multisite theme & plugin issue

PLus… In the WPO subdomain, I can add themes/plugins. I thought this was only done on the network admin side?

based on reading this:https://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/wordpress-multisite-masterclass-getting-started/

the file structure for the subdomains is not the same as the main domain (confirmed).

If anyone reads this before I solve the problem – advice on how to remap the file structure or alert me if im wrong…

Hello,

I actually have a multisite (network) setup for my theme demos but know this can be a bit tricky at times. However, just so I get a better picture of things, you have set up your network (multisite) on a subdomain?

But you are wondering about the installation of themes and plugins being available for added “sites” to the network?

When installing a theme or plugin, this is done from the network admin dashboard. For themes, while logged in, you would go to

My Sites >> Network Admin >> Themes

When uploading, you would then Network Enable it. So when you add a site to the network, then go into that site’s dashboard, you would see the theme there and can then activate it for that site.

Plugins are the same but also a bit different. You can Network Enable a plugin, but you can also leave it disabled and then go into the added Site’s dashboard and activate the plugin from there. There may be some plugins that need to be network-enabled, but most can be enabled from each added site’s dashboard. Themes are the ones that must be Network Enabled from the start.

Hopefully, I understood correctly, but if not, let me know.

Regards,
Andre

I have my multisite set on my main domain (.example.org) and see three sites:
.example.org (main domain site),
sub1.example.org (subdomain),
sub2.example.org (subdomain)

I just successfully uploaded a theme via Network Admin > My Sites > Themes
Network activated it.
I can see the theme on the main domain wp site but not the subdomains theme folder.

Which is why I think the subdomains files are mapped individually and not to the main domain?

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by ekaika.

Hmmm… could be. I have my network setup on a subdomain, not the primary. I’m thinking of trying the root setup of a network to see how this works out. However, being as you were following the WPMU tutorial, did you see this one from them for mapping?

Yeah I saw that article but lost myself at step 2 and 3.
However, I noticed (in step 4) Sites > Info > Site Address, each of the subdomains still show their respective URL.

Perhaps I should change the URLs for the subdomains to just the main domain…
That didn’t work.

I removed sub2 from the Site Address (URL), saved. It just populated back to sub2.example.org

• This reply was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by ekaika.

On a multisite, there are no separate directories for the subsites.

If you have WordPress installed in directories created for your subsites (as subdomains or domain names) then you don’t have those sites running under your multisite.

Under multisite, there is just one WordPress install and that install is shared among all the sites in that network.

Sometimes this misunderstanding occurs when a domain name is mapped into a new directory as part of the process to add the domain to the server. The directory would be empty so the admin might think WordPress needs installing there also and they’ll do so. The confusion just spreads from there.

On a Multisite, you’ll want the WordPress installed into the Webroot then all domains need to point to Webroot.

—
BTW: Domain mapping is handled entirely through the Network Admin now. You don’t need any domain mapping plugins anymore.

I have to head out the door but will check back here if there’s any update on your end. When I get back, I will read through that article myself.

I think @jnashhawkins hit it.

We had WP installed on the main domain years ago.
I created the subdomains and then installed wp on each subdomain, THEN created multisite. So basically I did everything ass-backwards.

Fortunately the subdomains are nothing but bones right now, so should I delete the subdomains and everything and start again ?

Which makes me question 1) how do I ensure WP is in the webroot and point the sub/domains there?

I’d imagine if you installed the main site first then that went to your webroot and is probably know as ‘public html’ in the directory listed for the domain settings in your Control Panel.

The add on and subdomains will need to point at the same ‘public html’ directory as the first domain provided that was also the site you set up as your multisite. My best guess is those other domains/subdomains point to subdirectories under ‘public html’ right now.

You don’t really need to delete those other installs but, if you pointed them to the same database, then you might want to just in case they might interfere with a working site somehow.

Keep in mind also that you have practical limits to the database and file system so deletion might be necessary to avoid problems with ‘space’ allocations later.

Boom solved.

Thanks for the light @jnashhawkins
end up deleting the subdomains and creating new ones with the primary domain’s web directory. now all works perfectly.