Get ready for it! will soon sport an updated look and revised functionality in the WMS.
Note: Updates described in this article were applied to Twitter blocks that display tweets from a single Twitter account at the end of 2017. Further 2018 Fall updates will affect Twitter blocks that display tweets with a specific hashtag.
The updates
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There will be a much shorter delay time between when tweets are added, deleted or modified in Twitter, and when those updates will be seen in your WMS Twitter block
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Block formatting has been updated with updated fonts and padding
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Media, such as images and video, will be displayed
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Retweets will be displayed
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Emojis will be displayed
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The maximum width of the block is now 500px, if the region the block has been placed in is wider than 500px, the block will be centered
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Your Twitter block may take up more space than it has in the past (due to the addition of media files and retweets)
Here's a comparison that shows the two examples of Twitter blocks before and after the updates. The blocks displayed in the before and after versions use the same settings.
Before
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After
Tweet compliance
These changes will bring the WMS Twitter block inline with . The guidelines aim to respect user expectations and intent when they add, delete or modify the content they choose to share on Twitter.
Twitter update to-do list for site managers
If you've added a Twitter block to your website, there are a few things you should review/consider after this change goes live:
- Number of items: With media content displayed in your Twitter feed, it's likely your Twitter block will increase in length. Your should check your page layouts after the update to ensure your Twitter block dimensions look appropriate. If the block appears too long, you might consider reducing the number of items that appear in your feed.
- View Mode: Images and video in your Twitter feed may appear disproportionately large in your page layout, particularly if your Twitter block is set to Full or Half width. If your Twitter feed includes media content, Third width will likely work best for your site. Alternately, you might consider positioning your block in the Sidebar region.
If you'd prefer to remove your Twitter block, this can be done by request to itsupport [at] mcgill.ca (IT Support).
Stay tuned for updates
Keep an eye out for announcements on and in our WMS Digest for further details about this update, including roll-out dates.
Learn more about Twitter block settings in the .