This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Using Custom Fields
Custom fields are optional areas in which you can add extra information to your blog posts. For example, you can add a custom field for your mood, or to record the name of the song you were listening to when you wrote your post.
More advanced uses of custom fields depend on your theme or your plug-ins, which can use custom fields for anything from enhanced status updates (what song you’re listening to while you write your post, what book you’re reading) to more advanced functions such as specially formatted images that go with each post.
If you are already using a theme or plug-in that makes use of custom fields, you can use the Custom Field section in the post editor to add the appropriate content.
To set up custom fields:
- In the post editor, click Custom Fields to expand the section (Figure 4.61).
Figure 4.61 The Custom Fields section in the Post Editor.
- In the Name section, enter the name for your new custom field (for example, Listening To).
- Enter the value for the custom field in the Value section (for example, Mozart’s 5th).
- Click Add Custom Field (Figure 4.62).
Figure 4.62 Click Add Custom Field to add the custom field to your post.
Another empty form will appear below your custom field, and the Delete and Update buttons will appear on your custom field, allowing you to edit the information you just added (Figure 4.63). The custom field has been added, and if your theme is set up to use custom fields, you will see the fields on your site (Figure 4.64).
Figure 4.63 Once your custom field has been added, you will see it at the top of the Custom Fields box. The Delete and Update buttons make it easy to edit your previously created fields.
Figure 4.64 This custom field lets the world know what you’re listening to.
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To update an existing custom field:
- Find the link for the Custom Fields section below the post editor and click it to expand the section, if necessary.
- Choose Select from the drop-down menu in the Name section and choose the field you want to update (Figure 4.65).
Figure 4.65 In the Custom Fields section, select from the drop-down menu to choose the field you want to update.
- Under “Value” enter the information you want to convey in that field (in this example you’d enter the song you’re listening to) and click Add Custom Field.
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Controlling Page Sort Order
By default, pages on your site will be sorted alphabetically, which is logical, but will often not provide the best way to organize your navigation.
You can change the sort order of your pages manually, however, by assigning numbers to the pages in the Attributes box on the page editor (Figure 4.66).
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Figure 4.66 In the Attributes box you can change page order while editing a page.
Number the pages sequentially starting at 1. You can do this by editing them or when you create a new page (Figure 4.67).
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Figure 4.67 Change the order of your pages by numbering them sequentially.
You could also open the Quick Edit menu for each posted page in the page list and set the order there (Figure 4.68).
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Figure 4.68 Using the Quick Edit menu to change page order.