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What happens if I change my WP theme?

by Mrmuscle90
16 replies
Hey guys, just wondering what would happen if i change my wordpress theme because ive got alot of posts on there and i dont want to mess it up. Ive gotta change it because im getting html code under my images. Anyone changed theres with content on?
#change #theme
  • Profile picture of the author dadamson
    Originally Posted by Mrmuscle90 View Post

    Hey guys, just wondering what would happen if i change my wordpress theme because ive got alot of posts on there and i dont want to mess it up. Ive gotta change it because im getting html code under my images. Anyone changed theres with content on?
    Just use the Preview feature before activating the theme. Generally it shouldn't mess up your posts. It may slightly alter them with different fonts and spacings, etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author TSDMike
      Your content should be fine aside from a few potentially minor formatting issues.

      I would definitely recommend you backup your blog though before you do anything else. Another thing to consider is that if you choose a theme with a rotating 'featured post' thing or some such like many newer themes have, you may have to tweak the formatting of some of your individual posts for it to work right.
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      Web Marketing, SEO & Wordpress Site Development in Grand Rapids, MI
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  • Profile picture of the author Barry Unruh
    Mike is hitting the #1 factor you should be worried about. You are backing up your blog, right?

    Consider this factor, too. Even if you try a new theme and it looks horrible, you can always switch back until you find another one you wish to try. This is one of the great things about Wordpress, flexibility.
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  • Profile picture of the author digitalguy
    Nothing just your WP looks different and it has some new change with there font and something else,
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  • Profile picture of the author danemorgan
    I wonder if people might back their blogs up more often if we mentioned it in situations where it made sense.

    Switching themes is not going to alter the content or the database in any way. It is not going to alter posts themselve it is going to alter how those posts are displayed. That is not a reason to back up the data base.

    If you are following a proper database backup schedule, backing up your database is not a part of any upgrade procedure anyways. it should be done on a regular schedule, not on a special event.

    If you read forums, you get the sense that backing up the database is something you do when you upgrade WordPress and when you switch themes, and that simply isn't the case.
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  • Profile picture of the author danemorgan
    PS. http://www.warriorforum.com/blogs/da...-database.html
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    • Profile picture of the author Tashi Mortier
      There are a few things that might happen. I changed my theme yesterday and I had to change all embedded youtube videos because they were to wide to fit in the new theme. I think this is one of the most common issues - content may hang over the borders of your new theme.

      Also I had sometimes problems with widgets in the sidebar or generally the support of plugins.

      If you want to be 100 % sure, you'll have to look over each and every post. I think there is no way around that.

      But basically you can always switch back to the old theme and nothing will be lost.
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  • Profile picture of the author xtrapunch
    Some themes have special provisions or support for "taxanomy". If your theme is one of them, you might have trouble.
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  • Profile picture of the author dsbusiness23
    I actually had to alter my wp theme to prevent certain categories from showing up on my home page. I messed something up and had forgotten to backup my index, so I got a syntax error, I kinda freaked out. I changed my theme then deleted the old theme and reinstalled it. That fixed the problem thank God!
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  • Profile picture of the author Mjoseph83
    There will not be any disturb with your posts if you change wp theme. However post will show according new theme's setting. Wordpress offers the preview option so you should go for that before activate new theme.
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    • Profile picture of the author PatriciaJ
      I always make a note of adverts and header and footer codes that I have added using the theme option features and then I can include what I need in the new theme.
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      • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
        This is realy helpful. Let me expand on the question a little. Can I edit/configure a theme (using the preview feature) before activating it?
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        • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
          The biggest problem will be with your widgets. If you are using a theme with
          specific widgets that the new theme doesn't have, well, you can guess what
          will happen.

          Also, some additional formatting issues, especially on your sidebar, may
          pop up.

          I've done a lot of testing with changing themes and I can tell you from
          experience, expect some minor annoyances. However, I have yet to have
          anything major happen other than to have to switch to a new theme.

          Again, as others have said, back up your blog...regularly.
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        • Profile picture of the author Chris Grable
          Originally Posted by Chris Grable View Post

          This is realy helpful. Let me expand on the question a little. Can I edit/configure a theme (using the preview feature) before activating it?
          I think I answered my own question.... It looks like there is no way to configure the new theme without activating it. Am I missing something?

          Originally Posted by Mrmuscle90 View Post

          Hey guys, just wondering what would happen if i change my wordpress theme because ive got alot of posts on there and i dont want to mess it up. Ive gotta change it because im getting html code under my images. Anyone changed theres with content on?
          I did a little experimenting.... I swapped back and forth between some relatively simple themes and the Abundance theme with no discernable negative affects. Yes... I did backup my site before doing this.

          cag
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  • Profile picture of the author danemorgan
    That's correct, you will have do confiuration after activation. If you are comfortable with SQL you could install the theme somewhere else and grab the configuration from there then inject it into your database. ( Then a snapshot backup really starts to make sense )

    If you just son't want people to see you doing the configuration you can try WordPress › ThemeFuse Maintenance Mode « WordPress Plugins to put the blog into maintenance mode while you make the tweaks.
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