I've spent several days working on this and cannot find the solution I'm looking for in either Atahualpa or Theme Frame. I will need four columns. The top sections of columns 2 & 3 to be merged for a Featured Article section. The remaining portions of columns 2 & 3 divided into their regular column size. What I'd like to do can be seen in the attached picture. I'd like to know how to do this in Atahualpa first, and also in Theme Frame, if possible. Thank you.

In atahualpa you could use the 'multi column/custom query' templete which gives you an option for posts above the columns

Here is the section you referred to. What do I do to add one post above the columns, preferable just to the right of the left column as shown in my picture earlier.

// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// get the posts_above_the_column
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
$my_custom_field = $custom_fields['posts_above_the_column'];
if (is_array($my_custom_field)) {
foreach ( $my_custom_field as $key => $value ) {
if ($key == 'posts_above_the_column') {
$posts_above_the_column = $value;
if ((!is_numeric($posts_above_the_column)) OR ($posts_above_the_column < 1)) { ?>
<br><strong><font color="Crimson">Warning:</font> your value for 'posts_above_the_column' on page '<?php the_title(); ?>' is not numeric or is a negative number - please edit the page and set the value correctly</strong><br>
<?php }
}
}
}

go to dashboard->pages and edit the page you are using the template on
go to the custom fields section (if you don't see it click the 'screen options' tab top right)
add a custom field 'posts_above_the_column' with a value of '1'
add a custom field 'number_of_full_posts' with a value of '1'
add a custom field 'number_of_columns' and set it to '2'
if you want a custom query
add a custom field 'custom_query' and set it to the query you want

The page I would like to edit is my main page - the home page that comes up when I first load my site.
That page is not listed in the Pages section of Dashboard. Don't see anyway to bring it up here.

so create a page and call it 'Home' then go to dashboard->settings->reading and change front page displays and pick your new 'Home' page

also go to ato->MENU 1 (Page Menu)->Home link in Page Menu Bar and blank out that entry

I want my posts to show on the front page. I followed your instructions. The newly created home page has nothing on it. Maybe I used the wrong term when I first mentioned Home page. What I need is this -- when a person pulls up my site the first thing they should see is my layout (pictured above) with the Featured Article post above the two middle columns. Four columns in all. How can I do that?

did you assign the template to that page?

How do I do that?

edit the page - right hand side - page attributes->template

This is the Atahualpa: JUGGLEDAD's multi column/custom query Page Template


// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
// get the posts_above_the_column
// -------------------------------------------------------------------------
$my_custom_field = $custom_fields['posts_above_the_column'];
if (is_array($my_custom_field)) {
foreach ( $my_custom_field as $key => $value ) {
if ($key == 'posts_above_the_column') {
$posts_above_the_column = $value;
if ((!is_numeric($posts_above_the_column)) OR ($posts_above_the_column < 1)) { ?>
<br><strong><font color="Crimson">Warning:</font> your value for 'posts_above_the_column' on page '<?php the_title(); ?>' is not numeric or is a negative number - please edit the page and set the value correctly</strong><br>
<?php }

Do I add it in this section? If so where do I add it and what exactly do I put there?

leave the template alone, you never have to edit it.

have you assigned the template to the page in the wordpress backend?

OK. Got it now. Thank you.
Can this same thing be done in Theme Frame?
Four columns. Featured Article section above the two middle columns.

possibly, you will have to play with it.

glad you got it going - I'll close this thread