Wordpress - the next level

[simplystephen]

I've had little problem getting my WordPress setup but now I need to take it to the next level...and quickly coz I've been neglecting my content.

Have figured out how to add widgets but not manipulate them very well. Same thing with themes. I also want to edit my title colour and my menu text but haven't figured it out. Where do I start?

Are there tutorials (not video ones) that are better than the "getting started" type thing? Not sure if this was clear but ask.

Suggestions appreciated.

[EBORG9]

Well most of your color changes, fonts, and style changes will be found in your CSS file of the theme.
Be careful, it is tricky navigating around for the first time, but read carefully to get a feel for which code will change which area.
Once you get the hang of it, it's addicting.

editing widgets is very tricky, because you will have to know php, and the wrong keystroke could cause the plug in not to function, or crash the blog all together...it's best to leave them alone, until you are SURE, that you know what you are doing.

As for new and interesting widgets and sidebar options...most of them are just plug ins, and there are hundreds of them. Make sure that they are compatible with your current version of wordpress.

[simplystephen]

Thanks Eborg. Though I'm a webmaster (and have a web design diploma) I am certainly not the technical kind. I come in from the angle of a creative, web writer type with ideas. Though the tech side gets to me, I can generally figure out how to manipulate it and then I get into a comfort zone and get good.

I've been starting to figure out how to edit the code but realize that I need to learn php and probably work on my webmaster server skills to get proficient.

Curiously on that note, I was trying to edit the URL in the Options section because I still have my Blogger Site Active and have put wordpress in the root of my domain for now under my main blogger which is in my own domain www.greenravine.info BUT I want to "transfer it all" when it is looking/functioning properly. WELL, GUESS WHAT I DID....I changed the url and removed the /wordpress and now I can't get into my administration. How do I change this bacK?

Thank you for your input.

[EBORG9]

Sorry, I am not sure that I understand, but I probably can't help with that one..I have looked myself out of my blog on more than one occasion.

www. yourdomain .com/wp-admin.....doesn't work?

[simplystephen]

Yep, exactly...I've locked myself out of my domain. Can I overwrite it from the server? If so how? Help....I really want to get back to blogging and generating traffic/sales.

ANYONE!

Thanks Eborg9.

[clink]

You'll want to look at custom fields.

[simplystephen]

I can't even login to the wordpress admin page!!! Ahhhhhhhh.....I'm getting a page doesn't exist and 404 error.

I do have a fairly recent backup though. If I want to get the admin back & running what php pages do I need to load into which directories?

Thanks.

[EBORG9]

I just had that problem, and I had to call my host to get the back up applied. I know how you feel, my blog was down for a week before I could get back in.
I hope someone can chime in to help you out.

[simplystephen]

That sucks man. I'm just gonna....start from scratch again because I can get it up and running in about an hour. I used to do that with windows stuff, it was quicker to ghost and image or I had downloading the O/S and all my extras down to I science so if "troubleshooting" stuff was gonna take 10 hours, I just did the reinstall in an hour and tweaked for a day here or there getting a better system each time.

So....something still has me convinced that wordpress is great and the way to go but...why am I walking on eggshells when I'm using it. I should be able to play around and try things as much as I want. Thanks for the input. Appreciated. If you ever need anything ask, seriously, ask.

[simplystephen]

Just to keep everybody up to date with this post. I have reloaded wordpress...with some difficulties BUT it was not a WordPress issues it was a GO Daddy issue.

So here is a quick recap for anyone that gets an error message trying to login to the admin at WordPress and it says "forbidden, could not access database" or something similar. Try this in Go Daddy:

1. Log into your Hosting Control Center database
2. Instead of logging into the database - hit the little pen icon (view/edit details)
3. This will bring up your server & database details!!!
4. Note the server is not 'localhost' but something like 'p50mysql52.secureserver.net'
5. Mark these details down
6. Go to your php admin file and change the local host and other details to match just like the wordpress instructions say
7. You should then get in like flint running the php install file.

My issue was even more simple...the letter l looked like a 1, so I quickly corrected it and presto.

Now I have to get the blog populated and tweaked but it is a little easier each time.

Good luck and happy blogging.
__________________________________________________ _____
Simply Stephen | Simple Green Living | The Green Ravine

[EBORG9]

Good for you!
When all else fails...contact the host.