Title: Editing theme template Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # Editing theme template * [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/) * I want to change elements in my blog template. I go to theme editor but at the bottom is an italicised message: * If this file were writable you could edit it. * Well, I’d like to edit it and wish it were writable (I’m used to Blogger)! How do I edit my theme template? Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) * [katgirl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/katgirl/) * (@katgirl) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437787) * You need to change the permissions on your theme folder. * [http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_File_Permissions](http://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_File_Permissions) * [vavroom](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vavroom/) * (@vavroom) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437790) * Don’t forget to revert the permissions when you’re done. * Better yet, work on your file locally, then upload by FTP. * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437806) * Yes, what I’d like to do is customise it locally in a WYSIWYG editor (I’m using Nvu) and then upload by FTP. However, the template editor only gives me the code piecemeal (i.e. for individual php files) so I can’t see WYG, if you follow me. * Please, I’m quite sure I’m doing (or NOT doing) something extremely obvious, being that customising the template should be so straightforward * [vavroom](https://wordpress.org/support/users/vavroom/) * (@vavroom) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437820) * Your best bet if that’s what you want to do is to get yourself XAMPP, and install it. This gives you a “local” development environment, where you can run your sites on //localhost/yoursite * Then using your wysiwyg, you can edit the files and see the changes on your site directly. * “piecemeal” is how a WP theme is created. pieces of a puzzle make for a full picture kinda thing 🙂 * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437826) * That’s great, thank you. I’ll give it a go. * Once I’ve put all my hair back in. * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437968) * Oh dear, no… I downloaded and installed XAMPP: not only was I unable to use it as you suggest/I ought, worse, I don’t understand what it is and how it is that it works in the browser. * I feel that I’ve bitten off more than I can chew. I can see that Word Press is an impressive instrument in databasic terms, so I will have to think carefully about my content/design prioritising before I continue. * Thanks for your help nonetheless. * [Chris_K](https://wordpress.org/support/users/handysolo/) * (@handysolo) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-437971) * XAMPP is just a self-contained little dev environment that gives you all that you need to run WP – anywhere. * You might have a look at Podz’s tutorial on installing and WP at [http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/xampp/](http://www.tamba2.org.uk/wordpress/xampp/) * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438148) * Yes, I’ve been there. It’s very helpful and I continue to benefit from it. Thanks * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438188) * Actually what would be REALLY useful is if someone could suggest how to get the CSS to look like a line-by-line stylesheet in Notepad. At the moment, when I open it there it’s one continuous line (with plenty of confusing symbols, probably meant to show the delineation of the sheet in another format). * [ragmanx](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ragmanx/) * (@ragmanx) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438189) * Sounds like a DOS versus Windows linefeeds problem. Try opening it in Wordpad, which should correctly translate the linefeeds. Make sure to save it as text when saving it again, and upload it in ASCII transfer mode. * RagManX * Thread Starter [framescourer](https://wordpress.org/support/users/framescourer/) * (@framescourer) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438208) * This works. Thanks (it’s a measure of my cavalier attitude to home computing that I didn’t even know I had Wordpad). * Could you explain what ASCII transfer mode is and why it’s important? * [Doodlebee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/doodlebee/) * (@doodlebee) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438232) * ASCII is pure text with absolutely no formatting. If you upload a Wordpad document without specifying ASCII, then it’ll add some formatting to your text that you don’t want, and will screw things up royally 😉 * [isolder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/isolder/) * (@isolder) * [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438245) * I would suggesting using ‘Vim’ or ‘gVim’ for editing your files. * [http://www.vim.org/](http://www.vim.org/) There are versions available for every major OS and then some. * It includes syntax highlighting and all kinds of other features you’ll never need. I use it in conjunction with Filezilla to edit files. You can set up Filezilla to open files with certain programs (such as gvim) and then edit the file locally. Upon closing/saving the file in Vim you’ll have the option to automatically upload it to your server. Viewing 13 replies - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) The topic ‘Editing theme template’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [Stylesheet](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/stylesheet/) * 13 replies * 7 participants * Last reply from: [isolder](https://wordpress.org/support/users/isolder/) * Last activity: [19 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/editing-theme-template/#post-438245) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics