[wp-trac] [WordPress Trac] #17979: Avoid losing widgets when switching themes

[WordPress Trac]

#17979: Avoid losing widgets when switching themes
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 Reporter:  lancewillett                         |       Owner:
     Type:  enhancement                          |      Status:  new
 Priority:  high                                 |   Milestone:  3.3
Component:  Widgets                              |     Version:  2.9
 Severity:  normal                               |  Resolution:
 Keywords:  ux-feedback has-patch needs-testing  |
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Comment (by trevogre):

 "This was the workflow / assumptions of the previous widgets admin page. "

 The assumption of the previous admin page was that your sidebar
 configurations were lost when you changed themes and changed back. So
 testing other themes removed your current configuration. When I was
 referring to nothing in the space. I meant nothing on the page when I
 changed. Not nothing in the admin. The admin needs to keep the setting for
 each named sidebar. Preferrably on a theme specific basis. So 2011 and
 2010 can both have thier own persistant widget configuration. And when the
 change happens if there is no "footer" for the new theme but there is a
 sidebar named "footer" it automaticly copies the existing configuration.

 The case in which a progressive mapping of the number of sidebars would be
 useful and not just disruptive would be minimal.

 "Widgets are user controllable and optional. If designers / theme authors
 decide not to allow the users to intervene, they can hard-code the
 sidebars easily. "

 Widgets are a production side change to website layout. The issue is not
 if you allow or don't allow them. It's if they work in a manner that is
 consistant with best practices. Not having version control and rollback of
 any element of your site is not consistant with best practices. So while
 you can make them optional, why not just make them better, so you can use
 them with the same confidence as you have making changes to posts and
 pages.

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Ticket URL: <http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/17979#comment:69>
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