Add Widget Areas to Your WordPress Template Files
Most of the content you want to add into your sidebar can be accomplished with WordPress widgets. Generally you don't need to mess around with the code in the sidebar.php template file.
Follow these steps to call widgets to your WordPress website (these steps assume the widget code isn’t already in the Sidebar template):
In your Dashboard, choose Appearance→Editor.
The Edit Themes page opens.
Click the Sidebar (sidebar.php) template in the list on the right side of the page.
The Sidebar template opens in the text box in the middle of the page.
Type the following code in the Sidebar (sidebar.php) template:
<ul id="sidebar"> <?php if ( ! dynamic_sidebar( 'Primary Widget Area' ) ) : ?> <?php endif; ?> </ul>
The parameter within the dynamic_sidebar template tag corresponds to the name that you provided in the 'name' widget array earlier in this section. This example uses 'Primary Widget Area'. The name you use must be the same one that you used earlier; otherwise, it won’t display on your website.
Click the Update File button.
The changes you’ve made to the Sidebar (sidebar.php) template file are saved.
You can register an unlimited number of widgets for your theme. This flexibility allows you to create several widgetized areas and widget features in different areas of your site.
Blogging & Social Networking Glossary1. (noun) A list of previous blog posts, in chronological order. 2. (verb) To place files or blog posts in a safer place (on DVD or another server) for longer-term or backup storage.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryUsed in an HTML tag to give an instruction to a Web browser. For example, in This link goes to <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>, the <a> tag gets an attribute (href) and a value ("http://www.google.com") to go along with the basic tag. In this case, the attribute indicates to the browser that what comes next is a hypertext reference — in this case, a Web page.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryAn often-centralized list of e-mail addresses, URLs, and IP addresses used by spammers that are then forbidden in any blog post on your blog. With an up-to-date blacklist, a lot of spam is stopped before it becomes a comment.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryTo stop all contact with a MySpace user. He can’t comment on your blog page or send you any message that you actually receive.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA combination of the words Web and log. Bloggers (individuals, groups, or businesses) post a chronological log of information. Content is determined entirely by the author(s) of the blog; many are personal journals.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryAn entry in a blog, possibly containing text, images, and other media.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryThe author of a blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryOutlines what you’re allowed to post in your blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryTechnology that enables you to blog. Can be either hosted or nonhosted.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA collection of links used or recommended by a blogger.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA piece of feedback left by a reader on a blog post, or to leave such a comment.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryTypically, an automated process that posts useless information with links to all kinds of other sites on your blog posts.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA short piece of computer code, stored on your computer, that enables Web sites to remember certain settings and information the next time you visit that site.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA kind of control panel in Blogger that shows you the blogs you’ve set up, giving you access posting, using help resources, or even creating another blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA type of HTML list that gives a term and then its definition and has built-in spacing to lay out those elements properly.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryAmount of room available on your hard drive.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA domain is the address, or main URL, that people type in the browser to get to your Web site. The domain name you choose can’t be used by anyone else.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA service that enables you to register a domain name.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryAn single posting in a blog containing text, images, or other media, or any combination of those things.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA social-networking service that enables you to keep in contact with families and friends via the Web.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA Web site that allows you to share, organize, edit, and otherwise manage your photos.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryYour virtual online address book in MySpace. You can become someone’s friend by either sending a fellow MySpacer a Friend Request or by being on the receiving end of a Friend Request from another MySpace user.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryManages the data, software, and Web hosting of a blog; the blogger just manages the content.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryThe computer coding used by Web designers to create Web pages.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA navigation tool that allows a user to go from one Web location to another by clicking. Hyperinks (or just links) are typically underlined.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryIn HTML, the address that a hyperlink connects to when clicked. For example, in This link goes to <a href="http://www.google.com">Google</a>, the hypertext reference (href) is http://www.google.com. Hyperlink references can also jump to new positions on the same page, open a new e-mail message, or begin a file download.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryShort for hyperlink, a navigation tool that allows a user to go from one Web location to another by clicking. Links are typically underlined.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA self-test that flags inappropriate blog posts. If you’d let your mom read the post, then it’s probably passed the Mom test. Specifically, don’t blog about topics you think will hurt others; don’t blog about others without their permission, even about topics you consider inconsequential; and don’t identify friends and lovers by name without their permission.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA social-networking service that enables you to keep in contact with families and friends via the Web.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryYour MySpace identity. It can contain as much or as little information about you as you’d like.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryThe ability to aggregate news by using RSS feeds. Having a news aggregator included with your blog package allows your site to pull in information from another blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryBlog software that you set up on your own Web server. It allows you to take on all responsibilities related to maintaining your blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryContains items that must be listed in a particular order, such as a list of ranks or preferences. It may also indicate a list of steps for the reader to follow.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryAn automated notification system for search engines and newsreaders, letting those services know that your blog has been updated. A ping occurs when one computer asks another whether it’s there; the second computer confirms its presence.
Blogging & Social Networking Glossary1. (noun) An entry in a blog containing text, images, other media, or any combination of these. 2. (verb) The act of creating and/or uploading a blog entry.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA MySpace profile that’s limited on who can view it, such as only people on your Friend List.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryThe status of publications, processes, and product designs that are free from copyrights and/or patents and are available for anyone's use.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryReally Simple Syndication. An RSS feed is a computer-readable version of your blog, standardized so that it can be displayed in newsreaders and on Web sites and blogs.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA column to the right or left of the main content of a blog that contains things like navigational links, special highlighting graphics that point to social networking sites, blogrolls, archive links, or anything that you want to share with your visitors outside the context of a blog post. Sidebars are usually included on every page of your blog and are consistent from page to page.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA service, such as Facebook or MySpace, that enables to keep in touch with people you know — and meet people you don’t know.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryUnsolicited electronic messages sent in bulk that may be commercial, nonsensical, or malicious. In addition to e-mail spam, blog comments and blog forums can be targeted by spammers.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA relevant keyword associated or assigned to a piece of information, such as an image, a blog entry, or a video clip. Tags are usually chosen informally by the content creator or by the online community; they help give content to nontext media and organize information for ease of searching.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA technology that tracks references to a blog posting that occurs on other blogs. They allow bloggers to link to blog posts on related topics.
Blogging & Social Networking Glossary1. Being honest and truthful on your blog. Also means that you admit mistakes and engage in dialogue with readers who leave comments. Considered proper blogging etiquette. 2. Integration of applications, programs, and media from different sources in such a way that the end user is unaware that the content is not self-contained.
Blogging & Social Networking Glossaryunordered list is a series of bulleted items and is used for lists that don’t require numbering.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA blog consisting of video files, or the practice of placing a video file in a blog post.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA service, such as YouTube, that enables you to share video with others.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryThe Web server where you software, graphics, and other files live online.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryTechnology that looks at what Web page is requested and then feeds the browser the appropriate file. It does most of the hard work of serving Web pages to visitors coming to your Web site.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA list of preselected users who are allowed to comment on your blog.
Blogging & Social Networking GlossaryA video-sharing service.
