Like it or not, Thesis 1.6 is here. While it may take a little time to tweak your older sites, fear not!
I will show how to do it in less than 15 minutes.
Step 0.5: Back-up Thesis 1.5!
Step 1: Upload Thesis 1.6 (for more instructions see the Dev Site)
Step 2: Log-into your WP Dashboard and click, “Thesis Options”
Step 3: Click –> Upgrade Thesis
Step 4: Verify the Upgrade (the ‘Oh Crap’ part) by viewing your homepage
Step 5: In the WP-Dashboard: Thesis Options –>”Design Options”
Now you can re-style your navigation and background using the new visual interface!
For some of you that was is it. You’re finished! For others…
Step 6: Open your favorite CSS editor
Did you have an image for a background? Now it’s white? Snuff out the white background with this code:
If you have: Full-Width Framework:
.custom .full_width > .page {
background-color: transparent;
}If you have: Page-Width Framework:
.custom #page {
background-color: transparent;
}
Good work. Now we have to nix the borders and white background on the nav:
.custom .menu {
border:none;
}
.custom .menu a {
border:none;
background-color: transparent;
}
.custom .menu a:hover {
background-color: transparent;
}
Optional: Get rid of the extra letter spacing, underline the links, de-underline the hover, and make the ‘current’ page bold:
.custom .menu {
border:none;
}
.custom .menu a {
border:none;
background-color: transparent;
text-decoration: underline;
letter-spacing: normal;
}
.custom .menu a:hover {
background-color: transparent;
text-decoration: none;
}
.custom .menu .current {
font-weight: bold;
}
Step 7: Sigh and repeat after me: “That wasn’t bad…”
While a pain-in-the-butt this is, you’re now rockin’ Thesis 1.6. Bring on 1.7!
Hey Greg ..Great ..it took only 10 minz :)
Lol! I find myself coming back to this post to copy/paste :) Glad I could help!
Nice tutorial. I've not tested 1.6 yet but those features look cool. Just found your site!! Lots of reading to do here :)
Nice tutorial. I've not tested 1.6 yet but those features look cool. Just found your site!! Lots of reading to do here :)
Almost… I have some extensive custom work on navigation for many sites (rollovers using position statements on backgrounds). And while I agree that most sites that are not very customized will take 15 or less, what I just ran into on one of my many Thesis based sites is going to take some time (30mins-1hr). BTW, like the re-brand, re-design of your site. Changed since my last visit. Good work.
Thanks for sharing this Greg.
Thanks Berchman. Means a lot. Also, I feel ya on other sites taking longer. Not looking forward to spending a day doing it either…
You're welcome. I hope it takes some of the sting out of the upgrade
Hi
Thanks for sharing.
Why not to make video about the upgrading process.
I would need it. :))
Thanks,
Riina
I really love Thesis 1.6b2 as it is a good preparation for the release of Thesis 2.0.
there's no upgrade button in Thesis Options. ?
It only shows up if you upload and overwrite your existing Thesis files. Apposed to uploading to a whole new folder e.g.; thesis_151 vs thesis_16.
Personally, I just uploaded thesis_16 separately and left thesis_151 alone…in which case you would NOT see an 'upgrade button'.
there's no upgrade button in Thesis Options. ?
It only shows up if you upload and overwrite your existing Thesis files. Apposed to uploading to a whole new folder e.g.; thesis_151 vs thesis_16.
Personally, I just uploaded thesis_16 separately and left thesis_151 alone…in which case you would NOT see an 'upgrade button'.
i am new to thesis and am using version 1.6. i am trying to make my own multimedia box as described above but can't seem to find the custom.functions.php file. please help.
thanks!
Greg et al… I’ve “used” thesis for about a year, but not one to go under the hood very much after things were set as I wanted–until upgrade a few days ago (according to original official instructions) and things went haywire. I got to changing permissions in the upgrade, then on final step “go to design options and hit the bigass save button” — now I am not seeing DESIGN options and have lost my second column, rotating headers etc. If anyone is willing to help, I can send screen shots of the ftp structure as it exist now or other files and hopefully a simple tweak will set things right. Wish I’d seen your instructions, Greg, but that ship has sailed. Thanks for any guidance, folks.
Hi Greg, I was just about to upgrade to “developer” so that I can use thesis on another site but received the DIY email about 1.7 and got kind of worried. My site is pretty simple so I’m not sure how big of a deal the upgrade will be for me. Still, don’t want to spend too much time on it/them right now – got work to do!
If I upgrade to developer before 1.7 upgrade, and upgrade to 1.7 when it comes out, would all sites have to be adjusted?
Thanks
Nancy
The difference between the Dev Option vs Personal Option is licensing. There aren’t any “cool” features or options inside Thesis that are only available for devs. Developer option is geared mostly for web designers who build Thesis sites for clients.
Dev = You can use Thesis on unlimited sites (that you own) and remove the back-link on the footer. You also get first crack at beta versions and can re-sell Thesis at a discount.
Personal = One copy on one site. Back-link stays. No beta’s. No discounts.
You care read about all the options here
Upgrading in the past has been easy, however when v1.6 came out you had to re-code your nav menu. From what I hear, 1.7 is focused mainly on back-end improvement and more SEO options – not any design changes. This means you should be able to upgrade without having to change any CSS or HTML.
Hope this helps!
This article has been up for a while, but for the benefit of your readers here is a link for upgrading Thesis 1.6 to Thesis 1.7.
My problem is that there’s no support for thesis. You have to be able to get into their membership forum. I bought a developers option license and can’t get zip out of them for an upgrade. I have my details paypal etc, but they’re such a closed book as far as support. So all I can say is bitterly disappointed in THESIS ! $164 for nothing.
Anyone offer any help all I want is an upgrade for Petes sake!
Thank you! The issue with default white pages is awful. One can change it to any color in the thesis design options, EXCEPT transparent! css settings to none or transparent don’t work! It took this page setting! I’m using 1.8, and this is still relevant. Took me hours to find this answer. And a way to have transparent backgrounds on the navigation, too. That one took days, but finally found it when researching about the white backgrounds on pages. Thanks again!