Installing Plugins


Once you have a plugin you want to use, you need to install and activate it.

Most plugins are completely installed in the plugins folder inside your wp-content folder. That means you'll copy the plugin's files or the folder in which the plugin files reside directly into the plugins folder.

Some plugins require special installation. For example, the WP-UserOnline plugin Maria uses on her blogs requires php files to be installed in several places in her blog folder.

There is no universal set of instructions for all plugin installations. You should follow the instructions provided by the plugin developer. You can usually find instructions and other documentation in a ReadMe file that came with the plugin (Figure 4) or on the developer's Web site where you downloaded the plugin (Figure 2). Pay special attention to the following instructions:

  • Where should the plugin files be installed?

  • Does the plugin require any other plugin to work?

  • Do you need to change permissions for any file or folder for the plugin to work?

  • Do you need to manually set configuration options in the plugin file itself?

  • What modifications need to be made to your theme's template files after activation for the plugin to work?

Tip

  • If plugin installation instructions aren't followed correctly, the plugin either won't work or will generate error messages.


To install a plugin

1.

Obtain the plugin as explained in the previous section.

2.

Copy the plugin file(s) to the appropriate location(s) as instructed by the plugin developer using an FTP client (Figure 8).

3.

Activate the plugin from the Plugin Management administration panel as discussed a little later in this chapter.

4.

Follow other developer instructions to change permissions, modify theme files, and perform other configuration tasks as required.

5.

Check your blog to make sure it is functioning as expected.

Figure 8. In this example, we're using Cute FTP in Windows to copy a plugin file to the plugins folder for a blog.


Tips

  • We explain how to use some popular FTP client software packages in Appendix B.

  • Some plugins depend on other plugins for functionality. For an example, Duh Gallery, which we cover later in this chapter, requires the Exec-PHP plugin.

  • Some plugins require you to change permissions on one or more files or folders. We explain how to do this in Chapter 6.

  • If you need to edit other WordPress files be sure to make backups before you start. If something goes wrong you can easily revert to a known working copy.

  • After making changes to your theme files, be sure to validate them using the XHTML validator at validator.w3.org. This can prevent errors caused by invalid codes or typing mistakes. We explain to validate HTML at the end of Chapter 6.


To update a plugin

1.

Obtain the updated plugin.

2.

In the Plugin Management administration panel, deactivate the installed version of the plugin.

3.

Upload the new plugin file(s) as instructed in the plugin documentation to replace the existing plugin file(s).

4.

Use the Plugin Management administration panel to activate the plugin.

5.

Check the plugin documentation for any other files you may need to edit. Make any necessary modifications.

6.

Check your blog to make sure it is functioning as expected.

Tip

  • When you update WordPress, be sure to check for updates to your plugins. In the past, some WordPress updates changed how the software worked, causing some plugins to fail.


To remove a plugin

1.

In the Plugin Management administration panel, deactivate the installed version of the plugin.

2.

Use your FTP client to delete all files for the plugin that you installed (Figure 9).

Figure 9. You can use an FTP client like Fetch, shown here, to delete plugins you no longer plan to use.


3.

Check your blog to make sure it is functioning as expected.

Tip

  • If the plugin required you to modify theme files, be sure to remove the modifications. Otherwise, you may see error messages in your blog.





WordPress 2. Visual QuickStart Guide
WordPress 2
ISBN: 0321450191
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2004
Pages: 142

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net