WP is way too easy to kill

The problem you are having are not specific to InstantWP but are inherent to the way in which WordPress works. Instead of trying to sync the new theme via InstantWP, what you actually need to do is upload a fresh copy of the theme to the remote site using FTP.

It could be because I tried either to upload an XML export file from WP3.9.1 on InstantWP to the hosted WP3.9.1 site, or because I tried to stick in a footer using an plugin.

Are the issues specific to the child themes?

Actually, I did use FileZilla, both to upload and download themes and xml export files. Downloading WP files and folder from a WP site to InstantWP on a PC causes InstantWP to go gaga because of the mismatch in home and WP URLs. As I recall, I uploaded twentyten-child to the WP site, after updating both InstantWP and WP to 3.9.1.

For some unknown reason, I started getting blank preview windows for both the parent and child themes when I tried to customize the appearance with widgets. Then it went away when I signed on again after a while. Go figure.

I really hate the widgets now. I installed a footer widget called footer putter 1.9 so that I could add a copyright to my pages. And then went around in infinite loops trying to get it to work in one of the footer widget areas. It doesn’t unless I put it in the secondary widget area. Otherwise, WP keeps asking me to create a menu, which has nothing to do with (c) notices. In PageMill, if I want a (c) notice, I just put a line-divider at the bottom of the page and type it in. No sweat.

If this is supposed to be easier, I don’t see it. Up to a certain point, baring new computer languages, I don’t mind learning new things. But I expect good software to be at least a little intuitive, with clear instructions. I don’t think WP is there yet.

I just hope PageMill installs in Windows 7 and 8. If not, I still have a Win2K computer. For as long as it lasts.

Seems more of a workflow matter than anything else.

Is there a particular reason you want to work on the site locally? Generally, I reserve local installs for testing new plugins, themes, etc. and just plain old messing around.

I develop my sites online in either a subdomain or more often than not, just a folder off the root of one of my hosting accounts. This way, the client can view the progress and when the time comes to go live, it is a “simple” matter of copying the site to their hosting.

As esmi says, if you do develop a theme locally, get it to where it’s done and then copy the required files then.

I too came from DW and dare I say, Front Page, and CMSs were a bit to get my head around at first. Now, I cannot see doing it any other way ??

DW? I didn’t like Front Page, either. Unlike PageMill, it generated tons of bloat-code.

OK, I admit it. WP makes it a lot easier to develop a professional looking site than PageMill, and I’ll continue to learn how to use it. But I’m going to dump that footer widget. I had to put the (c) in my tagline. Perhaps there’s a way develop some HTML (tables for example) in PageMill and insert it into a WP page.

One of my problems is that I’m 68 and taking a lot of medications. I lost the ability to do higher math and computer language programming more than a decade ago. The last time I looked at C++, it looked like impenetrable octopus code to me, and I wouldn’t even attempt to learn PHP. So I’m not going to be developing any themes, and depending on others to do it for me shuts off some options. If their widget area doesn’t work as advertised, there’s nothing I can do about it.

I’m not coding for other people – just myself. I’ve been using PageMill since about 1998 (www.android-originals.com), and have fought with it a time or two. I’ve been envious of the slicker sites for some time. My site 137 MB, with lots and lots of images and pages. Many of the original crude efforts still show, and there’s not enough time to go back and clean it all up.

I plan to start a business (one-person so far) making patented guitars and accessories, and am learning WP to start up a news site for it. It will have things like video interviews with local musicians playing prototype guitars. You just can’t advertise new products in today’s market with the kind of web site I’ve done in the past. So I’m glad to have WP; it’s easier to learn to use than GoLive.

But I’d still like some of the old wysiwyg controls available to use with it. Say, including an easy to use wysiwyg theme developer that doesn’t require an intimate knowledge of PHP.

– Sorry, I’m not ready yet to release my new site to the public yet.

Oh, the reason I want to work on the site locally is to keep the computer I’m doing patent work on disconnected from the net as much as possible. I’ve got a DSL router firewall, but prefer to limit the risk. And I’ve been uploading via FTP programs for years. It’s not a problem.

If you’re developing your entire site locally you need to move not only your theme, but your database as well.

You can move the database yourself manually, and while it’s fairly easy to do, I would suggest you check out WP Migrate DB. https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/wp-migrate-db/

To push from local to dev I think you’ll need the pro version, but it’s money well spent.

I develop everything locally and push to a staging server. Finally, when everything is good to go, I move to a live server. WP Migrate DB has saved me a lot of time.