Locating WordPress Files to Edit

What are you actually trying to do at the moment? If your just installing wordpress you need to edit wp-config.php

Adam

WordPress is installed. I have a site at Verio and they installed it. Right now I’m trying to edit the theme beyond what I can do with the Dashboard > Presentation > Header Image and Color.

Each individual file in the theme folder you want to edit must be chmod 666 to do it in the theme editor.
To download and edit file navigate to:
wp-content/themes/your_theme/your_theme_files

Sorry to be asking such a basic question –
– but when I type
wp-content/themes/your_theme/your_theme_files
as a URL – I get a WordPress page about Codex Documentation.

I must not be understanding. Where do I type it – and is that all I type?

Pam

I tried inputting this –
https://mydomainname.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/your_theme/your_theme_files

and got this response –
The requested URL /wordpress/wp-content/themes/your_theme/your_theme_files was not found on this server.

Then I truncated it to https://mydomainname.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/
and got this index-
Parent Directory 31-Jul-2006 22:37 –
[DIR] almost-spring/ 31-Jul-2006 22:37 –
[DIR] classic/ 31-Jul-2006 22:37 –
[DIR] default/ 31-Jul-2006 22:37 –
[DIR] ocadia/

But when I click on any one of them, I get this message –
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: get_header() in /usr/local/wordpress-2.0.2/wp-content/themes/classic/index.php on line 2

What am I doing wrong?

Pam

In FTP, I see only 1 thing called WordPress. It’s labeled a link. I right-click and try to change chmod to 666 – try anything to get into the WordPress files but no luck.

How do I get to the WordPress files to tweak a template?

Been up nearly all night reading old posts and trying to make this work. Would appreciate your help.

Pam

the trouble you are having is related to whatever you are using for an ftp client, and, depending on the ftp client you are using, you knowledge regarding it’s use.

what are you using as an ftp client?

_Please_ note that Internet Explorer is not a suitable ftp client. It is a browser, regardless of what anyone else would have you believe.

the “link” you see is a directory.. your wordpress files are inside of it

the “errors” you mention 2 posts up are normal- that is what you will see when accessing those files through the web

The codex provides general instructions regarding ftp clients and accessing your WordPress files using an ftp client here:

https://codex.www.ads-software.com/FTP_Clients

I would be willing to help you one-on-one, however I wont do it via e-mail. You would need to have a some sort of Instant messaging application installed (like msn messenger)

Thank you! I’m using ws-ftp95 on my laptop (I have that with me) and ws-ftp professional on my home computer.

Right now I have AOL Instant Messanger. Would that work for you?

Pam

I could install aol im, yes..

ws-ftp is a suitable client.

Have you looked at this:

https://www.ipswitch.com/support/ws_ftp/tutorials/tours/wsftp_tour_2_connect.swf

I realize that’s some of thats old news but it does cover the basics of what to do after you have successfully connected …

https://www.ipswitch.com/support/ws_ftp/tutorials/tours/wsftp_tour_3_transfer.swf

I’ll read those links right now. I’ve been using FTP quite a while and never have had problems. For this WordPress file, though, it doesn’t work –

– to double click it
– to transfer it to my computer by ascii or binary (tried both just in case)

I’d very much like to have your help with this!

Pam

Hi-

I wanted to report how this issue was solved. I talked on the phone to Verio, my ISP for over an hour. Now I know that Verio (and maybe other ISPs) does not allow the access that is necessary to edit templates and themes. This access is not possible by FTPing the files, then editing, and uploading the revised files. It is also impossible to edit using the editing panel under Managing > Files in your administrative panel.

If you keep getting this message – “If this file were writable you could edit it,” ask your ISP directly if you have access to the files within WordPress so you can retrieve them by FTP and edit them.

The only revisions I can do are those specifically listed on the tags, such as changing the header colors and wording and very few others. This means that all the WordPress instructions on how to change theme features, headers, footers, load images, chmod, etc. do not apply to my blog.

Hope this helps others save a little time.