How to install a plugin directly into the wp-content folder

[tracyw]

I've installed lots of plugins on my site http://dschurchofchrist.com, but all have come from a zip file that I uploaded on the dashboard.  There is one I'd like to install, but I don't understand the process. It is http://www.studiopress.com/plugins/social-profiles-widget and instead of a zip file to upload, the instructions say to put the entire plugin file directly into the wp-content folder.  My main concerns:

1. I seem to have many uploaded WordPress applications on my computer....not sure why I kept uploading the same file.  Should I delete all but one of the WP folders, keeping the current version, then put this Social Profiles plugin into the WP-content folder?  Once I do that, how do I upload the plugin to my dashboard so I can use it in a widget?

2.  Does it matter which copy of the WordPress/wp-content application I move the plugin into, assuming I don't delete all the duplicates I have?

I hope this even makes any sense.  Any help is appreciated.  Thanks.

http:// http://dschurchofchrist.com

[Brad Dalton]

You should only have one wp-content folder where you can upload plugins to manually or using the WordPress plugin installer.

How many databases do you have?

You can cross check the database with the wp-config.php connection details to find out which files are connected to the working database.

The database name and username will be located in the wp-config file which is in the WordPress files.

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Tutorials for StudioPress Themes & WooCommerce.

[tracyw]

This is going to really sound dumb, but is there a database with every separate WP application I installed?  There was a time (believe it or not) when I first started out, when I didn't know anything about what I was doing.  I was new to Mac as well, and I didn't even know where my downloads of WP were going on my MacBook.  Once I figured all of that out, I had 7 or 8 installations of it.  I'm scared to delete any of them.....won't it crash my site?  And I don't see the config folder either.  I took a screen shot of my downloads where you can see the multiple WP, but I don't see a way to show it here.

[Brad Dalton]

You'd need to host the screenshot online and paste a link here.

The wp-config.php is a single file which connects your files to your DB. There's NO wp config folder. The file is located in your WordPress root directory.

There's generally only 1 database and some plugins create new tables within the one database.

I suggest you clean up your installation.

You can export the db or export the content using the WordPress export tool and backup all your files(especially your uploads folder)

Then you could delete all your folders and clean up your public_html directory as well as delete the databases.

Backup everything first.

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Tutorials for StudioPress Themes & WooCommerce.

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