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Child Theme Question from Super Noob

  • @rebeccageiger

    Participant

    Good Day!
    Thank You for takin the time to read/watch my question… my question.
    I am a super noob and am not familiar with coding css.
    I created a quick video to explain what step I am unsure about or am missing.
    I clearly don’t understand the first step in creating a child theme.. if you could explain how/where I create a style.css file inside of my “new”child theme… I would really appreciate it immensely!
    here is the video explaining my child troubles :)
    http://www.screencast.com/users/becube/folders/Jing/media/76d7903b-18d0-46da-a68e-e8969c46d7de

    If you could clarify what it is that I am doing wrong.. I will send you BIG E-HUGS!

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
  • @r-a-y

    Keymaster

    Hi Rebecca,

    Create the style.css with the information found in the guide locally on your computer, then upload it to your /wp-content/themes/shuswapsocialnetwork/ directory.

    Once you’ve done this, you should be able to select this new theme under “Appearance > Themes” in the WP admin area.

    @rebeccageiger

    Participant

    Thank You R-A-Y…
    I appreciate your answer. Perhaps do I build this in a text editor? I apologize for my noobness .. all I have is iweb on my mac and I am not sure how to edit in iweb for css…
    p.s Big E-hugs for you! (+)

    @r-a-y

    Keymaster

    Yes, use a text editor to fill in your style.css. Basically copy the example CSS from the child theme article and modify it to suit your needs. Appreciate the e-hug! :)

    @pcwriter

    Participant

    @Rebecca

    Try Arachnophilia from http://www.arachnoid.com/arachnophilia/
    You can edit pretty much anything with it.

    As for a child theme, here’s one way of thinking about it: the style.css file IS your child theme. Well, the skeleton anyway; the rest is muscle.
    Like r-a-y says, just create the style.css file as per the instructions in the codex: https://codex.buddypress.org/how-to-guides/building-a-buddypress-child-theme/
    You’ll need to enable the theme in Site Admin ­­> Themes before you can activate it in Appearance > Themes though.

    Have fun! :-)

    @pcwriter

    Participant

    Hey r-a-y, you beat me to it by 11 secs!

    @agrundner

    Member

    @rebeccageiger I checked out your screencast. To edit the style.css file (not folder) through your cPanel File Manager you’ll have to click on the HTML or Code Editor buttons at the top. That should show you a blank file that you can cut ‘n paste the code you wish to add. After that follow @r-a-y‘s instructions to activate the theme and then you’ll be able to edit your files in WordPress under Appearance > Editor.

    Essentially what you’re doing when following the BP child theme instructions is importing the CSS files from the default BP theme — you’ll need to add your own overriding style instructions to your new theme’s style.css file (underneath the CSS Inherit text).

    Heads up: making a child theme isn’t as easy as it sounds. You’ll have to know CSS pretty well to know what areas from the default BP theme style.css to alter/override to create the child theme to your liking. For a newbie, I’d recommend downloading a free theme where you can edit the site name and maybe its header color. However, if you want to dive in head first, try downloading a simple, free theme and edit its style.css file to see what happens (I’d stay away from tweaking the default BP theme in case you get around to making a child theme at a latter time). Good luck!

    @rebeccageiger

    Participant

    WOW! This is the super nicest group I have ever been a part of.
    A serious thank you. Really!
    Agrundner, PCwriter, R-A-Y.
    You answered my question so fast and to the point.
    I am very grateful (tear running down my face) kidding….
    Actually I really wanted to say Thank You guys a WHOLE BUNCH! I really really appreciate your answers!!
    R

    @rebeccageiger

    Participant

    Whoot! it worked! You guys ROCK!

    @rebeccageiger

    Participant

    I feel so S.M.R.T :)
    thanks guys!

    @jgagnon

    Member

    I’ve created a style.css file within a folder in the wp-content/themes directory, but when I try to active it on the dashboard under Appearance>Themes my theme folder is at the bottom and it says it’s broken, and the stylesheet is missing. any thoughts? thanks ^_^

    @hnla

    Participant

    Yes, please don’t pick up 8 month old threads please :)

    Have you created all the necessary parts at the top of the file ? Are you referencing a parent theme correctly? Have you read through the page in the codex explaining how to create child themes

    @mercime

    Participant

    @jgagnon you should start a new thread instead of appending to an 8-month-old one
    One thought is that you might have not uploaded the style.css file to the correct folder
    https://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development#Theme_Stylesheet

    @hnla

    Participant

    Thanks mercime but I did say that ;)

    You must either reference a parent theme using the template line at the top of the file or have a index.php in the theme folder- essentially there must be a index.php file referenced for the theme to not be broken

    @mercime

    Participant

    @hnla – I took too long to answer, didn’t see you post :-)

    @hnla

    Participant

    :P type quicker forget about spellinh or pugnination

Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 15 total)
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