Digging Into WordPress, v2 Back in Print

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We sold out of our first batch of Digging Into WordPress books in a matter of weeks. We could have just ordered more as soon as supplies were low, but it just so happened that right about that time WordPress 2.9 was out, which has many new features. We were already working on revising the book, so we figured instead of reprint books that were 2.8.6 based, we would wait to finish all the 2.9.2 stuff and reprint the book with all that. So that’s what we did!

Today, the print version of the book is back for sale. The book features some revised content, and two new chapters! The all-new Chapter 10 is called “Bonus Tricks” where we detail out some cool things you can add to themes. In this chapter we also introduce the two brand new themes that now come included with the book! Chapter 11 is called “WordPress Updates”, where we include what is new in 2.9.2, how to use those new features, and where we will continue to expand when new versions come out.

If you have already bought the book, you should already have gotten an email with a download link for the new version, which also contains the new bundled themes.

Not only that, but the site is sporting a fresh new design!

Bundled Themes

The best way to illustrate and explain something is often just to give someone the finished product and let them explore it. There is lots of code in the book, but it’s all removed from the context of a real design. Now you’ll get some real themes along with the book so you can see how that code is used in an actual theme. The themes do a particularly good job illustrating two big topics:

  • Theme Options Panel – Both themes have options panels for setting various theme-specific options. They are built in a “framework” style, so that adding your own or adjusting what options are there is pretty easy.
  • Child Themes – Both themes come with a child theme which restyles the theme without affecting any of how it works. If you’ve always wondered how that works, you can see it with these themes.

Plastique

See theme options shine here as there is a ton of options to control your theme. Everything from how it is laid out (columns, positions) to what types of things you wish to include, to adding in markup into individual sections. Preview Theme

Lines & Boxes

Based on the look of a wireframe, Lines & Boxes could be used as-is for a minimalist look, or used as a starting point for a more fleshed out graphical theme. Some theme options including overriding the header of the site, and options on if you want the main navigation to be a category list or a page list. Preview Theme

All AJAX

“All Ajax”, also a bundled theme, is based off Lines & Boxes but is not technically a child theme. The idea is that every internal link on the site loads without page refresh. Preview Theme

Get it

Even with all the new themes and 30+ new pages, the price point for the book and PDF stay the same. $27 for the PDF and $67 + S&H for the Book/PDF Combo. If you buy the print book, remember that automatically comes with the PDF which now comes as a bundle with the themes, so you don’t miss out on that action.

What happens if you bought the PDF while the book was sold out and now want the print copy? That would be anytime between January 18th and February 28th. If that describes your situation, just forward a copy of your receipt to [email protected] and ask us for a discount code. We’ll send you one you can use on the print copy good for the value of what you paid for the PDF.

Go get it