If you DO NOT have a host or domain, please use BLUEHOST.COM (affiliate link). And you will need one; can’t use wordpress.com.
I have four video tutorials from the moment you register for a domain to actually customizing the theme’s control panel. Sweet? Sweet.
Let’s begin.
1. Registering Your Own Domain Name
You could use other domain name servers, but I am demonstrating with Bluehost.
2. Setting Up FTP
This allows you to transfer files from your computer to your server.
3. Setting Up an SQL Database
You will need a database to store all of the information, posts, pictures and etc.
Customizing The Theme
You will not need to understand codes to customize this theme, it’s all click click click!
If you encounter a message that reads, “Error establishing a database connection,” please check the file configurations. You should:
- login via FTP and download the wp-config.php file
- right click / command click and open with a word editor
- check the database name, user, password, localhost per the information provided on your host control panel
You can reference the videos above for help. Otherwise, your host provider should be more than happy to assist. If you wish to commission an independent contractor, email tofurious.staff [at] gmail.com and they will connect you with someone.
During downloads, the file might be unzipped into a folder with lots of files. Don’t worry. You have two options.
- Right click (PC) or command+click (Mac) and create “archive,” then upload via dashboard
- Upload the unzipped folder via FTP to “wp-content/themes” folder
Both methods will yield the same result.
In the event that you’re trying to upload the theme file via WordPress dashboard and it doesn’t work (or lags forever), try the following…
- Double click the zipped theme file and unzip the contents into a tofurious theme folder
- Login via FTP and locate the folder wp-content/themes
- Upload the tofurious theme folder (and all of its content) into step #2′s folder via FTP
- Go to your WordPress dashboard, hit Appearance – Themes – Activate Tofurious theme
Install the WP125 plugin and you’ll be able to upload your own ads and monitor the number of click through. Note: This is only for 3.2 (two column blog theme)
If you wish to turn off the ads, there is a radio button right under the logo upload area in “Tofurious Theme Options.”
Default – Rotator Images, Banner, etc. Try This First!
There are instances where the rotator does not seem to be aligned. Or your Options page will go to the index. Or…
First, update your WordPress, then try using FireFox. Next, deactivate all plugins. Since the Options Page uses AJAX, an existing plugin might be conflicting.
If you got the theme before December 29, 2011, then please visit this page for detailed instructions. Basically, you have to update the functions.php file because WordPress 3.3 has some redundant javascript libraries.
3.2 Two Columns – functions.php
3.3 One Column – functions.php
The default design is currently to intentionally reduce choices and control navigation for users. However, should you want to customize the menu area, you will have to a tiny bit of coding. Go to Appearance – Editor – header.php and do the following -
The green area demonstrates how to add a new link. You will have to add it in between the white marks (basically not within any of the blue sections). If you’d like to move or delete the archives or categories (or etc.) delete any of the blue sections, but do so completely (from white breaker to white breaker).
The banner uses a javascript code that can be easily edited. Under “Appearance” click on “Editor” and find “header.php”. Every 1000 = 1 second; it’s currently set for 3000, which is 3 seconds.
You can also change the transition speeds, so that it’s less abrupt (but I like it the way it is).
If you wish to disable the excerpt posts on the index, just click “disable.”
When you add a new post, go to the bottom and you will see an area that looks like below. Click on upload and add a new image. Be sure that the dimensions are max 555px by 370px. If not, it will potentially break the theme preview box.
This is only for version 3.3.
WordPress 3.1 Update Breaks Admin
As of March 01, 2011, WordPress rolled out an update that conflicts with Tofurious Admin Page in themes 3.2 and 3.3. To remedy this, the following are some simple steps.
- Download the following zipped file.
- Extract the javascript file from ui.slider.js.zip.
- Login via FTP for your blog and locate the theme folder (usually /wp-content/themes/tofurious-32 [or 33]/js/.
- Change the current ui.slider.js to ui.slider.js.old; this allows you to revert back to the old file if anything goes wrong.
- Copy the newly downloaded ui.slider.js file and upload it to the folder.
That’s it!
I encourage you to add widgets to help users with navigation! Simply go to “Widgets” under “Appearance” and add them to the four potential columns.
Archive – Display Monthly / Yearly
In the archives, months are displayed by default. However, if you have been blogging for a while, you might want to change to annually. To do so, go to Appearance – editor – header.php and change monthly to yearly under the “Archives” area.
Distorted Image Sizes
Some of you might have had a blog that allowed for larger image formats. If you’re trying to switch out, a way to avoid re-uploading all images is by removing the forced dimensions.
- In your posts, hit the “HTML” tab
- Delete all height and width dimensions
I didn’t favor shadows at the time, which is why I did not think of adding it in the current versions. However, it’s not difficult to add. Please follow the instructions below.
- Login to your WordPress Dashboard – Appearance – editor – header.php
- Right under <body>, add the following line:
<div id=”grad”> - Then find footer.php and add the following as the very last lines:
</div>
<!– grad ends –> - Then find style.css and add the following codes at the very bottom
#grad {
background: url(‘http://www.tofurious.com/images/theme-gradient.png’) repeat-y center;
}
That should do it! Now, the current gradient is under the aforementioned URL. If you want to change it, download it, edit it, and upload your own image AND rewrite the URL location (in step #4). Make sure it’s a png or gif file because they’re the only types that allow for transparency.
If you encounter a message that looks like the following when uploading a banner, it’s probably due to your host operating on php4.
<h1 style=”color: rgb(10, 50, 140); font-size: 1em;”>Error 500 – Internal server error</h1>
<p style=”font-size: 0.8em;”>An internal server error has occured!<br>Please try again later.</p>
<h1 style=”color: rgb(10, 50, 140); font-size: 1em;”>Error 500 – Internal server error</h1> <p style=”font-size: 0.8em;”>An internal server error has occured!<br>Please try again later.</p>
If your host supports php5, then you can add the following code at the top of your .htaccess file that can be accessed in your host directory. You may ask your host admin for further help on this issue.
AddType x-mapp-php5 .php
Should you get any error messages like the following, please refer to here.
<b>Warning</b>: basename() expects parameter 1 to be string, object given in <b>/…
Depending on your server host, some do not set the file permissions setting to “755.” Therefore, you must change it yourself. Login via FTP and change the file permissions manually to the folders that are required for editing or uploading.
In this case, “2011″ is one folder and perhaps “01″ for January need to be changed (depending on your setup).
To maximize loading times, it is pertinent to save images in small sizes without jeopardizing quality.
A. If you are mass batching a single folder of images, then follow the next two steps in Photoshop.
B. If you are saving individual images for the web, then follow the next two steps in Photoshop.
Hired Help
I understand that some of you might not have the time to install a WordPress blog or theme. Email me and I can refer someone who can do it for a small creative fee.
Make sure you present them with a receipt of purchase and hosting / domain name ready to expedite your process.
36 Responses to Installation Tutorials
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Love the new theme it rocks!
Thank you sooooooo much Lawrence for taking the time to make these for free. I just had Danella install my new and improved blog!! She was quick and very patient. You are so creative and I adore that fact that you are always willing to help others. Thank Again!!!
Thank you sooooooo much Lawrence for taking the time to make these for free. I just had Danella install my new and improved blog!! She was quick and very patient. You are so creative and I adore that fact that you are always willing to help others. Thank Again!!!
Just installed my first website with this template, still playing with it. Very cool for a noob like me.
Great theme!!!
Just installed my first website with this template, still playing with it. Very cool for a noob like me.
Great theme!!!
perfect timing!!!!! I am just starting to update my current tofurious themed site with a new look and branding – what better way than with a new and improved template! Thanks Lawrence!! You really do rock!
[...] Install And Edit WordPress [...]
love the new template
Awesome theme!! LOVE IT!!
Lawrence,
Once you upload a separator image, how can you delete it? The image I uploaded is now appearing as a separator between every post and I want it to put it back to the default separator the template came with. Thanks!
I actually created a blog domain as an add-on to my friends bluehost site so her photo blog domain is the main account. When I am running through the ftp and sql database set up it’s all with her main blog account and I can’t seem to change it to represent my domain. Is that something to be concerned with and how to I go about going through the steps without setting everything up and then it not representing on my blog domain? Thank you so much!!
Thanks Lawrence, I’m currently using an older single column theme of yours….but this looks like it has some pretty cool improvements!
template is great!
Loving the 1 column template…still tweaking mine!
Has anyone else tried to turn the blog roll off of the header menu? I have a few specific blog roll catagories that I only want displayed in the footer area. But they’re showing up in the menu and I can’t seem to find where to adjust this. I’ve looked under appearance -> edit themes -> and then looked in header, footer & sidebar.
Nevermind…I just found the answer when I was rereading this page!!
In case anyone else wants to remove this, in the header.php area where Lawrence has a screen shot above, delete where it says
and the blog roll or any additional link categories you create will be removed from the header menu!!
Thanks so much! You are amazing!
Thank you Lawrence for the sweet theme and the support.
Thanks so much Lawrence for a sick theme! Only thing I could add, would be videos using a PC instead of a Mac. I managed to figure it out, but it could have gone much smoother with PC how-to’s. Regardless, thanks man!
Maybe I am just completely missing this, but the only option I have when I go to Tofurious theme modifications is the rotating picture. I am using the free version, so I was unsure if maybe this was only available in the paid?
I did install the updated .js file hoping that might fix it but it did not.
Hi Cady — Yeah, that is only for the free version. The paid version has a lot more functionalities. I hope that clarified your concern.
It is possible to remove the “I really love ketchup” image and the ashley greene bio from the free version? I can’t figure out where to do that.
Yeah, but you’ll need to go through the coding in index.php.
Hi.
is it possible disable mouse right click ??? in order to prevent image saving ??
thank u
D.
Hi Daniele,
Sure, but it’ll require some small coding. Check out this website:
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex9/noright.htm
Cheers,
Lawrence
I tried to comment yesterday but it seems to have disappeared. Has anyone found a way to disable or delete the separator image between the profile and content? Thanks!
An option is to upload a clear image.
Hi Lawrence,
Is it possible to switch of comments? Can’t work it out and would prefer not to have the comment field at all.
Thanks for a lovely theme!
Anna
You can do it globally under Settings or turn off comments for specific posts under Edit Post.
I just purchase the version 3.3 Tofurious and I am having issues installing it. This is the error message I am getting:
Fatal error: Call to undefined function get_option() in F:\xampp\htdocs\pzamirap\index.php on line 3
Do I have to install wordpress first and then copy and paste all the files from Tofurious or just don’t install wordpress and use tofurious?
Thanks
You have to install WordPress first. The theme is just a skin that goes over the WordPress engine.
Thanks…. Does this team have options to advertise on the side of the theme….
You could use the WP125 plugin and it will allow you to upload 125×125 ad icons with links and click counter.
I am having trouble uploading an image to use as the background. In the Background Colour tab, I upload a jpg file and it shows in the viewer but does not transfer to the blog. When I save the changes, the viewer reverts back to (what I assume is) the default gray colour.
I have tested all three of the default themes that came with WP and they all work fine for uploading aimage to the background.
I have not updated to the most recent WP or your Tofurious theme yet but I was having the same issue before the updates came along so I don’t think that’s the issue.
What am I doing wrong?
Hi Yvonne,
Please use the contact form and email the staff your login information and we’ll take a look at it.
Thanks,
Lawrence
Hi! Trying to get this set up and i’m getting an error in cyberduck “Error: Not a valid DAV response” I’ve tried googling it but it’s all a bunch of coding talk and I don’t get it! Just wondering if you have a solution for it? I can’t upload anything.
Thanks!
It means that your login credentials were denied. Make sure to check everything is spelled correctly – username, password, ftp site, etc.