WordPress 3.9 Lost Functionality, Image Borders, and Margins

wordpress
With “Advanced Image Styles” plug-in, borders and margins can again, be easily set.

I just updated to WordPress 3.9 and with my first post, was disappointed. When an image is placed in a post, the text is smashed right up to the image.  In older versions, a margin of space could be put around the image, along with a border if wanted.  This needed functionality is now lost with WordPress 3.9.

Thankfully one of the developers created a plug-in called “Advanced Image Styles”.  This returns some of the functionality lost with this version of WordPress.  In older versions, there were more options to scale images that are gone now also.  It is kind of interesting that one of their own developers wrote this plug-in, to try to compensate what they took out.

For now at lease, install the “Advanced Image Styles” plug-in to get some of the functions back.  Maybe if enough people scream, they will put it back in.

**EDIT** It seems that when a caption is added to the image, as the one above, the caption width is not adjusted to compensate for the width of the image plus the margin widths.  I manually adjusted the code to make it look right.  I left a comment on the plug-in’s development page about it.

**Another EDIT** The plug-in author responded to my comment on the plug-in’s development page and pointed out that the caption width didn’t work in the previous version of WordPress either.  I all fairness, I realize that I should not suggest this is something he should fix in his plug-in.  As Gregory pointed out,

Ideally, this flexibility would be added to core.

-John. K7JM

WordPress 3.9 Jetpack Update Failure

wordpress I use WordPress as my blogging software.  Lately, my software updates have been failing.  Blogging software and other web/Internet software needs to be updated when there are discovered vulnerabilities just like other software.  I also use something called Jetpack that provides statistics and other functions for my blog.  It also needed to be updated and was failing.

To fix this:

  • First, log into your web site administration control panel however you do it.  For me, it is cpanel. Get into your file manager and find your plugin directory.  If you have ssh access, you can also do it via the command line.
  • Find the jetpack directory inside your plugins directory and delete the whole jetpack directory.  The plugins directory is inside of the wp-content directory.
  • Do a plugins update if required for other plugins
  • Do a WordPress update.  It took quite a while for me.  If it asks you to do a database update, do it.
  • Reinstall the Jetpack plugin and activate it if necessary.
  • Have fun.

I hope this helps someone with a similar problem.

-John – K7JM

The Amateur Amateur

Click to read “The Amateur Amateur”

I’ve enjoyed reading Gary Hoffman’s, KB0H, “The Amateur Amateur” on the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) web site for years.  The ARRL no longer publishes Gary’s articles, but he still writes them.  In Gary’s own words:

The Amateur Amateur is a column about my experiences in ham radio. Since I have little technical expertise and not much knowledge of electronics, I make a lot of mistakes. I consider myself to be just an amateur amateur radio operator, but I keep pressing on and trying new things. This column details my triumphs – and foibles – and I try not to take myself too seriously. Whether you are an experienced ham or new to the hobby, I hope you find these chronicles of my efforts to be entertaining.

Gary Ross Hoffman, KB0H

Gary’s “The Amateur Amateur” columns are available HERE.
Enjoy! -John, K7JM