Title: Editing functions.php using wordpress codex. how to do the basics?
Last modified: March 30, 2018

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# Editing functions.php using wordpress codex. how to do the basics?

 *  [w3215](https://wordpress.org/support/users/w3215/)
 * (@w3215)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-functions-php-using-wordpress-codex-how-to-do-the-basics/)
 * Hi,
 * I am fairly new to wordpress, and have not developed before with php. I have 
   been trying to make some basic customizations to my initial wordpress site (current
   theme: twenty sixteen). I am trying to understand how to do this. I think a lot
   of what I want to do can be found in the wordpress codex, but how do I enter 
   the code changes I get from the codex?
 * Here are some details:
 * For example, I want to change the label on the submit a comment button from “
   Post Comment” to, say. “Have Your Say.” In looking online, folks point to the
   wordpress codex about the comment form: [https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/comment_form](https://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/comment_form).
 * This has descriptions and sample code for doing this kind of thing, I think. 
   It does not say where to enter the changes you want, but I assume it is in the
   functions.php file. But when I enter the code changes in the functions.php file,
   nothing changes.
 * So, following the codex, to change the comment submit button, I believe this 
   would be the code:
 *     ```
       $comments_args = array(
               'label_submit'=>'Have Your Say',
       );
   
       comment_form($comments_args);
       ```
   
 * I plop this in my functions.php, and nothing changes. The comment form still 
   says “Post Comment”. What am I missing?
 * In case relevant: I am using twenty sixteen theme, and comment form is from default
   comment form (not jetpack–I disabled that on comments for some other stuff I 
   was doing).
 * Thanks!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [Mr Case](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mr-case/)
 * (@mr-case)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-functions-php-using-wordpress-codex-how-to-do-the-basics/#post-10132397)
 * Normally the functions.php file is the place to go to change core stuff about
   your theme, but in this case you may want to search your ‘comments.php’ file.
   Around line 73 you will find:
 *     ```
       comment_form( array(
           'title_reply_before' => '<h2 id="reply-title" class="comment-reply-title">',
           'title_reply_after'  => '</h2>',
       ) );
       ```
   
 * just add your code so it looks like this:
 *     ```
       comment_form( array(
           'title_reply_before' => '<h2 id="reply-title" class="comment-reply-title">',
           'title_reply_after'  => '</h2>',
           'label_submit'=>'Have Your Say',
       ) );
       ```
   
 * however, if I were you I would look into creating a [child theme](https://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes)
   before you made any changes to your existing theme. It’s very easy and will save
   you a ton of headache in the future! _(especially if your theme is updated)_
 *  Thread Starter [w3215](https://wordpress.org/support/users/w3215/)
 * (@w3215)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-functions-php-using-wordpress-codex-how-to-do-the-basics/#post-10132448)
 * Thank you. Is there a reason entering the code I did above does not work when
   I enter it in functions.php? Trying to understand how it works for other changes
   in the future.
 * For example, in the comment template form (displaying comments), WP currently
   has a title “One Comment”, “Two Comments”, etc… If I wanted to change that to
   say “One Response”, “Two Responses”, etc.., I found this info: [https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/template-files-section/partial-and-miscellaneous-template-files/comments/](https://developer.wordpress.org/themes/template-files-section/partial-and-miscellaneous-template-files/comments/)
 * It implies, I think, that the code I would use is something like:
 *     ```
       <h2 class="comments-title">
           <?php
               printf( _nx( 'One Response on "%2$s"', '%1$s Responses on "%2$s"', get_comments_number(), 'comments title', 'twentysixteen' ),
                   number_format_i18n( get_comments_number() ), '<span>' . get_the_title() . '</span>' );
           ?>
       </h2>
       ```
   
 * But entering that into functions.php does not seem to work. What doesn’t work
   about that?
 * (By the way, I am using a child theme. Thanks for the tip.)
 *  [Dion](https://wordpress.org/support/users/diondesigns/)
 * (@diondesigns)
 * [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-functions-php-using-wordpress-codex-how-to-do-the-basics/#post-10132790)
 * > Is there a reason entering the code I did above does not work when I enter 
   > it in functions.php?
 * Yes, there is a reason. Your code doesn’t belong in functions.php, it belongs
   in comments.php. 😉
 * The functions.php file is for…functions. It is called much too early to directly
   output to the screen. I’ll bet if you instead edit the comments.php file of your
   child theme (and don’t create any PHP errors), the comments area will look the
   way you want.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Editing functions.php using wordpress codex. how to do the basics?’ is
closed to new replies.

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 3 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Dion](https://wordpress.org/support/users/diondesigns/)
 * Last activity: [8 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-functions-php-using-wordpress-codex-how-to-do-the-basics/#post-10132790)
 * Status: not resolved

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