Installing WordPress In Root With Existing HTML Site?

It sounds like your server is configured to look first at index.php and, if none is found, then look for index.html. (WordPress installs an index.php but does not overwrite or install index.html.) In that case, you need to add a .htaccess directive to tell the server to first call index.html instead of WordPress’ index.php.

Check this out: https://www.twsc.biz/twsc_hosting_htaccess.php

The problem you’ll run into is that you’ll have a hard time developing your WP site because you won’t be able to see the home page (it will call your old index.html).

What about installing WordPress in the subdirectory, developing your site in there, and then when you’re ready, move WordPress to the root and follow the instructions in the codex to update your URLs to point to your new root installation?

Hey, thanks a lot for the info, New Nine. I really appreciate it! >8>)

So… If I go ahead and continue developing WordPress in the sub directory, i’ll be able to completely MOVE the whole installation to my root (not just point my home site’s URL to the sub directory) without any problems?

Thanks again, brother!

~ Aedryan

yes check this out https://codex.www.ads-software.com/Moving_WordPress#On_Your_Existing_Server

Yes. govpatel gave you the link for instructions. We do it all the time – develop sites for clients in a directory of a testing server (www.domain.com/clientsite). When it is done being developed, client loves it, and it’s full of content and ready to go live, we slide it over to the client’s URL.

The most important thing to remember as you develop your site in a different directory is not to use hardcoded URLs in the theme. Use site_url() instead so that, when you make the move, everything just works.

Thanks a lot you guys. New Nine, what do you mean exactly by “use hardcoded URLs in the theme. Use site_url() instead so that, when you make the move, everything just works”? Could you please explain this in a little more detail and give me some examples?

Thanks again for your help. You guys are awesome!

~ Aedryan

New Nine, are you still with me on this, bro? lol I’ve decided to go ahead and move forward with redeveloping my site with WordPress in the sub-directory it’s currently in then move the whole installation to my root once it’s ready to go live. I’m ready to start getting all of my navigation in order and I just need to be clear on what you said in the following comment:

The most important thing to remember as you develop your site in a different directory is not to use hardcoded URLs in the theme. Use site_url() instead so that, when you make the move, everything just works.

Can you please explain this a little further and give me some examples? I’m not sure what you mean by “hardcoded URLs” or by using “site_url()” instead…

Thanks again for your help.

~ Aedryan

Aedryan, to avoid hardcoded URLs, use relative URLs and paths throughout your theme.

E.g., in your CSS, don’t do something like:
background-image: url("https://domain.com/sub-dir/images/example.jpg");

Rather, do this:
background-image: url("images/example.jpg");

So when you move your theme files, you won’t have to do a search and replace to remove “sub-dir” from URLs.

Same thing applies to PHP includes, JavaScript registrations and CSS links. Go with native WP calls like the TEMPLATEPATH constant or get_bloginfo functions.

Generally, these best practices make for a more portable, domain-independent theme or plugin.

Gotcha, John. Thanks a lot, bro! I’m still confused about what happens to URLs after the installation is moved to the root, though. For instance; Will all of my URLs just automatically change from https://www.domain.com/sub_directory/page.php to https://www.domain.com/page.php?

By the way, I have been leaning towards a different approach, which would alleviate all of these possibilities of things getting corrupted (if I can get it to work). If one of you guys could take a look at my most recent post at the following link, I would REALLY appreciate it:

https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/custom-page-template-wont-display-any-content?replies=2#post-2767123

Thanks again! >8>)

~ Aedryan

Yes, all relative URLs and paths will automatically reflect whatever level you are — site root or sub directory. Nothing is “changing” per se, and that’s the point, since it’s all relative.

At worst, when you make the transition, go to your combined options page at “/wp-admin/options.php” and check these option parameters: fileupload_url, home, siteurl, upload_path and upload_url_path.

Gotcha John! Thank you much! >8>)

Sorry Aedryan! johnfakorede is right on the stylesheet, but I was also talking about general theme files. If you are putting a “Contact Us” button in sidebar.php, for example, your link should not be https://www.domain.com/contact but <?php print site_url('/contact'); ?>

By doing that, your theme will use whatever URL you set in the configuration. If you’re moving from one URL to another, you won’t have to go back and change all of those theme files because the function will adapt.

So…

• in your stylesheets, use relative paths (eg, images/whatever.png) instead of absolute paths (eg, https://www.mysite.com/wp-content/themes/mytheme/images/whatever.png)
• in your theme files, use site_url() for internal links (eg, <?php print site_url('/about'); ?>) instead of hardcoded links (eg, https://www.mysite.com/about)