Presented by Rindy Portfolio www.tadpole.cc
Step up to the sidebar: Making the Most of Widget Areas
May 09, 2015
An introduction to the powerful tools that are WordPress widget areas.
In this presentation, we'll cover the basics of how widgets and widget areas work within WordPress themes, including:
Intro to widget areas
What kinds of content are appropriate for the widget areas
What widgets can help accomplish what you need
Widgets you may not know about
Managing widgets when changing themes
Plugins that come with widgets
Creating your own widget areas (basic intro)
In this presentation, we'll cover the basics of how widgets and widget areas work within WordPress themes, including:
Intro to widget areas
What kinds of content are appropriate for the widget areas
What widgets can help accomplish what you need
Widgets you may not know about
Managing widgets when changing themes
Plugins that come with widgets
Creating your own widget areas (basic intro)
Welcome message from author
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Transcript
Presented byRindy Portfolio
www.tadpole.cc
www.tadpole.cc
About Tadpole
‣ Creative Collective
‣ Hourly Support
‣Website Development
‣Workshops & Training
‣ Hosting Plans
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“...one of the most powerful
features of WordPress.”
- Justin Tadlock
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Sidebars...‣ allow for flexible design
‣ as many sidebars as you want*
‣ a.k.a. widget areas
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Widgets...‣ mean interoperability
‣ snippet of content
‣ drag & drop
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DEMO
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Types of Widgets
‣ Recent Posts
‣ Recent Contents
‣ Search
‣ Meta
‣ Text Widget
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Shortcodes in the Text Widget
add_filter('widget_text','do_shortcode');
Add this code to functions.php
and now shortcodes will work in the text widget!
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Widgets & Plugins
‣ Membership
‣ Events
‣ Social Media
‣ Advertising
‣ and lots more...
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Widgets & Plugins
‣ Display widgets http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/display-widgets/
‣ Taxonomy Widget http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/taxonomy-widget/
‣ Really Simple Gallery Widget http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/really-simple-gallery-widget/
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Widget Areas in Themes
http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/spine/http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/pinboard/http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/leaf/
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Create your own Widget Area
<?php get_header();
get_footer(); ?>
get_content(); get_sidebar();
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Create your own Widget Area
header.php
footer.php
content.php sidebar.php
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‣ Step 1: Define Sidebar in
functions.php.
‣ Step 2: Add sidebar to
theme location.
Create your own Widget Area
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<?php
register_sidebar(array( 'name' => 'Primary Widget Area', 'id' => 'primary-widget-area', 'description' => 'Front Page Sidebar.' ), 'before_title' => '<h1>', 'after_title' => '</h1>' ));
?>
Step 1: functions.php
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<?php if ( !dynamic_sidebar( 'primary-widget-area' )) : ?>
<!-- Content to display if no widgets are present -->
<?php else : dynamic_sidebar ( 'primary-widget-area' );
endif;
?>
Step 2: Add to theme file
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Go Forth and get
your sidebar on!
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Resources
‣ Justin Tadlock - Sidebars in Wordpress http://justintadlock.com/archives/2010/11/08/sidebars-in-wordpress/
‣ Jeremy Clarke - Widgetizing Everythinghttp://www.slideshare.net/jeremyclarke/widgetize-everything-building-smarter-wordpress-themes-with-widgets-and-templates-wordcamp-montreal-2010
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Resources
‣ WordPress.org Codex http://codex.wordpress.org/Customizing_Your_Sidebar#New_ way_of_adding_sidebars
‣ Lorelle on WordPress - Exploring the WordPress Text Widgethttp://lorelle.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/wordpress-tips-exploring-the-wordpress-text-widget/
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Q & A
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Thanks!Rindy Portfolio
@portfolawww.tadpole.cc
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