Do I need WordPress on my computer too?

  • willtravel4hugs

    (@willtravel4hugs)


    12 years, 11 months ago

    I am very confused. I am quite new to this, but I was not happy with the inability to edit wordpress.com themes so I started self-helping.

    I have purchased web hosting and a domain name and installed wordpress through that web host.

    I am now following this:
    http://codex.ww.wp.xz.cn/Child_Themes

    to get started on editing the layout and everything of my website.

    But I am confused because it says to go into the “wp-content” folder as if wordpress is on my computer. From what I can see, it was only installed in my web host so I can access the dashboard online. I don’t see any folders for wordpress on my computer, nor can I find anything that looks like the “wp-content” picture on the dashboard. and if I type in my website name/wp-content/themes, it is just a blank page. Do I need to have wordpress on my computer in order to make a child theme? I am so VERY confused and frustrated, as all walk-through sites said it was easy!

    When following install wordpress options, it sounded as if I only needed to install it through the web host and all would be peachy from there. Is this not true?

    Thanks for the help! I am about to be traveling for an extended amount of time and I would like to get this up and running and pretty in about a week!

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • WPyogi

    (@wpyogi)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    You don’t need anything on your computer, no. You DO need to have access to the files on the server using FTP – that’s where you will find that structure of files.

    If you don’t have FTP set up, ask your hosting company how to do that – as the access info is not the same as your WP login.

    Thread Starter willtravel4hugs

    (@willtravel4hugs)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    Ah! Ok. So I am editing through my host as opposed to through the dashboard. I just found the files by logging into my webhosts page and clicking on file manager.. I knew it’d be something silly! Haha.

    Thank you! I wouldn’t have checked somewhere on my web host page if you hadn’t said something!

    WPyogi

    (@wpyogi)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    Yep, for making a child theme, you have to have file level access – so now you’re on the right track. But when you make the new file (style.css), you should use a plain text editor on your local computer – and then upload to the new child theme folder. Don’t create the file in the file manager – those sometimes don’t work right.

    Thread Starter willtravel4hugs

    (@willtravel4hugs)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    Ok. So I should type out all the code in word first, and then copy it and paste it into the style.css file?

    Also, when following the same instructions, after pasting “@import url(“../twentytwelve/style.css”);” into the sheet, it has a “i” beside it that if you hover over it says “@import prevents parallel downloads, use <link> instead” is this important?

    You’d think a tutorial directly from wordpress would actually give you the proper instructions!

    WPyogi

    (@wpyogi)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    No, don’t EVER use Word – it will make a huge mess of a file – it adds all kinds of incompatible coding that breaks things. You need to use a plain text editor and create the file on your local computer – then upload that file to the new folder on the server.

    Using Word is likely causing that other thing to happen. Start over with a plain text editor. Your computer likely has one already or there are many free ones available online.

    Thread Starter willtravel4hugs

    (@willtravel4hugs)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    Oh, more like notepad, then?

    esmi

    (@esmi)

    12 years, 11 months ago

    Yes.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

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