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@Kassiash - I think the OP wants to remove the category base from all category archive pages, which is something different from the tutorial in your link.
@William - You can give this plugin a try or you can use Yoast's WordPress SEO. Keep in mind that stripping the category base doesn't work with every permalink structure, so once you go down this path, be sure to test your category archive links work.
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1) It looks like you only posted on the WP forum recently (< 1 wee ago as of today), so I'd be patient. It's free software, after all.
2) What you need to do is to start with your server logs and get accurate info for the visits to the URL's in question. For example, you say 7 people visited an article but Simple URLs reports 120 visits. Are you getting the 7 from your web log of from Google Analytics, Clicky, or some similar analytics package? Those packages don't count crawler visits; Simple URLs probably counts EVERYTHING. The "everything" will show up in your server logs. If I had to guess, I would guess that the difference between the 120 and 7 is the crawler visits.
3) With respect to rank, let's keep in mind that sites do not rank, only pages (URL's) rank. There are many factors that go into fluctuations in rank, including changes to Google's algorithm and what your competitors are doing. Therefore, you could have a URL that dropped in rank but the cause was nothing you did at all.
4) Cloaking affiliate links isn't "black hat" SEO. See this from Google, and scroll down to the paragraph that starts "Note that PPC"... It's a legitimate and common practice. Forget the word "cloaking" and instead think of "managing". When you use a plugin like Simple URLs to manage your affiliate links, changes from 1 affiliate link to another are easy. We have a client who has 200+ affiliate links on a site, but he didn't use Simple URLs. All of the affiliate links recently changed, and that required editing them manually on hundreds of pages. With Simple URLs, the changes would have been in 1 place and far fewer in number.
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1) I don't think the WP repo for the plugin looks abandoned. Ron Rennick posted there a week ago. He works for SP. The light activity there is probably more a reflection of the light use of the plugin. You might also try making a post in the WP forums and then raising a ticket with SP and pointing them to your post. If you ask nicely in your ticket, maybe that will prompt someone to take a look.
2) I did a very quick test of Simple URLs and the click counts in my test were accurate. For each click to EITHER the link to be redirected or the permalink shown by Simple URLs, the click count went up by 1.
3) Do a google search for either your Simple URL title (your affiliate link) and your Simple URL permalink. Just because YOU noindexed something, that does not prevent me from putting that link on a page where it might be indexed. Clicks to that link will increase your click counter too.
4) As for stripping your affiliate code, that's easy enough for you to test. In my test, I didn't see any stripping, but your setup might produce different results.
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Here are some further thoughts:
1) Have you checked to see if your Simple URL affiliate links are elsewhere on the web? Has Google or another search engine indexed them? If so, then it seems like it would be possible for Simple URLs to record the link being clicked without a visitor ever reaching the page on which YOU used the link.
2) Have you only used the Simple URLs link ink 1 place on your site? The data that Simple URLs reports is an aggregate of all uses of that link, wherever they come form.
3) You're likely to get better responses to your question in the support forum for the plugin on the WP repo.
4) You can also try to read the code and make sense of what it's counting. In my experience, ignoring bugs, these differences are explained by differences in WHAT is being counted. I suspect that the # of clicks reported by Simple URLs is accurate and includes all clicks from any source, but you haven't tracked down all sources yet.
5) There are other redirection plugins for you to try and most of the ones I recall come with some type of counter. But I think you'd experience the same "what is being counted" issue that you're experiencing with Simple URLs.
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You need to get access to your server logs to see how many visits to the URL actually happened.
Simple URLs might be counting all visits from all sources. Analytics software typically relies on javascript, and crawlers operate in non-javascript mode, so their visits are never counted in analytics software.
Analytics software takes a short time for the javascript to load, so if a visitor hit the page but left before the script executed, analytics might miss it.
Therefore, it's possible you have a URL that has been visited 79 times by all sources, but only 3 times by visitors who tripped your analytics software. That would be unusually low, but not impossible.
You may also have your analtyics software configured to ignore logged in or admin users, whereas Simple URLs might count them.
Your server logs will tell the real truth. It's entirely possible that all numbers are accurate but they are just measuring different things. With your log in hand, examine visits by IP. Check your own IP or other admins. Check the settings on your analytics software. And then determine, based on those settings, what each result should be.
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Essentially, yes, that's correct, provided that it's clear that child themes aren't updated automatically.
Child themes are upgraded manually, whereas the Genesis framework can be updated automatically.
All of the steps you outlined are manual steps. There are ways to eliminate those steps, so that you can completely overwrite a child theme and NOT lose your customizations. For example, you could choose to never modify your child theme's functions.php and put all custom code in a custom functionality plugin. Your plugin might need to be updated if the child theme changed, though, but the changes would be the same as if you had the code in a modified functions.php. You can also leave the original theme style sheet unmodified and load a second style sheet that essentially changes only those elements you want to change. This method makes it much easier to take advantage of child theme upgrades, whereas the method you described gets to the same end point with much more work.
As for anticipating a problem, let's imagine you use the latest version of a SP theme but that theme is never upgraded from this point forward. In other words, you are always using the latest version of that child theme. If the child theme's functions.php uses hook names that have changed in Genesis 2.0 but are deprecated, you will have a problem in the future even though you are using the latest version of the child theme, because at some point those deprecated hooks will be removed. Therefore, even though at that future point you are using the latest version of Genesis and the latest version of your child theme, that child theme is old and dependent on deprecated hooks that will get removed. At that point, you will have a problem.
You can't take an old child theme, even though it is the latest version of that child theme, and expect it to work indefinitely into the future. At some future point (usually measured in years after original release), it will break because WP and Genesis are evolving and not standing still.
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@echofoxtrot - It depends on what you mean by "potential problem".
If you have a very old version of Genesis and jump several major versions at once, then there is a bigger chance of problems IF you have added custom programming to either functions.php or templates. If your only changes are CSS related, then that won't cause this type of problem in most situations.
Genesis child themes are always upgraded manually. Ignoring the switch to HTML5 (which one has to enable via code in an older child theme), CSS changes you've made in a child theme won't impact upgrading Genesis. But if you've made programming changes (as the OP possibly did), you have to make sure to check your code to see if it's compatible with the latest version of Genesis and make appropriate changes. The changes are very small, as in a function name that changes.
Another problem can arise if you update a very old version of the Genesis framework and you have a very old version of a child theme, even one to which you only made CSS changes. That's because the functions.php that came with the child theme might contain now outdated functions that will break your site.
Genesis usually deprecates the old approach and adds a new approach. It doesn't just remove the old approach in 1 step. By that, I mean it keeps the old approach so your site doesn't break and marks it as deprecated, and simultaneously adds the new approach so you can switch to it. The deprecated approach won't exist forever; it normally exists for a few major versions. That gives you some time to identify what has been deprecated and fix it. The OP's problem was likely caused by using an approach that became deprecated and then not updating Genesis or the child theme for a period of time and replacing those deprecated functions/filters.
Admittedly, it's can be a bit of work to identify what has been deprecated, but fortunately there are plenty of resources to help. We do managed WP hosting, and we have a development network where the WP_DEBUG constant is turned on. This causes the use of deprecated functions to be reported in the dashboard, so we can learn if code has been deprecated and fix it. WP_DEBUG is not something you'd want to use on a live site, so for an operator of even multiple sites or for someone that focuses on design, this is extra work, because you have to an environment similar to your live environment that is only used for testing. That's just another reason why we're big fans of managed WP hosting that do this sort of checking/testing 🙂
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@echofoxtrot - Just to be a little more specific, wp-includes/plugin.php is the WP code that processes code such as apply_filters() or add_action(), etc. Under WP 3.5.2 (the OP didn't specify her WP version), around line 170 is the code to apply_filters(). The OP most likely has code in her functions.php that attempts to apply a filter to set a full width page template, but the name has changed from an older Genesis version to a newer one. When plugin.php attempted to apply the filter set in the child theme, it produced an error and reported it on line 170, even though that is not the real problem because the real problem is where the apply_filters() code is used in the child theme.
This is a common situation with WP code & PHP. If the error is reported in a core WP file, unless your WP installation is damaged, that's not the real error. WP is too well tested & widely used for a basic error to exist in a properly set up WP installation. So when you see an error referencing a core WP file, you have to look for other clues to what is the real source of the problem.
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@alyssaavant - The problem is likely in your child theme's functions.php file. Post the entire contents to a Pastebin and then post a link back here so that people can have a look at it.
If you have any caching plugins, be sure to clear all caches after your upgrade; it's a good idea to disable caching while debugging a problem.
@echofoxtrot - Good effort. FYI, the reference to plugin.php is misleading and needs to be ignored. Whitespace won't really cause an invalid function name error; it might trigger a headers already sent error, but this is often due to how the file terminates vs how it starts. Invalid function name errors are usually just what that says: there's a function used in the code that doesn't exist once all the code for that page where the function is called is loaded.
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There are several different ways to fix this. Rather than discuss Genesis child themes generally, is there one where you have this problem? Do you have a specific URL where you have a tiled gallery?
First, re-read my previous post on what $content_width means. It is the width of the embedded content when 1, 2, or 0 sidebars are present, in that order.
You can set the $content_width with a filter. A previous post in this thread includes that code. You can also just hard code it in a page template. You can also do it with a conditional. This is what @ameeker's code attempts to do. However, her conditional isn't right for a typical Genesis theme. In effect, her conditional says "if the current template is home.php in the page-templates folder, then do this stuff." However, while the page-templates folder exists in the TwentyTwelve theme, it doesn't exist for a typical Genesis child theme. Therefore, the if part of her conditional will never be satisfied, so the code in the then part of the conditional will never be executed. That's 1 reason why her code won't work.
Of the different ways to fix this, the easiest to implement in general is to set a filter with this code:
$content_width = apply_filters( 'content_width', 580, 430, 910 );
Note: the forum software sometimes changes quotes. Be sure that the single quote surrounding content_width is going straight up and down.
You can put that code in your child theme's functions.php. You would replace 580 with the $content_width you'd like your site to use when 1 sidebar is used; replace 430 with the width when 2 sidebars are used, and replace 910 with the width when 0 sidebars are used (that is, the page is full width). Genesis should take care of the rest.
The other options I discussed could be useful when you need even more flexibility, such as a case where you have a special page with 1 sidebar, but the sidebar is not the standard width, so the 580 value does not apply.
Hope that helps.
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I'm not an insider so I can only comment based on what I've read & observed over the years:
1) First, WP 3.6 will be released; it's behind schedule but when it's ready the WP team will release it; it's at about Beta 4 as of this time, and there might be a release candidate or 2 before final release, but that can happen relatively quickly
2) Sometime after WP 3.6 ships, Genesis 2.0 will ship; "sometime" could be measured in days or weeks, but probably not months (note the plural)
3) Sometime later, HTML5 child themes will be released; if I had to bet, I'd gamble that a new child theme supporting HTML5 would be released before current themes are updated; with new themes introduced and just general advancement, I think there might be about 5-8 currently shipping themes that would get updated, and that estimate could be high
You're always better to enjoy what you have over worrying about the eventual shipping date of what you don't have.
Hope that helps.
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The best approach depends on what you want to do...
1) If you are developing a site and want to use HTML5, using Genesis 2.0 isn't a bad thing. While it's in beta, it's stable, and if you are in development, you can use that time to get your site ready for what will soon be the currently shipping version of Genesis. There are live, high traffic sites on the web that are using Genesis 2.0, even though it's beta.
2) If you do want to downgrade to 1.9.2, then use FTP (preferably SFTP or SSH) to delete your current genesis folder. Download version 1.9.2, extract it, and upload the genesis folder to /wp-content/themes, so you end up with /wp-content/themes/genesis. There's no need to change your child theme to downgrade.
I haven't tried #2 personally, but it shouldn't break anything that's not fixable 🙂
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I think the function is a bit of overkill for most users. The real purpose of the function is if you want to use what I'll call a non-standard favicon location or filename.
In your childtheme's images folder, you should see a file named favicon.ico.
If you replace that file with the favicon you created with the same name, no code is necessary (at least not that last time I checked ...).
Hope that helps.
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@lisle55 - My quick reaction is that your changes to the slider settings were a coincidence and not likely connected to your real problem.
Since your problem is intermittent, it is probably connected to traffic and free resources on your server. I think Media Temple servers are configured with a numfile limit, which is a limit on the # of open files. If traffic causes the # of open files to go above that limit, then opening your stylesheet would fail and that would produce the result you saw. As visitors come and go, the # of open files will change, so the problem can disappear just as quickly as it appears.
I think there's a command that can tell you what your numfile limit is, and what # of files you presently have open. You could also check with MT to see if going above the limit triggers an error that gets written to a log file.
I recommend you focus your attention on server resources and how the available resources change with traffic. If MT can point you to tools for you to track available resources or where error conditions might be written to a log, I think that's your best hope of resolving an intermittent error like this. If you phrase your questions to them that you just want help tracking available resources (e.g. memory, file limits, etc), you might have better luck than telling about your specific WP error.
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Hmmm...sounds like things are a mess and it's frustrating.
Step 1 is not to panic. Most things are fixable.
Step 2 really depends on your skill level. You may want to consider finding a WP consultant to hire to take a look at your installation. We just do managed WP hosting, so unless you want to change hosts, that's not something I do. If you do want to change hosts, we'd move you for free, and moving would likely solve your problems, and it might end up being cheaper than trying to fix your problem in the site's current server.
If you want to proceed further on your own, I'll offer some suggestions. Before doing anything, I recommend making a backup of your current WP install.
1) Make sure your WP install is complete. Download a fresh copy of WP and replace your WP folders - TAKING CARE NOT TO REPLACE YOUR \wp-content folder.
1a) Do the same with the folder containing the Genesis framework. Grab a fresh download and replace the contents on your server.
2) To check the login issue, access PHPMyAdmin and browse your users table. The user_login column should include your username, and the user_email column should include the email associated with that account. If you can't login using your password AND you have access to that email, use the password reset function. That should get you back to a functioning WP dashboard.
3) If you delete plugins, you'll lose the widgets associated with them. You can manually deactivate all plugins by renaming the plugins folder if you think a plugin is creating a conflict. However, from my first look, I don't recall you running any plugins that are likely to cause this problem.
4) You said your host repaired the postmeta table. Did they find problems with your WP database? If so, that's typically a problem they need to solve.
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@sunyata - Oops, silly me. I forgot the link. Here's the tutorial.
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@anitac - That's not correct. You are right that the code is not from Simple Sidebars, but it's pretty easy to do what @sunyata wants, which, if I understand correctly, is to put the same sidebar created with Simple Sidebars in a page template. In other words, every page that loads this template will use that sidebar, and this saves the work of specifying the sidebar in each product.
@sunyata - Here's a tutorial that should get you pointed in the right direction. You'll need to get the ID of the sidebar you created with Simple Sidebars. Then you'll skip down to step #3, since you've covered the first 2 steps with a different approach. You can use that code to put the sidebar you created with Simple Sidebars in your page template.Hope that helps.
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The simple answer is that one sets up a taxonomy for each "thing" you want to track, such as the number of bedrooms. Then, for each taxonomy, you enter the possible values (such as 2 bedrooms, 3 bedrooms, 4+ bedrooms). These taxonomies then appear as boxes when you add a listing. The same applies to any "thing" you want to track on a property; you can track a lot of "things", but practically speaking, most would focus on a handful of important property characteristics.
For the map, there is a meta box for a map embed code. Same for the property video.
Note that listings added this way normally are a single agent's listings, and searches are only for those listings entered using this method. This is separate from and unrelated to a search that uses an IDX function, even one on the same site. This approach to displaying listings works well for agents that either have a lot of current listings or have successfully sold a lot of properties, even if that agent doesn't use an IDX. On the other hand, if the agent has few or no current listings, an IDX might allow visitors to search for properties and keep those visitors on the site. One approach might help a listing agent sell a listing; the other approach might help the agent represent a buyer looking for a home. The best approach is depends on the business the agent has or wants to get.
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I don't know what's in the PDF, so I can't say if there's another document with similar content.
I understand the challenge of doing demos without supporting material, but the admin dashboard of AgentPress will look like any other WP dashboard. Here is our version of the standard AgentPress front end site (non-mobile responsive). If you have access to any WP dashboard to show how straightforward it is, that should be the basis of your client's evaluation of WP on the admin side. Personally, I'd show WP 3.6 (currently beta) running the MP6 plugin, which puts a fresh spin on the standard WP dashboard. This is the direction that WP is headed. Beyond that, you can create a site to suit your client's needs. If you host with us, we provide unlimited free support to do that; generally speaking, our plans are priced at $10 or $20/month.
I can tell you that the AgentPress theme has 16 widget areas off-the-shelf, but that is not a meaningful measure, since widget areas can be added or removed as needed. And you can build a RE site using any theme, including the popular Metro.
If you're working with a RE client that wants a mobile responsive site, you'll face a challenge if the client wants to also use an IDX service because IDX services in general haven't kept pace with the mobile world by doing mobile responsive design. For example, Diverse Solutions uses server side processing to provide a nice mobile search, and that can be integrated into a site that is otherwise mobile responsive, but the Diverse Solutions search function itself is not mobile responsive.
Once you find out your client's specific needs, it will be possible to provide better information. In the WP world, there are often 2 answers to whether a product will meet your need: it does it easily and out of the box or it can be made to do it easily for some $ 🙂
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1) If I recall correctly, Realpro was a pre-Genesis framework theme. If my memory is correct, it has long since been retired and is no longer for sale.
2) Whether AgentPress is the preferred alternative depends on your needs. If mobile responsive is an important requirement, AgentPress as currently sold by SP is not mobile responsive. I believe SP has indicated it plans to make AgentPress mobile responsive but hasn't specified a timetable for a release. It will be released when it's ready. Of course, you can use other SP mobile responsive themes on a RE site.
3) We do managed WP hosting, and we have made a version of AgentPress that is mobile responsive. It's available for clients that host with us.
Hope that helps.
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