Socialize this post if you like it.

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After a lot of research I found out some plug-ins that could display random posts in text format only with some more limitations like; no pictures can be attached, no random display, no effects while displaying the posts. With the this wordpress technique you would basically be able to fulfill the following requirements.

• Display random posts in sidebar.
• Display posts with pictures of your choice
• Display posts with amazing jQuery effects.
• You can display n number of posts.
• Everything is customizable in WP-Admin panel.
• No touch of code required.
• Works with the newest version of WordPress 2.8.2

A Demo can be seen at the right hand side of this post. Alright, lets get started now.

Things required to get Random Rotating Posts in WordPress Sidebar:

• Any WordPress installed (Only checked with 2.8.2 though)
• Sponsor Slideshow Widget Plug-in
• Images of your choice to be displayed in the Slideshow.

I used it to display my random posts however It can be used for any other purpose. You just need to extend your creativity. Alright, so here’s what you need to get it working.

1. First of all install and activate Sponsor Slideshow Widget Plug-in.
2. Go to your Links section and create a new category called Random Posts.
   
3. Upload new media and copy location of the image that you have uploaded.
   
4. Now create links with your Posts and insert the images accordingly. I choose 300×300 px pictures as my sidebar width is 300. You need to choose images as per your sidebar width.
   
5. Select Random Posts from drop down in Slideshow Widget. Also make sure to select the width of the Slideshow widget as per your Siderbar widget. Do not use anything under title section as you don’t want it to be displayed as some category. Also check the order of the post. If you want them to be displayed randomly, you can select random or in order. The effect can also be selected. I selected random again as I like it to be different all the time.

That’s it. Now all you need to do is go to your home page and see the beutiful random posts without any file change. This is the simplest way to create this amazing Rotating Random Posts Widget in WordPress Sidebar.

While writing this post I am getting a really nice idea, may be you guys can try and let me know if that worked or not. You can add as many Slideshow widgets as you can. So create another category and add links to that category, may be with different size of the images and display them anywhere you want. It will definitely work with 2 column and 2 column themes. I am using vigilance Theme. Not checked with any other theme.

Leave feedback and share if you like this post

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So here is what you need to do:

• Open single.php and find

< ?php comments_template(”, true); ?>

• Now paste the following code before the above code.
• Link to the code as it was creating some problem with the post.

Leave your comments if you like this trick.

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So lets get started. I am using Vigilance Theme. So I will be telling you the steps according to my theme but it should be 99% same in other themes as well. If you face any Challenge then please let me know through comment, I shall try to resolve every possible conflict for you.

First of all lets look at my 404 Page. Once you are done watching it, just click back button on your browser.

Alright, so did you see there was so much stuff for someone who has landed on an error message rather than just saying that whatever you were looking for just does not exist . So what all can you display on your 404 page.

Note : All changes will be done in your 404.php file which should ideally be in your theme root folder.

• How to display an Image :

Open 404.php find, remove everything from your 404.php and leave this only. This is how my 404.php file looked like before filling it up. You can actually do it in  WordPress Admin Panel as well under  Appearance>>Editor>>Your Theme and Select 404.php on the right hand side.

Warning : Please copy the whole code in a text file before you start the modification. Just to be on safer side, In case there is any accident

OK, Lets move on. Now after backing up your file delete everything and leave the code similar to the one below.

<?php get_header(); ?>

<div>

</div><!–end entry–>
</div><!–end content–>
<?php get_sidebar(); ?>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

OK Now add this after

<img src=”location of your image file” alt=”error 404″ width=”500″ height=”667″ />

Check the height and width dimension as well basis your theme’s height and width.

• How to display Recent Posts :

Anywhere in the 404.php file copy the below code to display Recent Posts from your blog.

<h2>Recent Posts</h2>
<ul>
<?php
query_posts(‘posts_per_page=10‘);
if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<li><a href=”<?php the_permalink() ?>” title=”Permalink for : <?php the_title(); ?>”><?php the_title(); ?></a>
<?php endwhile; endif; ?>
</ul>

Change the number to whatever number of posts you want to be displayed in this code posts_per_page=10

• How to display Categories :

To display list of categories copy the code mentioned below.

<h2>Categories</h2>
<ul>
<?php wp_list_cats(‘sort_column=name’); ?>
</ul>

• How to display Tag Clouds :

To display list of categories copy the code mentioned below.

<h2>Tag Cloud</h2>
<?php wp_tag_cloud(‘smallest=8&largest=36&’); ?>

If you want to save your time then please copy and paste the code below. Its my 404.php file’s code. You can customize it according to your need. Don’t forget to upload the file and give location to image.

<?php get_header(); ?>
<div>

<img src=”http://www.revolutioners.com/wp-content/themes/vigilance/images/error-404.png” alt=”error 404″ width=”500″ height=”667″ />

<h2>Recent Posts</h2>
<ul>
<?php
query_posts(‘posts_per_page=10′);
if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<li><a href=”<?php the_permalink() ?>” title=”Permalink for : <?php the_title(); ?>”><?php the_title(); ?></a>
<?php endwhile; endif; ?>
</ul>

<h2>Categories</h2>
<ul>
<?php wp_list_cats(‘sort_column=name’); ?>
</ul>

<h2>Tag Cloud</h2>
<?php wp_tag_cloud(‘smallest=8&largest=36&’); ?>

</div><!–end entry–>
</div><!–end content–>
<?php get_sidebar(); ?>
<?php get_footer(); ?>

Please leave comment if you want to add anything to the post.

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Pictures speak a million words so let me put it here for you guys

Right click on images and Click View Image to see in actual size

Current Scenario

Desired

Did you notice the changes, There are so many but just to give you the idea. The main changes are the width of Post and sidebar

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I have been trying to figure out the best Social Bookmarking plugins to be used on my blog. Now after 2-3 days research and checking n number of blogs, I have come to a conclusion that the below mentioned plugins are best in business. Highly recommended, especially the way described below.

1. SexyBookmarks

This is the first pugin that I am using and is the most attractive plugin available on the internet. The plus point is that it supports WordPress 2.8 as well. Though it does not support hell lot of  social bookmarking websites but whatever it supports is more than enough for you. If you want more then there is another one that I suggest you use which is …

2. Sociable

Now this plugin supports more than 80 Social Bookmarking websites. Its one of the most popular Social Bookmarking Plugin available at this moment.

I chose to use both of the plugins because one provides the uniqueness and sexyness on my blog and the other one provides the variety of  Social Bookmarking site support.

Imprtant : Now its really important that you configure both the plugins as suggested below to maximize their usage.

1. Only enable Sociable to be displayed on front page by unchecking everything and selecting “Front page of the blog” only as shown in the image below.

2. Now goto SexyBookmarks settings and select Posts Only from the drop down “Posts, pages, or the whole shebang?” Please refer to the image below for your reference.

By doing this we will have sociable displayed on the Home page like this

and when people open the post they will see the SexyBookmarks only and Sociable will not be displayed. Like this ..

Thats it ! you are done configuring the most intuitive and impressive Social Bookmarking plugins on your Blog. Please comment if you like my post.

Watch out the demo of the same on this blog.

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