Do I need a smart phone to configure WPtouch?

  • I’m new to coding or web development. I’m a motion graphic designer with little experience in web design but would like to learn more.

    I’m running a 2005 Powermac so my browsers can only update to Firefox 3.6.28 or Safari 5.0.6. I also don’t own a smart phone.

    I installed the free version of WPtouch to the default WordPress theme Twenty Eleven. It’s a responsive theme. I was expecting when I shrink the browser window to see WPtouch kick in then I could configure the settings. I don’t see any changes on my end. I don’t have a smart phone and maybe the plugin only shows changes on a phone.

    Do I need a smart phone to see and configure WPtouch?

    Here’s the site:
    https://quillman-publications.com/wordpress/

    Thanks!

    https://www.ads-software.com/extend/plugins/wptouch/

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

  • Hi michael7177,

    to check how WPtouch looks on your website your user agent has to look like you’re using a mobile browser. You can use a website like Botsvsbrowsers.org (This link is loaded with a iPhone user agent and your website) or use an extension in your browser.

    You can check if your website is responsive by simply resizing the browserwindow or use something like the RWD Bookmarklet.

    Thread Starter michael7177

    (@michael7177)

    THANKS for setting up that link for me. I see that WPtouch is working. Without your setup I can’t get into Botsvsbrowser.org. I’ll try RWD Bookmarklet too.

    Best!

    If you are using Chrome, use the chrome UA spoofer plugin

    https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/user-agent-switcher-for-c/djflhoibgkdhkhhcedjiklpkjnoahfmg

    Then it just shows up in the top right and you select iphone 4 or whatever.

    Thread Starter michael7177

    (@michael7177)

    Thanks I am glad to learn this. My Powermac can’t run Chrome. Another reason I need to buy a new computer. : )

    I was expecting when I shrink the browser window to see WPtouch kick in then I could configure the settings.

    To clarify, unlike responsive themes WPtouch and WPtouch Pro use server-side technologies that detect the device being use then serve the appropriate theme. That means when you resize your desktop browser, WPtouch still sees it as a desktop browser and you won’t see a change.

    As rbergeron81 mentioned, you can use user agent switchers on your desktop browser to fool WPtouch into detecting a mobile device. This will allow you to more easily work with your mobile site on your desktop browser.

    Thread Starter michael7177

    (@michael7177)

    I just got a 2012 Macbook Pro laptop, still in the box, so I’ll bring it into the Apple Store’s “Set Up Desk” or “One on One Table” and work this out.

    Just to be sure, this is about user agents and it’s not about hardware. Please read this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User_agent#User_agent_spoofing.

    WPtouch checks if the useragent being used looks like a useragent from a browser on a mobile device. If so, it’ll load the wptouch theme. If not, the normal theme will be loaded.

    Your Powermac might not run Chrome but there’s a big chance there’s some extension/plugin or whatever for the browser you’re using on your Powermac to spoof the user agent.

    Thanks Jacques! One can also use the ‘user agent addons’ in Firefox, Chrome and the built in one in Safari.

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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