Title: Error when using theme editor Last modified: August 19, 2016 --- # Error when using theme editor * [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/) * Hello. I just installed WP successfully, but when I try to edit the “default” theme using the Theme Editor, I get the following message: * **Warning: fopen(C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog/wp-content/ themes/default/index.php) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: Permission denied in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\theme-editor. php on line 60** * **Warning: Cannot modify header information – headers already sent by (output started at C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\theme- editor.php:60) in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\ theme-editor.php on line 75** * I have tried updating permissions in several places, to 766, including theme- editor.php, but am getting this message from my FTP client: * **Status: File transfer successful, transferred 9,121 bytes in 1 second Status: Set permissions of ‘/blog/wp-admin/theme-editor.php’ to ‘766’ Command: SITE CHMOD 766 theme-editor.php Response: 500 ‘SITE CHMOD 766 theme-editor.php’: command not understood * Any ideas? Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476159) * Adding: I had to move my WP files to a subdirectory from root after installing, which may have messed with permissions, although everything has been working great up till now. * Also, I believe my site is hosted on a Windows server, not Unix, which may be complicating attempts to CHMOD. Just a guess. * [batrachoid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/batrachoid/) * (@batrachoid) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476170) * This doesn’t really seem to be a file permissions issue. If the theme doesn’t have the proper permissions, the editor usually just gives you a notice under the editor box saying something like “You need to make this file writable.” * Since you haven’t added any content yet, I suggest uploading a fresh copy of wordpress. * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476175) * Hmm, thanks. Helpful to know that it’s probably not permissions. I’m not sure what could have gone wrong since I’ve done so little so far (aside from carefully moving the files) but I will try to reinstall. * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476184) * Well, I cleared out my old database, set up a new one, and uploaded a new copy of WordPress, and I’m still getting the same weird error message if I try to make any changes to the two templates that come with WP. * **Warning: fopen(C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog/wp-content/ themes/classic/rtl.css) [function.fopen]: failed to open stream: Permission denied in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\theme-editor.php on line 60** * Warning: Cannot modify header information – headers already sent by (output started at C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\theme-editor.php: 60) in C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\theme-editor. php on line 75 * Could this be a bug with the new version, or some problem with my host? As usual, everything else works fine. Have not tried creating my own template yet, or installing another. * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476187) * Also, I just tried to install a new theme, and got this error message: ** Warning: touch() [function.touch]: Unable to create file C:\Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics. com\httpdocs\blog/wp-content/white-as-milk.tmp because Permission denied in C:\ Inetpub\vhosts\slowpokecomics.com\httpdocs\blog\wp-admin\includes\file.php on line 184 * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476188) * And under that, it says: Download failed. Could not create Temporary file * [batrachoid](https://wordpress.org/support/users/batrachoid/) * (@batrachoid) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476189) * Could your host have denied you permissions? * The templates files are writable, right? * Can you make changes via FTP? * Check the theme-editor.php for any blank lines or spaces at the beginning and remove them. * Thread Starter [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * (@jls6c) * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476192) * I was able to download theme-editor.php, make a small change, and re-upload. ( When I opened it in Notepad, there were lots of “square” characters that I assume are returns. I deleted one square at the end.) Going back into the editor, I’m still getting the same error message when I try to update. * For some reason, permissions don’t show up on my FTP client, FileZilla. The area under the “Permissions” column is blank. When I try to to set permissions using the right-click tool, FileZilla says “command not understood.” * I’m starting to think this is a problem with my host, as a friend of mine who wrote a script for my site once expressed great frustration with the Windows server on which my site is hosted. Yet I don’t know exactly what to ask tech support to do for me. * Thanks for your help so far. Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total) The topic ‘Error when using theme editor’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [appearance](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/appearance/) * [permissions](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/permissions/) * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/) * 8 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [jls6c](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jls6c/) * Last activity: [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/error-when-using-theme-editor/#post-1476192) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics