WordPress MU

I am currently in the process of transferring our entire site (several hundred blogs,) to WPMU. We are using the Thesis theme for many of the blogs, however, I've come across the problem that when I try and change a part of the layout on one blog, other blogs are effected as well, (ie., changing one blog to have a three column layout confuses the blogs with two-column layouts.)

Is there a way to have each blog have its own layout file, using the same theme?

I'd really appreciate any help I can get, as this is pretty crucial to our site.

Gonna have to talk to the Thesis people on that. They have used it with WPMU a lot, and kristarella uses a WPMU install with Thesis.

It's a paid theme, so since you're paying them for support they should probably answer. :)

Usually if you're making edits directly to a theme, and all blogs share that theme, they will all be affected.

If it were my install I wouldn't use a theme that allowed creating/writing of its own files in the themes directory the way you describe. Layout options should be written to the database. That'll give each user of the same theme different options.

A couple workarounds

Make copies of each Thesis folder: Thesis_1, Thesis_2, and so on. Renaming each in the comments of the style.css as well.

Do not activate these copied themes at SiteAdmin->Themes

Instead assign each Thesis clone to an individual blog's allowed themes list at SiteAdmin->Blogs->Edit.

You're hooped if the Thesis functions don't work after renaming the thesis theme folder. Give it a try first.

Is there a way to have each blog have its own layout file, using the same theme?

Another thought: make them child themes.

I've been working on the same thing with thesis.

Unfortunately thesis is using the 'root' paths for wp and not wpmu so there are some pretty serious hurdles to overcome to use it with mu. If I get it all situated out I will post the fix.

The biggest issue is exactly the same type of issue with timthumb.. The server is sending back image locations that to the script 'don't exist' meaning there should be a /blog_id/ folder in the url but there isn't.

this means that all auto thumbs are broken in thesis for wpmu.

I spoke to Kristella about this same issue and she sent me her solution, though I think I will try to modify it first. She is taking the approach of creating a blog dir inside the /custom folder for thesis to store the blogs individual custom.css and functions file.

I would prefer changing that to the /blog_dir/ folder for the individual blog. Same goes for the upload folder and cache folders for thesis.

I'm kinda hoping it's just a matter of hacking thesis to change the call for 'basepath' which it uses for wp to the 'basepath' for wpmu.

Still looking for documentation on that part.

Other than that.. thesis really rocks!

--maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be forced into a wpmu version very soon as it's more than rumored that wp and mu are 'merging' codebase.

Once that happens, than man life is going to be so much easier using mu.

by the way... I should mention this....

Do NOT, I repeat do NOT allow your users the ability to use custom functions files enless you trust them with root access to your entire system.

Thesis allows you to easily add custom functions to your custom file in the /custom directory. There is absolutely no sanitizing of functions to keep users from accessing core functions that could literally destroy your site if they so chose to do. Same goes for the 'open hook' plugin. You would be insane to allow that plugin to people you don't trust with your wpmu's life...

example:
Someone could easily create a custom function to hook to the user function, then they could change their user status to admin, and then well... you get the idea.

Good warning, anointed.

When this thread started I looked at the Thesis theme, saw the custom functions and immediately filed the theme into the "can't use with WPMU without serious modifications" pile.

And the licensing...

@kgraeme I almost did the same thing by not using thesis when I saw that. However that is one of the features that allows me to build some pretty awesome tools. IF, and it's a big if, I can get all the paths situated out in thesis, then I will use it. My plan is to simply utilize the tools thesis has to create some really nice child themes for people to choose from.

It really is to bad that they did not even consider wpmu when creating thesis. that is obvious by the code with no mu/wpmu path switching built in.

What I would really love to find someday is a great framework like thesis that is designed for wpmu. I've tried a couple but all seem to have the same problems. Open to suggestions if you found one as powerful.

@Andrea - They do have a developers license available. Should I go the thesis route I'd simply upgrade to dev so there are no issues with them.

I'd be curious what framework you decided to go with as I know you work with wpmu a lot. I just find that frameworks make development time much shorter, at least for semi-newbs like me.

I only use a theme framework if the theme needed is close to the design. Mostly, I just rip apart a theme or do one from scratch.

I don't do a lot of heavy theme work, usually just light mods. Child themes have *always* been possible with MU tho. Don't need a framework to make a child theme.

I got really excited about theme frameworks for a while back with K2 and then Sandbox. But then I started hating little things in their structure for implementing certain site designs and after a month or so of poking at a project I finally just felt like I was fighting against the framework instead of benefiting from it. And then Sandbox didn't include the WP2.7 features like threaded discussions, so I ended up just making my own theme and tore out a few little neutered bits from the framework that made sense for my project.

I still keep a copy of Sandbox around though, just in case I get the urge to try working with it again.

@anointed: Are you making any progress on this? As a complete newb to this, but loving what Thesis and WPMU can do, I can't wait to see this become part of Thesis' core. I've put the feelers out to dig up other solutions too, but so far, there's no definitive answer.

I'd be keen to see what you have come up with... thanks

Anyone have a sanitized version of Thesis for use with wpmu? Whats a good alternate framework?

I'm looking for:
- Easy centralized codebase on which to make 3-5 variant themes (Blog, Portfolio, UnBlog/CMS, Buddypress, Common Mobile, ++)
- Admin panel controls for end user to make adjustments to standard elements (link colors, header images, etc)
- Easy way to allow end users to modify the variant "type" themes into their own look (essentially, a 'custom css' panel)

Thesis sounds like a good start, as does Thematic. (As do buffet and carrington!)

I'd use Themeatic over Thesis or Carrington. It's more lightweight, far easier to use.

And, there's quite a handful of css editor plugins out there in the plugin repo.

(man, I gotta write that post...)

"- Admin panel controls for end user to make adjustments to standard elements (link colors, header images, etc)"

check out the theme twekaer and theme options plugins in the wp.org repo. For the custom header stuff, that has to go in the theme. So, it's easier to pick a theme that has that in it to start.
http://wpmututorials.com/how-to/giving-your-users-changeable-custom-headers/

@psvolley - No I gave up on thesis for now. They will have to support mu someday after the merge anyhow. In the end, I simply 'ripped' the functionality from thesis, thematic, and a few other frameworks that I wanted and made my own. There is a ton of coding using this route, but at least you would end up with exactly the framework you want with no bloat.

@nightlyfe - I agree with andrea about thematic. It is a very decent starting framework and easy to work with.

Moving my response since its no longer about thesis.

http://mu.wordpress.org/forums/topic/14830?replies=1#post-85426

"In the end, I simply 'ripped' the functionality from thesis, thematic, and a few other frameworks that I wanted and made my own. There is a ton of coding using this route, but at least you would end up with exactly the framework you want with no bloat."

99% of the time, if your needs are really really specific, then this is totally the way to go.

No kidding, Andrea. I made some themes based off the K2 theme framework. I really hate trying to update them now.