Simple Facebook® Share Button
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Version 1.0.4 now available!
Painlessly add a Facebook® Share button to your posts and/or pages.
Version 1.0.4 of the Simple Facebook® Share Button includes:
- Supports all five button types, including custom button text;
- Supports placing button above or below content;
- Button can be shown on either posts, pages, or both;
- Includes compatibility modes for seamless theme integration;
- Allows user to override default padding options (defaults provided in admin interface);
- Button can be added on an as-needed basis using a shortcode;
- Function can be added manually;
- Plugin now includes built-in help accessible from within the settings page.
Compatibility
Version 1.0.4 is compatible with WordPress 2.7 and higher.
Download
This plugin is available in the WordPress plugins directory at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/simple-facebook-share-button/.
Readme
The plugin readme is available at http://www.ethitter.com/plugins/simple-facebook-share-button/readme/.
Donations are gladly accepted via PayPal and are used solely to support development of this and future plugins.
Facebook is a trademark of Facebook, Inc.
Definitely a GREAT plugin !!
Thanks for your job, which is greatly appreciated.
Regards from France.
Great, simple and quick results. Thanks. But, it doesn’t show up on Chrome.
Karen,
I tested the plugin in Chrome this evening and the button displayed correctly. If you will send me an email (visit http://disparate.info/contact/), I can assist you further.
Erick
Hi there,
The plugin works great!
I was wondering if you could add an option so that the FB Share button displays on Homepage too. So maybe an option for Displaying on Posts and Homepage but NOT other pages.
Ravin,
As long as you're using the standard homepage (under Settings > Reading > Front page displays > Your latest posts) and have set the plugin to display on posts, the button should appear on your homepage. I just checked your site in Firefox, and the button appeared alongside the TweetMeme button.
Thanks for the feedback.
Erick
Yeah, where are the instructions? I installed the plugin but see nowhere to add the button.
Mickey,
After activating the plugin, you will find a Simple FB Share Button link in the Settings menu.
From there, you can set the button display options and access help from the link between the plugin title and the first options section.
Erick
Thanks, this is a great plug-in that I just installed on some of my WordPress blogs. I tried to install with WordPress MU, but when trying to save changes, I received the following message: Error! Options page not found.
Thanks for the feedback.
I'll look into the problem you encountered with WordPress MU and hope to find a resolution to that error. With the merger of WordPress and WordPress MU planned for version 3.0, resolving this problem is a top priority for me.
When I have it active, it just shows the share button, without the count. As soon as I click on the share button, the count shows up. Any ideas on what I need to change?
Jayson,
I just encountered the same problem you've reported. I shared a post and the share count disappeared after I reloaded the page.
Unfortunately, this appears to be a problem with Facebook's share script. I will look into this issue and can hopefully identify a workaround shortly, something to display the counts until Facebook fixes this error.
Facebook's documentation states that simply setting the button type to "box_count" or "button_count" will include the counts, but clearly this is not happening.
My apologies,
Erick
Hi,
first thank you for the great plugin! One question. When the full Button is enabled, the Button with the counter appears only if i klick on it. If i visit my site i see only the small button below the counter. Is there a way to open the counter window by default?
Best,
Karl
Opps, sorry the same question was here before. This happemed also if there are allready several count.
My recent post Facebook Share Counter Buttons für WordPress und Websites
Karl,
Thank you for the feedback. I am looking into this issue and hope to resolve it soon.
According to Facebook's own documentation, the share counts should display automatically, but as you've discovered, this is not currently happening. I will post an update here as soon as I have any additional information.
Erick
A wonderful, very simple plug in… works like a charm. I'm interested though in sharing some of my own blog articles on my newly created Facebook "Page" – not on my personal profile.
When I click the share tab it shares to my personal profile, I want to post the shared blog item to my facebook PAGE (I'm building a personal brand, a page where people can become 'fans') any idea where I can change this setting so it shares to my PAGE as opposed to my personal profile (which is the admin) for the page?
My recent post Note to the GM, always a nice touch
Dave,
Thanks for the feedback.
I'll check Facebook's documentation and see if there's a way to direct the button to a page rather than your profile.
Erick
My recent post Preparing For the CPA Exam
Thanks Erick,
I'd appreciate any further info you might find. Great plug in!
For the last few days anyone using the plug in gets this on their page:
Webpage error details
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 6.0; WOW64; Trident/4.0; SLCC1; .NET CLR 2.0.50727; Media Center PC 5.0; .NET CLR 3.5.30729; .NET CLR 3.0.30729; OfficeLiveConnector.1.4; OfficeLivePatch.1.3)
Timestamp: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 16:21:42 UTC
Message: 'FB.Loader' is null or not an object
Line: 15
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Shar...
Anything we can do?
Sorry, but it looks like that's a problem on Facebook's end. I haven't
encountered this problem, but I'll see if any other Facebook
developers have seen a similar situation.
Erick
Thanks!
I see it on Cnet, my blog and a few other sites that use your sharing plugin (including your blog) where I see in IE8
->
Message: 'FB.Loader' is null or not an object
Line: 15
Char: 1
Code: 0
URI: http://static.ak.fbcdn.net/connect.php/js/FB.Shar...
In that case, it must be a problem with IE8. In my testing, the button appears correctly in IE 6 and 7, Firefox, and Safari. If the error appears on CNET, it is unrelated to my plugin and I highly doubt its related to the Facebook code.
Erick
Version 1.0.3 resolves this error. The problem is indeed related to new versions of Internet Explorer.
The update is available in the WordPress plugins repository and at http://dl.disparate.info/simple-fb-share-button.z...
My recent post Twitter Copyright Missed The Ball Drop
Hi!
Thank you for a great plugin but I'm having one issue with it. When I click the share-button, the "content" that gets shared is the comments and not the post itself. Any idea why it's doing this?
Regards
Niclas
@niclas,
This is likely due to your theme. When Facebook looks for the text to include in the Share, it searches your site's header for <meta name="description" content="xxx">. Some themes set this to odd aspects of your post, including the title or a recent comment. My suggestion is to use either HeadSpace2 or All in One SEO plugins to specify the meta description, both for the Facebook Share function and for search engine purposes. Both are available through WordPress.org.
Erick
Just dropping a line to say I also get this message in WPMU
Fantastic job! I match it up with Tweetmeme for a great look/feel. One question for you… is there a way to default the count to ZERO? – reason being is when positioned next to TweetMeme box the Facbook share looks closed up – and would look better matching the size with a ZERO as default.
Chris,
Currently there is no way to force the button to display a zero by default. Facebook's Share script controls the count display and they've set it to only appear after an item has been shared. I am exploring ways around this, as numerous users have requested this feature, but so far it appears Facebook would rather only display the count if an item has been shared.
Erick
Timothy,
Thanks for the feedback. I hope to resolve this error in the next few weeks, I just haven't had time to look at the format for MU plugins. I apologize that this problem has gone unresolved for so long and I have made its resolution a top priority.
Erick
I'm interested, too, in directing the share button to a page rather than my profile. I've got the same circumstance as you.
don't know if it is great or not yet !
i know a post was shared twice. when i shared #2 i saw the number two. but when i return to the post not number menu is gone leaving only the blue share. it seems the number / correct number, only shows up immediately upon sharing. when the post is revisited, nada.
thank you, nice plugin… r
@mbrue,
Thanks for the feedback. I'm looking into this possibility, but thus far, Facebook doesn't support such an option. As soon as I know more, I will post an update here and in the development blog at http://plugindev.ethitter.com/.
Erick
@ron,
This seems to be an issue with Facebook's counting of shares. Multiple users have reported this problem, and I have experienced it myself. Because the count function is integrated by Facebook into the share function, I have as yet been unable to find a workaround. As best I can tell, there appears to be a threshold around five shares where the count will being to appear along with the desired button style. If I hear anything from Facebook, I'll be sure to post here and update the development blog at http://plugindev.ethitter.com/.
Erick
Amazing plugin! The other Facebook Share plugins I've seen are just too cluttered. Thank you for making one that gets straight to the point with no BS!
Jessi,
Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate what you found with the other Facebook plugins; that's what prompted me to create this one!
Erick
thanks eric for the explanation. will try to gather some connects on my latest post to see what happens. i was wondering how your plug hooks differently than say tweetmeme. if you look at my site in the ELSEWHERE category you can see the share button which i wish to figure out how to remove from that column. here is latest post on the farnsworth house revisited… http://is.gd/7pSCz
Ron,
I haven't used the Tweetmeme plugin, so I can't speak to how their plugin hooks in compared to mine. Generally speaking though, when a post or page is requested, WordPress runs through its process to display the content in something referred to as "the loop." My plugin simply intercepts the loop and adds a bit of code, then letting the loop continue its process. The code that is inserted is turned into a button by the Facebook Share script. The Tweetmeme plugin also intercepts the loop and adds some code, which results in their button.
To your second point, presently there is no way to exclude the button on certain posts if the "Display button automatically" option is selected. You could, however, set that option to "No" and use the shortcode to add the Share button on just the posts or pages you desire. You would, however, have to add the shortcode to every post or page you want the button on, which could be time consuming if you have a great deal of content. More information on this option is available in the plugin help.
Erick
Hi Eric,
Fab plugin! So easy to use.
As with Dave Tobin, above, I would also like to post to my business page and not my personal profile. Have you managed to look into it yet?
Thanks
Michelle.
Michelle,
Thank you for the feedback. I have, as of yet, been unable to identify any way to post to a page rather than a profile. I've posted an inquiry to the Facebook Developers group but have not yet received a response. If I receive any further information, I will post an update here.
Erick
Michelle,
Thank you for the feedback. I have, as of yet, been unable to identify any way to post to a page rather than a profile. I've posted an inquiry to the Facebook Developers group but have not yet received a response. If I receive any further information, I will post an update here.
Erick
Hi Eric,
I have been trying to find a easy way to connect by blog with Facebook and yours has been the simplest yet with no fuss. Thank you for your efforts in developing this plugin. I do have a couple of questions, but I bet you already knew that
One: I set the button to display on both pages and posts. However I only see it on posts.
Two: The one drawback (which is definitely not unique to yours) is that it finds and automatically associates to my Facebook account. There is another Facebook account that I would prefer my blog to connect to instead. Is that possible by editing one of the .php files?
Thank you again!
-charles
Charles,
Thanks for the feedback.
Regarding your first question, when I visited your site, I saw the button on both posts and pages. Are you, by any change, experiencing this problem in Internet Explorer?
As for your second inquiry, Facebook's Share function will automatically use whichever account you are signed into. If you sign in with the account you would like to share through, Facebook should automatically use that account. To the best of my knowledge, however, it is not possible to share posts on fan pages, only profile pages.
Erick
In light of Facebook's recent launch of its "Like" function, I anticipate halting further development of this plugin. After I've had a chance to review the documentation regarding the new API, I will decide whether or not the Simple Facebook Share Button plugin can be modified to work with the new interface. In all likelihood, I will release a separate plugin should I determine that there is no sufficient substitute for my plugin that utilizes the new functions of Facebook's "Like" function.
I'm having the same issue w/ WPMU …i think it has something to do with whitelisting….but i just read that somewhere else. Hope you can fix it soon!
is there a fix yet??? I am still getting the same error message
Simon,
Thanks for the reminder of this issue. It results from a minor difference in the structure of WordPress and WordPress MU options pages. I hope to fix this problem in the next few weeks.
As an aside, when WordPress 3 is released, this problem will be eliminated as the convergence of single instance and multisite versions of WordPress favor the structure of the single instance codebase.
Erick
Is it possible to include the button in the website feed like tweetmeme plugin?
Yenny,
I'll explore that possibility for a future release.
Erick
I am also having a problem with the count not appearing. Even when there are up to 18 share counts, no number appears. If I hit refresh a couple times, the numbers start appearing.
Angie,
Unfortunately, this is a problem on Facebook's end. Since they've released Open Graph, which replaces the code included by my plugin, I doubt that Facebook intends to correct the problem.
My hope is that when I have time, I'll be able to update my plugin to use Open Graph.
Erick
How can you validate? share_url is not a valid attribute.
Thanks
Presently, you cannot. The Facebook Share script needs that attribute to prevent it from guessing what URL the plugin is trying to share.
Erick
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