Title: Adding new functions, general_template.php page Last modified: August 19, 2016 --- # Adding new functions, general_template.php page * [jami1955](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jami1955/) * (@jami1955) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/) * Hi, first, wordpress forums is very helpful, I have found answers to ALL of my questions within 24 hours here. wow. * In the previous version 2.6, in order to add a function, like for instance to have a template page call a different sidebar, all I had to do was define the new sidebar in the general_template.php page and presto, I got my new template page to call it’s own special sidebar. * I tried with version 2.7, and found the process of defining functions is spread all over the place and I can’t figure out how to define anything new. Here is the code in general_template.php for calling the sidebar: * ``` function get_sidebar( $name = null ) { do_action( 'get_sidebar' ); $templates = array(); if ( isset($name) ) $templates[] = "sidebar-{$name}.php"; $templates[] = "sidebar.php"; if ('' == locate_template($templates, true)) load_template( get_theme_root() . '/default/sidebar.php'); } ``` * Can I change this code to get a new sidebar defined? Or if not, where and how do I do that? * thanks, JSC Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) * [vomers](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vomers/) * (@vomers) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960543) * The function is set up to allow for multiple sidebar configurations. * just call the function with the name of your sidebar * For example if I wanted do add a sidebar on the right side I would create the sidebar file and name the file sidebar-right.php * I could name it sidebar-blue.php and still have it show up on the right side it is just the name used to locate the file that displays the sidebar. * then just call the function * and it will use the sidebar-right.php * file for the sidebar * I hope that helps. * Thread Starter [jami1955](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jami1955/) * (@jami1955) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960587) * Thanks! we’re getting there, so to clarify: If I create a sidebar page called sidebar-02.php and want that to be called on my template page, do I call the function ? * What’s a little confusing is that in my theme (cognoblue) the original sidebar that is called with this function is sidebar_r.php which is written with an underscore, not a hyphen… but if I have what you’re saying correct, I’ll try it. * thanks again, JSC * Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/) * (@otto42) * WordPress.org Admin * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960590) * The correct syntax would actually be: * ``` ``` * The quotes make it a string. I know, pedantic, but it sometimes makes a difference. * As far as the underscore/hyphen.. Rename the existing file to use a hyphen instead. * [jamie1955](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamie1955/) * (@jamie1955) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960621) * Right, that helped! thanks. * What I did was this: the original code was `` which still works on several templates, and I added this * `` to put my special sidebar on my authors’ page. works great, much simpler than the other way of going into general_template.php and adding functions! great stuff. JSC * Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/) * (@otto42) * WordPress.org Admin * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960634) * While a direct include will indeed work, using something like this: `` is safer and better. It does essentially the same thing, but with the benefit of being inside a function scope, as well as having the ability to fallback to the sidebar.php if the sidebar-authors.php file is missing. * [jamie1955](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamie1955/) * (@jamie1955) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960646) * Here’s an interesting question: now that I’ve got my authors page calling my special sidebar…. how do I get that special sidebar to show up in the drop down sidebar list in my admin widgets control panel, so that I can configure that sidebar differently than the original one? * [jamie1955](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamie1955/) * (@jamie1955) * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960648) * Actually Otto42, I changed the code to what you suggested but that rendered this call for the author’s thumbnail pic in the sidebar which comes from the [user-photo plugin](http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/user-photo/) useless. The picture would not show up anymore. The code `` only works in that sidebar when it is called like this `` C’est la code… * thanks for your help JSC * Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/) * (@otto42) * WordPress.org Admin * [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960650) * Do this instead: * ``` ``` * That will prevent the issue you saw. Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) The topic ‘Adding new functions, general_template.php page’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 8 replies * 4 participants * Last reply from: [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/) * Last activity: [17 years, 4 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-functions-general_templatephp-page/#post-960650) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics