Easier way to list items?

Is each ferret bio a post? Is the page using a page template that pulls in particular kinds of posts?

I’d have thought the little pieces of bio information would work well as custom fields, leaving the HTML to be done inside the theme/page template.

If you’re using a page template for that page, can i see what you have currently by way of a pastebin please?

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Hi Mark,

Thanks for the reply. Each ferret is contained in a bunch of divs that I wrote myself, styled in the CSS. I can then copy the divs and paste them again and again on that same page so she can fill in the details of her other ferrets. I have no idea how to make a template or how to create my own custom fields.

Ideally what she would like is something a lot easier to use, instead of having to paste new divs for each ferret and fill them in using the text editor. She hates the editor window because it’s so small; every time she makes a change or updates it takes her right back to the top of her post and she has to scroll back down to where she was.

Ah, nevermind on that post editor window size. I found this here.

Hi,

I think you could make the process a little easier by using custom fields, a page template and a custom post type.

What i’d have in mind in this.. (to summarise)..

1. Create a page template to display ferret entries. *
2. Create a custom post type for adding new ferret entries. *
3. Attach the template to the page. **
4. Move the existing ferret information out of the page and into individual ferret posts. **
5. Add custom fields to each ferret entry (these fields will contain each ferrets bio info that will have previously existed as part of the page content). **
6. Add post thumbnail / featured image to each post as the ferret image instead of inserting images directly into the editor. **

* – I can provide the necessary code.
** – Will try to provide as much information as possible on how to do these parts (although existing documentation will be pointed to where applicable).

Might sound a little overwhelming, so if you simply bear with me i’ll go into more detail once i’ve had sufficient time to test some code.

Mark, thanks for the help. I sure appreciate it (and so does my client). Unfortunately, I’m not sure how to do any of those things. Hopefully I can Google for how to do most of them, like creating a page template, custom post types, and custom fields.

I’ll search around and let you know if I find any instructions that help.

Well, I’ve found that creating a page template is a little too involved for me. I’m not a coder and most of what I’ve found suggests I have to create the page myself in HTML. Oh well, thanks anyway.

I’ll happily write it for you, just need to spend some time testing code before i chuck some your way.. ??

Bear with me a little while.. ??

There was one tutorial that said to create a PHP file for your new page and save that to your server (in the theme folder). I did this, but when I go to choose that file in the Template drop down it isn’t there. In fact, the only thing that does appear in the drop down is a One-column template that came with the theme, and that’s it.

Doh! I was putting it on my server, lol. It has to go in the theme folder on my client’s server. Good grief. I need more sunlight on my brain. Ok, so I put it in theme folder on my CLIENT’S server and now it appears in the drop down.

[smacks forehead]

Ok, so now that I have a basic PHP page I’m assuming I need to build the page with HTML and stick it in the middle section of the PHP file. I’m wondering now how this will make things easier for my client, because it’s just a page like all the other pages on the site. I guess I’m missing the magic here.

I read a bit about custom post types and that’s where I got hopelessly lost. I will just wait until you come up with something.

Thanks.

Have been working on something for you on and off today, but wanted to wait until i could put it up on a page to see.

Of course only two ferrets exist on my install, i just needed a couple to obviously test the code..

The main ferret page.
https://t31os.onatha.com/hide-e-hole-ferrets/

Page template: Code
https://t31os.onatha.com/ferrets-template.phps

Plugin file: Code
https://t31os.onatha.com/ferrets.phps

CSS for handling page links: Code
https://t31os.onatha.com/numbers.css

Screenshots:
https://t31os.onatha.com/ferret-page-info/

It would probably be easier if i just provide you with a temporary login so you can see how it operates admin side. Can you provide an email address to send login info to?

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Wow, that’s amazing! I can’t thank you enough for the time you’ve taken to do this. Awesome. I found a plug-in called Easy Post Types that basically enables this whole function, but I’m leery of adding another plug-in to the site.

How do I send you my email addy?

Post the email address here please and i’ll edit out the address once i have it (so the the search engines and whatnot don’t pick it up).

EDIT: Or simply confirm if the one in your profile is ok to use, i can view that one from here.. ??

I only wrapped the post type code into a plugin to make it easy to install, it could just be placed into the theme’s functions.php file, i was just going for the most simple approach.. ??

*moderated*

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Have dropped you an email.

I’m going to move your thread here into the hacks forum, this is a little outside the troubleshooting and how-to realm.. i’d consider this more a hack/customization..

Any questions, just pop them here in the thread (or email if you prefer), i’ll be around for another hour or two.. ??