When I save my post, unwanted blank paragraphs are being inserted, especially where I have a left justified image at the first text line of the post - i.e. <p> </p> is being inserted creating large gaps in my post.

Sometimes this does not happen if I save from the HTML view, but it does happen there, as well.

Here is an example.

I am using WordPress 3.0.1 and Atahualpa 3.4.4.

It's a great theme, just the same...

WordPress puts that in. To see, activate the twenty-ten theme and add a post. You will still see that <p> </p> combo. If you go search wordpress.org you will find many complaints about it and some other html they add in at certain points

What JD said, this is not related to the Atahualpa theme, it is default WordPress behaviour.

Two plugins you might like to disable this auto-formatting:

http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/disable-wpautop/
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/...to-formatting/

If you dont want a plugin, just add this to your theme's function.php

PHP Code:

//disable wpautop filter
remove_filter ('the_content',  'wpautop'); 


But I beleive you will manually have to add <p> and <br /> tags when you disable the auto-formatting.
Not 100% sure. Just check.

JuggleDad:
Great advice and using the second of the two plugins recommended by STB, it works - go rid of all that crazy whitespace caused by the <p> </p> insertions by Wordpress.

Thanks a million for helping me with the best theme going.
John