WP Calais Auto Tagger

With the Calais Auto Tagger plugin, you’ll never have to think of tags for your posts again. The plugin uses the Open Calais API to perform semantic analysis of your post text and suggest tags for you. The plugin adds a new “Get Tag Suggestions” button to your post interface which retrieves the suggestions. Adding the suggested tags takes just a click.

Calais Auto Tagger

The Calais Auto Tagger requires you have an Open Calais API key. Getting a key is easy as filling out two forms — it’s an instant, automated process. First, go to the Open Calais site and use the “Register” link at the top of the page to create an account. Then, request an API key by filling out this form. Enter your API key on the Calais Configuration tab of your plugins page.

Calais Auto Tagger is compatible with WordPress 2.7+. It is free for personal and commercial use.

Current Version

Version: 1.3.1
Release Date: 11/03/2009
Download: WP Calais Auto Tagger at the WordPress Codex

Notes

This plugin relies on the Open Calais Tags PHP class, which requires PHP 5 web hosting with PHP’s cURL extension enabled (the majority of web hosts).

Installation

To install, unzip the archive and upload the files to wp-content/plugins/calais-auto-tagger. Then activate the plugin from the plugins tab of your WordPress administration area. You’ll now have a “Calais API Key” link on your settings menu where you can enter your API key.

What’s new in the latest version?

Bug fixes for scheduled posts and the visual editor.

116 Responses

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  1. Hi Dan, this is a great development. As a suggestion, I think there’d be a huge demand for a similar tool that would be “open” to non-wordpress usage. I’m thinking of a website where I could input my blog text (or any text for that matter) and receive top tags in return. That would greatly expand your reach as many people (like me) don’t use wordpress. Really look forward to your next developments!

    Greg Boutin 11 April 2008 at 9:41 am Permalink
  2. For some reason I can’t activate the plug-in on my blog using WP 2.5
    I’m getting this error:

    Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_CONST, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or ‘}’ in /home/content/s/h/o/showa23/html/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/calais_auto_tagger Folder/opencalais.php on line 17

    Joe Buhler 11 April 2008 at 10:30 am Permalink
  3. Joe, the plugin requires PHP 5. Greg, have you looked at the linked Open Calais Tags class? You can use it to add automatic tagging to any app you want.

    Dan 11 April 2008 at 12:07 pm Permalink
  4. Dan,my hosting service version supports PHP5

    Joe Buhler 11 April 2008 at 4:14 pm Permalink
  5. Perhaps that feature requires 5.1 after all. I’ve tested it against three hosts, but all of them had at least PHP 5.1.

    Please try downloading it again and using the updated opencalais.php. I removed the line you had an error on and hard-coded the string where it was used.

    Dan 11 April 2008 at 4:52 pm Permalink
  6. that must be it. got the same error message after downloading the new version. don’t know how I get GoDaddy to upgrade to 5.1

    Joe Buhler 11 April 2008 at 7:53 pm Permalink
  7. You can’t still be getting an unexpected T_CONST error on line 17 since that line, and the const, were removed. Are you sure you replaced your files with the new opencalais.php? If you’re not in a rush and want some help with this, you can e-mail me at dan@dangrossman.info.

    Dan 11 April 2008 at 8:14 pm Permalink
  8. Actually, he’s right. I get the same message, blah blah T_CONST blah Line 17 etc…

    Double checked that there was no “T_CONST” in the file, there wasn’t. Not sure what’s up there.

    I’m on powweb, also PHP 5.0 IIRC

    Dirkus 11 April 2008 at 10:49 pm Permalink
  9. Dan,

    One question: When I get my Open Calais API key and then try to input it and click on Submit, nothing happens. I am using WordPress 2.5. Have tried doing this in Firefox 2.0 and IE 6 and nothing works.

    Steve Oberg 11 April 2008 at 10:49 pm Permalink
  10. Dirkus, Joe’s problem was that he was actually running PHP 4. If you’re getting an error on that line you probably are too. Create an empty PHP page with just a call to phpinfo(), run it in your browser, and you’ll see the version.

    Dan 11 April 2008 at 10:52 pm Permalink
  11. Dan, never mind. Dumb me, the API key WAS registered ok, after all. Everything’s work.

    Oh, also just to suggest that you update the link to the archive tagger above. Currently the link is http://www.dangrossman.ino/wp-calais-archive-tagger and it should be, I think, http://www.dangrossman.info/wp-calais-archive-tagger.

    Can’t wait to try both of these nifty tools. Thank you for making them available.

    Steve Oberg 11 April 2008 at 11:10 pm Permalink
  12. Ah, apparently so. I thought they had moved to PHP5, but I guess I was mistaken. Thanks.

    Dirkus 11 April 2008 at 11:14 pm Permalink
  13. Dan,

    I am having a problem. I Download the file, FTP it up to the right place, and go to activate it, but i get this message:plugin could not be triggered because it caused a fatal error.Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_STRING, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or ‘}’ in [it gave the link to the opencalais.php file] line 17

    Please help. I really want this plugin to work. Thanks

    Connor P

    Connor P 12 April 2008 at 2:51 pm Permalink
  14. Connor, you need PHP 5 to use this plugin. You only have PHP 4. Ask your host if you can enable PHP 5 for your account or if they will upgrade.

    Dan 12 April 2008 at 5:00 pm Permalink
  15. hello,

    wich plugin do you use for your archive page in this site ?

    Thanks

    gaby 12 April 2008 at 8:01 pm Permalink
  16. @gaby: It’s called SRG Clean Archives.

    Dan 12 April 2008 at 8:34 pm Permalink
  17. SRG Clean Archives can now be found at http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/projects/clean-archives/
    Shaun passed it over to Sean, but Sean’s blog is now run by someone else.
    Hope I got the names right. You can of course find the plugin by hopping around various links, starting with the one posted above, just thought I’d help out any people without enough patience :)

    ChrisM 13 April 2008 at 6:44 am Permalink
  18. I would use it on my italian blog. Will it work?

    manica 27 April 2008 at 4:42 am Permalink
  19. First off, brilliant stuff.

    I have a few multi-user blogs and it’s hard to train the authors to use tags at all. Is it possible to make the tagging automatic (as an option)?

    indi 28 April 2008 at 4:23 am Permalink
  20. Hi Dan,

    I am facing following problem

    Parse error: syntax error, unexpected '{' in /wp-calais-archive-tagger/calais_archive_tagger.php on line 132

    Can you help me fix this issue?

    Thanks :)

    Veetrag 29 April 2008 at 1:40 am Permalink
  21. this is some great stuff. can’t wait to share it with my friends.

    Antonio 7 May 2008 at 11:56 pm Permalink
  22. I hit the “get tags” and nothing happens. please help. i’m eager to use this! thx. got the API key and using php 5.2.5

    eric 8 May 2008 at 1:08 pm Permalink
  23. Great plugin!

    Doe sit only work when the visual editor is activated? Usually when the HTML editor is activated instead, when I click “Get Tags,” nothing happens, even for several minutes.

    Unfortunately it seems when I do use the visual editor, it usually says that no tags were found.

    Brandon 31 May 2008 at 10:09 am Permalink
  24. For some of my blogs, Id like to be able to just leave the plugin to set the tags fully automatically

    Is there an option to set these plugins to run completely ‘hands free’ ?

    Leigh 7 June 2008 at 10:51 pm Permalink
  25. Dan

    Does this work for blogspot?

    Sunish

    sunish 10 June 2008 at 3:20 pm Permalink
  26. Dan,
    Thanks for the plugin! I think I may have stumbled across a reason, and solution for the “IT’S NOT WORKING” posts.
    I was running through old posts without any difficulty and then ran into one where it wouldn’t work. Realized the Post window on the Write screen was set on HTML tab, not the Visual tab. I changed the Post to the Visual tab, then rehit auto tag and it worked just fine. I suspect, although did not re-check, that this was why I had been unable to get the archive tagger to work. May want to make this a note on the WP plugin download page.
    I hope this helps as you have a great, time saving plugin.

    Brian 12 June 2008 at 11:43 pm Permalink
  27. It looks nice, but it’s too bad it isn’t backwards compatible with pHp 4. That is what my webhosting service is using right now. Is there a workaround for the parse error on line 132 mentioned by Veetrag above?

    eric 29 June 2008 at 1:32 pm Permalink
  28. There is not and will not be a backport of the Calais PHP class to a dead language. Tell your host that PHP 5 is more than 4 years old and you need an upgrade out of the stone age.

    Dan Grossman 29 June 2008 at 11:09 pm Permalink
  29. This is exactly what i was looking for.

    Philix 23 July 2008 at 10:01 am Permalink
  30. What is the difference between tagaroo offered by opencalais and this plugin? Will the tag suggestions be different for the two? I am debating which one to use.

    Pratik Sinha 9 August 2008 at 4:31 pm Permalink
  31. this is awesome. I hate when i get done writing an article for my site and then try to figure out what the best tags are to pick out. thanks for auto tagger

    Grossman - Buy Stickers - eSticker 4 September 2008 at 6:17 pm Permalink
  32. Hi Dan, this looks like a great plugin and it activates fine for me, but when I try to click the Add Tags button on the Auto Tagger, absolutely nothing happens, whether I’m in visual or HTML mode. I’m also getting an “Error on page” for the Archive Tagger (where it says click here to start tagging your posts). I’m on WordPress 2.6.1. Help please!

    Pretensions 17 September 2008 at 12:11 am Permalink
  33. Hi Dan

    For some reason I am not getting any tags in the sidebar … please could you tell me what I am doing wrong. I am automating the feeds and the tags are working wonderfully in the posts, but not showing on the pages.

    Many thanks
    AnneMarie

    AnneMarie Callan 20 September 2008 at 11:29 am Permalink
  34. Compra venta de coches usados, nuevos y de ocación totalmente gratis.

    Bernmak 23 September 2008 at 11:19 am Permalink
  35. Hi There

    What we really need is an automatic tagging plugin. Not a semi automatic tagging plugin. We all have so many blogs running on their own and grabbing good relevant content from other feeds etc. We need a plugin that will automatically tag the posts in the database without having to login and click somewhere.

    Man what I would do for such a plugin. Can’t find anything like it.

    Thanks,
    Albert

    Albert 26 November 2008 at 11:54 am Permalink
  36. I would prefer not helping scraper blogs whenever possible. Sounds like filling the web with noise to me.

    Dan 27 November 2008 at 5:54 pm Permalink
  37. should every tag have ; at the end of it??? this seems strange to me
    WP 2.7 here

    ps example tags

    test;,test2;,this;,more;,

    edoriv 5 January 2009 at 9:12 pm Permalink
  38. Great plugin, thanks for the work, thinking of tags was a real problem. look forward to some other tips.

    Car Guy 17 January 2009 at 5:01 am Permalink
  39. great plugins… but unfortunately it is not compatible with wordpress 2.7, isn’t it?

    doktertomi 24 January 2009 at 4:08 pm Permalink
  40. Great stuff! Thanks Dan :)

    onelargeprawn 27 March 2009 at 6:56 am Permalink
  41. Dan one post here also!
    The plugin doesn’t work, i press the “get tags” buttin and nothing happens…. WP 2.7.1

    Hermann 19 April 2009 at 3:55 pm Permalink
  42. To be clear, this plugin works fine with WP 2.7.1. If it’s not for you, you don’t have PHP 5 or cURL, which are listed as requirements.

    Dan 3 May 2009 at 4:28 am Permalink
  43. The plugin gives me an error in the new wordpress 2.8RC1:

    Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_CONST, expecting T_OLD_FUNCTION or T_FUNCTION or T_VAR or ‘}’ in /home/www/kunden/uncleboob.de/wp-content/plugins/calais-auto-tagger/opencalais.php on line 17

    Just wanted to let you know.

    Regards

    uncleboob 10 June 2009 at 10:51 am Permalink
  44. That’s because you don’t have PHP 5 unclenoob, not because you’re on 2.8. PHP 5 is a requirement.

    Dan 12 June 2009 at 12:21 am Permalink
  45. I have been using the calias tagger for awhile now, but since I upgraded to wordpress 2.8 it isn’t working any suggestion?

    Terrie 12 June 2009 at 10:24 am Permalink
  46. Same issue as terrie, calais tagger doesn’t work with wp 2.8, I click on the Get Tags button, but no tags are fetched/displayed. Is there going to be a fix for this?

    Pratik Sinha 29 June 2009 at 8:02 pm Permalink
  47. Now updated for WP 2.8.

    Dan 6 July 2009 at 11:57 pm Permalink
  48. Dan, if you get a moment, could you let me know where I’m going wrong?

    I’ve used both this and the archive tagger for a long time. (OK, to be honest, had them /installed/ for a long time, I’ve been v.bad at tagging posts at all the last nine months or so. I originally went through all my old posts, auto-tagged them, then cleaned up some of the tags.)

    Anyway, I believe I’m on PHP5 and have cURL enabled; I have WordPress 2.8 installed, and the latest version of both plugins. I write in English, and believe my Calais API key to be correct.
    However, whether I run the archive auto-tagger, or click the get tags button whilst writing/editing a new/old post, no tags are returned. No error messages either. I’ve tried the get tags button on a few different, medium to long posts, in case the subject matter wasn’t providing enough material for tagging.
    With the auto tagger, no response at all, and with the archive auto tagger, it displays Tagged post #6: Tagged post #7: Tagged post #6: (I’ve obviously removed line breaks, and the tagged post #6: carries on for another 8 screens, before I pressed escape.)

    Could you let me know if I’ve goofed up somewhere here, or if there is some sort of debug mode I can use – if the output would be of any use to you.

    Chris Merriman 9 July 2009 at 7:20 am Permalink
  49. Hi Dan

    Using WP 2.82 with calais auto tagger. When I click button no tags are returned. Any ideas please?

    Cheers
    Paul

    Paul 23 July 2009 at 12:26 pm Permalink
  50. Paul, if this is the site you entered as your website when commenting, it doesn’t look like there’s much to tag. Calais picks out people, places, companies, and other big topics. None of those kinds of things appear in ingredient lists.

    Dan Grossman 23 July 2009 at 10:34 pm Permalink

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