Sociable Settings

There are several different options available for the Sociable plugin. To view these options, from within your Dashboard, go to Settings > Sociable.

Sites

This is a table view of all social bookmarking sites recognized by the Sociable plugin.  The list is quite extensive – it currently contains 99 different site options.  Just check the boxes next to the sites of your choice.  Icons with links to these sites will then be included at the bottom of your posts.

Sprite Usage

In computer graphics, a sprite is an image or animation, typically a small two or three-dimensional one, that is  integrated into a larger scene.  For example, the little, spinning animation that shows at the top of a web page tab while your page is loading – or the spinning hourglass on a PC – are examples of sprites.

The Disable sprite usage option will turn these little animations off if they appear in an icon.

Alpha Mask

An alpha transparency mask is a semi-transparent image that is overlaid on another image – giving the base image the appearance of being disabled.  When the image is hovered on by a mouse, clicked, or otherwise brought into focus, the base image becomes brightened.  The Disable alpha mask on share toolbar? option, if checked, will remove the alpha mask from your share icons.

Tagline

The Share and Enjoy label, also known as a Tagline, can be changed to read whatever you want it to.  If you wish to change this text, just enter your desired text between the strong tags in the provided field.

Position

The social bookmarking icons, by default, appear at the end of each blog post and may show on other types of pages as well, depending on the theme you use.  You can select where you want these particular items to show up to decrease the littering of your site with repeated icons.  Just check whatever positions you want these icons to display at.

Use CSS

CSS, or Cascading Styles Sheets, is what makes your website look the way it does.  Different sites, and different elements on sites, can have different style sheets.  By default, the Sociable stylesheet will be used.  If you uncheck this checkbox, the icon bar will follow the rules of your theme’s style sheet.  Checking or unchecking this will not harm your site, though it may make the icon bar look a bit funny if your theme is not set up to handle it.

Use Text Links

If you would prefer to use text links instead of icons, just check the Use text links without images? checkbox.

Image Directory

If you would like to replace the logo icons used in Sociable, you can do so.  You’ll want to make sure the replacement images have the same name as the ones that come with Sociable, and you’ll need to upload them into your blog site, and then link them through the Image Directory text field.

Use Thickbox/Iframe On Links?

Thickbox or iframe provide a dark, semi-transparent background that surrounds a framed object such as a log-in form, video player, or slideshow viewer.  If you would like for the login forms that are linked to your icon sets to open in Thickbox or an iframe, just check the box provided.  You can also set the dimensions of the frame yourself, if you so choose.

Open in New Window

If selected, the Use target=_blank on links? box will force linked pages or objects to open in a new frame versus leaving your existing page to visit the linked item.

awe.sm

awe.sm is a web-service that shortens the URLs on your site.  This requires an account with awe.sm and an API key.

Disable Blogplay’s Widget from the Dashboard

This disables Blogplay’s widget straight from your Dashboard.

When you’re finished selecting all of your configurations, just click the Save Changes button and click on Visit Your Site to see the changes.

To view help instructions on the Sociable plugin,  just click on the following provided link:

Sociable Plugin help

You can also locate the specific help post in the Categories menu on this site.