Working with Theme Files

  • (newbie alert) I’ve got some web building skills, and I need some orientation to WordPress. I’m having trouble understanding what theme I’ve got as default (I think it’s Kubrick) where the CSS files for the Themes are located, and so on. It’s like when I look at the admin controls, it’s pretty much point and shoot. But when I look at the documentation, it’s talking about files in directories, as if there were a way to manipulate all these files in a more “web builder mechanics” mode. I guess what I’m looking for is the entry point into that more technical mode. Where do I get at those files, how are they structured, etc.

    Any help with this would be appreciated.

    Thanks!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

  • Not to put you off with more reading, but perhaps take a look through this section in the documents and see if that helps.

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

    And start to play with WP, keep asking questions here, and you will soon see how it all works.

    Thread Starter virtualink

    (@virtualink)

    Thanks for the input. I think the issue is that I’m not finding the basic physical entry point into “theme folders”. If I could just figure out how to get to those files and look at them, I think it would start to click.

    Themes are stored in the wp-content/themes directory. Go in and examine one and see how it is set up. On a basic level most have a header.php, an index.php [body] and a footer.php.

    Other elements such as sidebars are called in using a mix of CSS and php/html.

    Need more info? Just keep asking ??

    you can also do it on the backend of the site by going admin, presentation, theme editor. This gives you access to all the same files, although I like to make backups just in case…

    Thread Starter virtualink

    (@virtualink)

    Eureka! I found the theme editor, I see the CSS file; and other files, whew! I can start figuring from there.

    Thanks for the tip on backup, a favorite thing of mine. I guess I need some basic orientation on that. Where do these files physically exist? Are they on my remote hosted server, or a WordPress server? Where are the files backed up to? I read something about a backup utility…is the main thing to start learning about?

    I very much appreciate the help getting started.

    Thread Starter virtualink

    (@virtualink)

    Ah, I see lots of documentation on backup…I’ll start there. Thanks!

    on backup:

    are you using the wordpress default? find the wordpress folder that you downloaded from the site, open it, open wp-content, then themes, and open your themes folder. all the files are located in here. I usually create a new folder inside my themes folder called edits, copy and paste the files i’m going to screw with into edits, and then upload them to the server via ftp. that way I still have the originals in case i goof up.

    If its not a default theme, you should still have a folder that you downloaded for the theme, place this folder inside wp-content/themes, and your on the same page as above…

    hope that wasnt too confusing ??

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
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