Arras Theme — css customizing

I’m with you, trying to figure out the same thing right now… :/

I always thought having a style.css was mandatory for WordPress themes, but they seem to get away without one (or I cannot find it).

Anyway, I use Code for my editing (on a Mac that is).

Peter

Thanks phoosten. Problem is that I have never used a css editor before and of course I am just an amateur. I have downloaded the skEdit on my Mac. I dragged the css from my ftp and put it on my desktop. Then I opened the editor and changed the background color as a test. When I dragged the changed css file back into the ftp and viewed the site … nothing had happened. What am I doing wrong? Tried to find a tutorial but no luck.

Try editing the CSS file while it’s on the server and don’t use a separate FTP client to move the file to your desktop. I don’t use skEdit, so you’ll have to look around for “Open via remote” or “Open on server.” You’ll need to enter your FTP login, password, path, etc.

If you still don’t see changes, then look at the file modification date in FTP, and also clear your browser cache.

Thank you songdogtech. I gave it a try, did the set up to remote, but somehow it does not accept my remote ftp login password and always kicks me out. So I don’t even get past the initial set up. Which editor would you recommend please? Thank you.

I use BBEdit and Cyberduck. Cyberduck can be set to use BBEdit as the default editor, and will also work with skEdit. You can also use BBEdit by itself, without an FTP client.

Check with your host to be sure your FTP settings are correct.

for Arras, you don’t edit the main style sheet, but create one called user.css instead.

and if you are using firefox, use the Firebug add-on for it – it’s an amazing development tool that lets you see exactly what css is doing what.

Thank you bigredpaul. I have recently installed Firebug and I did notice a user.css in the arras ftp folder. My problem is that I am not sure how to go about using that folder.

Like for example, I would like to change the overall font on the template to Helvetica. So when using firebug, and I highlight the text, one of the options is to change typography.css line 10

body {
color:#222222;
font-family:"Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;
font-size:75%;

What do I do then? Do I copy this code to the user.css with the fontfamily changed? Where and how do I include typography.css line 10?

Sorry for my ignorance, but I have never used a CSS editor before. I typically make my changes in the wordpress editor.

Firebug is not an editor; Firebug is a tool to examine all aspects of a web page. You still need to use FTP and a text editor – or a text editor with FTP capabilities – to change a CSS file. Or, with the WordPress editor, if your file permissions are set to allow that.

To songdogtech.
Yes I know this. I am just using Firebug to check which fields/lines/css i need to change.
I have downloaded the BBedit. Problem is that for this template, I cannot just go and change the main css (as bigredpaul mentioned). There is a blank user.css where I should type my changes. Not sure how to do that, as per my last comment. Do I just type in the piece of code I want to change? Do I have to mention a css folder and line ?

If you’re to that point, go to the theme website and check the docs and forum there for that information, becuase now you’re into theme specific details, and I don’t use that theme. I’m guessing the theme must be designed with the user.css overriding the main css, but the docs and forum will tell you.

Yeah I posted my question on their forum, to no avail. That is why I tried my luck here. Thanks anyway. I will just look for another template.

Since user.css is inserted after default.css, any changes made in the first will overrule the ones in the latter.

For instance, your default.css has this:

body {
  text-align: left;
  font-size: 10px;
}

and you create in your user.css this:

body {
  font-size: 12px;
}

then the 12px will be effective, however the text-align will be untouched.

Peter

Ok, thanks Peter. I will give it a try.