[robertlewis00980]

Hello Cryout team & fellow users,

I’m working on a WordPress site using a Cryout theme and recently experimented with embedding a custom web calculator (for end-of-service/gratuity in the UAE) inside a page section. The challenge I face: whenever the theme updates, my custom script sometimes conflicts or gets overridden, especially in child theme areas or custom blocks.

A few notes on my setup:

I placed the script in a custom block using wp_add_inline_script in the child theme.

The calculator pulls user input (salary, years) and returns the result via AJAX.

On updates, I saw CSS or script breakage (e.g. styling resets or script not loading).

I’d like to know from experienced users:

1. What is the safest way to embed a custom tool/calculator so that it survives theme updates? (child theme, plugin approach, or custom template file?)

2. Are there Cryout-specific recommendations (hooks, enqueue orders) to ensure scripts load after the theme’s own JS/CSS?

3. Whenever I test on staging before updating, what checks do you recommend so live site doesn’t break?

Thanks in advance for your advice — I’m happy to share code snippets or errors if that helps.

[robertlewis00980]

Hello — great thread, and thanks for digging into this topic!

I’ve faced a very similar issue while embedding a custom calculator (for instance, a gratuity / end-of-service benefits calculator for UAE users) into a Cryout theme site. Here are a few strategies I found helpful:

I packaged the calculator code as a small plugin rather than embedding directly in the theme. That way, even after theme updates, the plugin stays intact and functional.

I used Cryout’s available action/filter hooks (if the theme offers them), to enqueue scripts/styles after theme assets — this helps avoid script conflicts or overwriting.

I set up a child theme override for template parts that call the calculator UI, so when Cryout updates, my custom layout code remains preserved.

I always maintain a versioned backup: before theme updates, I test on staging and run diff tools to see what changed in theme files so I can reapply my custom parts if needed.

Finally, I isolate the logic (calculation, API calls) from UI templates. The UI just calls a minimal wrapper — so even if layout changes, the core logic doesn’t break.

If you like, I can share sample plugin scaffolding + enqueue code that’s worked under Cryout themes — happy to post snippets.

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