WordPress starter guidebook

This post is an introduction to using wordpress, called WP often. It is not a detailed how-to, it is an overvuew with pointers to getting started.
It is for those who are adding content and are working with a system administrator to manage the site.

What am I: This is a level of access, which means what you are allowed to do. For most people reading this, you will be an Author, you will be writing content to be read by Subscribers.

  • Administrator – somebody who has access to all the administration features within a single site.
  • Editor – somebody who can publish and manage posts including the posts of other users.
  • Author – somebody who can publish and manage their own posts.
  • Contributor – somebody who can write and manage their own posts but cannot publish them.
  • Subscriber – somebody who can only manage their profile.
  1. Getting site going

    2. The system admin will setup the site, which includes a number of levels of technology ending in a standard WordPress install.

    The final stage before contents is installing a WP theme that structures how the content is displayed and is tailored to the purpose of the site. There are 100s of WP theme available, and a few included in the install, which are usually selected initially.

  2. Getting on to site

    3. To add content, you need to login to the backend of the WP. This done using a URL like https:/MY-web-site.com/wp-admin
    If the web site has extra security added, that URL will be custom one provided to you with login name. The password will usually be set to you by the system.

    Once you are logged in, you will be present with a dashboard: Author Editor

    The menu on the left side provides a number of tasks: of primary interest are Posts and Pages. Editors can create or edit both,
    Authors can only do so for Posts.

  3. Adding Content

    4. Once logged in, you are able to add one of the two major forms of content for a WP site, A post or a page.

    Posts: are date oriented text pages often called Blog entries, and show up in the post listing by date, with an optional category. Often this is on the home (front) page of the web site.

    Pages: are independent text pages that are date independent and are only listed on the page index or specifically linked to menus.

    You create a new entry of either type by clicking on the related left menu and clicking ‘Add new’ at the top of the screen.
    To edit an existing entry, hover over the ‘All Entries’ and the related entry to edit.

    When editing there are two editor options, the simple (Classic editor) or Block Editor.
    For more information on block editor, see Tutorial on Block editor

Thunderbird addons

We have updated a number of thunderbird email reader extensions to TB 68.

Addons:


File: gmailui-1.4.2-tb.xpi
version:1.4.2
name:Expression Search / Google Mail UI
description:Type 'from:fred to:tom' to see all messages from Fred to Tom in the current view.
author:Opera Wang V68 by Rich Roth - http://www.tnrglobal.com/2020/05/thunderbird-addons/
homepage_url:https://github.com/wangvisual/expression-search


File: quicktagfilter-1.0.1@tnrglobal.com.xpi
version:1.0.1
name:Quick Add
description:Quickly add to tag filter
author:Rich Roth/TNR Global
homepage_url:http://www.tnrglobal.com/2020/05/thunderbird-addons/

Upgrading PHP

Still adding to:

Upgrading from php v5.x to v7.x can be a problem, esp with plugins and themes not under your detailed control.

    Two issues in using the plugin:

  • The plugin installs the full tester, which means 10 meg and 1,082 files per WP install
  • It runs much better if called from a shell (or ssh) login using WP-CLI

    More comments for running phpcs:

  • More use details:Usage
    Php fixes that might be expected

  • database mysql_X functions is not expected, change to mysqli – most functions match except that the link returned from the mysqli_connect, the connect has a different in the port passed on the host string vs optional parameter.
  • Class functions constructor changed from same name as class to __construct
  • Create_function changed autonomous function.

Reusing computers for Chromebook

We have reinstalled a number of Dell laptops to be chromebooks. We have found many corporations have machines taken out of services, however they need to have the harddisks wiped for security reasons.

SO we have written up a process that clears the hard drive and configures the machines that kids can use in school where many are using Google Classroom on Chrome books. Note: There is a while discussion about what to use, Chromebook-like ChromeOS or a windows like Linux like Mint. These instructions are for ChromeOS. The install can use any system.
Continue reading “Reusing computers for Chromebook”

j2wp – Joomla to WordPress migration

Warning – this is a work in progress — check back until this warning is removed.
For questions, send to contact us.
Anyone using this, please report your success, issues or questions, so we know there has been more field testing.

 

Notes about how to move a web site from Joomla to WordPress.

The j2wp tool kit about be found here. It should be expanded in the directory below the WP main directory.

Initial Step:
Get, install and run: fg-joomla-to-wordpress
We found premium version was worth the cost as we had a number of sites to move.  You have to review the details as to the differences.

All these steps requires the wordpress web site have access to the joomla databases and files.  Being on the same server makes it easiest.

Next Steps:
These depend on the components in your joomla site and how you want move them to the new wordpress site.

We found changing the url of the 2 sites during the work makes the process easier.   Initially the WP site becomes wp.YOURSITE.TLD and once the wp site is mostly done, the joomla site becomes j.YOURSITE.TLD for all the details you forgot.

Our approach has been to use the existing Joomla custom fields (from component or CCK) to create custom fields in WP or use PODS to create custom applications.

Since these following scripts all need access to the Joomla database, the easiest approach is to copy the joomla configuration.php into the j2wp directory.

The index.php page for the j2wp has a number of tools to help file posts that have missing images (or images with bad URLs)

Specific Cases:

We have created a tool kit that includes scripts to convert the data from various Joomla components to matching plugins/themes for WordPress.  These are designed to be run as shell commands, so to run one, from a shell prompt, just run:
./script-name

Joomla  sobi directory to  eList theme:

The theme used is:
https://www.elegantthemes.com/gallery/elist/

This theme uses a custom post, which we created scripts to populate from the Sobi information:
1) ./dmp-sobi-cats
creates categories.csv of categories

2) ./dmp-fields
Checks sobi fields against eList_custom_options
so you can add any non-standard fields in sobi to eList
3) ./cp-sobi2elist
copies sobi entries into eList entries. It will list missing fields in the output.
4) Use ./rm-elist-posts to clear elist entries to add missing fields and repeat #3

PODS based migrations:
For Handling docman documents and seyret videos:
1) install pods: https://pods.io/
2) enable migrate: packages
3) import pod-package.txt (from j2wp tools)

This creates a pods named sdoc and sdoc_cat, with related templates.

Moving docman documents into WP PODS:
1) ./add-dmcats
2) ./add-dmdocs
3) Copy /dmdocuments from J site to WP site
4) remove .htaccess from /dmdocuments directory

An example of code to show a document list:
pod template=”document list” name=sdoc limit=100 where=”doc_category.name=’Sustainability Indicators'”/]

Moving seyret videos to WP PODS

1) Install videojs-html5 player:

Videojs HTML5 Player

2) Copy Videos from J to WP:
./add-seyret-video

 

 

 

Doing business Remotely

Doing Business Remotely

42 page booklet published March 2006

TnR Global has been successful as a remotely-run virtual business for over ten
years. We pride ourselves on providing 24×7 quality service regardless of
customers’ location, with a positive, highly motivated staff equally geographically
diverse. By sharing our experiences with you, we hope to start a dialog that will give
us new insights into our own business, and help you to grow yours.

Contact us if you want more info