wordpress for libraries preconference workshop
DESCRIPTION
Pre Conference Workshop at Internet Librarian- Internet @ Schools West Oct 2010TRANSCRIPT
WordPress
Internet Librarian 2010Polly-Alida Farrington
Kyle Jones
Resources at: http://lib20.pbworks.com
What do you want to learn?
Agenda
1. Overview & Examples
2. Getting Started
3. CMS Tips & Tricks
4. Beyond the Basics
5. Keep it Safe, Secure & Spiffy
6. More Handy Plugins
7. What else can WP do?
WordPress in Libraries Kyle Jones & Polly-Alida Farrington
coming out in Spring 2011
Slides, notes, resources, etc.
• http://lib20.pbworks.com – links to additional resources and these slides
1: Overview & Examples
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3036/2913018697_ccbb33e993_b.jpg
What is WordPress?
Content Management System
http://www.flickr.com/photos/atibens/4578260998/
Open Source is Unlocked
www.flickr.com/photos/subcircle/500995147/
Open Source is Community
www.flickr.com/photos/thomashawk/170691672
WordPress in LibrariesExamples
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dawvon/3414373319/
Blogging
Writing a WordPress Post
Pages - the heart of your site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tearsandrain/3526002850
Pages for Static Content
Custom Layout for Static Page
Running a full web site
Personal Web Site
And more!
How it works
• You create content
• Content stored in a database
• Pages don’t ‘exist’ until requested
• User clicks on a link
• PHP code retrieves content from database.
• CSS used to style page
• Page is displayed
Add Content – Web Based Interface
Stored in a database
the_title
the_content
Page created when requested
Same content on other pages
THEMES make it look good!
Same Content – Different Themes
Hosting WordPress
Free Hosted Versions
Free Hosted Versions
Free Hosted Versions
Pros:
• Free
• No tech skills required
• Easy
Cons:
• No custom URL
• Can’t upload themes & plugins
Host your own?
LAMPLinuxApacheMySQLPHP
http://www.flickr.com/photos/neonarcade/23955187
Technical Requirements
• Currently Version 3.0.1
• PHP version 4.3 or greater *• MySQL version 4.1.2 or greater • http://codex.wordpress.org/
Hosting_WordPress
* Might find some plugins require more recent version of PHP.
Hosting on your own server?
• Cost? • Storage capacity?• Bandwidth?• Tech Support? • Install software yourself
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamisonjudd/2433102356
“If you have no idea what to do with this download….”
Commercial Services
• Often under $10/month• Tech support
• One Click Install!
For more hosts: http://wordpress.org/hosting/
2: Getting Started
Admin Dashboard
Lose the ‘admin’ login!
Users Add New User
Settings General
Settings Permalinks
Editing a Post Permalink
Writing a Post
• News & events & updates
• Most recent appears at the top
• Older posts get bumped off the page
• Stored in Archives
• Special page for posts
Writing a Post
Writing a Post
Read More…
Read the rest of the entry…
Make a Post STICKY
Sticky post at top.
Publish Later
Tags vs Categories
Images & Videos
Add Media Button
Add Media Button
Places image in post
Get rid of Caption?
ALT text
Change default image sizes
Create a Gallery
[gallery] shortcode
SimpleViewer Pluginfor fancier galleries
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-simpleviewer/
SimpleViewer Shortcode
Embed Video
Viper's Video Quicktags Plugin
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/vipers-video-quicktags/
Viper's Video Quicktags Plugin
Themes
Themes
Themes – Add new themes
Search for a new theme
FTP access -
Themes with extras!
Sidebar Widgets
Widgets on Sidebar
Appearance Widgets
Text Widget to Customize
Text Widget & 3rd Party Content
Basic Plugins
Plugins add functionality & features
Plugins Page
WordPress.com Stats• Requires API
code from wordpress.com
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/stats/
Google Analytics
• Sign up with GA• Enter ID in WP
Settings panel
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-analytics-for-wordpress/
Akismet
• Requires API code from wordpress.com • http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/akismet/
More great plugins later!
3: CMS Tips & Tricks
Settings Permalinks
Custom Permalink Structure
news/gaming-night-for-teens/
Making a static front page
Create a Main Page
Create a Page for Posts
No Content for the Page, just a title
Settings Reading
Select Front Page & Posts Page
News tab shows Posts now
But …
Home & Welcome both go to the same place.
Need to delete HOME
Edit header.php file
• Delete the line of code that creates the default HOME link
Yay, extra tab is gone!
4: Beyond the Basics
Great New Custom Menus in 3.0
Custom Menu in Sidebar Widget
Custom Content TypesCustom Fields
Custom Fields Example
Custom Field – Post Page
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/more-fields/
Custom Post (Content!) Types
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/more-types/
More on Themes, CSS & Templates
A quick look at the Theme Editor
• Modify existing themes
• Change fonts, colors, graphics
• Create your own themes
• Wordpress.com – ~ $15 year extra
Template & Styles
Stylesheet – styles.css
Editing a .php file
Custom 404 page
404.php template
<?php get_header(); ?><div id="primary"><h1 class="page-title">Oops! </h1><p>This page is missing. Try the search box</p>
<?php include (TEMPLATEPATH . "/searchform.php"); ?></div>
<?php get_footer(); ?>
PHP code & HTML
Template Pages
Page uses “no sidebar” template
Add Page – Select Template
Editing a Template
Web Developer Firefox Add On
Artiseer ($) Theme Designer
Child Themes
A Simple Change
Create a new directorywp-content themes
twentychild
style.css file
wp-content themes twentychild style.css
/*Theme Name: TwentyChildDescription: A Child Theme of twentytenAuthor: Polly FarringtonTemplate: twentyten*/@import url(../twentyten/style.css);
Activate Child Theme
/*Theme Name: TwentyChildDescription: A Child Theme of twentytenAuthor: Polly FarringtonTemplate: twentyten*/@import url(../twentyten/style.css);
#site-description { color: red;font-weight: bold;font-size: 2em; }
Add new style rules
5: Keep it Safe, Secure & Spiffy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/maistora/3237164755
Don’t leave the door unlocked Run the latest version
Get rid of default ADMIN user
• Sign in
• Create a new user with total admin rights
• Sign out
• Sign in to the new user account
• Delete the old admin account
• Use your new account just for adminstrative stuff
Manage User Accounts
• Give yourself a separate account for writing/editing
• Define what access your contributors need
Security Keys
• Check your wp-config.php file
• Does it have security keys?– define('AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
– define('SECURE_AUTH_KEY', 'put your unique phrase here');
– etc…….
– More Info: http://goo.gl/SIhf
Use reliable themes & plugins
• Check WordPress.org directories
• Check the ratings & forum discussions
• Test, test, test! And test some more.• Keep them up to date!• Deactivate & Delete
unwanted plugins
Plugins - Deactivate, then Delete
Back it up!
1. Backup your database:– Via web host control panel– Or wp-db-backup plugin
(wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-db-backup/)
2. FTP to server and copy: • wp-content/themes• wp-content/plugins• wp-content/uploads (images, files, etc.)
WP-DB-BACKUP plugin
Google XML Sitemaps
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-sitemap-generator/
6: Handy Plugins
All in one SEO
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/all-in-one-seo-pack/
Facebook Like Button
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/facebook-like-button/
Sexy Bookmarks
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/sexybookmarks/
Simple Viewer Gallery
wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-simpleviewer/
OpenBook Book Data
johnmiedema.ca/portfolio/openbook-wordpress-plugin/
WP Contact Form Plugin
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-contact-form/
Add <!--contact form--> to a page
The Events Calendar
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/the-events-calendar/
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/the-events-calendar/
Settings
MobilePress
• Detects mobile device
• Displays mobile version of page
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/mobilepress/
MobilePress
http://www.flickr.com/photos/purplelime/1569139115/
WordPress App
http://www.zirona.com/software/wordpress-donations-cloud/
Donations Cloud – works with PayPal
More Plugins…
• WP Plugin Repository– http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/
• My links to plugins – http://delicious.com/grdnldy/wordpress+plugins
• Lots of great plugins discussed on this blog:– Lorelle on WordPress http://lorelle.wordpress.com
7: What else can we do with WP?
BuddyPressbuddypress.org
The Academic Commons...is designed to support faculty initiatives and build community through the use(s) of technology in teaching and learning.
The Academic Commons...is designed to support faculty initiatives and build community through the use(s) of technology in teaching and learning.
...Creating networks and support systems that are enabled by easy access to quality digital resources will nurture faculty development through sharing replicable materials and best practices.
...Creating networks and support systems that are enabled by easy access to quality digital resources will nurture faculty development through sharing replicable materials and best practices.
About the CUNY (City University of New York) Academic Commons
Open System, Open Learning
BlogsBlogsForumsForums
PeoplePeople GroupsGroups
BlogsBlogs
Members
BlogsBlogs
ePortfolios
Forums
Blogs
… features – similar to Facebook, Twitter, etc – will probably seem familiar to many.
My philosophy of teaching includes instilling in my students a sense of exploration and play. And dealing with change.
The Buddypress site is an extension of that. In my email to my classes as school starts, I asked them to configure their blogs, get an RSS aggregator and explore the site. Explore is the keyword.
… features – similar to Facebook, Twitter, etc – will probably seem familiar to many.
My philosophy of teaching includes instilling in my students a sense of exploration and play. And dealing with change.
The Buddypress site is an extension of that. In my email to my classes as school starts, I asked them to configure their blogs, get an RSS aggregator and explore the site. Explore is the keyword.
Dr. Michael Stephens on his BuddyPress enabled course sites
Set up a network of sites with WordPress MultiSite
Library Catalogs
“..easy to let library staff at the various libraries contribute articles to the blog, ensuring a lively, regularly updated blog/catalog.”
(isis.pbcantwerpen.be/)
(translated with google translate)
Scriblioscriblio.net
Selected WP Books(There are tons more great ones!)
• Digging into WordPress by Jeff Starr & Chris Coyier (digwp.com)
• Beginning WordPress 3 by Stephanie Leary
• Smashing WordPress by Thord Hedengren
More Help!
• WordPress Codex - http://codex.wordpress.org/
• WordPress Forums - http://wordpress.org/support/
• WordPress FAQ’s - http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ
• New to WordPress? –tips http://codex.wordpress.org/FAQ_New_To_WordPress
Thank you!
http://lib20.pbworks.com