[wp-edu] how to set new site defaults on WordPress 3.x network

[Joseph Ugoretz]

I highly recommend the plugin (not premium, available in WordPress repository) Site Template.

Very nice that it allows for multiple templates (a feature we really really needed) so new sites can be given the option of being several different types from the point of inception.


Joseph Ugoretz, Ph.D
Associate Dean of Teaching, Learning and Technology
Macaulay Honors College
City University of New York
macaulay.cuny.edu<http://macaulay.cuny.edu>

On Mar 31, 2011, at 4:27 PM, James Tryon <james at easilyamusedinc.com<mailto:james at easilyamusedinc.com>> wrote:

This sounds fun,

This is going to be a quick replay, sorry for any typos ;c p

I have done a couple sites like this in the past.

I have used a couple plugins from <http://wpmudev.org> wpmudev.org<http://wpmudev.org> so yes you would need to signup but its worth it.

1 - created an example site.
2 - Use a child theme to keep a clean upgrade path.
- Strip out things from the theme file that you do not want. Like the commit include in single.php
3 - set all your settings and remove anything that you do not need or want.
4 - set it as a template | <http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/new-blog-template> http://premium.wpmudev.org/project/new-blog-template
5 - set the template as the default theme on creation of new site.

I have also taken this a step further for a network of site that where city based and added to more plugins

One for custom short codes  and the other was a post or page lock.

I went in and created the whole site.
then swapped out things like
- emails
- addresses
- dates
- names

what ever the client wanted the sub-sites to change but not all the text on each page.

Then we set up the post/page lock on most of the pages. Left some unlocked, like the about pages.
Only the super admin can change the locked page status.

And all the sub-sites can do what they want but cant brake or change anything.

Thats a quick run down on how I have set something like this up in the past.

James Tryon, Creative Director
Easily Amused, Inc.


On Mar 31, 2011, at 4:10 PM, Whisler, Dave wrote:

I’m running a WordPress 3.0.1 multi-site network at my university where I work.
I need a way to easily change some of the new site “default” parameters that are used when I create a new site on the WP network.
While I want to do this, I want to do it safely without modifying core (for obvious reasons) or something else that might put the site at risk when upgrading, etc..
It seems like this should be rather easy, but I have yet to figure out where to do this.

Here’s my preferences for a new site:
1.       No posts
2.       No pages
3.       No links
4.       Comments are disabled sitewide
5.       timezone to “New York” (aka:  EST / UTC – 5 hrs)
6.       set a certain header image of my choice
7.       permalinks – Month and name
8.       writing settings – size of the post “25” lines
9.       widgets – set which ones should be in any new sites

I realize that likely some or all of these cannot easily be accomplished, but setting some up front as we need, would be better than none.
As of right now each time I create a new site for someone, I either need to walk them thru setting up the defaults and deleting the “default” content off the new site OR do it myself, which either way is wasted time.

Thanks,

Dave Whisler
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
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