[Resolved] Disappearing widgets

[Carl]

Hi Guys,
I have had my widgets disappear in my one site, but are still working in my other site. How do I fix this?
I have both sites set up similar and the one worked fine,and displays banners in the bottom widget areas but the other does not. Both sites are using the same plugins.

I would like to display some banners in the other site as well. How do I get this back? They were there, but disappeared.
I opened up the customizer to check things out, and the bottom widgets were displayed for a moment, then vanished right before my eyes!
Thank you,
Carl

[Leo]

Hi Carl,

Are you referring to the footer widgets?

What is the customizer setting?
https://docs.generatepress.com/article/footer-widgets/

[Carl]

Hi Leo,
Yes, footer widgets. After going to appearance>layout>widgets,I have my “missing” 5 widgets back inside the customizer box.
My site- Get more hook – has a message: “Your theme has 2 other widget areas, but this particular page doesn’t display them.” And it is displaying 2 banners on the home page footer.

My other site has 5 footer widgets showing in the customizer and has the message:”Your theme has 4 other widget areas, but this particular page doesn’t display them.” This is the site that won’t display the banners. So, this must be the reason why. I don’t understand why one site will display 3 footer widgets and one site will only display one? What needs fixed?

The “Simple CSS” plugin sounds like a great idea if I need that! But, I hate losing the code on Theme updates, I would have to go to a “childs theme” if I need to do that.

I did watch your video on adding elements, and I understand what they can do, and it sounds pretty awesome. But, I am lost on how to actually get it to work. Not sure I even need it?

Do you just name the element for the page, in this case..Home Page blog footer rules? Then what? Is it stored like a template or a rule in code for the computer? What I am trying to say, Is the name of each element for “humans to understand” or the computer?

[Leo]

Sorry so is the original issue about the disappearing widgets resolved?

Let me know 🙂

[Carl]

Hi Leo,
I am not sure what caused my disappearing widgets? following your documentation, I restored them, and they appear in my customizer again, but they “do not display” when I add content to the widgets. So, NO the problem is not solved.

Question #1 – Why are they not displaying? I don’t really know what to do about it.

Question #2 – Please understand I am not a programmer, so I don’t understand the “element creation” I am guessing that the “heading” is labeled “anything we want to call it?”

I will try to create one and try to figure out what I need to do.

[Leo]

I’m still a bit confused about the issue.

Can you send me the dashboard access with all plugins disabled except GP Premium?

You can send the dashboard access using Account Issue here:
https://generatepress.com/contact/

Please include the following information:
– The URL of this topic.
– Login URL.
– Username and password.

[Carl]

Hi Leo,
I got it sorted! Once I published the element, and saw it was just like publishing a post, it was much clearer as to how the “element” worked. I figured using the “element” might just be much easier than turning off plugins, and re-activating them one at a time. (which was my next step!)

But,since I have the identical plugins in both sites, I kinda doubted that was the issue.

Once I got the rules in place for 5 widgets, a white space appeared on the bottom of the page that looked like the space to display the banners. I knew then, the “element” likely fixed it. I added some html for a banner, and sure enough it displayed.

I had to reset the page and blog rules a few times, and finally settled on 3 widgets for spacing I liked.

I think I found the issue that seemed to be causing problems. I was not thinking about the “number of widgets” being inside {layout > footer} and also in the {widget} area as well. They were not the same number, and I also found a {full width} setting in one and {container} setting in the other that conflicted as well.I have everything on the same page now.

So, I am squared away and everything is working! And my learning curve for the “element” is to the implemented stage! Another very helpful tool, I like it.

Thank you for posting where to find the “element” Video. I must have watched it a half dozen times until it made some sense to me!

Thanks for all your help Leo!

Have a Very Merry Holiday Season,
Carl

[Leo]

Glad you’ve figured out!

Happy holidays 🙂

[Author]

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