One problem many Atahualpa 3 users have, is the Automatic Update from WordPress.org for either the theme or the WordPress version itself. The Atahualpa Easy Header Fix solves this problem and is working, but it needs testing by a broader group of people.
The idea of this fix is to keep your custom configuration image files safe, even when you do an automatic update. That currently causes many people to have problems. (Note: The custom configuration itself is kept safely in the database.)
Refer to the juggledad thread HOWTO: upgrade Atahualpa to a new version Especially Section One...
1) Use the WordPress automatic update
Automatic Update basically works by replacing the Theme folder with the download of the new folder. In short, it DELETES the Theme folder and installs a new copy of the theme in its place. The problem with this is that any custom site specific things you put in the Atahualpa Theme folder, such as header images, logos, background images and favicons, well all be deleted also.
The TwentyTen Example
The TwentyTen Theme uses a different approach, to upload these image files via the WordPress Image Uploader, and use these images from the protected "site specific" folder. Using Automatic Update on TwentyTen does not delete custom site specific image files.
The Atahualpa Easy Header Fix
The Atahualpa Easy Header Fix uses a similar approach to site specific images, somewhat like the TwentyTen Theme does.
This is mature code, run on productions servers using Atahualpa Versions 3.6.4 through 3.6.7.
However, I would like more people to test this, to verify that this does allow Automatic Updates in a wide array of custom configurations.
The Manual Test Procedure:
1) Install Atahualpa Easy Header Fix
Do a BACKUP!
1) Follow these Instructions to load Atahualpa Easy Header Fix
Note: Because the Atahualpa Easy Header Fix defaults to standard Atahualpa behavior, you will not see a change because it will still see the images uploaded to the theme folder. You must complete steps #2 and #3 to test this.
2) Upload your files via the WordPress Image Uploader.
3) Configure your site to use the files.
2) Do Automatic Update
Do Automatic Update (or reload The Atahualpa Theme)
Note: For safety, you could just rename your current Atahualpa Theme Folder and upload a new copy of Atahualpa in a folder of the same name as the old folder.
For example say your theme folder is "atahualpa", rename it to "atahualpasaved" ~ Then upload a fresh Atahualpa theme and make sure the folder name is the same as the original, in this case "atahualpa". This procedure simulates the automatic upload procedure - but if you like you can use the real automatic upload - either way will work.
3) First Result
At this point all custom logos, headers, and favicons that were in the Atahualpa Theme Folder are deleted (Note: That is why you started with a backup).
Note: If you renamed the folder to save it, the server still sees this as the files were "deleted" from the originally named folder.
The results will be that default icons, headers and favicon will be displayed - or none at all!
4) Reload Fix
Because this Fix is not yet a part of the Atahualpa Core Theme on the WordPress.org website, we need to manually upload the Atahualpa Easy Header Fix
1) Be sure to do BUGFIX's as required (for those testing with 3.6.7 you will only need BUGFIX 367-01 and BUGFIX 367-02 but NOT BUGFIX 367-03)
2) Simulate the Easy Header Fix being included in Atahualpa. Follow these Instructions to upload the Atahualpa Easy Header Fix
As soon as you have uploaded the 5 files, stop. Do not upload any images or add any customization as this is all saved in your database and WordPress files.
Note: If you have problems during testing... you may find it beneficial to view the original Instruction Page, the Notes on the Download Page, or the History on the Fix Main Page.
5) Final Result
View your updated site. A successful test means that at this point your website will look the same as it did in First Result section above.
At this point your custom site images files are in the standard WordPress locations and not in the Theme folder so future automatic or manual theme updates will not delete your custom site image files.
Note: Even at this stage, your custom files are saved and you could just do an automatic upload and then upload the Easy Header Fix and avoid losing your custom configuration (I am using this now!).
Beta Testing
I have Tested this in every configuration I can think of, it has worked for me in Single Sites, MultiSites, and works with the WP Multi Network plugin. Because it stores the uploaded files in the WordPress site specific locations, each site may use custom headers, logos, flavicons and background images without interfering with any other site in a MultiSite or Multi Network configuration.
Note: In Any Case, the custom configurations are safe from Automatic Updates.
Production Sites
The Atahualpa Easy Header Fix is working on a few dozen production sites, running successfully on one install of WordPress and Atahualpa, using the following configuration...
Basic WordPress Info
- WordPress 3.1.3
- WP Multi Network Version 1.1
- Atahualpa 3.6.7
- Atahualpa Easy Header Fix Version 3.6.7
Additional Plugins Running:
- Math Comment Spam Protection Version 3.0
- Simple Trackback Validation Version 2.1
- Page Links To Version 2.4.1
- SyntaxHighlighter Evolved Version 3.1.2
- Exec-PHP Version 4.9 (The Exec-PHP plugin executes PHP code in posts, pages and text widgets.)
- Alan Init Session Version 1.0 (This is a custom plugin! I am using it to access PHPBB3 data on one site. This Plugin simply starts PHP Sessions at the right place and time. It can be used for those who need sessions on custom pages or in a custom plugin. This seems like a simple program and it is, but it is also valuable to those who need it.)
Please post the results of your testing!
Thank You,
LAN
PS What This Fix Won't Do!
There are few things this fix will NOT do...
- It will not prevent a session timeout, like on a slow server.
- It will not protect modified script files, like index.php - so you still need to re-edit these.
