WordPress.com Forums » Topic: Changing theme without affecting LIVE website

realagenda on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

realagenda — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:15:24 +0000

Thanks!

panaghiotisadam on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

panaghiotisadam — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 13:02:42 +0000

1) Not that I'm aware of. But if you create a private test blog, as auxclass suggested, what's the point of using an offline program anyway?

2) Once you set the theme you want to the test blog, you can view (and copy) its original CSS in Appearance > Custom Design > CSS > "View the original stylesheet". Original stylesheets also available here:
https://wpcom-themes.svn.automattic.com/
(click theme name then click "style.css")

realagenda on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

realagenda — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:03:15 +0000

Is there an offline program I would use to work on that test site outside from my blog? so once I am happy with what I have I could simply change the theme and apply the changes to the actual blog?

Is it possible to obtain the original CSS stylesheet from a theme so that I can start working from scratch and apply the desired changes?

auxclass on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

auxclass — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:48:17 +0000

If you make a site Private you visitors run into a wall and are locked out -

I don't recommend the Private option - keep your regular visitors in the habit of visiting -

A couple of options -

1) Make a test site and set it to private (make the name some variation on your original blog so you don't burn a good address) - export / import some content to the test site and work on the new theme until you like what you see then transfer the CSS to the new theme on the live site and fix the widgets by hand - your visitors will see some changes but the changes should go quite quick

2) - Just go ahead and change the "Live" site and and put a sticky note to your regular visitors that things are "under construction pardon for the dust" - it will probably bother you more than your regular visitors.

realagenda on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

realagenda — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 01:37:29 +0000

Can you elaborate on making the blog "private"? Does it mean after I make it private no alteration to the site will be visible until I make it public again? Will I be able to do content edits while working behind the scenes with another theme? Will people be able to access and read articles as usual? What functionality do I lose while the blog is "private"?

timethief on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

timethief — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:47:39 +0000

CSS editing is theme specific. If you have custom CSS and later change themes, you need to delete whatever CSS you have in the Editor, otherwise, you’ll get undesired results.

To ‘reset’ a theme, you need to delete the CSS in the Editor, make sure the “add to existing CSS” radio button is checked, then save. Things should go back to normal.

I would like to know how could I work on my site to change it to the Mystique theme without altering its LIVE appearance.

As you have already done CSS editing you do know their is a preview function that you can use so visitors do not see your editing. Aside from that preview mode , there is no other way, other than changing the blog visibility setting to "private" to have one theme displaying while you work on editing CSS for another theme.

realagenda on "Changing theme without affecting LIVE website"

realagenda — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:42:32 +0000

I currently have the Bueno theme on my site, but I would like to change to Mystique or any other one that gives me more options to better the site. I would like to know how could I work on my site to change it to the Mystique theme without altering its LIVE appearance. I do have the CSS upgrade.

Thank you,

Luis