Sidebar and/or two columned layout

[Gina Tolentino]

I am now trying to add a sidebar (an or two columned layout) onto one of more of the pages on the homepage. I thought I could do this in the Theme Options by selecting the widget block layout, but it actually makes the main content go away. I’d like the main content plus a sidebar.

http://development.ginatolentino.com/2amys/

[Bill Robbins]

Probably the easiest way to add in columns is with a plugin like WP Easy Columns. You can add the columns in while your creating your page and they’ll be displayed on the front of the site.

If I can help, let me know,
Bill

[Gina Tolentino]

Hey Bill, I need help again. I think I am having trouble understanding the structure. I added a simple text widget to both Home and the Page but it doesn’t show up on the page. If I make the page a Widget block, the widget shows up, but not the rest of the page copy.

[Bill Robbins]

Gina,

Sorry for the confusion. The page content option for the home page does not include the sidebar, just anything that’s inserted into the page’s main content area. The widgets for the home page are if you’d like to include a “section” that’s nothing but widgets.

There are always options though. If you’ll let me know what you’ll need, I’ll tell you the best way to go. Here are a two options:

1. You only need one page content area with a sidebar for your home page.

2. You’ll need multiple page content areas with a sidebar for your home page.

If you don’t mind letting me know which you need, I’ll be happy to let you know how best to do that.

Thanks,
Bill

[Gina Tolentino]

I would probably just need one page content area with a sidebar.

[Bill Robbins]

That works great. First choose which section (one through seven) on the home page that you’d like to use with the sidebar. Then follow these steps:

1. Go to the Appearance section and select Edit.
2. From the list of files on your right, choose page-home.php
3. This file has several repeating blocks for each section. Each section starts off with a line that looks like this:

   
   &lt:div id="one">
   

   Find the one that corresponds to the section where you’d like to add the sidebar

4. Inside that section, the spot for page content looks like this:

   
   			<div class="section-wrap">
   			
   				<?php if(of_get_option('title_1') !='') { ?>
   				
   					<h2 class="section-title"></h2>
   
   				<?php } ?>
   				
   				<?php $loop = new WP_Query( array( 'page_id' => of_get_option('page_1') ) ); ?>
   				
   				<?php while ( $loop->have_posts() ) : $loop->the_post(); ?>
   				
   					<?php the_content(); ?>
   				
   				<?php endwhile; wp_reset_query(); ?>
   			
   			</div>
   

5. Replace that with this:

6. If you’re using any section other than the first, look for this spot in the snippet above:

   
   page_1
   

   and change the 1 to the number of that section: 2, 3, 4 and so on.

7. Save your changes.

That should give you a content area with a sidebar next to it. It will pull the widgets from the default sidebar.

If you need any help just let me know. If you’d like me to make the change for you, I’d be happy to also.

Thanks,
Bill

[Gina Tolentino]

Awesome! Bill you are such a help, and I am loving this template! I apologize in advance for any new questions in the next few days. I hope to figure out as much as I can on my own.

[Bill Robbins]

Gina,

I’m glad you’re loving it and I’m always glad to help when you have questions too.

Take care,
Bill

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