GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

• Mar 24, 2007
• 7 Comments
• Print

It appears to me that Windows Live Writer completely ignores categories returned by the getRecentPosts Metaweblog API method.

It took me a long time to realize this because I write all my posts using WLW and it stores the categories for a recent post on the local machine. So as long as I do everything via WLW, I’d never notice.

But a recent bug report alerted me to the problem. I logged into my blog via the web admin interface and changed the categories. I refreshed the recent posts in WLW and opened up a post, and sure enough the categories for the post were not updated.

I was experiencing the same thing in Blogjet, but after making a small tweak in the code, everything works fine in BlogJet. Unfortunately WLW is still broken in this respect.

I’ve carefully analyzed the HTTP traffic with Fiddler and cannot figure out why this would happen. Everything looks absolutely correct on Subtext’s end. I must conclude it’s a bug with WLW.

Would someone be so kind to confirm this with a different blog engine for me? Just run through the repro steps I mentioned above and let me know if it really works for you. I’d really be grateful.

Just to be clear: Repro Steps

1. Create a post with no categories.
2. Use another tool (such as your blog's web admin) to specify several categories.
3. In Windows Live Writer, refresh the recent posts.
4. Click on the post to edit it.
5. Check whether or not the correct categories are selected in the category drop down.

Thanks Mucho!

What others have said

Keyvan Nayyeri Mar 24, 2007 2:32 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

Yes, I noticed (and experienced) this with my Community Server blog but never persisted on it.

Mike Ward Mar 24, 2007 5:41 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

I'm seeing it with Bloget as well.

Joe Cheng [MSFT] Mar 24, 2007 8:11 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

Hi there,

WLW has a bug (actually more of a "limitation") in that we never pick up changes to the server at all if we already have a local copy. This will be fixed in the next release, including categories.

I believe Community Server has/had their own bug where the categories were never returned. But if you are looking in Fiddler and the responses look OK, then our next release will fix it.

Thanks...

Otto Mar 24, 2007 8:58 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

Same results in dasBlog. If you want to update the categories that Windows Live Writer sees, you have to refresh it in the categories drop down list.

BTW, I'm really considering moving to Subtext from dasBlog and I was wondering if the BlogML tools have improved? I don't want to spend a weekend moving my blog...

Haacked Mar 24, 2007 10:27 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

@Joe: Thanks for the update! Whew! I can stop banging my head against this trying to find the (non-existent) bug in Subtext. :D

simone Mar 25, 2007 1:31 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

@Joe: any idea on the next release date? It's a long time since the last one

Rick Strahl Mar 25, 2007 3:58 AM

# re: GetRecentPost Ignores Categories In Windows Live Writer

Same thing here. One thing I really wish you could do with Live Writer is create new categories. The checkbox list just doesn't really cut it when the blog allows free-form categories.

Incidentally it's one of hte things that Word Blog plugin does really well.

What do you have to say?

Title:

Name:

Email: (never displayed) (will show your gravatar)

Website:

Comment: Allowed tags: blockquote, a, strong, em, p, u, strike, super, sub, code

Please add 2 and 1 and type the answer here: