The Expandable Recent Comments widget for Blogger is a very accessible widget that can be collapsed or expanded through user interaction, so we don't have to click the author's name or post title link in order to read the content of a comment. The expanding content can be shown or hidden by clicking the plus/minus icon or by hitting the "Show all" or "Hide all" button.

recent comments widget, blogger gadgets, blogspot tricks

To add the Expandable Recent Comments widget for Blogger, please follow the next steps below:

Adding Expandable Recent Comments Widget to Blogger

1. From your Blogger dashboard, go to "Layout", then click on "Add a Gadget" link:


2. When the pop-up window appears, scroll down and select the "HTML/JavaScript" widget:


3. Copy and paste this code inside the empty box:
<style type="text/css">.row-div {margin-bottom:10px;}.comment-header {margin:10px 0;}.comment-box{margin:0px;padding:0px;font-size:0.9em;height:330px;overflow:auto;}.comments1{padding:3px;border-left:1px dashed #A6A6A6;color: #888888;font-style: italic;padding:0px 10px 10px 10px;margin-bottom:10px;}
</style>
<div style="text-align: center" class="comment-header"><input class="comment-button" id="commshowall" type="button" onclick="if (this.value == &#39;Show all&#39;) { unfold_all(this); this.value=&#39;Hide all&#39;; } else { fold_all(this); this.value=&#39;Show all&#39;; }" value="Show all" /></div>
<div class="comment-box">
<script type="text/javascript">
var tgl=false;var title_arr=new Array();var arr=0;var err="[err]";var icon_expand="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MxGZTemGwiI/UXqAWpaVj0I/AAAAAAAADTU/-hwcbgEiCEI/s1600/icon-plus.png";var icon_collapse="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6nL3BgBD6pM/UXqAWZQJIBI/AAAAAAAADTQ/7IjUXA0avYU/s1600/icon-minus+copy.png";var maxcomments=20;function real_posttitle(postid){for(var i=0;i<title_arr.length;i++){if(title_arr[i][0]==postid)return title_arr[i][1];}
return err;}
function showrecentposts(json){var numposts=999999;for(i=0;i<numposts;i++){var entry=json.feed.entry[i];var postid;var title;if(i==json.feed.entry.length)break;for(var k=0;k<200;k++){if(entry.link[k].rel=='self'){postid=entry.link[k].href;postid=postid.substr(postid.lastIndexOf("/")+1,100);}
if(entry.link[k].rel=='alternate'){title=entry.link[k].title;break;}}
title_arr[arr]=postid+"&#176;"+title;title_arr[arr]=title_arr[arr].split("&#176;");++arr;}}
function unfold(el){var comid=el.id.substr(8,10);if(el.src==icon_expand){el.src=icon_collapse;document.getElementById("com_id"+comid).style.display="block";}else{el.src=icon_expand;document.getElementById("com_id"+comid).style.display="none";}}
function unfold_all(el){try{for(var i=0;i<maxcomments;i++){document.getElementById("com_id"+i).style.display="block";document.getElementById("click_id"+i).src=icon_collapse;}}catch(e){;}
el.value='Show all';}
function fold_all(el){try{for(var i=0;i<maxcomments;i++){document.getElementById("com_id"+i).style.display="none";document.getElementById("click_id"+i).src=icon_expand;}}catch(e){;}
el.value='Hide all';}
function showrecentcomments(json){var numcomments=999999;var postid;var i=0;for(i=0;i<numcomments;i++){var entry=json.feed.entry[i];var alturl;var anonymous=false;if(i==json.feed.entry.length)break;for(var k=0;k<entry.link.length;k++){if(entry.link[k].rel=='self'){postid=entry.link[k].href.split("/");postid=postid[5];}
if(entry.link[k].rel=='alternate'){alturl=entry.link[k].href;break;}}
var postlink=alturl.split("#");postlink=postlink[0];var linktext=postlink.split("/");linktext=linktext[5];linktext=linktext.split(".html");linktext=linktext[0];var profilelink="";try{profilelink=entry.author[0].uri.$t;}catch(e)
{anonymous=true;};var posttitle=real_posttitle(postid);if(posttitle==err){posttitle=linktext.replace(/-/g," ");}
var commentdate=entry.published.$t;var cdyear=commentdate.substring(0,4);var cdmonth=commentdate.substring(5,7);var cdday=commentdate.substring(8,10);var ctime=commentdate.substr(11,5);var monthnames=new Array();monthnames[1]="january";monthnames[2]="february";monthnames[3]="march";monthnames[4]="april";monthnames[5]="may";monthnames[6]="june";monthnames[7]="july";monthnames[8]="august";monthnames[9]="september";monthnames[10]="october";monthnames[11]="november";monthnames[12]="december";if("content"in entry){var comment=entry.content.$t;}
else
if("summary"in entry){var comment=entry.summary.$t;}else var comment="";if(i<maxcomments){if(tgl){tgl=false;var cl="row-a";}else{tgl=true;var cl="row-b";}
document.write('<div class="'+cl+' row-div"><img id="click_id'+i);document.write('" style="cursor:pointer;" onclick="unfold(this);"');document.write('src="'+icon_expand+'" />&nbsp;');document.write('On '+cdday+' '+monthnames[parseInt(cdmonth,10)]+' '+cdyear);document.write(', at '+ctime+', ');if(anonymous==false){document.write('<a href="'+profilelink+'">'+entry.author[0].name.$t+'</a> ');}else{document.write(entry.author[0].name.$t+' ');}
document.write('commented on <a href="'+alturl+'">'+posttitle+'</a>');document.write('</div>');document.write('<div class="comments1" id="com_id'+i+'" style="display:none;">'+comment+'<\/div>');}}
document.getElementById("numcom").innerHTML=i;}
</script><script type="text/javascript"  src="http://helplogger.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?start-index=1&max-results=999999&alt=json-in-script&callback=showrecentposts"></script><script type="text/javascript"  src="http://helplogger.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default?start-index=1&max-results=999999&alt=json-in-script&callback=showrecentcomments">
</script></div>

Note: Replace http://helplogger.blogspot.com with the URL address of your blog or site.

4. Save the expandable recent comments widget for Blogger / Blogspot by clicking on the 'Save' button... and you're done!
In one of the previous tutorials we shared a simple Recent Comments widget that displays the latest comments published on the blog posts. However, the main downside was that the widget didn't have the option to show the users' avatars. So, for those who'd like to see something more, here's a stylish Recent comments widget with round avatars and comment excerpts. Besides providing the option of displaying the commenters avatars, we'll be able to change the default image for the anonymous avatar as well.

So, let's begin adding this cool recent comments widget in our Blogger blog...


How to add recent comments widget with avatars

Step 1. Go to Blogger Dashboard and select your blog > go to 'Layout' and click the 'Add a Gadget' link:

avatars, recent comments blogger, blogger widgets

Step 2. When the pop-up window appears, scroll down and choose the 'HTML/JavaScript' gadget:


Step 3. Copy and paste the code for the recent comments widget inside the empty box:
<style type="text/css">
ul.helploggercomments{list-style: none;margin: 0;padding: 0;}
.helploggercomments li {background: none !important;margin: 0 0 6px !important;padding: 0 0 6px 0 !important;display: block;clear: both;overflow: hidden;list-style: none;word-break:break-all;}
.helploggercomments li .avatarImage {padding: 3px;
background: #fefefe;-webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 1px #ccc;-moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 1px #ccc;box-shadow: 0 1px 1px #ccc;float: left;margin: 0 6px 0 0;position: relative;overflow: hidden;}
.avatarRound {-webkit-border-radius: 100px;-moz-border-radius: 100px;border-radius: 100px;}
.helploggercomments li img {padding: 0px;position: relative;overflow: hidden;display: block;}
.helploggercomments li span {margin-top: 4px;color: #666;display: block;font-size: 12px;font-style: italic;line-height: 1.4;}
</style>
<script type="text/javascript">
//<![CDATA[
// Recent Comments Settings
var numComments  = 5,
showAvatar  = true,
avatarSize  = 60,
roundAvatar = true,
characters  = 40,
showMorelink = false,
moreLinktext = "More »",
defaultAvatar  = "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRSVCXNxbAc/UrbxxXd06YI/AAAAAAAAFl4/332qncR9pD4/s1600/default-avatar.jpg",
hideCredits = true;
//]]>
</script>
<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="/feeds/comments/default?alt=json&callback=helploggercomments&max-results=5"></script><div style="font-size: 10px; float: right; margin-top: -15px">Get this <a href="http://helplogger.blogspot.com/2012/03/add-recent-comments-widget-with-avatar.html">Recent Comments Widget</a></div>
Note:
- if you want square avatars instead of round, remove the line in red;
- by default, the recent comments widget with avatars will display 5 comments. If you need to show more, replace the "5" value in red;
- to change the avatar for anonymous users, replace the following address with the URL of your picture:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SRSVCXNxbAc/UrbxxXd06YI/AAAAAAAAFl4/332qncR9pD4/s1600/default-avatar.jpg
- to change the size of the avatar, replace 60 value in green

Step 4. After changing these settings, click the 'Save' button and we're done!

From now on, when a reader sees the recent comments widget with avatars for Blogger in the sidebar, he thinks that your blog is pretty active and that encourages him to post comments on your blog. This way, you can gather some active user base to comment on your blog posts.
This Recent Comments Widget for Blogger will display the most recent comments on your blog's sidebar, showing a snippet of the last comments along with the title of the post where the comment was made. The comments will be gathered in descending order with the newest comments at the top and the older ones at the bottom.

The gadget is coded in JavaScript and styled with CSS but there hasn't been added too much, so that it could fit the color scheme of your Blogger template.

Parameters to be configured:

a. Number of comments - total number of comments to display;
b. Date on which the comment has been published - either display or hide it;
c. Posts on which a comment has been made - you can either hide the post titles or show them;
d. Number of words per comment excerpt - the first "n'' words of the comment will be listed.

To add the Recent Comment Widget to a Blogger blog is very easy.  Just follow the next steps below:

How To Add Recent Comments Widget to Blogger

Step 1. Log in to your Blogger Dashboard, select your blog > go to "Layout" and click the "Add a Gadget" link:


Step 2. From the pop-up window, scroll down and click on the "HTML/JavaScript" option:


Step 3. Copy and paste the below code in the HTML/JavaScript box:
<script type="text/javascript">
var a_rc = 5;
var m_rc = false;
var n_rc = true;
var o_rc = 100;
function showrecentcomments(e){for(var r=0;r<a_rc;r++){var t,n=e.feed.entry[r];if(r==e.feed.entry.length)break;for(var i=0;i<n.link.length;i++)if("alternate"==n.link[i].rel){t=n.link[i].href;break}t=t.replace("#","#");var a=t.split("#");a=a[0];var c=a.split("/");c=c[5],c=c.split(".html"),c=c[0];var s=c.replace(/-/g," ");s=s.link(a);var o=n.published.$t,l=(o.substring(0,4),o.substring(5,7)),u=o.substring(8,10),m=new Array;if(m[1]="Jan",m[2]="Feb",m[3]="Mar",m[4]="Apr",m[5]="May",m[6]="Jun",m[7]="Jul",m[8]="Aug",m[9]="Sep",m[10]="Oct",m[11]="Nov",m[12]="Dec","content"in n)var d=n.content.$t;else if("summary"in n)var d=n.summary.$t;else var d="";var v=/<\S[^>]*>/g;if(d=d.replace(v,""),document.write('<div class="rcw-comments">'),1==m_rc&&document.write("On "+m[parseInt(l,10)]+" "+u+" "),document.write('<span class="author-rc"><a href="'+t+'">'+n.author[0].name.$t+"</a></span> commented"),1==n_rc&&document.write(" on "+s),0==o_rc)document.write("</div>");else if(document.write(": "),d.length<o_rc)document.write("<i>&#8220;"),document.write(d),document.write("&#8221;</i></div>");else{document.write("<i>&#8220;"),d=d.substring(0,o_rc);var w=d.lastIndexOf(" ");d=d.substring(0,w),document.write(d+"&hellip;&#8221;</i></div>"),document.write("")}}}
</script><script src=http://your-blog-name.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default?alt=json-in-script&callback=showrecentcomments></script><div style="font-size: 10px; float: right;">Get this <a href="http://helplogger.blogspot.com/2012/03/recent-comments-widget-for-blogger.html">Recent Comments Widget</a></div>
<style type="text/css">
.rcw-comments a {text-transform: capitalize;}
.rcw-comments {border-bottom: 1px dotted;padding: 7px 0;}
</style>

Step 4. Replace http://your-blog-name.blogspot.com with your address (pay attention to not have two forward slashed at the end of it).

Other settings:
- to change the number of comments that are being displayed, replace the "5" value from a_rc=5;
- to add the date on which the comment has been made, change the "false" text from m_rc=false to "true";
- to hide the post titles, change the "true" text from n_rc=true to "false";
- to show more or less comment characters, change the "100" value from o_rc=100

Step 5. Click the "Save" button and go to see the recent comments widget for Blogger live on your blog!