WordPress Wednesdays: Dashing through the Dashboard
Glad to have y’all back for WordPress Wednesdays. If you weren’t here for our kick-off last week, please go and read WordPress Wednesdays: It’s Wise To Organize before you begin working with us on this week’s tutorial.
I know many of you are chomping at the bit to dive into the meatier things, but I can’t delve in until I’ve properly introduced you to the tools you’ll be working with using WordPress. You will just have to be patient and watch it unfold in a neat and orderly manner.
*ducking from the tomato tossage*
If you have already purchased a domain and web hosting, and installed your self-hosted WordPress blog, either on your own, or by using the VERY EASY step-by-step tutorial, then this screenshot will be all too familiar.
Not the prettiest theme on the block, eh?
The tiny text makes my eyes squint and there is something just completely unoriginal about keeping the default of ANYTHING. However, we aren’t talking themes today. Nope, today it is my goal to familiarize you with your WordPress Dashboard.
Did I lose about 3/4 of you?
Ah … well, maybe next week.
Okay, here we go … everybody login.
Oh, and if you haven’t been in before or haven’t saved your password within your browser or via WordPress itself, you’ll likely get forwarded to this page.
Just insert the username and password used when you installed your WordPress account. Make sure to click on the “Remember Me” box to alleviate a step in the future.
And this is what you’ll see if you’re running WordPress 2.7.1:
Back when I first wrote this tutorial, I was running a very early version of WordPress with its VERY BLUE Dashboard.
*shudder*
Later on, after you’ve familiarized yourself with the WordPress Dashboard, you might want to pretty it up a bit by taking advantage of a plugin called WP Tiger Administration.
I’m not particularly partial to it now that WordPress has made their Dashboard less BLUE and more intuitive, but back when WordPress looked like the image above, I had the WP Tiger Administration plugin installed.
Moving around the WordPress Dashboard
Most of the dashboard home-page is really self-explanatory. The navigation is justified on your left. The Right Now box to the center-left shows you what you’ve got going on At A Glance (Posts, Pages, Categories, Tags…). To the right you have Quick Press which rocks if you have a quick somethin-somethin’ you want to post to your default category.
Scroll down the page to view Recent Comments, Incoming Links, Recent Drafts, Purple Elephants (just seeing if you were paying attention), Plugins - seriously, it is a quick peek at just about everything, including the RSS Feed from the WordPress Development Blog, in case you want to keep up with what’s going on there. And at the very bottom, are button links to Other WordPress News. See? Totally self-explanatory.
So, let’s move-on.
Look for “Settings” - the last link in the navigation on the left of your Dashboard.
Click it. Go ahead, don’t be afraid.
The Settings link takes you to WordPress’ General Settings page; WordPress Version 2.7.1 looks like this.
I’ll cover the General Settings page first and then give you information on Permalinks and the importance of customizing your blog’s permalinks to suit your fancy.
General Settings
Blog Title · The Blog Title in the image above is “WordPress Wednesdays”. I simply keyed over the URL that was automatically populated here by default when I installed WordPress. Whatever you place in this title input box will show as the “title” of your blog.
Tagline · I did not have a Tagline entered here at the time of the screenshot. I will update it to say “Because what else do you have to do on Wednesdays?” when we save the changes to this page. When OMSH was a personal blog and a design blog, my tagline was, “Recounting the daily not-so-profundities”.
Both your Blog Title and your Tagline are important. It is what WordPress will automatically place in your blog’s <head> title tag for your blog’s title. It is also how Search Engines will index you. For instance, look at how OMSH was indexed in Google at the time I initially wrote this tutorial. It showed my Title, “Oh My Stinkin’ Heck” and then my Tagline, “Recounting the daily not-so-profundities.” following a hyphen.
WordPress address (URL) · The WordPress address URL is exactly where your WordPress blog is located. This will have automatically populated for you at your install, but you still need to understand its purpose. When wordpresswednesdays.com was still live*, it was in the root directory of my server. I did not have anything but the blog at this URL. However, many of you have e-commerce sites on your main URL, plan to have a static website on your main URL, or for whatever reason, have installed your WordPress blog in a separate directory - perhaps /blog/. In which case, yours would look like: http://www.wordpresswednesdays.com/blog.
Do not put a trailing “/” after the URL or it will break the flow of links in your blog.
Blog address (URL) · Wrapping this input box is a description of how or why this is used. This will have been automatically populated for you at your install - just as with the WordPress address (URL) above, and in most cases it will match it exactly. However, there are times when you might have been running your WordPress blog in a sub-directory and decided you wanted it to show up in the root directory. There are several steps to doing that - which we aren’t going to go into at this moment - but in THAT case, this will show the URL that site visitors will “key” in a browser bar to see your blog.
Confusing?
Okay, imagine that I had a t-shirt shop at http://shirtz-r-kuhl.com. It did poorly (Is it any wonder, who could remember that domain name?) and I decided I’d just use the website as a blog about t-shirts. Obviously, if the e-commerce site was gone from the main URL, http://shirtz-r-kuhl.com anymore, I wouldn’t want people to have to key http://shirtz-r-kuhl.com/blog to view the blog. That would leave the main URL a void, right? To move my blog from http://shirtz-r-kuhl.com/blog to http://shirtz-r-kuhl.com, I would need to make a few changes.
A bit less confusing now, right?
Good. Also, same as above, do not put a trailing “/” after the URL or it will break the flow of links in your blog.
Moving on then.
E-mail address · I think this one is clear enough. Whatever e-mail address is entered here is where your WordPress will send your messages regarding admin, maintenance, new members (if you require registrations), comments (if you later select to be notified of comments). This admin e-mail is not available for your site visitors to view anywhere on your blog
Membership · Leave it unchecked unless you require site visitors to register to comment on your blog.
New User Default Role · I also do not subscribe roles to my site visitors, so this stays at the default, which is “Subscribers”. WordPress offers an explanation of Roles and Capabilities to offer you more information on why you may or may not want to assign User roles.
Time Zone · WordPress defaults to UTC time and you need to select from the drop-down box to select your website’s time. I am in CST-6.
I keep the Default Date Format and Default time format as it is, but you can reformat it if you’d like using the Documentation on Date Formatting link.
Finally, select which day of the week you want your blog’s calendar links to call the first day of the week. I typically have mine set to Sunday.
Once you’ve done all that, click on the “Save Changes” button and you have officially saved your Settings > General updates.
Stand up. Stretch. Get some water, a Coke, another cup of coffee and meet me in 5 minutes.
Doing the dance of the Permalinks
WordPress is just smart blogging - and the way you can know WordPress is smart is because it’s always improving on itself. One of the ways WordPress has improved is by offering what it calls Pretty Permalinks. You can read the link for more information, but bottom line … your URL will not be a mixture of question marks, characters and general nonsense. You can make it keyword effective, date-oriented, content-oriented - WHATEVER YOU WANT. All of this helps with SEO, but most important - it gives you the option. I just love when I’m given options.
Here’s what WordPress says in its Settings > Permalinks information page within your blog:
“By default WordPress uses web URLs which have question marks and lots of numbers in them, however WordPress offers you the ability to create a custom URL structure for your permalinks and archives. This can improve the aesthetics, usability, and forward-compatibility of your links.”
Uh … yea, what they say.
So, here we go.
First, you need to get to your Permalink Settings page by following the links in the left navigation menu; Settings > Permalinks.
PLEASE NOTE: When you first look at the “Settings” text link you will not see all the sub-links beneath it. Hover over the “Settings” link and a grey down-facing arrow will appear to the right of the text link - click on that arrow and the “child” links within settings will unfold. From there, you can click on the link for “Permalinks”.
As you can see, the default Permalink structure for WordPress is displayed at the first radio button. This is a snapshot of my current permalink structure now; you can see I haven’t selected the default structure.
We don’t want that because it displays WordPress posts by their page or ID#s; not such a pretty (or functional) permalink.
Now, I’ll tell you what I DO, but remember, you are creating permalinks for YOUR BLOG and you may want to do it differently. If you follow the text-linked words “…number of tags are available” in that first paragraph it will give you a slew of choices.
I like my post name to be the file name for my permalink. Look at the image above again. I entered /%postname%/ in the blank next to the Custom Permalinks option to state this preference.
Once you’ve made your changes, scroll down and click the button to “Save Changes”.
OOPS! What’s this? A message that says: “You should update your .htaccess now.” Now, this is normally when I get many, MANY emails stating something like “Um … WHAT?!” And I explain what I’m about to explain to you - HOW TO MODIFY AN .HTACCESS FILE.
Before I go ANY FURTHER THOUGH, please understand that your .htaccess file basically stores all your permalink information, as well as re-directs and other “what-not”. Please don’t mess with it any further than you know or read here, b/c you really can screw up your blog fast with modifications made to the .htaccess file.
And with that, y’all are probably runing away from the computer or tossing your hands in the air and saying, “THANKS for THAT vote of confidence!”, right?
heh heh
So, your .htaccess file is in your blog’s root directory. It will be an odd looking file b/c it has a “period” before the actual file name and no extension. It is NOT htaccess.txt, htaccess.php, or htaccess.html. IT IS .htaccess - and that is it. Because it begins with a period, it is often found as the top file within your /public_html/ directory on your web host server.
If you access your server files via cPanel it is not hidden by default. If you are accessing your server files via an independent FTP software, like I am, you may have to ask it to show you hidden files.
For the purpose of this tutorial, and when I am on a PC, I use Filezilla as my FTP software. Filezilla can be downloaded FOR FREE. If you follow that link and click on the “FileZilla_3.0.0_win32-setup.exe” text-link, it’ll begin the download. Save it to your desktop and run the install from there. It is quick and easy to use in accessing your server files. If you are using Filezilla, the only thing you need to do so you can view your .htaccess file is click on the “View” text-link on your top toolbar and scroll down and click “Show Hidden Files”.
If you couldn’t see the .htaccess file before, you can see it now. Other FTP programs will function much the same. If you are on a Mac, I strongly recommend CODA by Panic. It is $99.00 and worth it; serious goodness going on there.
In the screenshots below I access WordPress Wednesdays’ server files using Filezilla. If you prefer to access your server files using your web host’s File Manager, that’s fine too.
The files shown in the left window are on my hard drive. The files shown in the right window are on my server. Did you notice I followed my own advice and have a full copy of my WordPress files on my hard drive (on the left) that mimic the files on my server (on the right).
Good for me, right?
To modify the .htaccess file using Filezilla, right click on the file and then scroll down to “File Attributes” and click it. A “File Attributes” pop-up window like the one below will display.
This is the default file permissions for your .htaccess.
We are going to change it from 644 to 755 and then click “Okay” to save it.
Why do you have to do this, you ask? For html or images files, you need a permissions setting of 644 for individual files. The file needs to be readable by others, but not writeable.
In this situation you need 755 rights because the script needs to be executable and readable by the web server, as well as have “write access” permissions for you.
I’m not going to pretend to understand the fullness of file permissions, but you can read and learn more about UNIX permissions, if you’d like.
Once you’ve done that, you can close out of your server files and go back to your WordPress, click through to Settings > Permalinks, and update your permalink structure. Click the “Save Changes” button and you should get a new message, Permalink Structure Updated, like the image below.
Now, all of your links will reflect the Custom Permalink structure you just assigned. If for some reason you still get the message, “You should update your .htaccess now.”, then temporarily set your .htaccess file to ‘777′.
Still with me? GRRREAT! Because? We’re done today. My fingers are tired and your brain needs to digest all of this. The rest of the dashboard truly is easy squeezy. If you have specific questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments and I’ll try to answer them promptly. If it is an answer that needs a bit more time and some screenshots, I’ll likely make it a different post.
Referenced Links
The following are links I’ve given throughout today’s tutorial for your reference.
- How to purchase your own domain name
- How to purchase web hosting
- Setting up your own Wordpress blog using cPanel and Fantastico.
- WP Tiger Administration to customize your WordPress Dashboard.
- If you’re gonna be a web geek, you might as well switch to a smart browser
- WordPress already does a fabulous job of detailing each and every part of its Dashboard
- WordPress offers an explanation of Roles and Capabilities to offer you more information on why you may or may not want to assign User roles.
- One of the ways WordPress has improved is by offering what it calls Pretty Permalinks
- Here’s what WordPress says in its Options > Permalinks information page.
- If you follow the text-linked words “…number of tags are available” in that first paragraph it will give you a slew of permalink choices.
- When I used my PC, I was a fan of Filezilla for transferring files which can be downloaded FOR FREE.
- Now that I am a Mac girl, I use Panic’s One Window Web Development program, CODA, as both my text editor and FTP. It isn’t free, but sooooooo very priceless. Seriously.
- Read and learn more about UNIX permissions.
Now, where’s the chocolate?
*WordPress Wednesdays initially was a website. Each week I made a modification to it and posted about it here; visitors could either follow here or at www.wordpresswednesdays.com. Not too long into that venture I was told that WordPress disallowed the registration of URLs which included the word ‘WordPress’. Not wanting to set myself up for a fall, I quickly ridded myself of the domain and began operating WordPress Wednesday posts ONLY here at OMSH.
24 have spoken up.
DaisyCake
oh my stinkin’ heck — this is great information, but WOOOOSH, over my head! I will have to re-read it! thanks for helping out and doing these tutorials Heather!
celeste
OMSH, I’m so excited that you started doing this. We use wordpress and usually I leave things up to DH (him being the graphic designer and all) but he’s been so busy, I might start tinkering myself. And voila! Here’s where I start. Thanks again!
sam
I am going to LOVE this weekly edition once it gets into the good stuff, but for now… you HAVE to tell me where you got your theme for your browser! Is it FF?? I love it!
Ang in TX
Omsh, I have dealt with =pg 1 or =pg 3 in the url for the last year, thank you for finally solving this puzzle for me!
Angella
Such a wealth of information you are! And I have had one too many margaritas to process this.
Will be back tomorrow to put do what you say. Because you are the WordPress guru!
xoxoxoxoxo
OMSH
DaisyCake - One thing I’ve been told several times in the past is that it is overwhelming to READ, but if done step-by-step, not so overwhelming to DO.
Just as an encouragement to anyone else feeling the same way.
celeste - You’re welcome! I’m glad I can maybe help you to not lean so tech-heavy on your hubby!
sam - I’m boring you, am I? haha!
Oh, let me see. I’m using the Firefox Default theme, but I’ve added Colorful Tabs, which makes it colorful when my tabs are up. :)
Ang in TX - You’re welcome!
Angella - No, not the WordPress guru. We’re all at different points in learning WordPress and there are others more skilled than me. I’ll certainly be referring out here and there to those who can better “say” what needs “saying”.
JustBeachy
Yeah! I have pretty permalinks :) thank you! AND….I have Firefox (now)! All my feeds are in IE and the Microsoft Feed Reader….and I am lost about a tag or bookmark or google reader or a del.icio.us…or whatever. I guess there will be a learning curve, but, for coolness sakes, when I typed OMSH into the search bar, your site came up….instead of search options.
OMSH
JustBeachy - I’ll cover RSS Feeds later, but I’ve found Google Reader to be the greatest. I like having all my feeds in one place and I really like the way I can organize them.
I’m glad you are able to use what I’m putting out there though! Whooopeee!
Shawna
I LOVE Wordpress Wednesdays! I am such a newbie at thie whole bloggin’ thang, and your timing in starting up this fine endeavor is impeccable! I’m stuck in IE for now, but am slowly being persuaded to inch over the line and become a fox–a Firefox, that is!
Angella
I fixed my permalinks, and didn’t even have to access that htaccess file! Easy peasy :)
OMSH
Shawna - NO ONE, dare I say NO ONE is stuck in IE. It is a choice. You are strong. You want the best, optimal browsing experience. You seriously don’t want to miss out on the amazing Webmaster Tools available through Firefox. Download it, fall in love with it. You’ll send me gifts, I swear!
Angella - Well, there ya go. Now you’re all PRETTY!
KYouell
I am so glad we are both married so that this can be taken in the spirit I mean it:
I LOVE YOU!
KYouell
And it looks like I hit the enter key twice when I didn’t mean to. I’m all twitterpated!
Not only has hubby installed WP on his Mac (on our network) so that we can both play with it there before going live online, but I am downloading FireFox while I read/type.
You know, we are looking to leave Northern California for someplace cooler. Lucky for you Texas is hotter or I would just be too stalker-y.
OMSH
KYouell - ahhhh … it is so good to be loved! :)
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elysa
I wish the default permalink would be post name it drives me bonkers to see post=6, permalink was the first thing I set up on my blog. I am enjoying this new series.
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Allison
Hello again,
I tried both 755 and 777. I still get the message “you should update your .htaccess now.” Btw it was on 750 before I changed it. Any thoughts? Thank you!!! Baby steps!
OMSH
Allison, nope that should have done it - email me at heather [at] ohmystinkinheck [dot] com and let me take a look.
OMSH
Allison
I also responded to your comments in the Feedburner thread.
Alison
Hey. Love your site. I’m a total newbie to all this. I’m following you step-by-step but I’m stuck. I’m using Cyber Duck because my mac is too old to run filezilla and I don’t see my .htaccess. Can you tell me where to find it? Many thanks!
Pattie
Thank you so very much for the Wednesday posts. I’ve download and linked Filezilla but don’t see the .htaccess file. What do I do now!?!
OMSH
Pattie - If you don’t have one, you’ll need to create a new file and name it .htaccess (it will want to give it a suffix, but you don’t need one). Just name it .htaccess and save the file. Then you can go on with the rest. :)
Comment if ya wanna.