[Ben]

First, thank you for the truly exceptional themes. Really outstanding work.

I delayed creating a child theme and need only a minor change, but decided to follow directions for a change and create a child theme. I followed the general instructions in WP codex, created new folder, placed style.css importing parent theme, activated child theme. It worked, but the appearance was really altered. I tried exporting settings in original theme and importing settings to the child theme, manually resetting header image and menus, etc. I never got the child theme to look like the parent theme, especially the presentation page. I did empty cache, but results were unchanged.

So, I activated the parent theme and all goes well. Today I noticed the post http://www.cryoutcreations.eu/forums/t/replace-slider-with-static-image mentioning the need to include 3 files:
1. style.css
2. functions.php with the content below:

<?php
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . “/theme-frontpage.php”);
?>

3. The modified theme-frontpage.php file copied over from mantra/includes/ to the root of your child theme’s folder.

I placed all 3 in the child theme root folder and now get an internal server error when I attempt to activate the child theme.

My questions:
A. Can anyone enlighten me about why an internal server error occurs when it the past it did not?
B. Does the functions.php in the child theme root folder need only the code mentioned above, or that code and all exiting code?
C. That code appears to be present. Is some change required?
D. Am I really just a complete dolt who can’t create a child theme?

Parent theme url: http://www.nucafe47.com/wp-content/themes/mantra
Child theme url: http://www.nucafe47.com/wp-content/themes/mantra-child

child style.css:

/*
 Theme Name:     Mantra Child
 Theme URI:      http://nucafe47.com/wp-content/themes/mantra-child/
 Description:    Mantra Child Theme
 Author:         B. Wahrhaftig
 Author URI:     http://nucafe47.com
 Template:       mantra
 Version:        1.0.0
*/

@import url("../mantra/style.css");

/* =Theme customization starts here
-------------------------------------------------------------- */

<?php
/*
 * Functions file
 * Includes all necesary files
 * PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE IN ANY WAY
 *
 * @package mantra
 */

// Variable for theme version
define ("MANTRA_VERSION","2.3.1");

require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/admin/main.php"); // Load necessary admin files

//Loading include fiels
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-setup.php"); //Setup and init theme
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-styles.php"); //Register and enqeue css styles and scripts
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-loop.php"); //Loop related fiels
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-seo.php"); //SEO related fiels
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-frontpage.php"); //Frontpage generation
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-comments.php"); //Theme comment functions
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-shortcodes.php"); //Theme shortcodes
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-functions.php"); //Theme misc functions
require_once(dirname(__FILE__) . "/includes/theme-hooks.php"); //Theme hooks

?>

[Zed]

Are you trying to customize the presentation page?

The child theme only requires the style.css file.
You have to include functions.php (and code in it) only if you want to change PHP code as well.

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Please check the available documentation and search the forums before starting a topic.

[Ben]

Hi, The reason for installing a child theme is to allow changes to header and footer:
1. Header to include logo in header but still show business name and contact information (as trackable click events).
2. Footer to control text position and style.
3. Provide header and footer that are legible on mobile devices.

I have attempted both Mantra and Parabola child themes, with the same result.
After disabling cache, create folder with -child name, place minimal style.css file, activate child theme, adjust header image, navigation menu, preview and view site.

The navigation areas appear as bulleted lists or drop-down selection boxes, presentation page appearance changes, with slider image appearing at top=left of screen, over navigation list.

The child themes are at http://nucafe47.com/wp-content/themes/mantra-child and http://nucafe47.com/wp-content/themes/parabola-child the Parabola child setup style.css file is patterned on a working child theme installation at http://scriptswholesale.com/wp-content/themes/parabola-child

[Author]

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