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[SOLVED] Need help differentiating virtual and physical templates


  #1  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 11:38 AM
Michael4fm's Avatar
Michael4fm
 
38 posts · Nov 2011
Manchester, UK
Help [SOLVED] Need help differentiating virtual and physical templates

Is there a 'Montezuma For Dummies' type idiot guide somewhere I could read? I don't seem to be getting this concept of physical and virtual templates.

Have given up trying to create a child theme ... just got too confusing, so I'm 'cheating' with a couple of plugins that add custom css and functions over the basic theme's. However physical main and sub templates I'm creating don't seem to get used, but if I copy them to 'virtual' templates I'm using php which isn't in the 60+ 'allowed', so isn't getting recognised / acted on.

I'm determined to get it working because I love the theme, but I'm struggling on what should be a relatively simple site - which I'm using as a 'learning opportunity' - and though I could compromise, I know I won't be able to when I try to apply the theme to more complex ones.

Any help | guidance | suggestions gratefully accepted (except unplug the computer and take it back - you're too stupid to use one)
  #2  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 12:30 PM
LGL
 
15 posts · Feb 2011
I'd like a copy of that dummies book also please
  #3  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 12:40 PM
jerryc
 
367 posts · Oct 2012
Florida
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael4fm
Is there a 'Montezuma For Dummies' type idiot guide somewhere I could read? I don't seem to be getting this concept of physical and virtual templates.
Change and make new templates from the dashboard, not by editing the files directly.

Quote:
Have given up trying to create a child theme ... just got too confusing, so I'm 'cheating' with a couple of plugins that add custom css and functions over the basic theme's.
No need for a child theme. Montezuma has enough custom options. I love the Lazyest Stylesheet plugin. It always loads last and overrides anything in the theme. Then I never touch the theme css files.

Quote:
However physical main and sub templates I'm creating don't seem to get used, but if I copy them to 'virtual' templates I'm using php which isn't in the 60+ 'allowed', so isn't getting recognised / acted on.
Add new templates from the appearance > Montezuma options tabs of the dashboard, or edit the existing ones. In your pages or posts, select which template for the post/ page to use.
  #4  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 01:56 PM
Michael4fm's Avatar
Michael4fm
 
38 posts · Nov 2011
Manchester, UK
I need to use php that isn't in the 'approved' list, so I think I have to do this offline .. or at least not through the MONTEZUMA virtual templates.

First challenge I'm having is with the index.php file ... so not one that a custom one can be specified through post or page entry. I guess I could set up a lot of category and tag templates etc. ... I'll probably do that anyway in the end but sussing out index.php as a starting point seems the logical thing to do.

I've seen you mention the 'Laziest Style Sheet' plugin before. That might even be what gave me the idea! I'll take a look before I get too used to the separate CSS and function plugins I've just started using. Thanks for the tip!

I guess the 'child' thing is to do with being worried about what might happen when MONTEZUMA is updated. As a newcomer to the theme I don't know what I might lose, and I'll probably be doing quite a bit of customising. Don't want to have to redo it all if / when I update the theme.

Last edited by Michael4fm; Jan 3, 2013 at 02:01 PM. Reason: Grammar :-)
  #5  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 03:02 PM
jerryc
 
367 posts · Oct 2012
Florida
Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael4fm
I need to use php that isn't in the 'approved' list,
Me, too.

Quote:
so I think I have to do this offline .. or at least not through the MONTEZUMA virtual templates.Me, too.
Here's the simple workaround. With Montezuma, you can put a sidebar anywhere, even in the content area. I just put in a sidebar where I want my custom PHP that's not in the approved list, then I use the PHP Code Widget Plugin, and put my code there. It works like a charm. For example, all the random images at the top and bottom of my content area here are made with this method.

Quote:
I've seen you mention the 'Laziest Style Sheet' plugin before. That might even be what gave me the idea! I'll take a look before I get too used to the separate CSS and function plugins I've just started using. Thanks for the tip!
The thing I especially like about it is that all my custom CSS is in one file.

Quote:
I guess the 'child' thing is to do with being worried about what might happen when MONTEZUMA is updated. As a newcomer to the theme I don't know what I might lose, and I'll probably be doing quite a bit of customising. Don't want to have to redo it all if / when I update the theme.
That's what's nice about using the dashboard. All your changes remain after an upgrade. Also, if you make new templates, there's nothing that will overwrite it; the new version probably won't add a new template with the same name. So there's no need for making a child version. Of course, backing up is always a good idea.

Last edited by jerryc; Jan 3, 2013 at 03:22 PM.
  #6  
Old Jan 3, 2013, 03:30 PM
Michael4fm's Avatar
Michael4fm
 
38 posts · Nov 2011
Manchester, UK
Quote:
Originally Posted by jerryc
I just put in a sidebar where I want my custom PHP that's not in the approved list, then I use the PHP Code Widget Plugin, and put my code there.
I suspect you have to be pretty knowledgeable in CSS to do that. I'm afraid I just tweak and re-engineer what's already there ("A little knowledge ...." etc.) Also, once I've completed some learning on simpler sites, I need to apply the theme to http://www.smartshare.s-t-u-f-f.net where there's all sorts of php if statements and use of custom fields ... I'm sure if I play around enough I'll work out how to make custom templates work. Probably no greater effort than learning how to use your work-around properly! Still, thanks for the suggestion. I'll keep it 'up my sleeve' in case I'm not as successful with the templates as I hope I'll be.

I'll mark this thread as 'closed'. Still wouldn't mind a 'MONTEZUMA for DUMMIES' guide though.

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