Post on 06-May-2015
description
Customizing WordPressKathy E Gill
What Is WordPress?
A content management system
Can be used for a blog or a basic website without a blog
Today
1. General Settings
2. Categories
3. Design Considerations
4. Widgets
1. General Settings
Modify the tag line and set time zone to PacificDashboard -> Settings -> General
Change the home pageDashboard -> Settings -> ReadingRequires that you have created a new
home page and a placeholder for the blog, if you are going to have one
2. Categories and Tags
What are they
Where are they
How to edit/deleteShould never have “uncategorized”
posts
Tutorial; categories sub-panel; tags sub-panel
3. Design Considerations
Dark on light is easier to read
San Serif fonts are easier to read on screen than Serif
Fixed versus variable widths: impact on readability
4. What Are Widgets?
A “configurable code snippet" that makes it possible to modify function and appearance
4a. Widgets & WordPress Themes
Not all themes are widget-capable
Themes vary in widget options, location
Single Widget Area
Multiple Widget Areas
4b. Where Are Widgets?
Access the widgets page from the Appearance Menu in your Dashboard.
Default Appearance - Single
Default Appearance - Multi
Monotone: No Widgets Supported
4c. Editing Widgets
Note: once you edit a widget area, the default widgets disappear, ie, they will no longer be visible on the site
Recommendation: before editing, take a screenshot of your theme
Tip: if you don’t want anything to show up in a widget area, try adding a blank text widget.
Adding Widgets
To add a widget, drag from the Available or Inactive Widgets area on the left onto the Sidebar area on the right.
When you see a dashed line appear, you can drop the widget into place.
Single widget area; image from WP.com
Multiple Widget Locations
The Widget area, such asSidebar 1, must be “open”in order to add widgets!
Configuring Widgets
Each widget has configuration options. Click on the triangle on the right side of the widget to configure.
You’ll need to save only if you edit.
Ordering, Deleting Widgets
Change the order of the widgets by dragging and dropping them in the sidebar area.
Delete by dragging to the left or clicking the “delete” link on the configuration box.
Drag to “inactive” area to retain any custom settings
Note: design change is immediate – no “save” required
4d. Important Widgets (1/5)
ArchivesNavigation. Provides access to old posts; a key characteristic of blog as a genre
CategoriesNavigation. Provides access to posts by topic; a key characteristic of blog as a genre
4d. Important Widgets (2/5)
LinksAs Blogroll, Background. Provides insight into blog content, author; a key characteristic of blog as a genre
PagesNavigation. Provides access to pages; essential if sidebar is primary navigation.
4d. Important Widgets (3/5)
Tag CloudNavigation, Background. Provides access to posts by keyword; requires reasonably large corpus to be useful.
Category CloudNavigation, Background. Provides alternative access to posts by category; requires reasonably large corpus to be useful.
4d. Important Widgets (4/5)
TextMay be the most important widget; can hold text or HTML but no javascript. For javascript, get self-hosted WordPress.
RSS LinksProvides access to post and comment RSS feed using orange button. Essential if there is no other RSS subscription link in the design.
4d. Important Widgets (5/5)
Recent PostsBackground. Highlights most recent posts; useful when “more” tag not employed.
Recent CommentsBackground. Highlights most recent comments; requires reasonably large corpus/frequent comments to be meaningful.
4e. Interesting Widgets (1/3)
TwitterBackground. Displays tweets by handle.
FlickrBackground. Displays photos from Flickr based on an RSS feed.
DeliciousBackground. Display Delicious links by handle.
GoodreadsBackground. Display your books.
4e. Interesting Widgets (2/3)
Box.netFunctionality. Share files with your readers.
MeeboFunctionality. Enables private IM chat.
RSSFunctionality. Display results from any RSS feed.
SocialVibeFunctionality. Support a charity.
4e. Interesting Widgets (3/3)
Blog SubscriptionFunctionality. Enables email alert when there are new posts.
MilestoneFunctionality. Display a countdown to a specific date.
FacebookFunctionality. “Like” a Facebook page (not profile)
Widgets Are Not Plug-ins
• WP.com does not allow user-installed plug-ins
• Widgets = content (more or less)
• Plug-Ins = functionality (usually are back-end, such as Akismet, statistics or Google analytics, but may provide short-code functionality or easy content sharing)
WordPress Widgets
List and descriptions at WP.com: http://en.support.wordpress.com/topic/widgets-sidebars/
Even more widgets available for self-hosted WP accounts: http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Widgets
Credits
Kathy E Gill, @kegill
Creative Commons: share-and-share alike, non-commercial, attribution
Permanent home: http://wiredpen.com/resources/presentations/wordpress-using-widgets-to-customize-your-theme/