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Tagged: Genesis child theme
- This topic has 3 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 7 months ago by
Expat Warrior.
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June 18, 2016 at 12:19 am #187778
Expat Warrior
MemberHi,
I get the following error message whenever I log into my admin site:
"Please Activate a Genesis Child Theme: We've noticed you are using the Genesis Framework parent theme alone. We strongly recommend you run a Genesis child theme with it (we even have a free theme you can use). For more information, see our article at https://www.studiopress.com/genesis-always-use-child-theme/"
How do I activate a Genesis Child Theme?
http://www.expatwarrior.comJune 18, 2016 at 7:17 am #187784Christoph
MemberHi,
download a child theme, e.g. the free sample theme (my.studiopress.com/downloads)
In WordPress go to Appearance - Themes - Add New - Upload Theme - Select the .zip file of the child theme and click Install now.
Then activate the new theme.You probably want to copy the style.css from the parent theme to the child theme and any changes from functions.php.
June 18, 2016 at 7:30 am #187790Derek
MemberWas you using the Genesis theme that's in your appearance folder in your dashboard and editing that theme yourself? That theme is the framework and you should never add code in there because when the framework updates, all your changes get erased and that's why you should install a child theme. Here is a picture of my dashboard with my current child theme that I am using and modifying.

A blog post was just written yesterday explaining why you should be using a child theme and why you see that message in your dashboard. I'll quote a few lines but please read the whole thing then come back here and ask any more questions and we will walk you through the next process.
Every once in a while, I’ll run across a site running Genesis. Actually, it’s more than every once in a while, but what do you expect when so many people use Genesis?! But anyway, I’ll visit a site running Genesis and notice that they’re running Genesis as the active theme, instead of using a child theme. I can’t help but shake my head, because not only is this incredibly risky, but we actively recommend that you DO NOT run Genesis as the active theme on any site.
But why not? There are several reasons, actually.
A child theme allows you to customize
Whenever you read a tutorial for adding or removing things from your site output, it’s likely that the tutorial will says “put this code in your child theme’s functions.php file.” It’s hard to do that when you’re not running a child theme.
Continued at: https://www.studiopress.com/genesis-always-use-child-theme/
~’;’~
June 20, 2016 at 8:39 pm #187899Expat Warrior
MemberThanks.
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