Didn't know it was Wordpress

D

Deon6

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Hi all,

I offered to make some changes to a website for a charity. They sent me the FTP details, expecting good 'ol html files instead I found a bunch of Wordpress PHP files.

I've never used Wordpress, where do I go from here? Can I load them into WP? Or am I building from scratch?
 
while you're there make sure the security of the wordpress is up to scratch otherwise in a month or two when it gets bothacked they'll be calling you up to sort it out.
 
cbrunsdonza said:
You need to edit the WP theme. The best is to upload it through the WP admin.

Have fun.
Click to expand...

I'm at the WP admin page, and looking at Tools - Import but I don't have any option to upload PHP files? And don't have a WordPress eXtended RSS (WXR) file?
 
Deon6 said:
I'm at the WP admin page, and looking at Tools - Import but I don't have any option to upload PHP files? And don't have a WordPress eXtended RSS (WXR) file?
Click to expand...

Then just ftp it down, back it up, edit, upload.

Put the code into version control like github - good chance that will be the only copy in the world.
 
What kinda changes are they? You can edit the pages from the admin menu: Pages > Then click a page to edit.

Or are you making big changes, like changes to the site's look and feel? You'll need to edit the theme for that, or create your own.
 
cbrunsdonza said:
Then just ftp it down, back it up, edit, upload.

Put the code into version control like github - good chance that will be the only copy in the world.
Click to expand...

I'm totally lost man, I ftp the public_html folder, and there are 569 php files for this 5 page site...
 
CrazyBob said:
What kinda changes are they? You can edit the pages from the admin menu: Pages > Then click a page to edit.

Or are you making big changes, like changes to the site's look and feel? You'll need to edit the theme for that, or create your own.
Click to expand...

It's only small changes, text changes, add a facebook feed kind of things... I can't login to wordpress though as I (and the charity) only have the FTP details.
 
Deon6 said:
I'm totally lost man, I ftp the public_html folder, and there are 569 php files for this 5 page site...
Click to expand...

You really need to make some effort to understand the architecture of a Wordpress site, otherwise you will just end up messing it up. Read the Wordpress Codex especially the part about the Wordpress loop (https://codex.wordpress.org/The_Loop).
 
Deon6 said:
It's only small changes, text changes, add a facebook feed kind of things... I can't login to wordpress though as I (and the charity) only have the FTP details.
Click to expand...

If you can't login to the WordPress backend you're kinda screwed, since everything you list here can be done through the CMS. For text changes, if you're not doing the changes via the back-end editor, you'll have to make changes to the database directly - having the php files at hand won't help you any.

Is there no way they can get the details from whoever developed the site for them initially?

[EDIT]

Oh ... nevermind ... reread the thread and see you have access.

The short - if you're making changes to the content and text, you'll want to edit the pages (look for the pages link in the left nav). If it's just a 5 page site, I doubt you'll need to worry about the posts.

The Facebook feed you can do with Widgets, which will fall under the Appearance section - depending on whether you have a plugin available for it.

Like garp said though, you'll need to familiarise yourself with the platform, but WordPress is relatively straightforward to use.
 
Last edited:
shadowfox said:
If you can't login to the WordPress backend you're kinda screwed, since everything you list here can be done through the CMS. For text changes, if you're not doing the changes via the back-end editor, you'll have to make changes to the database directly - having the php files at hand won't help you any.

Is there no way they can get the details from whoever developed the site for them initially?
Click to expand...

There is a method to reset your password via ftp only (towards the bottom):

http://codex.wordpress.org/Resetting_Your_Password
 
You can try www.yourwebsite.co.za/wp-admin .. Then click on forgot password ? Another way is you could change the content from the database from mysql since your making small changes ?.......I can help only if it's for a charity or ngo website :sly:
 
kingleroyg said:
You can try www.yourwebsite.co.za/wp-admin .. Then click on forgot password ? Another way is you could change the content from the database from mysql since your making small changes ?.......I can help only if it's for a charity or ngo website :sly:
Click to expand...

The password reset will send an email to the original admin. You'll need to look in the config file for the DB details, from there you will need to use a MySQL manager app to connect to the DB (hopefully the host allows remote connections). Otherwise you can try that reset password via FTP thing mentioned prior, not sure how this works as I haven't tried it myself.

Either way you need to login to the backend of the site. The changes you are wanting to make probably require a facebook feed plugin and then editing the pages happens in the backend too. Ultimately, besides trying to get the DB details you should not be editing anything in the PHP files, you'll just break the site.
 
Another way Is to create new ftp details. Copy the theme folder+ db and move it too somewhere where you have more access
 
If you have never used Wordpress before would it not be easier to convince them to go for a new look and feel. that way you will be able to redesign something much quicker and with way less stress.

To reset the password you may have a look at the following site http://codex.wordpress.org/Resetting_Your_Password most of the ways are listed there :

"www.Webplacement.co.za -helping you show of in style"
 
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