[Resolved] Replace default post category template with a blank page template

[andrachans]

Hello there,

I am currently displaying posts, according to post category name, on a page of the same name, using the WP Show Posts plugin. The page, and not the post category, is being used in my navigation menu.

When I click on the category at the bottom of a post, to return to the page where the WP Show Posts plugin is displaying further posts of the same category, it takes me to the post category of the post, and not the page that I require (this is obvious, as the page is not the post’s category).

Can you please let me know how I can replace the default post category template with a blank page template, as I want to use the WP Show Posts plugin, and Thrive Architect, on each page category, to display the posts I want on that page (and the way I want to), and not as determined by the theme’s default post category layout.

It is important to mention that, if at all possible, this change does not affect the post and category, hierarchy relationship.

Lastly,
– will the above request have any adverse effect on SEO (post category vs page category)?
– will I need to add taxonomies and tags to the pages?
– will the above change still work through the default ‘Blog Page’? If not, no problem.

Thank you.

[Tom]

Hi there,

I believe the only way to do this would be to set up 301 redirects from your category templates to your static pages.

WP Show Posts is meant to display posts on static pages when needed. It wasn’t originally built to replace the default category/post templates of a theme.

Another option would be to overwrite the page templates in your child theme, and use the wpsp_display() function to display posts specific to the category you’re viewing. That’s a tutorial I’d like to write up for WPSP soon.

[andrachans]

Hello Tom,

Thank for getting back to me.

Sorry, maybe I did not explain myself correctly.

This is the core question I have: ‘Can you please let me know how I can replace the (all) default post category template with a blank page template’.

Mentioning about WPSP, does not relate directly to my question.

I did search the support forum / documentation (and the web) before opening this ticket – but have not really found what I am looking for, so I do hope you can assist me.

Thank you.

[Tom]

So you want all category archives to be empty? How will the posts be added to them?

[andrachans]

Hello Tom,

1) Yes, I would like all category archives to display as empty PAGES. Replace the post category archive template with a PAGE template.

2) I will use your WP Show Posts plugin, to manually display posts on the empty page.

Here is my only reason behind this Support Ticket: The Ability to Edit.

I want to be able to edit the look of the post category archives.

Right now, the way I see it (but I am not an expert on these matters), I have three options:

a) do not edit, and let the post category archive display according to the theme defaults (not what I want),

b) buy a theme off of themeforest (I have many), that has a wonderful pagebuilder that allows you to edit everything (but thereafter takes 7 secs to load a basic page),

c) replace the post category archives template with a page template.
This way I can fully edit the look and feel of each individual category archive page – use the WP Show Posts plugin, and Thrive Architect, on each category archive page, to display the posts I want on that page, and the way I want to display them (with additional text, images, etc).

It is important to mention that the PAGE template must automatically take on the category name of the original post category archive, and possess the relevant taxonomies (Categories and Tags).

Tom, if you think this is a bad idea (technical reasons, SEO, page loading, etc.), and have another perspective, I am open to that.

I will wait to hear from you.

Thank you.

[Tom]

Definitely not an easy thing to do, but I found this answer: https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/a/265148/90661

I’ve never tried option #3, but it looks interesting. Option #2 is the one I thought of when you posted this question.

[andrachans]

Hello Tom,

It worked!!

Thank you very much for going to the trouble to find the forum answer that you sent me earlier.

Broke my site a couple of times, but eventually got Option #3, of the forum answer, to work for me.

Much appreciated.

All the best.

[Tom]

Very cool! Glad you got it working! 🙂

[Author]

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