle.com/ http://ping.bitacoras.com http://ping.blo.gs/ http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc/ http://ping.blogmura.jp/rpc/ http://ping.cocolog-nifty.com/xmlrpc http://ping.exblog.jp/xmlrpc http://ping.feedburner.com http://ping.myblog.jp http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php http://ping.weblogs.se/ http://pingoat.com/goat/RPC2 http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2/ http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2 http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger/ http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/ http://rpc.pingomatic.com/ http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2 http://www.snipsnap.org/RPC2 http://trackback.bakeinu.jp/bakeping.php http://topicexchange.com/RPC2 http://www.weblogues.com/RPC/ http://xmlrpc.blogg.de/ http://1470.net/api/ping http://xping.pubsub.com/ping/

ping services for live writer

Thanks to DJ Flush for providing me this list

#7 Press F2 before Publishing :

This is most important, I did not knew these settings and published my post . Then I realized these settings don show up while you publish. So press F2 before you publish and you need to add the following things

Post Slug
Excerpts ( if you use)
Categories
URL for sending trackbacks ( if you have linked to any other post)
Set the publishing date
Turn on or off comments and pings.

press f2 for customized settings

#8 Save Draft Options

This is essential to understand. When you work from the editor right on your blog, it can save it automatically but when U save using live writer it saves it on your computer. So if you want to save it on your weblog as draft , Go to Save Draft and choose one of the following options

Save to Local Draft ( This saves on your computer)
Post Draft to Weblog ( This will save the post to your weblog )
Post Draft and Edit Online ( This will save it on your web log and also allow you to edit it online )

save as options for live writer

If you want your posts to be save automatically to weblog as you write. Go to Tools > Options. Then click on preferences.

Under editing you will see a check box (Save posts every ) , enable it.
Now under text “Save posts every ” enter the preferred time for autosave.

Note: Check the First Image under preferences settings

#9 Open Older Posts:

If you had been live writer for a while, you can skip this but this is essential for a beginners.

If you want to retrieve and edit your older posts , Click on Open button and it will popup a window which will give you options for opening drafts and recent articles or even pages ( if supported). Click on any of the list and it will open up.

Note: A word of caution, There is a delete button available in the same place. DO NOT press it else it will delete your posts from web log directly

open recent posts in live writer

#10 Backup Your Windows Live writer settings :

This point I am keeping as an option open to readers and live writer power user. I did found a plugin available but it did not work. So if anybody is aware of “How to” on this, I will add his recommendation here and link back to his main blog or post.Do tell us in comments and we will workout to see if its correct , you are in.

Shiva found a way to backup windows live writer posts, drafts, plugins and settings. Click to read his post on How to backup windows live writer. If you are looking for automating windows live writer backup click to read this post by the plugin author. He had aso suggested that If you’re running this on vista and you have UAC turned on, you will need to run this as administrator, or you will be asked to accept/deny.
Update: Also don’t forget to read Beginners Guide on Image formatting tips using Windows Live Writer

I hope this helps to lot of people who are new to windows live writer. Some of the points even can apply to existing users., I would welcome any correction or mistakes you find here. Share it with us

About The Author of this article:
Ashish is one of the co-author of this blog and writes on various interesting softwares, PC tips and more. You can read more of his articles here.

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Tags: configuration_live_writer, live_writer_settings, live_writer_setup, live_writer_tips, live_writer_tricks, wlw
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31 Comments and Link-Backs to “10 Essential configuration settings before getting started with Windows Live Writer”

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29 Comments from Friends and Readers

Brown Baron, September 16, 2007:

Great post. I just might try it out now. Thanks buddy.
Dj Flush, September 16, 2007:

I think its time for me to start blogging with Windows Live Writer

Its really an amazing software and you have a very good set of start up configurations

Great Post
Ashish Mohta, September 16, 2007:

@Dj and @Brown: Thanks a lot for the input. It took me 3 hrs like one of your post and I understood how difficult its to create a list article.!!!
jorge, September 16, 2007:

Wow, nice tips. I’ve just started using WLR and i must say i’m impressed.

nice blog
Ashish Mohta, September 16, 2007:

@Jorge: Thanks a lot. I knew this when I started using and there are lot people specially new users and they make a lot of mistake like I did. Thanks once again!
Shankar Ganesh, September 16, 2007:

Yeah it looks like it’s a great time saver and an effective blog client. I may have to try it again. I didn’t know about that F2 thingy.
Ashish Mohta, September 16, 2007:

@Shankar: Yes it is for sure. I am using it for all my posts now and it works great. The f2 feature I discovered accidentally when trying to press F1, haha gave me a hint though
Ken Xu, September 17, 2007:

Ha! I use this freeware since 3 months ago and I “almost” make every post in Live writer before touching wordpress.
Thanks for this great review, tips and tricks. Stumbled!
Ashish Mohta, September 17, 2007:

@Kenxu: Thanks a lot buddy, I started it doing now and I am loving the image features it has, do check out my other post in it.
Nirmal, September 20, 2007:

I have problems with WLW with set up. Its not accepting the remote posting url for my blog! Any ideas or suggestions to over come this?
William, September 20, 2007:

Really interesting toll, but for now I’m using BlogThis from Flock browser.
Ashish Mohta, September 20, 2007:

@Nirmal: can u explain a little on “Remote posting url”. It means the blog url?
Ashish Mohta, September 21, 2007:

@Nirmal: Its strange it was not able to detect. The path u require is http://www.nirmaltv.com/xmlrpc.php. Try it without www also.
Thilak, September 22, 2007:

Please remember to turn off pings from WordPress admin panels. Setting WLW to ping will cause the server to be pinged two times, which might cause the server to ban you. This happened to me in the past.

I personally prefer pinging done by WordPress. Mainly because adding pings by WLW slows down posting
Thilak, September 22, 2007:

Ashish: I guess Nirmal meant trackbacks or pingback. WLW has separate option for that.
Ashish Mohta, September 22, 2007:

@Thilak: Thats a good point there and also there is no point in pinging twice.
Thilak, September 23, 2007:

For those who wonder how to disable or add URLs to the ping list on WordPress. Here’s the link:

/blog-path/wp-admin/options-writing.php

It’s under “Update Services”. Thanks!
Vamsi, October 1, 2007:

I was thinking that pinging to one of the services like pingomatic.com will do the job right? was i wrong?
Ashish Mohta, October 1, 2007:

@Vamsi: Its should but I am not sure will it ping for the whole blog or just one post. It should work though
Syahid Ali, November 18, 2007:

list article takes long hours but reading the comments above, I think it was all worth it right?
Ashish Mohta, November 18, 2007:

@Sahid: I agree with you. List articles are ment for particular set of users and readers who like to read and understand more. I dont like to create many but this is worth giving time
CypherHackz, December 18, 2007:

Dude, have you try Blogdesk? It is much better than the other. I love simplicity and clean interface. I don’t like Live Writer because it is takes time to load. Not easy to install at the first time. Try blogdesk and you will know what I mean. Hope you will move to Blogdesk.
Ashish Mohta, December 19, 2007:

@Cypher: Looks like I have to give it a try. I saw about it on Nirmaltv.com. Let me come back from holidays
Shailendra, December 28, 2007:

Ashish,

I guess the F2 button on WLW works only with limited blogs (Wordpress).
It doesn’t support otherblogs (Blogspot).

Very Informative Post.

Thanks!
Ashish Mohta, December 29, 2007:

@Shailendra : I worked around blogspot blogs and you are right it does not work. I guess its probably because the Api does not allow it do so.
Hariharakumar, April 15, 2008:

I have installed Windows live writer and configured it to my blog, every thing is going well. But i don’t have option “Post Draft and Edit online” option visible. I didn’t understand why, i saw many screenshots on many website that has visible “Post Draft and Edit online” option. I have my blog in Blogger platform. Can you please suggest me solution.

Hariharakumar
Ashish, April 15, 2008:

Hi Harikumar,

I checked it with a blogspot blog. The problem is Blogspot does not support Post Draft and Edit online feature. So you cant do anything about it.

Ashish
Hariharakumar, April 17, 2008:

Ashish Thank you for ur reply. I thought i should change some settings in Live Writer. Thanks a lot.
Ashish, April 17, 2008:

@hari: Cool. If you have any further issues feel free to use our forums.