Title: Sidebar Widget Problem
Last modified: August 18, 2016

---

# Sidebar Widget Problem

 *  [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/)
 * I get an error on my sidebar at [http://thetechkid.com](http://thetechkid.com)
   when I try to use sidebar widgets. I am using the default WP sidebar code, and
   I can’t get it to work. This is the code i am using for my sidebar:
 *     ```
       <div id="sidebar">
       		<?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar')
       		        || !dynamic_sidebar() ) : ?>
       		<ul>
   
       			<li>
       				<?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . '/searchform.php'); ?>
       			</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>
       			-->
   
       			<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 href="<?php bloginfo('home'); ?>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> weblog 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 href="<?php bloginfo('home'); ?>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> weblog 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 href="<?php bloginfo('home'); ?>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> weblog 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 href="<?php echo bloginfo('home'); ?>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> weblog 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 href="<?php echo bloginfo('home'); ?>/"><?php echo bloginfo('name'); ?></a> weblog archives.</p>
   
       			<?php } ?>
       			</li>
   
       			<?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>'); ?>
   
       			<?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 } ?>
   
       		</ul>
       	</div>
       ```
   

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

 *  Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/)
 * (@otto42)
 * WordPress.org Admin
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528712)
 * You forgot to add the endif line at the bottom of the sidebar. Also, you’re putting
   the function calls in the wrong place at the top. Try this instead.
 *     ```
       <div id="sidebar">
       		<ul>
       <?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar')
       		        || !dynamic_sidebar() ) : ?>
   
       ... blah blah ...
   
       <?php endif; ?>
       		</ul>
       	</div>
       ```
   
 * Read more about how to widgetize themes here:
    [http://automattic.com/code/widgets/themes/](http://automattic.com/code/widgets/themes/)
 *  Thread Starter [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528718)
 * Thanks! It worked!
 *  Thread Starter [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528719)
 * But theres one thing. Sidebar Widgets tab won’t show up in the admin panel presentation
   page.
 *  Moderator [Samuel Wood (Otto)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/otto42/)
 * (@otto42)
 * WordPress.org Admin
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528720)
 * Did you add the necessary code to the functions.php file in your theme?
 * If you have no functions.php file, create a new one and stick this in it:
 *     ```
       <?php
       if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') )
           register_sidebar();
       ?>
       ```
   
 * No blank lines before or after that, mind you. This is important! Everything 
   in functions.php must be in the <?php and ?> tags.
 *  Thread Starter [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528721)
 * Ahh i forgot to put it in functions.php.
    Should i put it in the beginning?
 *  Thread Starter [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528732)
 * Anybody know where i put the code in functions.php?
 *  [vkaryl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vkaryl/)
 * (@vkaryl)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528737)
 * I’m not sure it matters where you put it. Try it wherever looks logical to you,
   if that doesn’t work, move it to the beginning of the file or the end….
 * Or look at the functions.php file that comes with the default theme for ideas.
 *  Thread Starter [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * (@andyh2)
 * [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528839)
 * Fixed it, the theme didnt need the functions.php so i created a fresh one and
   it works now!

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)

The topic ‘Sidebar Widget Problem’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [gadgets](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/gadgets/)
 * [widgets](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/widgets/)

 * 8 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [andyh2](https://wordpress.org/support/users/andyh2/)
 * Last activity: [19 years, 3 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sidebar-widget-problem/#post-528839)
 * Status: not resolved

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