Hello,
I am looking to update my theme from 4.6.1 to 6.3. I currently have WordPress Version 4.1.6 running and also wanted to update that but wanted to update the theme first. I have a few questions:
1. I have backed up all of the theme files currently on the FTP. If anything goes wrong, I can just restore those, right?
2. Should I update the theme before updating WordPress or the other way around?
3. I have primarily made changes to the theme in the Child. Theme files I have modified (because you couldn’t modify them in the child) are below:
Newspaper\js\td_site.js
Newspaper\js\full_compact\site.js
Newspaper\includes\shorcodes\td_authors.php
Newspaper\single_template_2.php
Newspaper\single_template_3.php
Newspaper\single_template_4.php
Newspaper\single_template_5.php
Will I have any issues with the new version having made changes to these files? Are any of these files changed from version 4.6.1 to 6.3?
4. Finally, can you summarize what the MAJOR changes from the two versions are? Thank you.
Hi,
1. Also make sure that you update wp files install and database also: https://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Backups
2. Either way, but considering the theme wasn’t tested with previous versions of WordPress you should update WordPress then update the theme.
3. Many files have changes from forth version, this sixth version of the theme is practically a new theme. I suggest you note the changes, update the theme using the update guide and remove the files of the 4th version you now have installed then upload the new ones then make the changes again but note that it may be possible not to work anymore.
4. There are lost of improvements, as I stated it’s practically a new theme, with a new grid, new designs, new features, new modules, blocks and posts templates.
Use the FTP method form the update guide: https://forum.tagdiv.com/how-to-update-the-theme-2/ and follow the instructions carefully and updating it right shouldn’t cause you any issues, backup your current install, run the import settings script, update plugins and check the result.
You should also consider into the process at the following aspects:
– backup your current theme/WordPress/database: https://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Backups
– setup a maintenance mode and you can use a plugin for that.
– empty all caches/purge files if you also use CDN host then disable any services of this type until you switch to the new theme
– disable all plugins
– install the theme then install the required plugins
– switch back the rest of the plugins and start other services
Thanks
Thanks for the reply.
Another two questions I have:
1. Will I have to recustomize the theme since, as you say, “it’s like a completely new theme.” For example, all of my settings already set in the Theme Settings section… Will those stay? Colors? Post type settings? Favicon? Etc.
2. Can I update to the latest version of WordPress (4.2.4) with the current version of Newspaper I’m running (4.6.1)? I know it’s important to keep up to date with the latest version of WordPress but that becomes difficult when you also need to go through the process of updating the theme every time.
Thanks,
You can update WP first — I’m still using Newspaper 3x on a site, and works fine with new WP.
You will need to redo some things after update as some modules for home page changed, and WP has bad habit of “deactivating” widgets for sidebars or moving them to wrong thing, which means some “clean up” and dragging stuff from the inactive blocks back to active sidebars. You will likely need to regenerate thumbnails.
Most of the transient and dbase stuff, like “colors” should remain; menus might need to be resaved if using mega menus. Might have to reselect which menu goes to what element, but menus would still be there.
Not too awful 🙂
I’ll have to redo those things by just updating WordPress?
Hi,
I guess that Christopher referred that you need to redo some settings when you update the theme. Some on modules/blocks or widgests don’t exist anymore for example search module – https://forum.tagdiv.com/topic/search-not-displaying-results/ Also you will have to re-add the widgets to your sidebars, as they will become inactive.
The import script does the following operations:
- Imports the old settings to the new theme
- Renames all the shortcodes from your pages to the new names
- Imports all the sidebars
- Renames all the widgets from the sidebars to the new names
Regarding WordPress update, it should not affect your settings, but it is recommended to backup your site – https://codex.wordpress.org/Updating_WordPress
Thanks!
