Word Play with Wordle

Thank you Jay-me for liking a post of mine. I am not a very graphic person but I enjoyed following links from your blog to Jonathan Feinberg’s Wordle which was so easy to use and such fun!

Go and make a Wordle today and post it on your blog! Or save it in the Public Gallery on Wordle.net and let me know and I’ll try and add it here…..worth a try…

I couldn’t resist having another go….

For more information on how to use the Wordle Programme read on…

For Mac Users: To take a partial screen grab with a Mac: press Command (Apple key on old keyboard) and shift together and hold them down. Then press 4. You will see a cross hair (like a gun sight) appear. You can let go of the keys now. You can then click and drag your mouse to make a rectangular shape over the area you want to grab. Once you release the mouse it will make a click sound like a camera (well it used to!) and should put a .png file of your screen shot on the desktop of your Mac.

Edit : For Windows users : To take screen grabs if you are unfamiliar with this procedure.

Go to this site and they show you very clearly how to do it. There’s even a little video on there showing you how to do it in Windows. If this is all a ‘bit much’, but you would like to have your Wordle on your computer (as I started this!) save the image to the Public Gallery on the Wordle site. Copy the link and let me know, by posting the link in your comment, and I will go and take a screen grab and email it to you and then it will be yours! I don’t promise to do it instantly but I’ll do my best.

Major Edit here:

OK I can either start again and write another post or just add on here so I’ll try that first….I’ve added some screen grabs below to try and illustrate the process. I’m not a pro at computer talk or step by steps so I hope this makes it a bit clearer. I’ve emailed the creator of the programme to make sure that he is Ok with me doing this…I just heard back from Mr Feinberg and he says it’s fine! Isn’t that nice?

I’m so scatty brained and I should have thought before I posted this Word Play post. My apologies to my lovely friends who always try and play along with my whims.

I’ve had another look at the site this morning and here are some instructions on how to use and save the Wordles to your blog. Providing you know how to cut and paste you should be allright.

Some tips.

Make the list of words you want to use before you enter them. If you want a word to stick to another one. i.e. Zeb Bakes together then you need to enter a tilde symbol between the two words like this

Zeb~Bakes

If you want a word to be more prominent, i.e. larger in size then you need to add it to the list twice or more

e.g

Zeb~Bakes Zeb~Bakes bread bread oats barley wheat rye milk sourdough sourdough.

Copy and paste your text into the Create window on the Wordle site as here and press Go:

This will generate an image which you can play with. Click on the Language, Font, Layout, Colour tabs to see what you can do… then when you are happy click on the Save to Public Gallery option in the bottom right hand corner…

a window like the one below will open asking you to input a title and so on, you can put anything you want or leave it anonymous. Just remember not to put your pin numbers and phone numbers and identifying data in there of course.

You don’t need to name it or put your name on it, but once you have done it, click OK. Then the programme will generate some code below the window.

Here is an example of what the code looks like and where to find it on the wordle site once you have saved your image there.

The code you need is highlighted in blue in the picture above and blown up as an example below…

If you are using a WordPress blog switch to the html view in your edit window and paste the code in and the magic of WordPress will make it appear as an image that links back to the Wordle site. I don’t know what happens in Blogger I’m afraid. Why not try copying and pasting the code below into a trial post and see if you can make it work?

        <a href="http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3196993/bakes_again"
          title="Wordle: bakes again"><img
          src="http://www.wordle.net/thumb/wrdl/3196993/bakes_again"
          alt="Wordle: bakes again"
          style="padding:4px;border:1px solid #ddd"></a>

Alternatively if you don’t want to bother with code, copy the browser address of your saved image from your browser and just post that in a comment and it will work like a clickable blog link does. i.e. like this http://www.wordle.net/show/wrdl/3196993/bakes_again

I have posted this one below in my reply to Debra as an example of how it comes out. If you click on the little image it will take you to the bigger image in the Gallery.

You can also save the image as an image using a screen grab as I described above and not save it at all in the Gallery on the public site.

36 thoughts on “Word Play with Wordle”

bagnidilucca 22/02/2011 at 1:07 pm

Is is easy for computer cretins?
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 1:30 pm
  
  Yes! You can do it! And I know you are not a cc ;) I am trying to restrain myself from wordling everywhere, like an incontinent puppy….
  1. bagnidilucca 23/02/2011 at 7:19 am
    
    I am actually fairly useless with a computer. I have taught myself to do basic stuff on the blog, but apart from that I have to ask for help with very ordinary things.
    1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author23/02/2011 at 8:18 am
      
      Hey don’t worry about it! It was just for fun. I can try and do a step by step on how to create and save a Wordle if you like but it might look a bit different if you have a PC from a Mac. Don’t want to cause stress here ;) I’ve just found the easy way to save them. Look! You make the wordle, save it to the public gallery and then they generate code below which you copy cut and paste like here. Eureka!
heidi 22/02/2011 at 1:44 pm

That is such a good image for you, Joanna!
I don’t think I could pull it off.
Honestly, I can only follow prompts meant for children.
But I like the look.
:)
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 1:51 pm
  
  I bet you can ! You just have to be able to type a list of words…. and click… pull down a couple of menus to change the font, colour scheme and so on. It’s not like photoshop – trust me :)
  1. heidi 23/02/2011 at 2:46 am
    
    I went and tried it. It was neat, but I couldn’t figure out how to save or grab it. :)= thanks!
    I really am a remedial computer user.
    Generally I call my son to help- but he’s busy with work and school and has NO time to help.
    I t was fun to see anyway
    1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author23/02/2011 at 8:20 am
      
      I’m sorry as I said above. I’ll make a step by step of how to save it to the gallery on the wordle site and maybe that will make it clearer.I’ve added a few more instructions above and I’ve done one for you that I’ve sent via email. It was just a bit of fun xx
      1. heidi 23/02/2011 at 2:02 pm
        
        Thanks! I put it up on my blog, today!
        You are a total sweet heart!
        <3
        
        Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author23/02/2011 at 10:29 pm
        
        :D
Suelle 22/02/2011 at 1:58 pm

I got a good selection of words for a Wordle cloud just by putting my blog address into the relevant section, rather than typing a lot of words, but I can’t figure out how to save a picture for my own use!
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author24/02/2011 at 1:11 am
  
  I see that you have resolved this for yourself. Well done!
bigdog5 22/02/2011 at 2:12 pm

I’ve had a go – here is my Wordle

follow the onscreen instructions – it is very easy x
Edited to add bigdog’s pic as a piccy….
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 7:46 pm
  
  Hi there my BigDog – I like the word passion stuck in the middle there ;)
drfugawe 22/02/2011 at 4:28 pm

Humm … more tech toys – I’ve got the feeling that this one will require me to reconstruct still more brain cells, and now-a-days, that hurts my head.

But, I do want to congratulate you on your ‘bronze’ medal – Good show. I used to enter my breads and jams into our annual County Fair, until I realized that unless I was willing to join the Fair volunteers group, and the old ladies association, and begin going to church too, I’d never win anything there – so now I’m my only judge, which I tell myself is no more subjective than allowing the old ladies of the Fair to judge them.
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 4:35 pm
  
  Ok I’ll do one for you :D
  
  It’s not a bronze as in third place bronze, more a grade, they mark your jar out of 20 points and I got 16 points. I’m not big on competitions either, but was glad I didn’t disgrace myself!
  
  There were over 1000 entries, and ironically I thought I would be fairly anonymous, living hundreds of miles away – only to get a note from my Dad saying an acquaintance of his had unpacked my jar at Dalemain and had emailed him to tell him!
Choclette 22/02/2011 at 7:39 pm

Sounds fun – will have a go and shout if I get stuck.
Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 22/02/2011 at 8:15 pm

Sounds like fun! Thanks Jo! :)
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author24/02/2011 at 8:06 am
  
  You’re welcome :D Thanks for the ‘sneak preview’ too, looks lovely Celia!
Choclette 22/02/2011 at 8:55 pm

Thanks for that Joanna – I spent rather more time than I should have done messing around with that. I’ve done one now but couldn’t work out how to do a screen shot from my mac – I don’t have an apple.
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 11:07 pm
  
  Sorry Choclette, apple key = the command key – it has two symbols on it an appple and a square with four little loops in the corner….no apple symbol on yours ? the one immediately adjacent to the space bar. Or you can use Grab if you have that application on your Mac. If you saved it to the gallery on the Wordle site I can take a screen shot for you and email it to you. I think I must be more of a geek than I realise….
  
  I’ve sent you an email with a pic of the right keys…. I have an old keyboard I think (oops)
  
  To take a partial screen grab with a Mac: press Command and shift together and hold them down. Then press 4. You will see a cross hair (like a gun sight) appear. You can let go of the keys then. You can then click and drag this as a rectangular shape over the area you want to grab. Once you release the mouse it will make a click sound like a camera (well it used to!) and should put a .png file of your screen shot on the desktop of your Mac.
  
  Thanks for the email! Glad to hear it all worked out and you can do screen shots now :)
Jay.me 22/02/2011 at 9:16 pm

Hi Joanna =)
You’re very welcome, I like your whole blog actually.
Thank you so much for the mention
–Happy baking!
Jay.me :)
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 11:08 pm
  
  Hi Jay.me, I had lots of fun and I shall be back to study fractals one of these days! ;D
cityhippyfarmgirl 22/02/2011 at 9:19 pm

:-) I’ve just spent far too long on that site playing! Saved it ok, but couldn’t work out how to put it in the comments. It’s funny seeing my blog in summary.
Thanks Joanna!
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author22/02/2011 at 11:09 pm
  
  If you kept a link to where you saved it, then I can add it, I don’t think you can add images direct to a comment on another blog. I haven’t tried cutting and pasting the code into a comment elsewhere. I imagine that would be up to the blog ‘owner’ to do – on the odd occasion I have added images to comments that people have made I’ve always had to tweak the comment to make it work. Glad you liked it Brydie!
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Christine 23/02/2011 at 8:10 pm

Oh, now this looks like fun! Fascinating to see what words come up most!
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author24/02/2011 at 12:44 am
  
  Hi Christine, you have total control over the words that go in.. but not the way they are juxtaposed against each other. It’s very clever! It is preset to 150 words but you can change that in the Layout menu. Apparently it is very popular in schools. I think you could make lovely cards and wrapping paper and book covers and well all sorts with it… if you were creative.. ;)
Kenneth 24/02/2011 at 10:25 am

Hello there.

I think Apple have dropped the Apple from at least some of their keyboards! It’s just cmd and a propellor sort of symbol on my latest keyboard.
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author24/02/2011 at 4:34 pm
  
  I think you’re right, my keyboard is old :)
C 24/02/2011 at 11:53 pm

Excellent! I can see I’m going to waste a lot of time with this, thanks Joanna! I just followed Sue’s instructions to screen grab and save in paint then crop, but must try the ‘proper’ way with code etc.
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author25/02/2011 at 12:23 am
  
  Whatever works for you C – glad to assist in wasting time any time :D
Choclette 01/03/2011 at 8:50 pm

Thanks for all your help on this Joanna. I’ve finally done a wee post about it.
1. Joanna @ Zeb Bakes Post author02/03/2011 at 12:13 am
  
  You’re welcome Choclette! I keep wanting to misquote Shakespeare “…who would wordles bear?” And another five minutes is lost forever while I pause and input a little Hamlet….
Misk Cooks 05/08/2011 at 3:23 pm

Weeeeeeeee! What fun! Thanks for pointer. :D
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