Custom Layout

[sonaros 0]

I need to setup a template so that has left, center and right column boxes but below the left and center columns have a full width sidebar below.  The full width sidebar cannot go across the right column.  (See image below).  Are there any suggestions on how I best go about doing this and make user friendly? 

 

 

[Rob 547]

Hi,

 

Given the description above, I'm not sure which of the two scenarios below would work for you.  With a Universal or Full-Width SB, you could add a text widget, then include a grid limiting the content of the grid to fit a specific area.

 

Please let me know which works best and I'll be happy to guide you.

 

[sonaros 0]

Based on the attached image I think the option on the left would work best.  I would try that first and see if it is easy for end-users to update.

 

Thank you in advance for your guidance.

[Rob 547]

I'm glad you selected that one. It's the easiest to implement.

 

Go to Dashboard > PageLines > Site Options > Website Setup.  Scroll to the very bottom of the screen.

 

You'll see Sidebar Wrap Widgets.  In the drop down box, select On Bottom of Sidebar.   Save the settings.

 

Scroll up and click the Layout Editor.

 

Set up your layout with two sidebars left.

 

Set the width of each of the main sidebars. Save.

 

Now go to Dashboard > PageLines > Drag & Drop.  Click on the Wrap and drag one of the sections there.  I use Tertiary Sidebar, which should do the trick for you too.

 

Your site should have the layout on the left of my image now and you should be all set to go.

[sonaros 0]

I made that change, added the widgets but nothing is showing up below the header?

[Rob 547]

Did you remove Content from any of the page templates?  Or perhaps PostLoop under the Content Area templates?

[sonaros 0]

When I click on "Page Templates" there is nothing in the active sections

 

When I click on "Content Area" I have "Post Loop"

 

When I click on "Wrap" I have "Tertiary Sidebar"

 

When I click on "SB1" I have "Secondary Sidebar"

 

When I click on "SB2" I have "Twitter All-In-One"

[James B 436]

In the page template area make sure you have the 'content' section added, that controls if the content-area and sidebars are shown.

[sonaros 0]

Got it!  Thanks!

[James B 436]

You're welcome :-)

[sonaros 0]

I showed this layout to the person who will be managing the site and they said that with their previous site they could open the page and see the content as it would look when a visitor comes to the site.  They would prefer to manage that way instead of the way I designed earlier.  

 

Can I setup each page so that when an editor logs in to make changes they can see the content (in our case 3 columns and 3 rows) and make changes?  Maybe using the visual tab?  

 

Would I be able to achieve that using grids?  If I do use grids, how would I get the "twitter all in one" widget to run in the second column and my other widget to run in rows 2 & 3?

 

Thanks! 

[Rob 547]

Sonoros,

 

Widgets are controlled by WordPress via Dashboard > Appearance > Widgets.  If you added Primary Sidebar to column 1, then you can add a widget (by drag & drop) into Primary Sidebar. Similarly, you can do the same thing with Secondary sidebar in column 2, etc.

 

To add Twitter Profiles, go to Dashboard > PageLines > Drag & Drop, find the section you want to add it to, then drag it from Available Sections to Active Sections.  On my site, I use Sidebar Wrap, which provides a bit more room for this section.

[sonaros 0]

Actually, to clarify my question, can you add shortcodes to display widgets?

[Rob 547]

Well, not exactly.  You can use shortcodes to display plugins, provided the plugin has a shortcode to use for such purposes.  When the plugin uses shortcodes for display, you can add them almost anywhere.  If you want such shortcodes in the sidebar, I use a text-widget, and drop the shortcode into that and save.

 

If a plugin is designed to only use a widget, then the widget will appear in Dashboard > Appearance > Widgets and is limited to being placed in sidebars. Luckily, PageLines smartly created sidebars that can be placed inside the content area, allowing you to pretty much put things anywhere.

 

I hope that helps.