Using WordPress as CMS is much more simple as of version 2.1. It only takes five simple steps to do it, without the need to hack into complicated code.
- Create a page named home as startpage and give it page order 0.
- On the top of index.php add (between php tags) /* Template Name: weblog */ .
- Create an empty page named weblog, give it page order 99 and assign the weblog template to it.
- In the admin section under options > reading, select home as front page and weblog as posts page.
- Create a menu with wp_list_pages(‘sort_column=menu_order&title_li=’). (Already taken care of in the CMS theme).
Use pages for your CMS content and make sure the page order is between 0 and 99. This way the first page in the menu is home and the last page is the weblog. Of course you can vary if you want.
Download the original CMS theme or the new CMS theme and optionally use a plugin to make the pages searchable.
this is too simple it can’t be true :) thnx for explaining
Great – where is the link to download version 2.1? The themes page still links to version 1.1
I really likely the previous theme used on your site – I think it was called “plaintext” – would you consider sharing that theme? Would love to use it on my site!
I meant WordPress v2.1, not my CMS theme. However I did update my CMS theme to be compatbile with WordPress v2.1.1 now. Please find the updated link at the themes page.
I was just experimenting with this. It does work as you say, but I run into trouble if I try to change the template for the Home page. For some reason the blog page also uses that template. It would appear that if I want a separate template for Home I need to copy index.php into a template for Blog as well. What is particularly strange to me is that the About page seems to continue working. Can you shed any light on this?
Apparently this was due to the name home.php being used for the Home template. I changed it to root.php and the Template Name to Root and the Blog page resumed using index.php.
You’re right. That was the issue. There’s a template hierarchy in WP, also for single post, category, author, page, date, search and 404. Check this out: http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Hierarchy
Also try my CMS theme on the themes page. It’s all been done there already.
Hoi Martijn,
Zojuist heb ik je CMS template gedownload. Ik zag dat er verder geen help-file of zoiets bijzat, dus ik neem aan dat ik het gewoon in de wp_content folder plaats en dan in WP het theme verander?
Wellicht als je tijd hebt kan je me even snel een antwoord mailen?
Reuze bedankt alvast! Groetjes, Piet
Ha Piet. Het CMS template is in feite gewoon een theme, dus in /wp-content/themes/ plaatsen en activeren via presentation in het WordPress admin menu. Succes.
This is a great tip. I’ve been having trouble with this until I found your post. Only one thing lies between me and a WP CMS, and that is: Where do I put that code snippet you describe (Line 4) wplistpages(’sortcolumn=menuorder&title_li=’)
Excuse noob question, but I can’t learn unless I’m already ignorant. :)
Hi Martin, thanks for your work. I’m playing with your CMS theme and had an fatal error until I guessed that I needed to also install your is_frontpage plugin. You might add that prerequisite to your theme description.
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How to get this to work with Dark theme?!
Thank you very much?
Using which template?
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Ik heb jou CMS theme eens uitgeprobeerd.
Dit is het adres: http://in-049.in.nl/francistilborghs.be/impressions/
Als ik op de pagina weblog klik krijg ik een blanco pagina, als ik terug naar home klik krijg ik de weblog pagina te zien. Ra, ra, ra ?
Heeft dit met hiërachie te maken ?
groeten,
Stef,
Hey Martijn,
I’m trying to use your CMS theme for a friend’s website – I’m not sure where to put the code snippet for the menu – would you kindly let me know please?
[ I am also on LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/in/naina - would be a pleasure to connect ]
Kind Regards, Naina
Well, sorry to bother you again, but I have another issue and I’m not sure if it is related to the theme but I’ve never faced it earlier – when I click on the ‘blog’ page – page order 99 – it shows me only the text of the posts – it does not show me the images in those posts. When I click on the title of the individual post and go to its individual page, then it shows me the image. Would you know anything about this issue? I’ll be very grateful for any pointers.
I am getting IE6 problems with the drop down menu? Not sure if this is the hasLayout bug but I can fix it?
Am I going mad?
I keep getting this error on all pages from the tab menu…
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: isfrontpage() in /home/espired/publichtml/members/wp-content/themes/CMS/page.php on line 12
I need it fixed…please
Hi Martijn, thanks for this post as a new user wanting to try WP as a CMS its great. I’ve installed your theme, but I’m getting this error when adding new pages and trying to navigate through them – can you shed any light?
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: isfrontpage() in /home/sites/pixeljuice.net/publichtml/wp-content/themes/CMS/page.php on line 10
Any advice is much appreciated Thanks
You need to download this: http://www.bos89.nl/?dl=is_frontpage.zip
I just used your CMS theme. The pages are working well, but when I click on the weblog btn it shows nothing. page weblog has page order 99 and is chosen in options – reading – post page.
Any help is appreciated!
http://www.rohnerdesign.com/wp213CMS/
Sorry I have underscores in the address.
I removed the underscores from the URL
http://www.rohnerdesign.com/wp213CMS/
When I switch to the default theme from wordpress then the blag appears.
Does anyone know what is going on?
I tried but still see nothing.
Thanks for writing back!
I moved the whole worddpress into a new folder and used 2.2 – started all over!
http://www.rohnerdesign.com/wp/
Again I have the same problem that when I use the CMS theme the blog page in the browser shows nothing – white screen in the browser, no error message and not even the header or so. But in the default theme the blog page comes up.
If you have any idea what could be the problem, any hint or way of testing would be appreciated.
In the meantime I decided to learn more and thought I just build my own CMS using your CMS theme as a guide. That way I would find out where the problem is.
I am very commited to find this out, because wordpress seems the best choice.
Thanks Michael
It seems like you created a page with the name ‘blog-page-title’ for the weblog. Did you also set that as the ‘posts page’ in admin > options > reading?
I did. Just don’t know why it works when I switch the theme. I am thinking that I perhaps have to put a few files into the plugin folder.Which files need to go into the plugin folder?
When you created a page with the name ‘blog-page-title’ for the weblog it should be assigned a template that is capable of displaying posts. You can set that in admin > manage > pages > edit the page you chose and set the template on the right side at ‘page template’. If you then set that page as the ‘posts page’ in admin > options > reading, it will display the posts correctly. To create such a template, just copy the index.php, open it and on the very top add (between php tags) /* Template Name: any-template-name-you-would-like */ .
I included the page for your convenience and updated the CMS theme to include the template.
With WordPress as CMS, will it be easy to insert a phpBB forum on one page? Will that be possible with your CMS theme (version 2.1)?
I have no idea, never had a look at it. But when using WordPress and in need of a forum I would always first look at bbPress, they will tell you how to integrate with WordPress and building plugins and themes should be easy.
Hi Martijn, you’ve got a great theme and I’m looking at using it for a friend’s site because the person that set up her original one tried setting it up as a CMS but didn’t do it very well. This is the site I’ve started http://www.hkcomputergoddess.com/assential-scrapbooking/ however what I would like is to have the link ‘online store’ actually link through to a folder on her site. Once I’ve finished customising the them, it’s going to be loaded up onto her site http://www.assentialscrapbooking.com and I want the link to go to here http://www.assentialscrapbooking.com/store/
Are you able to help me?
Many thanks, Nicole
Hi Martijn, it’s Nicole again. I’ve just finished pulling together another site using your template but for some reason the blog posts are not working properly. The site is http://www.journalsforempowerment.com and if you click on the ‘Latest News’, then if you click on the first post, it doesn’t display that particular post with comments, it displays the first post instead.
I deleted all the posts and put them in again, but it still happened.
I copied the css file, then deleted the theme and reloaded the theme. It is still doing it. When I change themes, it works properly.
Are you able to help me please?
Many thanks, Nicole
I’ve realised my previous comment was probably spammed… here it is again (without so many links)
Hi Martijn,
You’ve got a great theme and I’m looking at using it for a friend’s site because the person that set up her original one tried setting it up as a CMS but didn’t do it very well. This is the site I’ve started http://www.hkcomputergoddess.com/assential-scrapbooking/ however what I would like is to have the link ‘online store’ actually link through to her online store folder. I do not know how to do that and was wondering if you are able to help to do this?
Many thanks, Nicole
in turkey wordpress is not allowed..
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Why don’t you just use a CMS? It’s easy to import a wordpress database to a Joomla database. Maybe next you should write an article on how to eat soup with a fork or how to hammer a nail with a screwdriver.
Just kidding, I’m just trying to make the point that if you need a CMS you should use a CMS.
If you need CMS functionality for a relatively small site WordPress is easier to use than Joomla. If you only want to eat soup a normal spoon should do.
Also, Joomla sucks balls and is a totally ridiculous concept. Had you suggested MODx, then you might have looked less foolish. This WordPress as CMS is a much better solution than Joomla for just about 90% of the clients out there… unless you like teaching and re-teaching Joomla every day of your life… and working around the most irritating “push-button” modules and styling way overly-complicated templates which still use far too many tables. Duh.
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Really easy set up. Thanx alot!
Very neat explanation… Thank you! Now i’m trying it out, and i have to put the design that has been done for my client by changing the templates. Should be easy… right? ;)
Is it that easy?! Well – sure I’m going to try it. I thought there were more code implementing or so…cant wait t try this 5 simple steps. ;)