As you can see, he stated he wants to be able to add video, pictures text or whatever in the left column but also the right column.
In WordPress I have managed to allow for custom page content in the left column. But what can I do about the right column, how can I make it become editable too!? It's using the sidebar.php file, but I don't think I should be using this in all honesty.
He wants the homepage to be a single column layout, so I have used a custom template, if you click 'About' and all of the other pages they use a two column layout.
I don't suppose you have any ideas do you? I know you don't usually specialise in WordPress.
I know a few other members such as @TheDoc who may know?
Now, it is overused to the point where nobody laughs out loud when they say it. In fact, they probably don't even give a shit about what you just wrote. More accurately, the acronym "lol" should be redefined as "Lack of laughter."
Depending on the chatter, its definition may vary. The list of its meanings includes, but is not limited to:
1) "I have nothing worthwhile to contribute to this conversation."
2) "I'm too lazy to read what you just wrote so I'm typing something useless in hopes that you'll think I'm still paying attention."
3) "Your statement lacks even the vaguest trace of humor but I'll pretend I'm amused."
4) "This is a pointless acronym I'm sticking in my sentence just because it's become so engraved into my mind that when chatting, I MUST use the meaningless sentence-filler 'lol.'"
@Watson90 My site is pretty much like the issue you're having (see here). I use the main editor to display my main content and then I use a custom metabox to display content (description) for my sidebar. I also use the 'Attachments' plugin which you could use if he wants to display images in the sidebar.
So basically in your sidebar, output the h1 of the page there instead of the page.php (I think that's what it's using, otherwise index.php). Then, if you need, I can supply you with a custom meta box script which adds a description box (this will go under 'About'). You should probably download the 'Attachments' plugin as well.
For the main content, use the main editor to post the video and the text under it.
Wow, that's great! The website has finally resolved it's DNS in work so I can inspect closer. In his design, he wants the h1 tag (about, approach, projects etc) to display in the left column though, he then wants to add additional page content to the right sidebar... does this matter, Chris?
I'm not sure of the semantics but after looking again, it seems the right is correct for sidebar information. Although, I'm not sure about posting the pages under the video content. It just looks odd and might be confusing. I mean, I wouldn't add pages with the name of the company like that. It seems unnecessary.
No, I understand what you mean, they have been appended and prepended with jQuery. He likes it like that and prefers if they're there, so I am just letting him do what he wants with it. I told him that navigation should really be at the top of the page but he prefers it where it is.
So all you need for the main column (left) is the main editor. Nothing special.
For the right (sidebar), you might want to look at custom meta boxes to have input fields to post youtube videos (if needed), images (Attachments plugin) and a description textarea field.
I knew that one day I would have to come across setting up meta boxes, I've never looked into them really, the same with custom post types, never used them either :/
I will look into it now.
So, once it is done, when I am in the backend of wordpress editing the 'About' page, will i see the main large text editor and also 3 boxes to the right of it?
Here you can see how mine is setup. If you scroll down, look for 'My Custom Meta Box', that content displays in my sidebar as a description. You would add that under the input field for your YT videos if he requires that to be a feature.
@Watson90 Hover over ACF plugin and go to Settings. Click on your fields and get the PHP for them. See if that works? @TheDoc is more familiar with this particular plugin than I am.
The whole of the PHP code is meant to go into my sidebar.php file? When I did that I got a load of errors. And if I put the code in my functions.php file how does it know to output to the sidebar.php file? It's confusing, haha.
@watson90 Well go back to whatever you did before where it outputs normally. Then, in your theme file, try the following code instead of the one you showed me in codepen.
Yeah, I noticed that it looked quite tough to set up, his documentation was good as it was a 6 minute video explaining step-by-step. However this plugin is amazing! Especially for WP noobs like myself.
Not sure but I ended up using another plugin "More Fields" and it works. You can see the fields 'description', 'client', 'art director' and 'typeface'.
Hi all
So, the problem I'm faced with is I am currently working on a WordPress powered website for a client, the design he's sent me is a two column layout.
I coded up a static page based on his design on my website for him to look at here: http://stevenwatson.co.uk/construction/communication
As you can see, he stated he wants to be able to add video, pictures text or whatever in the left column but also the right column.
In WordPress I have managed to allow for custom page content in the left column. But what can I do about the right column, how can I make it become editable too!? It's using the sidebar.php file, but I don't think I should be using this in all honesty.
This is the actual website up to now: http://communicatingisimportant.com
Thanks in advance everyone!
Wow...something went wrong when I clicked the actual link...I just get a single column...is that right?
EDIT: Ahh...OK.
Ick!
Hi @Paulie_D
He wants the homepage to be a single column layout, so I have used a custom template, if you click 'About' and all of the other pages they use a two column layout.
I don't suppose you have any ideas do you? I know you don't usually specialise in WordPress.
I know a few other members such as @TheDoc who may know?
You could make it a widget area with a maximum of 1 widget that he could edit anyway he wants.
Hmmm, that sounds like an idea @stevencrader! Thanks, have you ever done something like that before?
Also, will this allow him to see a text editor just like the pages where he can add what he wants?
@Watson90 Speciaize in WP...I can barely even spell it!
What I have learned about it (which is very little) I have gathered from watching Chris' videos.
I'm an old middle-aged HTML/CSS guy...all these new fangled technologies like JS, jQuery, PHP are pretty much beyond me.
Heck, I'm one step up from table based layouts.
Haha, yeah I learned a lot from Chris' Screencasts too when I was starting out with it. Still a newbie when it comes to WordPress, though.
Oh btw @Paulie_D - I didn't know what 'Ick' meant, so I googled it and guess what I found? Lol!
LOL......oh wait
Haha, touche ;)
@Watson90 My site is pretty much like the issue you're having (see here). I use the main editor to display my main content and then I use a custom metabox to display content (description) for my sidebar. I also use the 'Attachments' plugin which you could use if he wants to display images in the sidebar.
So basically in your sidebar, output the h1 of the page there instead of the page.php (I think that's what it's using, otherwise index.php). Then, if you need, I can supply you with a custom meta box script which adds a description box (this will go under 'About'). You should probably download the 'Attachments' plugin as well.
For the main content, use the main editor to post the video and the text under it.
@chrisburton
Wow, that's great! The website has finally resolved it's DNS in work so I can inspect closer. In his design, he wants the h1 tag (about, approach, projects etc) to display in the left column though, he then wants to add additional page content to the right sidebar... does this matter, Chris?
The left column should be the sidebar, no? If not it might be even easier on the development side.
Well, I have made the right column the sidebar, but I could switch them around. Do you think that's best?
I'm not sure of the semantics but after looking again, it seems the right is correct for sidebar information. Although, I'm not sure about posting the pages under the video content. It just looks odd and might be confusing. I mean, I wouldn't add pages with the name of the company like that. It seems unnecessary.
That embedded YT clip is there just for viewing purposes as I was trying to figure out this problem. It has gone now.
No, I understand what you mean, they have been appended and prepended with jQuery. He likes it like that and prefers if they're there, so I am just letting him do what he wants with it. I told him that navigation should really be at the top of the page but he prefers it where it is.
I suppose I've gotta' do what makes the client happy...
Sounds like he has no idea about UX.
So all you need for the main column (left) is the main editor. Nothing special.
For the right (sidebar), you might want to look at custom meta boxes to have input fields to post youtube videos (if needed), images (Attachments plugin) and a description textarea field.
I knew that one day I would have to come across setting up meta boxes, I've never looked into them really, the same with custom post types, never used them either :/
I will look into it now.
So, once it is done, when I am in the backend of wordpress editing the 'About' page, will i see the main large text editor and also 3 boxes to the right of it?
Here you can see how mine is setup. If you scroll down, look for 'My Custom Meta Box', that content displays in my sidebar as a description. You would add that under the input field for your YT videos if he requires that to be a feature.
Ahhh, that's exactly what I'm after, @chrisburton. I have just been looking at this;
http://www.farinspace.com/wordpress-meta-box-next-level
Is this kind of thing I should be doing?
I use WPAlchemy but it's not easy to implement. http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/advanced-custom-fields might be something you'd like.
What a cool plugin!!! It's pretty much perfect, thanks so much for you help! Take a look now, @chrisburton.
How do you get the attachments plugin to work btw? I have used the image function built in with the custom fields plugin and it just comes out as text
http://communicatingisimportant.com/about
@Watson90 Throw your PHP up in codepen
http://codepen.io/Watson90/pen/rpaIB
In the code on my website I have removed the p tags surrounding the picture_box shortcode.
@Watson90 Hover over ACF plugin and go to Settings. Click on your fields and get the PHP for them. See if that works? @TheDoc is more familiar with this particular plugin than I am.
@chrisburton, Since adding the PHP code to my functions.php file I seem to have two of the meta boxes on my about page in 'edit' mode :S
@Watson90 Is it supposed to go in functions.php or your template? I can't remember. Also, please take a screenshot.
The whole of the PHP code is meant to go into my sidebar.php file? When I did that I got a load of errors. And if I put the code in my functions.php file how does it know to output to the sidebar.php file? It's confusing, haha.
@watson90 Well go back to whatever you did before where it outputs normally. Then, in your theme file, try the following code instead of the one you showed me in codepen.
@chrisburton - YES! http://communicatingisimportant.com/about/
I seriously can't thank you enough, man!
@Watson90 Yeah, no problem. If you have any more questions let me know.
I thought of the <img> tag but I done it the old HTML way for some reason, don't know why I did that haha.
Thanks, I will keep you in mind if I'm stuck with something else, now I'll just try to work on the aesthetics a bit more after his approval.
Thanks again!
@Watson90 I'm actually rethinking my decision on using WPAlchemy. I might make the switch. Glad you got this resolved, by the way.
Yeah, I noticed that it looked quite tough to set up, his documentation was good as it was a 6 minute video explaining step-by-step. However this plugin is amazing! Especially for WP noobs like myself.
Thanks :) hopefully my client will like it.
@Watson90 Did you just activate the plugin, upgrade your DB, add your fields and then it showed up in your post's editor?
For some reason I can't get it to show up.
Update: It has to do with my Database and WPAlchemy. I have to reinstall Wordpress =/
Huh, weird. I just installed > activated > and made a new register field > added the three lines of code to grab the functions and it worked.
Wonder why you have to do a complete reinstall!?
@Watson90
Not sure but I ended up using another plugin "More Fields" and it works. You can see the fields 'description', 'client', 'art director' and 'typeface'.
http://cloud.chrisburton.me/LDgp
@chrisburton
Ahh, yes, looks neat! Glad you got something sorted with it.