Getting back to the start
Remove any changes that you attempted to make to wp-config.php and functions.php, if you haven’t already.
Then add these two lines to wp-config.php:
define('WP_HOME','http://www.siteexample.com/wp');
define('WP_SITEURL','http://www.siteexample.com/wp');
The URL in both cases should specify the subdirectory in which WordPress is installed. This should restore your site and allow you to log in. Once you have successfully logged in, make sure you remove the above lines again.
For more information on this procedure, see the Codex.
Pointing the root to the subdirectory
The correct method of doing what you are attempting to do does not involve any changes to wp-config.php or the functions.php in your theme, at least when done correctly.
Based on what you have said, my guess is that the tutorials you used were actually correct per se, but you were looking for the wrong tutorials and therefore did the wrong thing. My guess, more specifically, is that you were following instructions telling you how to do this, whereas what you actually want to do is this.
The instructions are outlined in this Codex page. Carefully follow the instructions under “Using a pre-existing subdirectory install”.
Thank you so much. I’m back to square one. Okay, so, first things first. I have FTP access. I don’t know what folder is my root folder. I can see the htaccess file and index.php files though within my “/wp” folder my host set up for me for WordPress. Outside (or up one level) from here, there aren’t any folders that I think are the root. In other words, where do I copy these files?
Also, should I go ahead and change the Site URL within my general settings on WordPress right now? (I have paranoia now with these site url settings). Please help. I really appreciate it.
also, I know this is probably unorthadox, but if you have Team Viewer installed I can link you to my computer. (I’m simply interested in learning this as well, so I don’t repeat these mistakes). In other words, I’m online, I can continue following this thread, or, if you have Team Viewer, I can Team View. Please let me know. Thanks again for the quick reply.
or, do you know how to post screenshots within this thread? is there a code?
(1) The root is the top-level directory: i.e. one level above the subdirectory.
(2) Changing the “Site address (URL)” in Settings > General is the first key step in making siteexample.com/wp accessible via siteexample.com, so yes, if you want to do the change now, then start with changing the site URL. Your site will throw up an error message when you do that, but that’s completely normal, as the tutorial states. If anything goes wrong, there is nothing that you are doing that is irreversible, so just keep a cool head and follow the instructions carefully.
I’m not familiar with Team Viewer but I strongly recommend against inviting people whom you don’t know to access your computer remotely, let alone when you’re doing back end administration on your website. I think I’m trustworthy, of course, but that’s kind of beside the point.
You can’t upload images here directly – the standard practice is to use an image-hosting service and then post a link when you need to post screenshots.
Alright, just to make sure. I have FTP access, and the folder with all of my WordPress content, admin, and includes, is called “/wp”. There is no folder above this one. In other words, when the instructions state, “Copy (NOT MOVE!) the index.php and .htaccess files from the WordPress (wordpress in our example) directory into the root directory of your site—the latter is probably named something like www or public_html” I don’t see a “www” or “public_html” folder. I just have my “/wp” folder. Is this my root too? It’s already in there. I don’t know where to paste it.. I have a screenshot but I don’t know how to share it. In other words, what is my subdirectory and what is my root directory?
alright, I was going to keep a close eye on anyone via team view and shut is down immediately if something happened. In other words, I think my issue could be solved pretty easily, visually, since the problem is rooted in my simple lack of ability to define my sub directory from my root directory.
Basically, I have a “/wp” folder. Within here, I can see the index.php file and htaccess file these instructions want me to copy from my wordpress directory into my root directory, I just don’t see a root directory (or synomous language) folder. Thus, I’m stuck. Is it possible for my WordPress directory folder to be the same thing as my root directory folder?
I’m not sure what exactly your host did for you, but by definition a subdirectory cannot exist in the ether. Typically, a subdirectory’s full path will be something like /public_html/wp or /www/wp. The root directory is therefore /public_html or /www. Any FTP client should show you this path structure.
If you’d like to post a screenshot of what you are seeing in your FTP client, you can upload it to a service like Imgur. Just make sure it doesn’t have any critical information showing.
here’s a view of my top-level folders: http://imgur.com/rICp51g
here’s within my “/wp” folder: http://imgur.com/Dbo11Bw
also, “/main” is a folder for a Drupal backend
The first screenshot is in fact a screenshot of your root directory. All of the folders contained therein are subdirectories, not “top-level folders”.
ahh, okay, so I just copy and paste the htaccess and index.php file outside of the “/wp” folder? (underneath the welcome.html file in the first screenshot?)
