Blogging with Windows Live Writer

More and more users are blogging about Microsoft Dynamics. Not only here on the Dynamics User Group but everywhere. And to help people with many blogs and people who just like to do the “work” offline and then publish, then Microsoft has created the Windows Live Writer (WLW) as a part of their Windows Live Suite.

Last year David Singleton wrote a splendid blog about creating a blog directly from word. That was before Windows Live Writer was released. I don’t really know how many are actually using Word for this purpose. But I know that some users are very happy with Windows Live Writer for this. This post here will not be as fancy and colorful as David’s post. But in my opinion it is also much easier to use WLW for this, than Microsoft Word.

In fact the below guide can be used for any blog using Community Server (2007-2008).

Here is how to do it

When you start up Windows Live Writer you must first select what service the blog is using. And here on DynamicsUser.net we are using Community Server (Telligent). That means that you must select “Other blog service”.

Then you must enter you blog URL. You see for my own on DUG it’s http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/admin/

And then your DUG username and password.

Next WLW will start checking your blog (if the username/password is correct etc.).

As a part of this WLW will ask you to post a control post to the blog. Say yes to this.

Then you must select what the blog type is. Here you must select “Community Server” from the list.

You must also enter the name of the “Remote posting URL” for your blog. WLW will suggest http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/metablog.ashx – please add your blog directory to this like in my example it will be suggest http://dynamicsuser.net/blogs/admin/metablog.ashx.

Now you’re almost done. You just need to edit the name you want the blog listed as on your PC.

Then it’s just to start blogging. Write your blog posts. Add you pictures (just drop them into Windows Live Writer and they’ll be uploaded to your blog). And when done, just hit publish.

That’s it!   Happy blogging.

PS: If you don’t already have a blog here at http://dynamicsuser.net then please contact me and I’ll setup one for you. Please ask any questions about the “act of blogging” in the “Bloggers Forum” here on the user group.