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How can I temporarily install a WordPress theme to my domain w/o uninstalling current theme?

by contentwriting360 Banned
20 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
    • |
Warriors, I want to install another WordPress theme for www.contentwriting360.com. However, I want test it first if it looks okay according to my needs. I understand there's an option for a preview but what I am thinking is this....

Would it be possible for me to create a sub-folder/sub-domain which looks like "temp/contentwrititing360.com" so I can just do whatever I want on that theme without damaging my currently installed theme?

I want to try how these two WP themes work:

http://www.elegantthemes.com/preview/eVid
http://www.elegantthemes.com/preview/Notebook

Obviously, I won't really install any of these two themes for our content writing site. I just really want to check how each theme works and how the site will look like after installing which theme. Then, I'll be uploading videos from YouTube and add temporary captions or content. My partner would want to see how the site will look like. I have two options on how to present it to my partner. It's either I install the theme to a domain or hire a PhotoShop expert to do the PSD files or image files for me. I do not want to hire a photoshop expert.

Sorry, I am not a coder so I'd like to know if what I'm thinking is possible. I do not want to hire an Adobe Photoshop expert just to create a PSD for that if what I am thinking is possible anyway.

Any coder in the house who can shed some light to a fellow Warrior?

Thank you gals and guys.
#current #domain #install #temporarily #theme #uninstalling #w or o #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author rendell
    You can create a sub domain on cpanel

    temp.contentwriting360.com

    Then install a new wordpress on the new sub domain
    Copy the wp-content folder from the old website to the new subdomain
    Import the sql from the old webste to the new subdomain
    And installl the new theme to test
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    Ever notice that people who spend money on WSO, memberships and courses, are always complaining about being broke and not making any money ?

    They should have bought ASSETS instead.

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  • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
    Banned
    Rendell, that's good to hear. I can just Google how to create a sub-domain from the CPanel.

    But here's another scenario I have come up with from your answer. Okay, let's say I just want to install a WP theme but I won't be applying it to ContentWriting360's domain. I just want to play with it to see how it will look like after uploading content and videos on that WP theme. Do I still need to create a sub-domain WITHIN an existing domain or there is an option in the CPANEL to create a folder instead of a sub-domain so I can install that WP theme in that folder?

    Please notice the difference: sub-domain vs folder.

    Thanks!
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  • Profile picture of the author Confined To Life
    Why not do everything offline to see if it'll work when you go live.
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    • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Confined To Life View Post

      Why not do everything offline to see if it'll work when you go live.
      I have conceived that in my mind. But I do not know how it should be done "offline."

      When you say "do it offline," does it still involve my CPanel and WordPress Admin page? Or I need to install it my local hard drive on my desktop computer or laptop?
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      • Profile picture of the author icandi
        Originally Posted by contentwriting360 View Post

        I have conceived that in my mind. But I do not know how it should be done "offline."

        When you say "do it offline," does it still involve my CPanel and WordPress Admin page? Or I need to install it my local hard drive on my desktop computer or laptop?
        If your using a MAC there's a program call MAMP MAMP: Mac, Apache, MySQL, PHP
        It's free as far as I know unless you want the Pro version and there's a 14 day free trial of that anyhow. I'm not affiliated or an expert in using it but there's loads of tutorials (just Google it)
        If you're using Windows I don't know 100% but sure that there must be a similar program.

        When I was having problems with a theme I recently bought, conflicts and error codes etc, rather than un-instal I just moved it into the root directory in my FTP program and used another theme, until I had time to sort it out. Later moved it back into the theme directory and all worked fine. That's just my experience and maybe someone might disagree, for me it was a quick simple temporary solution.
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      • Profile picture of the author Confined To Life
        Originally Posted by contentwriting360 View Post

        I have conceived that in my mind. But I do not know how it should be done "offline."

        When you say "do it offline," does it still involve my CPanel and WordPress Admin page? Or I need to install it my local hard drive on my desktop computer or laptop?
        If you WERE to do it offline, you'd need to install XAMPP. You use a folder on your hard drive instead of the File Manger in cPanel. It's excellent for testing purposes. Let me know if you want any more information.
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        • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Confined To Life View Post

          If you WERE to do it offline, you'd need to install XAMPP. You use a folder on your hard drive instead of the File Manger in cPanel. It's excellent for testing purposes. Let me know if you want any more information.
          Thank you for your answer, fellow Warrior (sorry, I don't know your name). I'm currently downloading XAMPP for the version of my operating system. I'll keep you posted for any progress.

          Update: Ah, it's so technical (installation of XAMPP). I just researched and found this. Nosebleed!
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  • Profile picture of the author rendell
    The difference in creating a sub domain and a new folder is ... it can get messy and dangerous during the installation process because the new wordpress will likely be installed inside your old domain folder:

    /public/blahblahhostdomain/existingdomain.com/testWP

    While a new subdomain installation you can specify the folder to install the WP:

    /public/blahblahhostdomain/newWP

    That way, it will be cleaner and safer if you want to remove the test WP blog.

    Of course, it is up to you.

    And to install the new wordpress onto the new folder, just go to cpanel and wordpress install, select the old domain and remember to specify the folder to install, if not you will overwrite the old domain ....
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    .
    Ever notice that people who spend money on WSO, memberships and courses, are always complaining about being broke and not making any money ?

    They should have bought ASSETS instead.

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  • Profile picture of the author rosetrees
    If you are using fantastico or another automatic install method for Wordpress then there is no need to create the sub-domain first. Fantastico will do that for you if you use the "install in" field. Just enter "test" (or whatever you want to call the sub-domain) and WP will be installed in that new folder.

    Then export the database from your main site and import it into your new test site.
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    • Profile picture of the author contentwriting360
      Banned
      Originally Posted by rosetrees View Post

      If you are using fantastico or another automatic install method for Wordpress then there is no need to create the sub-domain first. Fantastico will do that for you if you use the "install in" field. Just enter "test" (or whatever you want to call the sub-domain) and WP will be installed in that new folder.

      Then export the database from your main site and import it into your new test site.
      I noticed that everyone is advising me to transfer the database from the main site to the new test site. Do I really need to transfer the database even if my goal is just to "play around" that theme so I know how it works instead of just uninstalling the currently installed theme?

      Perhaps, I was not clear with what I wanted to do.
      Let me shed some light.

      Our current site is Content Writing 360° - Content Writing Services. I want to try how these two WP themes work:

      eVid Theme | Just another WordPress weblog
      Notebook Theme | A Day In My Life

      Obviously, I won't really install any of these two themes for our content writing site. I just really want to check how each theme works and how the site will look like without the need for me to hire a photoshop expert to create PSD or image files.
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
        Banned
        Originally Posted by contentwriting360 View Post

        I noticed that everyone is advising me to transfer the database from the main site to the new test site. Do I really need to transfer the database even if my goal is just to "play around" that theme so I know how it works instead of just uninstalling the currently installed theme?

        Perhaps, I was not clear with what I wanted to do.
        Let me shed some light.
        If you want a test site similar to an existing site in a subdomain or folder, yes, you will have to create a separate database for it. Your theme options are stored in the database, so if you used the same database, you would be changing your original database.

        To easily create a test site go to cpanel and go to your File Manager and go to the original domain. Create a new folder on that domain, like testsite.

        Then choose select all and select all files, but not the new folder. After you select all files, you can deselect the ones you don't want like the test site folder, using the Cntrl key to deselect it.

        After the files are selected, Choose Copy and when you get the dialog box, type in the new location of the test folder.

        Then create your new database and import the original database into it. In the wp-options table, change the url to the test folder url, which would be domain.com/testsite/. Obviously, you'll first need to go to the original database and export it before you can import it into the new database.

        Now, in the test site, edit your wp-config.php file with the new database information, so you'll want to record the new database name, user name and password when you create it.

        Your log in will be the same as the login to your original site, other than the url being domain.com/testsite/wp-admin.

        After you log in, go to General > Settings > and put the right test site url in the box that has the domain of the original url in it.

        Save it and you now have a new test site and can do whatever you want without affecting the database of the original site.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    If you find you don't like working with XAMPP, just do as Rosetrees suggested to create a new installation of WP in a sub-directory. When your cPanel creates a new WP install it will also automatically create a new database.

    Use this new WP site to see how different themes appear. As for articles, instead of putting real articles in the new test WP site, just fill it with Lorem Ipsum gibberish. You get that here... Lorem Ipsum - All the facts - Lipsum generator

    Use their Lorem Ipsum generator and simple copy and past the Lorem Ipsum it give you.

    :-Don
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    • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
      Another solution is to get a plugin to clone your current site.

      Then just install it where ever you want and add the new themes to play with.

      If you are working on it and make changes that you like, you'll be able to simply clone the clone and swap it with your main site.
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  • Profile picture of the author run
    I just want to have some idea on playing with your new theme. As previous mentioning, do it offline is a great way to play with your theme; it's not only speed up your playing ground, but you can take full control on the immediate customization. As I play with my Wordpress theme online comparing to offline, Online took me 5x times more than offline.
    I think you like Wordpress, and you might do it sometimes or more in the near future project, so IMO it's not hurt to setup an alternate Window compartible with the XAMPP curent package and play with it easily. Because you will see it worth the time to have XAMPP in your PC and will make you feel relief in the playing time with Wordpress and Another PHP project.
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  • Profile picture of the author 100KAffiliateManager
    Why not install InstantWordPress on your desktop. That allows you to create and test a complete environment without affecting your live site or anything else on your pc, you can even run it off usb - it's free so give it a try - Instant WordPress
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  • Profile picture of the author Personal Coach
    Just install your new theme at:
    contentwrititing360.com/main-keyword/

    Then inside the Wordpress control panel there is an option to make that theme show instead of your current one by simply copying and uploading your new Wordpress .htaccess and index.php file to your root directory. That's after you completely develop the new theme with all of your content.

    When you make the switch it will take about a min and your new site will then take over for the old one with practically no downtime. This is what I do when I'm redesigning sites for clients. I build their new site (if it's Wordpress) while their old one remains active and then make the switch when I'm done.

    If you need help just let me know.
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  • Profile picture of the author EugeneFarber
    All of these solutions are really way more complex than they have to be.

    If I understand what you are trying to do correctly, then all you have to do is install a plugin called "Theme Test Drive." You can find it here: WordPress › Theme Test Drive « WordPress Plugins.

    It allows you to install a theme and play around with it as an admin of the site to see what everything would look like and check out the functionality.

    But all visitors not signed in as an admin will see your site with the theme you currently have installed.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEOExpert999
    To export your database all you would need to do is go to my PHP admin under the database option if you're using a web host like host gator. Then locate your database in the columns on the left-hand side click on your current database and then go to the tab that says export from their export the file to a location on your hard drive and then you would import the SQL file into your new database using PHP admin.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hani D
    You can install WP on a new folder such as www.yourdomain.com/testfolder or you can install WP on a sub-domain like www.subdomain.yourdomain.com and test whatever you need.

    Profit Wizard.
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Bridgen
    The easy way is to log into your wp-admin using your password and username go to
    appearance then themes install the new then activate the theme

    Your old themes will stay on your site but you will only see the new theme
    If you want to change back to the old theme just activate it and it will come back again and shut down the other theme
    Hope this helps
    Robert
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