Designing the Blog Page

[dylanclarey]

Hello I’m trying to set up a blog and it seems that my options are pretty limited. I wanted to check in with you guys to see if I can do a few things:

• Set up some kind of hero image.
• Have a sidebar with various categories and search capabilities that only displays on the blog page

The flexibility of the blog page has been very disappointing. Is there something I’m missing in terms of being able to design a nice blog?

Thanks.

[rad]

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in.

Adding a slider with hero type is possible, where do you wish to place it? Maybe it’s possible through actions/hooks.

You can have a sidebar by changing your layout to content-sidebar in Admin > X > Launch > Theme Options > Layout & Design, then simply assign a sidebar to your blog page, then add widgets to that sidebar like search and category widgets. But if you only wish to do that in blog page without modifying other page’s layout, then you may add this code to your child theme’s functions.php

  function x_get_content_layout() {

    $content_layout = x_get_option( 'x_layout_content' );

    if ( $content_layout != 'full-width' ) {
      if ( is_home() ) {
        $opt    = x_get_option( 'x_blog_layout' );
        $layout = ( $opt == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $opt;
      } elseif ( is_singular( 'post' ) ) {
        $meta   = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_x_post_layout', true );
        $layout = ( $meta == 'on' ) ? 'full-width' : $content_layout;
      } elseif ( x_is_portfolio_item() ) {
        $layout = 'full-width';
      } elseif ( x_is_portfolio() ) {
        $meta   = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_x_portfolio_layout', true );
        $layout = ( $meta == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $meta;
      } elseif ( is_page_template( 'template-layout-content-sidebar.php' ) ) {
        $layout = 'content-sidebar';
      } elseif ( is_page_template( 'template-layout-sidebar-content.php' ) ) {
        $layout = 'sidebar-content';
      } elseif ( is_page_template( 'template-layout-full-width.php' ) ) {
        $layout = 'full-width';
      } elseif ( is_archive() ) {
        if ( x_is_shop() || x_is_product_category() || x_is_product_tag() ) {
          $opt    = x_get_option( 'x_woocommerce_shop_layout_content' );
          $layout = ( $opt == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $opt;
        } else {
          $opt    = x_get_option( 'x_archive_layout' );
          $layout = ( $opt == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $opt;
        }
      } elseif ( x_is_product() ) {
        $layout = 'full-width';
      } elseif ( x_is_bbpress() ) {
        $opt    = x_get_option( 'x_bbpress_layout_content' );
        $layout = ( $opt == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $opt;
      } elseif ( x_is_buddypress() ) {
        $opt    = x_get_option( 'x_buddypress_layout_content' );
        $layout = ( $opt == 'sidebar' ) ? $content_layout : $opt;
      } elseif ( is_404() ) {
        $layout = 'full-width';
      } else {
        $layout = $content_layout;
      }
    } else {
      $layout = $content_layout;
    }

if ( is_home() ) {
   $layout = 'content-sidebar';
}
    return $layout;

  }

But still, you still need to assign a sidebar and add widgets. You could do that in Admin > Appearance > Sidebars, Admin > Appearance > Widgets

Thanks!

[dylanclarey]

I’m not looking to add a slider at the moment (maybe later), but for right now just a banner (an image with a Page Title and/or/maybe a description of some kind). Is this possible?

I was able to add the widget to my page but it isnt an actual sidebar, it’s at the bottom of the page above the footer. Is there a way to change this?

I’m new to WP theme development and have yet to install a child theme. I checked out your articles on how to add a theme and I’ll get right to it. At this point all of my changes have been made in cornerstone and the customizer. By activating a child theme, will I lose any of the changes I’ve made to the theme up to this point?

Thanks for the help. You guys are great.

[rad]

Hi there,

It’s only possible with customization, unfortunately, we can’t provide any customization. This is going to be a bit complex since you’ll have to create your own banner structure.

There are many sidebars, footer sidebars, header sidebars, main sidebar, and custom sidebars. Maybe you added it in the wrong sidebar. You should add it to main sidebar or custom sidebars. But since you don’t have an active child theme, then the code is not implemented yet, and the main sidebar isn’t there. Would you mind providing your site’s URL for testing?

Your changes should stay intact if you activate your child theme (buy your existing widgets and menu may disappear). You may re-assign them back after child theme activation.

Thanks!

[dylanclarey]

I’m currently on a local server so I don’t think I have a shareable URL…

I think I’ve found a nice solution in using essential grid for my blog. But I’m finding it difficult to edit the design of the posts after I click on the link. Do you have any advice?

[Joao]

Hi There,

Essential Grid is a great solution.

The posts can be edited with Cornerstone just as any page or using Wordpress classic backend editor.

If you are still facing difficulties please provide your Post and detail where you are facing difficulties in order that we can help.

Thanks