Thread

I’m just learning about what a trackback is, and how the trackback module works so I’m hoping these will be easy questions to answer.
I read the docs on the trackback module, found the code below, and inserted it onto a page where a single weblog is displayed.

{exp:trackback:entries}

{title}

{content}
<div class=“posted”>Tracked on: {weblog_name} ({trackback_ip}) at {trackback_date format="%Y %m %d %H:%i:%s"}</div>
{/exp:trackback:entries}

1. Do I enter the {exp:trackback tag inside a weblog tag or just after the weblog tag?
2. I assume if I use this given tag and someone links to this specific article, then my website will display the trackback info, is this correct?
3. Are the variables, {title} {content} {trackback_url} etc. fixed variable names or do I have to change them to match a specific weblog, and if I change them, where do I find the value for {trackback_url} or {trackback_ip} etc.
4. How can i test if a trackback is working?  Do I need to link to one of my weblogs from another website or just from within one of my other pages to test it?

I’m just learning about what a trackback is, and how the trackback module works so I’m hoping these will be easy questions to answer.

Why waste your time? Trackback is dead, it’s spammer heaven.

1. Do I enter the {exp:trackback tag inside a weblog tag or just after the weblog tag?

Which exp:trackback tag? The one to give the URL for your entries, or the one to show incoming trackbacks?

2. I assume if I use this given tag and someone links to this specific article, then my website will display the trackback info, is this correct?

Only if they specifically use your trackback URL and have a system that sends trackbacks appropriately.

3. Are the variables, {title} {content} {trackback_url} etc. fixed variable names or do I have to change them to match a specific weblog, and if I change them, where do I find the value for {trackback_url} or {trackback_ip} etc.

Those are variables for information from the incoming trackback.

4. How can i test if a trackback is working?  Do I need to link to one of my weblogs from another website or just from within one of my other pages to test it?

You can send a test trackback from another entry on your site.

I’ve been asked to look into trackback and learn how to set it up, I don’t know anything about it other than what I’ve read on the EE site and wikipedia. If it’s dead, then why does EE have a trackback module packaged with the professional version?

I have no strong opinion about using it or not, is there a better alternative?

We have a trackback module because people want to use it, but the first thing I *personally* do is disable it.

I don’t know of any other options.  You’re welcome to use it, and I did answer your other questions, but I’d *seriously* investigate if you really want that functionality.

Okay, I’d prefer not to use it actually, then I can spend my time doing something more productive 😊

I read the docs on the module, but there’s not much content there, and it’s still unclear to me what its purpose is.  Could you give me an idea of what it does and its pros and cons?  You mentioned spam, is this the main drawback?  Do you end up getting bogus links tracked back to your site and posted on your site?  I certainly don’t want to deal with that, since i already have that problem with freeform.

The trackback system is one that was developed by SixApart - and yes, that is what I mean.  If you google “trackback spam” you’ll find out what I’m talking about.  While you’re at it, I’d recommend a google search for “what is trackback?” - our documentation only explains how to implement, not its purpose or what it’s for, or how to use it - that’s a bit beyond the scope of our documentation. =)

Fair enough. I have done a google search on “what is trackback” etc. However, knowing a little about how trackback works specically in EE, how to implement it, and also some working examples can really make documentation more useful imo. I like EE, but my biggest complaint is the documentation.

django, if you have suggestions for the documentation, then I welcome you to post them in our Feature Request forum.  Things like working examples, etc, however are why things like commenting in the documentation and the wiki exist. =)

Okay, I can do that.