Dinosaur Toy Blog changes

[DinoToyForum]

B @bmathison1972 ...also, the buttons don't have to be so prominent. They don't even have to be buttons, they could be just text. But I do think lots of visitors used to miss the subtle light grey text below the title. These are a simple way to  navigate the site quickly so I want them to be more obvious. Making them match the top navigation menu seemed to make sense.

Edit - I shrunk the size of the buttons. I think it looks better.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

I did not want to start a new Thread, but when i try to open the Review for the Safari Tylosaurus (Yellowboy), it throws me to the front Page every time. Via Search, via Genus seach and so on. Quite random. Happens on 2 PCs.

[DinoToyForum]

I did not want to start a new Thread, but when i try to open the Review for the Safari Tylosaurus (Yellowboy), it throws me to the front Page every time. Via Search, via Genus seach and so on. Quite random. Happens on 2 PCs.

So it did, how odd! The url was pointing to a random number, which redirected to the front page. I just updated the url and the page works again now.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

I did not want to start a new Thread, but when i try to open the Review for the Safari Tylosaurus (Yellowboy), it throws me to the front Page every time. Via Search, via Genus seach and so on. Quite random. Happens on 2 PCs.

So it did, how odd! The url was pointing to a random number, which redirected to the front page. I just updated the url and the page works again now.

Fantastic and fast, great! Sounds really random

[DinoToyForum]

I've updated the search and filter function on the blog. Before it was only possible to search for a single category (company or higher taxonomy) or genus at a time. Now it is possible to combine categories and genera. So, for example, if someone wants so find all Jurassic World Pteranodon, they can now do so: https://dinotoyblog.com/category/jurassic-world/?tag=pteranodon

The blog is big enough that this functionality should come in handy. Let me know if it doesn't work properly1

OK, take two on the filter function after failing first time around! In addition to being able to stack filters (by Genus, Brand, Classification, and/or Author), you can now also custom sort the results as well. All the options are in the side bar for now. Try it out and let me know how you get on.

Edit: I have noticed some niggles. Filters don't seem to work from review pages. Filters are limited from archive pages. Sigh, it might be back to the drawing board again... but we're getting closer.

Edit 2. Scrap that, it wasn't working as I wanted it, so I've reverted to two simple (non stackable) drop downs. Kept the sort feature though, that's quite handy.

[DinoToyForum]

Third time lucky. Filters now appear at the top of each page on the blog. They can be used in conjunction with each other. Please test them out and let me know, firstly, whether they work, and secondly, what do you think?

Keep in mind that I'm still populating the Classification categories so some of the new ones will return no results yet.

[DinoToyForum]

I've added Happy Hen Toys to the list of supporters in the blog's links. They are generously providing DinoToyBlog reviewers with samples to review, so show Happy Hen Toys some love by visiting their online store, they have an excellent range of dinosaur figures: https://www.happyhentoys.com

[Takama]

Oh I noticed that the Blog wants me to disable my ad blocker.


Im inclined to turn it off now, but what sort of ads am i going to see?    Even with it on i used to still see ads like Dinosaur toys on amazon, now i cant go to the next page with out it nagging me to turn it off.

[Lynx]

I might turn on ad blocker because I got a pretty disturbing ad not long ago. I don't know if the ads are looked through are not, or if that's even something controllable

[DinoFan2010]

what was the ad?

[DinoToyForum]

There are three kinds of ads, Ebay ads, Amazon ads, and Google Adsense ads.

The Google Adsense ads are automated using a combination of metrics – site content, page content, user interests, and so on. Just today I got an ad for NHM's Wildlife Photographer contest, which is a good match for me!

But, more often, the ads seem a bit random. That happens when no good match is found. I can look through what ads have been shown and block them from appearing again. I can also block certain categories of ads entirely, e.g. weight loss, gambling/betting, which I have done, but I haven't blocked all categories, e.g. Dating, Alcohol.

What was the disturbing ad?

@Takama, does it ask you to turn off adblocker every time you load a page? Or just on the landing page?

[Lynx]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

[DinoToyForum]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

It sounds horrible. Do you know what the ad was meant to be for? I need something to search for if I am to find and block it.

[Gwangi]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

It sounds horrible. Do you know what the ad was meant to be for? I need something to search for if I am to find and block it.

Took a bit of sleuthing to figure out what the ad was for but it sounds like an advertisement for the elastic man game. I remember seeing it here too, though I never thought anything of it. It's a game where you can stretch and move a face that looks like Morty (from Rick & Morty) around. He's got bulging eyes, you can warp his face, etc. It's kind of fun to play with, not gonna lie.

Consider this your trigger warning before clicking.
https://www.adultswim.com/etcetera/elastic-man/

[Lynx]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

It sounds horrible. Do you know what the ad was meant to be for? I need something to search for if I am to find and block it.

No, I don't recall what the intention of the ad was.

[Lynx]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

It sounds horrible. Do you know what the ad was meant to be for? I need something to search for if I am to find and block it.

Took a bit of sleuthing to figure out what the ad was for but it sounds like an advertisement for the elastic man game. I remember seeing it here too, though I never thought anything of it. It's a game where you can stretch and move a face that looks like Morty (from Rick & Morty) around. He's got bulging eyes, you can warp his face, etc. It's kind of fun to play with, not gonna lie.

Consider this your trigger warning before clicking.
https://www.adultswim.com/etcetera/elastic-man/

No, I've seen an ad for that before. It isn't the same thing. The ad I am talking about was much more realistic.

[Stegotyranno420]

I really don't want to describe it. It had some eyeballs coming out of the sockets and a warped face, once again, I don't wish to go into detail.

It sounds horrible. Do you know what the ad was meant to be for? I need something to search for if I am to find and block it.

Took a bit of sleuthing to figure out what the ad was for but it sounds like an advertisement for the elastic man game. I remember seeing it here too, though I never thought anything of it. It's a game where you can stretch and move a face that looks like Morty (from Rick & Morty) around. He's got bulging eyes, you can warp his face, etc. It's kind of fun to play with, not gonna lie.

Consider this your trigger warning before clicking.
https://www.adultswim.com/etcetera/elastic-man/

Yeah, that is what I was thinking of. But if it is not that, I don't think I want to know what it really is...

[Takama]

There are three kinds of ads, Ebay ads, Amazon ads, and Google Adsense ads.

The Google Adsense ads are automated using a combination of metrics – site content, page content, user interests, and so on. Just today I got an ad for NHM's Wildlife Photographer contest, which is a good match for me!

But, more often, the ads seem a bit random. That happens when no good match is found. I can look through what ads have been shown and block them from appearing again. I can also block certain categories of ads entirely, e.g. weight loss, gambling/betting, which I have done, but I haven't blocked all categories, e.g. Dating, Alcohol.

What was the disturbing ad?

@Takama, does it ask you to turn off adblocker every time you load a page? Or just on the landing page?

Every time I load a page. I have to CLick that X to get it out of the way.

[DinoToyForum]

There are three kinds of ads, Ebay ads, Amazon ads, and Google Adsense ads.

The Google Adsense ads are automated using a combination of metrics – site content, page content, user interests, and so on. Just today I got an ad for NHM's Wildlife Photographer contest, which is a good match for me!

But, more often, the ads seem a bit random. That happens when no good match is found. I can look through what ads have been shown and block them from appearing again. I can also block certain categories of ads entirely, e.g. weight loss, gambling/betting, which I have done, but I haven't blocked all categories, e.g. Dating, Alcohol.

What was the disturbing ad?

@Takama, does it ask you to turn off adblocker every time you load a page? Or just on the landing page?

Every time I load a page. I have to CLick that X to get it out of the way.

Urg, that's far too intrusive. Let me see if I can make it so it only appears one time.

[Gwangi]

@DinoToyForum, I've got a review ready to post, pictures and links inserted and everything, and there's no option to publish it or even save a draft. I am also unable to tag the review or upload a featured image.