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1. heatherstark
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 1:00 PM

   My latest puzzle re 2011 has to do with how you lay out widgets on various templates.
   The blog I am working on to try stuff out is http://jasminejenson.wordpress.com

   My front page uses 2011's showcase template, and when I go to appearance/widgets there is a Showcase Sidebar box showing in the RHS that I can drag widgets into. This is good. I have dragged a Subscription and an Archive widget into there, and it works just fine. Fab.

   I also have a few static pages, for example the Event listing page (which uses the sidebar template). You can get at this page via the menu bar. As you can see this page has two widgets on it: an Archive by month widget (n.b. with a different layout from the Showcase sidebar version), and a Meta widget for admin. How did these widgets get there and how can I get rid of 'em and replace them with widgets of my own choosing? When I go to Appearance/Widgets, there is a Main Sidebar box which is empty, so I can't use that to get rid of them, or, it would seem, to add new ones.

   There must be a way in to this but I can't figure it out. On the Widgets page you have a choice of Showcase Sidebar, Main Sidebar, and bunch of Footers. The Showcase Sidebar seems to only apply to the Showcase template, which is fair enough. You can put Showcase Ephemera into it, or you can put ordinary Widgets. But what are the rules which govern the widgets which appear on pages with other templates, if you have a site which uses multiple templates (as is going to be likely with 2011), and what is the process for accessing configuration?

   Any 2011 ninjas out there have words of advice?

   The blog I need help with is jasminejenson.wordpress.com.

2. ardpete
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 2:00 PM

   http://wpbtips.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/widgets-on-pages-or-single-posts/

   Is that link any use at all, I don't have any static pages on my blog so I can't try it myself.

3. wpgaurav
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 2:24 PM

   Let me explain:
   Twenty Eleven has 5 widget areas:

   • MAIN Sidebar: It is used on blog's main-page (unless you chosen a Static front-page), Pages (with Sidebar Templates), category and Tags pages.
     You can chose sidebar template by Page-attributes under post-editor.
   • ShowCase Sidebar: It is shown on pages which are assigned 'Showcase Template'.
   • 3 Footer Widgets: These are permanent and are shown at every post/page.

   Special Facts, When you have assigned no widgets to:

   Main Sidebar:
   Archives widget is automatically shown.
   To remove it: Use 'ONE COLUMN' theme under Theme-Options; or drag and drop a 'Text/HTML' widget having no text in that.
   Showcase Sidebar: 'Twenty Eleven Ephemera' is shown automatically.
   To MAKE IT BLANK, just put a blank 'Text Widget'.
   Footers: No extra widgets are shown if no widgets are dropped.

4. wpgaurav
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 2:26 PM

   P.S.: Read about MAIN SIDEBAR as
   

   ...unless you chosen static front page with Showcase Template...

5. heatherstark
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 2:34 PM

   Many thanks there are certainly some big hints in here that should help me untangle this. What is going on would all make sense if the default for main sidebar was Archives+Meta, in this case the fact it was blank in the design interface would meant it would default to default, with those options, when viewed. [Bit of a disconnect between the visual representation and the system state - it would be more polite if the defaults pre-populated the boxes under Appearance/Widget!]

   Anywhow I think if I take I deep breath it will all be ok now...;-)

   thanks again!

6. wpgaurav
   Member
   Oct 14, 2011, 2:47 PM

   O..yes! That was Archives + Meta. :) You should read this article written by a fellow blogger, focusing on working of Twenty Eleven, Duster type themes: http://wpbtips.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/workings-of-duster/

   If there occurs any other problem, head to forums and shoot another question. :)

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