When I begin writing an entry, I start with the entry title, the entry tags, the excerpt, and then I type the post. Usually, after I’m done, I decide what category (or categories) the entry belongs in. The problem is, sometimes none of the categories are applicable, so I have to create a new one. If I want to create a new category, I don’t just have to open a new tab to reserve all that I wrote, but I have to go from Manage to Categories to Add New Category, type the Category, submit it, and then close the tab. On top of all that, you have to refresh the page where you’re typing your post to check the new category’s checkbox, meaning you could potentially lose everything you already typed! Well, you’ll be relieved to know that you don’t have to do that anymore.
Introducing SpeedyCat, the quick way to add categories to your blog. SpeedyCat adds a small “Add Category” section below the “Post Password” section in the sidebar of the admin interface. There’s only one field, and an “Add” button. You type the name of the new category, and hit “Add,” and bam! The field is cleared, JavaScript sends a request to add that category to the database, and a new category appears at the end of the list of existing categories (already checked for you!). Adding categories to Wordpress has never been easier!
Setup and install is easy as one, two, three… four, five: grab the plugin source (or download the ZIP file containing the PHP file and a readme), save it as a PHP file (or extract the PHP file from the ZIP archive), and upload it (the PHP file) to your /wp-content/plugins/ directory, run over to the Plugins panel of your admin control panel and activate the “SpeedyCat” plugin, and go to the “Write” panel to test it out! What do you think?
Oh yea, a note to Opera users: this plugin may not work for you, since Opera doesn’t support XMLHttp requests. It will work in any browser with JS disabled (it degrades gracefully), but obviously the functionality is very limited in that case. For IE and Firefox users, though, everything should go smoothly.
Update (8/25/05): I updated Speedy Cat to be compatible with the default Wordpress theme.
[…] ace a contact form on your posts/pages. LMB Box File Press - Allows you to upload files. Speedy Cat - Add new categories quickly Categorizing Posts: In Series - Lets you link posts […]
June 18th, 2005 at 11:20 pm
Great plugin! Not being able to add categories on the fly is something that’s been bugging me as well. A thing that springs to mind when testing it, is that add category very well could be just a link which would call the add-form with text input field + selectbox to choose category parent…
Then again, after having a quick lookthrough at wp 1.6, it might be better to wait for that release, since much is changing in the write panel.
June 23rd, 2005 at 12:00 pm
Speedy Cat is a (hopefully) temporary solution, but thanks for the suggestion! If I update the plugin, I’ll have to add your idea.
June 23rd, 2005 at 5:12 pm
Cool plugin.
Anyone else have a problem with the Add Catagory section kind of floating behind everything else on the Write panel?
July 4th, 2005 at 1:57 pm
That’s the problem I’m having, too. (Hidden behind the excerpt text box. Any suggestions?
July 5th, 2005 at 8:47 pm
I haven’t had an issue with it, but if you have some decent JavaScript programming skills, you might edit the plugin so that it places the Add Category section elsewhere. Any ideas as to how I can reproduce this to fix it? Maybe it’s the theme you guys are using?
July 5th, 2005 at 9:07 pm
It seems to be an issue with using advanced controls vs. simple controls. It locates fine in simple mode, but gets hidden in advanced. I’ll have to take a further look later.
July 5th, 2005 at 9:19 pm
[…] The movable/collapsible blocks are just a novelty in my opinion and after using the new page for a few weeks it really hasn’t changed how I use the page at all. I did however just find another useful plugin, Speedy Cat that allows you to add categories while creating a new post without leaving the Write Post screen with some of that AJAX magic that we all know and love! […]
July 17th, 2005 at 12:05 pm
Yes Jim, I have the same problem. Advanced it floats and simple it’s ok at the very bottom.
I’m looking at the styling and js now.
July 19th, 2005 at 12:21 am
[…] SpeedyCat - Kategorien im “Beitrag schreiben”-Screen hinzufügen […]
July 21st, 2005 at 11:13 am
Has anyone figured out how to place this form box within the default admin theme and not float behind other things??
August 25th, 2005 at 3:26 pm
I’m almost positive the theme is the problem at hand. I’m going to try to fix it and make a new blog entry discussing it, since apparently it’s causing a lot of people trouble.
August 25th, 2005 at 4:13 pm
[…] Slightly Remarkable Has released a bug fix for their Speedy Cat plugin. Fixed is a bug working with the default admin panel. The plugin allows for on the fly category creation from the write panel, vs the default manner. (*Note, this concept is being incorporated into 1.6 of WP) […]
August 26th, 2005 at 11:59 am
Man, am I the only one who avoids all this by picking a category before I write a post, lol?
August 26th, 2005 at 6:18 pm
Tried your plugin. Activated it and it inserts a new category but doesn’t allow the post to be processed. After I press submit, it returns to the Write window as if nothing has happened and then where ever I have used an apostrophy in a word, it is replaced with a / symbol.
I am using Jeromes Keywords plugin and your plugin is featured right below it on the “Write” page.
Any suggestions?
Thanks
December 12th, 2005 at 9:27 pm
That’s interesting, Randy. Are you sure it was my plugin that caused the problem? Perhaps it was my plugin in conjunction with another one that caused the problem.
December 12th, 2005 at 11:37 pm
I turned off all plugins except yours. It still does not let me process a post after pressing submit.
Any suggestions?
December 13th, 2005 at 10:49 pm
Randy, I’m afraid I can’t see how my plugin would cause that problem, as it doesn’t interface with the submission form, except to insert a new checkbox, but it should not stop the form from submitting. Do you get any errors? If not, perhaps you’re using a CP-theme that is not WP-Tiger Admin or the default Wordpress admin CP, and that may be causing a problem. Otherwise, I honestly don’t know what to tell you.
December 14th, 2005 at 2:47 pm
[…] Speedy Cat […]
January 17th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
I think the Wordpress developers were listening to you when they developed 2.0… You can now create a category on the fly when you write a post. :-)
January 18th, 2006 at 1:41 am
A great site where one can enjoy the thought of a great mind long departed. Cheers for the good work!
February 20th, 2006 at 9:06 am
i’ll hve to give it a wurl
March 16th, 2006 at 8:29 am
Does this work on Wordpress 2.0 also? I activate it, and nothing happens.
October 11th, 2006 at 11:38 am
u can just see it in firefox or opera,it doesnt work in ie
February 7th, 2008 at 11:11 am