Importing/Exporting - an Overview

With the advent Importing and Exporting via the Blogger in Draft, (Settings - Basic), it is now possible to copy a blog, or posts, from one blog, to another blog - essentially backing-up your blog. This feature is now, thank goodness, available on Production Blogger - see your Settings - Basic screen.

Of course, it would be ideal to create a new blog to receive the Imported XML file. Unfortunately, you can't use the same name (URL), as Importing and Exporting is only done Blogger blog to Blogger blog, at the moment - although Blogger is endeavouring to get their AOL Transfer to Blogger working.

* Before any attempt at Importing/Exporting your treasured blog, I would recommend creating a 'Testing Blog', like I have, like Nitecruzr has, like most experienced Bloggers would have. They cost nothing and you can practice on them - not on your 'one and only'. They're FREE!

The steps required are few, and the task is relatively easy. Set-up a New Blog (if required) to receive the Imported file. Next, make a copy (back-up) of the Template of the Blog you wish to Export.

The Export XML file generated, is Atom-formatted, and is designed for easy uploading as a back-up file.

• The first step would be to create a Folder on your computer - say, in My Documents.
• Then select Blogger-In-Draft, which will open your Dashboard in Draft Format.
  
• Select Settings for the Blog you wish to copy from.
• At the top of the screen, is the first Option, Blog Tools - Import Blog - Export Blog - Delete Blog. Don't click 'Delete Blog' - as Blogger-In-Draft says, "(... Don’t worry about accidentally clicking it (Delete Blog), though; your blog wouldn’t be deleted until you confirmed on the next page.)"
• Next step is to select Export Blog.

You now have a stored XML file of your Blog. This can be used as a storage copy, or for adding certain posts to another Blog, or for creating a New Blog.

I found NO problems in the exercises I did with the Export function, although I had no comments attached to those Testing Blogs. Blogger-In-Draft has attracted a few concerns - read the Comments. The Export function works very well, although, until you get used to it, be watchful. I wouldn't practice on a valuable Blog, either. Create some 'Testers'.

How easy is that? Extremely so. And what you do next has several possibilities.



The Importing feature is a little more complicated if you only want to import some posts, not the whole blog. Importing a whole blog is simply uploading the XML file you just created. Lets call your blogs, Blog A and Blog B. You have already exported the XML file from Blog A, and it's awaiting you in the folder you created.

Next, go to the Draft Blogger 'Settings' screen of "Blog B", and click on 'Import Blog'.

The next screen allows you to select the XML file you just made

To Import ALL posts from the XML file, in other words, the whole blog, 'check' the Automatically Publish box... otherwise, you'll have to do them all individually, like when Importing only certain Post(s)

Notice the dates of the Imported Posts, will remain as they were in the original Blog, Blog A, and are automatically sorted/integrated into your 'new' blog - Blog B.

My Testing 3 Blog, had two posts on it, when I Imported a copy of My Last Legs blog. All the posts, including Images, were added from the XML file I created, and integrated in date order...exactly as they had been in the original blog.

Importing a 'Blog', or creating a 'Back-up' copy of a blog with Blogger-in-draft, pertains ONLY to the Posts on that blog... not the Template!

To make a FULL (Mirror) copy of your Blog, and Template, try HTTrack - it's the one I use. Then copy to a disc. This does not exclude you from making a 'back-up' copy of your Template html, which you should at every opportunity.

So, in summary, Importing /Exporting of a Blogger blog to another Blogger blog is a very easy, and workable process - provided you follow the steps.


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