Create your own WP theme

[NY Jester]

Id been looking at different themes and decided I wanted to be able to make my own but didnt know where to look...well I found one place..looks pretty good and easy to follow

http://www.wpdesigner.com/2007/02/19/so-you-want-to-create-wordpress-themes-huh/

[ronnie]

The hard part, least for me is the CSS Layout, never does work like I want, I don't really get it yet. Once you get CSS down, the rest I think is a breeze, it's just calling the WP functions you need where you need them, and all can gotten at wordpress.org.

Maybe if I actually sit down and read the CSS books I bought like two years ago, I'd get it..:)

That is a good site though. Shame he sold it and the new owner doesn't seem to be doing much with it.

[Preacher]

I've made 5 personal themes for different blogs. All I do is take the default theme, because it has all the inserts in place already and strip the css and start styling from there.

When I want something in a different location, like in the header, it's easy just to copy that snippet of code out of the body or footer and paste it into the header.

[JohnnyR]

seems like sponsoring WP themes are a good way to get some linkbacks... well at least for mainstream that is (tho I've also heard some oppinions advising against it)

thanks for the cool little article... too bad the resource fell in the hands of what seems to be an internet (money uber alles) "entrepreneur".

[RedCherry]

When I want something in a different location, like in the header, it's easy just to copy that snippet of code out of the body or footer and paste it into the header.

Is there a way to get a widget in the header? Right now I have my tag cloud in my sidebar, but i'd love to have it across the top , just below the header, above the posts and sidebar.
I tried just copying
<?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar')
|| !dynamic_sidebar(1) ) : ?>
up into the header, and that didn't seem to do it. I'm using the tag cloud that comes with the standard word press.

Can't believe I just started playing with wordpress today, and already I'm trying to hack it, lol.

[walrus]

Is there a way to get a widget in the header? Right now I have my tag cloud in my sidebar, but i'd love to have it across the top , just below the header, above the posts and sidebar.
I took a quick look at your theme and I'd probably try duplicating all of the menu stuff in your CSS and call it something like tags and then add the div right under the menu div in your header file. Something like this:<div id="menu">
<ul>
<li><a href="<?php bloginfo('url'); ?>">Home</a></li>
<?php wp_list_pages('depth=1&title_li='); ?>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="tags">
<ul>
<?php wp_tag_cloud('format=flat'); ?>
</ul>
</div>

You may need to play around with the height in the CSS or remove it but that should put your tag cloud right below your menu bar.

Of course I never get the code right the first time so you'll probably have to play around with it a bit.

For more info on the wordpress tag for a tag cloud go here: http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Tags/wp_tag_cloud

I never learned widgets, I use template tags for everything.

I just looked at your blog and noticed your using simple tags, the code for that would be<?php st_tag_cloud(''); ?>The usage for that can be found here: http://code.google.com/p/simple-tags/wiki/TagCloud

[ronnie]

It might not work, because you probably already have a dynamic_sidebar(1)? You need to register a new side bar.

Or of course how Walrus said..:)

[digifan]

There is a simple generator out there, see
http://www.yvoschaap.com/wpthemegen/

[NY Jester]

Digi I could kiss you. Thats a great link. Simple easy..just what I need LOL

[papagmp]

There is a simple generator out there, see
http://www.yvoschaap.com/wpthemegen/

Nice resource Digifan.

Although I've used a lot of free themes, I tend to modify them most of the time. I'm using widgets less and less and just hard coding my sidebars, headers and footers. Changing colors and fonts in CSS is a breeze - positioning is a bit trickier.

[Ms Naughty]

That's a very cool resource :)

[walrus]

Nice resource Digifan.

Although I've used a lot of free themes, I tend to modify them most of the time. I'm using widgets less and less and just hard coding my sidebars, headers and footers. Changing colors and fonts in CSS is a breeze - positioning is a bit trickier.Until the new project, I'd never used a widget. I personally find it much easier to get things looking the way I want by hardcoding the sidebar.

[Vivaldi]

I personally find it much easier to get things looking the way I want by hardcoding the sidebar.
same here ... You could say I feel more comfortable this way

[Bobc01]

Many thanks for that resource Digifan, another toy for me to play around with. :)

[digifan]

I'm glad you like it :)