Title: Adding New Sidebars
Last modified: August 20, 2016

---

# Adding New Sidebars

 *  Resolved [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/)
 * Hello,
    I just want to add 2 sidebars to a custom theme that I didn’t create.
   The site is [http://www.yourneighbormagazine.com](http://www.yourneighbormagazine.com)
 * I have added the following to my fuctions.php file:
 *     ```
       if ( function_exists('register_sidebars') ) {
       	register_sidebar('2');
       	register_sidebar('3');
       	register_sidebar(array(
       		'before_widget' => '<li id="%1$s" class="widget %2$s">',
       		'after_widget' => '',
       		'before_title' => '<h2 class="widgettitle">',
       		'after_title' => '</h2>',
       	));
       }
       ```
   
 * I have the sidebars visible in the widget admin area. I then added created a 
   sidebar2.php file which looks like:
 *     ```
       /**
        * @package WordPress
        * @subpackage Default_Theme
        */
       ?>
       	<div id="sidebar" role="complementary">
   
       <ul>
       			<?php 	/* Widgetized sidebar, if you have the plugin installed. */
       					if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') || !dynamic_sidebar(2) ) : ?>
   
       <li>
       				<?php get_search_form(); ?>
       			</li>
       			<!-- Author information is disabled per default. Uncomment and fill in your details if you want to use it.
   
       <li><h2>Author</h2>
       			<p>A little something about you, the author. Nothing lengthy, just an overview.</p>
       			</li>
       			-->
   
       			<?php if ( is_404() || is_category() || is_day() || is_month() ||
       						is_year() || is_search() || is_paged() ) {
       			?>
       <li>
       			<?php /* If this is a 404 page */ if (is_404()) { ?>
       			<?php /* If this is a category archive */ } elseif (is_category()) { ?>
       			<p>You are currently browsing the archives for the <?php single_cat_title(''); ?> category.</p>
   
       			<?php /* If this is a yearly archive */ } elseif (is_day()) { ?>
       			<p>You are currently browsing the <a>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> blog archives
       			for the day <?php the_time('l, F jS, Y'); ?>.</p>
   
       			<?php /* If this is a monthly archive */ } elseif (is_month()) { ?>
       			<p>You are currently browsing the <a>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> blog archives
       			for <?php the_time('F, Y'); ?>.</p>
   
       			<?php /* If this is a yearly archive */ } elseif (is_year()) { ?>
       			<p>You are currently browsing the <a>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> blog archives
       			for the year <?php the_time('Y'); ?>.</p>
   
       			<?php /* If this is a monthly archive */ } elseif (is_search()) { ?>
       			<p>You have searched the <a>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> blog archives
       			for <strong>'<?php the_search_query(); ?>'</strong>. If you are unable to find anything in these search results, you can try one of these links.</p>
   
       			<?php /* If this is a monthly archive */ } elseif (isset($_GET['paged']) && !empty($_GET['paged'])) { ?>
       			<p>You are currently browsing the <a>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> blog archives.</p>
   
       			<?php } ?>
   
       </li>
       		<?php }?>
       		</ul>
       		<ul role="navigation">
       			<?php wp_list_pages('title_li=<h2>Pages</h2>' ); ?>
   
       <li><h2>Archives</h2>
       <ul>
       				<?php wp_get_archives('type=monthly'); ?>
       				</ul>
       </li>
       			<?php wp_list_categories('show_count=1&title_li=<h2>Categories</h2>'); ?>
   
       <ul>
       			<?php /* If this is the frontpage */ if ( is_home() || is_page() ) { ?>
       				<?php wp_list_bookmarks(); ?>
   
       <li><h2>Meta</h2>
       <ul>
       					<?php wp_register(); ?>
   
       <li><?php wp_loginout(); ?></li>
       <li><a href="http://validator.w3.org/check/referer" title="This page validates as XHTML 1.0 Transitional">Valid <abbr title="eXtensible HyperText Markup Language">XHTML</abbr></a></li>
       <li><a href="http://gmpg.org/xfn/"><abbr title="XHTML Friends Network">XFN</abbr></a></li>
       <li><a href="http://wordpress.org/" title="Powered by WordPress, state-of-the-art semantic personal publishing platform.">WordPress</a></li>
       					<?php wp_meta(); ?>
       				</ul>
       </li>
       			<?php } ?>
   
       			<?php endif; ?>
       		</ul>
       	</div>
       ```
   
 * _[please read [http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum\_Welcome#Posting\_Code](http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#Posting_Code)
   for how to post code – the above code is unusable because it is partially corrupted
   by the forum parser]_
 * and then I uploaded that file via ftp to the site. Then I added the following
   to the index.php file:
 *     ```
       <?php get_sidebar(); ?>
   
       <?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/sidebar2.php'); ?>
       ```
   
 * I can drage widgets to my new sidebars but still nothing appears on the site.
 * Can someone help?
 * Thanks!!!!
    Nicole

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

 *  Moderator [Jose Castaneda](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jcastaneda/)
 * (@jcastaneda)
 * THEME COFFEE MONKEY
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3351994)
 * 1. Please don’t post more than 10 lines of code. [Forum Rules](http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#Posting_Code)
   
   2. The reason it isn’t displaying anything is because you are not calling the
   sidebar you want to load. How [get_sidebar()](http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/get_sidebar)
   works.
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352027)
 * Apologies on the code. Thanks Jose I will take a look!
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352033)
 * I have tried every option that I can find in forums and from codex but I can’t
   seem to get my new sidebars to appear on the page.
 * Where should I be calling the sidebar from?
 * I deleted the line in the index.php file for sidebars and the one still appears.
 * Can anyone help?
 * Thanks!
 *  Moderator [Jose Castaneda](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jcastaneda/)
 * (@jcastaneda)
 * THEME COFFEE MONKEY
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352039)
 * From the few lines of code you posted I would say try putting this in your index.
   php file:
 *     ```
       <?php get_sidebar ( '2' ); ?>
       ```
   
 * The file name that will call is `sidebar-2.php`. The one thing you will want 
   to remove is the [@package](https://wordpress.org/support/users/package/) from
   the sidebar file as well as the conditional function_exists() since you are using
   3.5 and register_sidebar() has been around 2.5 with the `name` parameter. 🙂 
   Hope that helps a little bit.
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352103)
 * Hi Jose,
    So you are saying that I need to remove the “@package WordPress” from
   both sidebar php files? Is this the right place to remove it from:
 * ‘<?php
    /** * [@package](https://wordpress.org/support/users/package/) WordPress*
   @subpackage Default_Theme’
 * And then remove the whole line with the function_exists() from the same pages:
 * ‘<?php /* Widgetized sidebar, if you have the plugin installed. */
    if ( !function_exists(‘
   dynamic_sidebar’) || !dynamic_sidebar() ) : ?>’
 * Do I keep the list tag after that line?
 * Thanks!
    Nicole
 *  [Michael](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alchymyth/)
 * (@alchymyth)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352104)
 * [http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/register_sidebar](http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/register_sidebar)
 * this code does not really have any meaning:
    `register_sidebar('2');`
 * try instead:
    `register_sidebar( array( 'id' => '2' ) );`
 * as already suggested, name the sidebar file _**sidebar-2.php **_and call it with`
   <?php get_sidebar('2); ?>`
 * for testing, this is all you would need in sidebar-2.php:
 *     ```
       <div id="sidebar" class="sidebar-2" role="complementary">
       <ul>
       	<?php if ( !dynamic_sidebar(2) ) : ?>
       <li>please use widget in area 2</li>
       	<?php endif; ?>
       </ul>
       </div>
       ```
   
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352105)
 * This is what I currently have in my functions.php file for the second sidebar:
 * ‘if ( function_exists(‘register_sidebar’) ) {
    register_sidebar(array( ‘name’
   => ‘Sidebar2’, ‘id’ => ‘sidebar-2′,’
 * Is that where you are saying I need to make the change?
 * I changed the sidebar-2.php file and added the call for that sidebar to my page.
   php file but I am still only seeing the original sidebar. If I delete the <?php
   get_sidebar(); ?> from my functions.php file it still shows the info in the first
   sidebar widget.
 *  [Michael](https://wordpress.org/support/users/alchymyth/)
 * (@alchymyth)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352106)
 * with your sidebar registration, the code in the sidebar file should be:
    `<?php
   if ( !dynamic_sidebar('sidebar-2') ) : ?>`
 * please post the _**full **_codes of following templates:
 * – functions.php
    – sidebar-2.php – index.php or from whatever file you are calling
   the sidebar(s).
 * (if these file are longer, plese use the pastebin – [http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#Posting_Code](http://codex.wordpress.org/Forum_Welcome#Posting_Code))
 * and a link where you expect the sidebar to appear.
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352107)
 * **Functions.php**– [http://pastebin.com/u8AXdygd](http://pastebin.com/u8AXdygd)
 * **sidebar-2.php:**
 * ‘<div id=”sidebar” class=”sidebar-2″ role=”complementary”>
    -  <?php if ( !dynamic_sidebar(2) ) : ?>
    - please use widget in area 2
    -  <?php endif; ?>
 * </div>’
 * **Page.php**– [http://pastebin.com/MAsHV4K7](http://pastebin.com/MAsHV4K7)
 * **sidebar.php:**– [http://pastebin.com/arP721A1](http://pastebin.com/arP721A1)
 * Thank you for your help! This theme is really old and I am having problems working
   with it.
 *  Thread Starter [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * (@nik_10)
 * [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352110)
 * I got it to work…. thanks for the help!!
 * Nik

Viewing 10 replies - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

The topic ‘Adding New Sidebars’ is closed to new replies.

 * 10 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Nik_10](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nik_10/)
 * Last activity: [13 years, 5 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/adding-new-sidebars-1/#post-3352110)
 * Status: resolved

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