Title: style.css doesn't always work… Last modified: August 31, 2016 --- # style.css doesn't always work… * [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/) * I’m running into an issue where creating new div’s id’s and classes and styling them via my style.css doesn’t always yield results. Im wondering if I set up my child theme incorrectly. This is my first new install, so I’m learning new things every day. Sometimes I learn that what I did a week or 2 ago wasn’t the“ right” way. Here’s my situation: * I downloaded and installed a theme. I duplicated that theme into a child folder on the same level as the theme folder, I renamed my style.css sheet and I gave the child folder an appropriate name. This worked, so I went on to build a nice little website. As I have learned more about html and css, I have been adding custom code via the wordpress text editor on specific pages. Sometimes the css does what it should, and sometimes there is no change. I check my html and css with jsfiddle.net, and it works. So then I do inline styling in the html, and it works. So I’m wondering If I didn’t set up everything just right when I made my child theme. * For you experienced developers, I’m sure there are little alarm bells going off in your head already and I’d like you to share them with me! Its time to start making my content responsive and I need for css to work for me! Thanks! Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 17 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/page/2/?output_format=md) * [lisa](https://wordpress.org/support/users/contentiskey/) * (@contentiskey) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430577) * if you have copied the full css file from parent file, that might be causing the difficulty. if you are using inline and external css that might also be causing difficulty. for CSS file> the child theme needs the current stuff you want to changing or new stuff you are adding. * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430579) * ok, thanks for your swift reply. I want to also make it known that I never did anything with functions.php (except copy the one that came with the theme) and I never changed the theme URI at the top of my child stylesheet. * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430580) * copying the parent functions.php into the child was incorrect. * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430742) * sterndata – Thank you for your comment. Can you expand on why it was incorrect, so that I can better understand? * So, moving forward, what is the best solution that doesn’t involve starting over in a major way? I see now that I should have started with a blank stylesheet and made changes there or added new items there. At this point, I’ve made changes to tons of css and there’s no way I would be able to pick it out and add it to a new stylesheet. so could I just delete the stylesheet from the parent theme( making a local backup of course) so that there are no confusions, or is that a horrible idea? * I also see that I should have started a new functions.php document, but I’m not sure how to set it up. The Codex explanation ([https://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes](https://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes)) isn’t terribly clear to someone who doesn’t program php. My theme came with multiple stylesheets. * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430743) * Multiple stylesheet themes can be a bear to child theme. * The codex is clear on what should be in your functions.php, at a minimum. You only add new stuff for a child theme. If you don’t program PHP you might not want to get into this. * What is it you’re trying to accomplish through a child theme? If it’s only CSS overrides, forget the child theme and install the plugin “Simple Custom CSS”. * [ProjectArmy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/supporthero/) * (@supporthero) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430745) * The child theme’s functions.php is just an extension of the parent’s functions. php. You don’t need to copy all of the content from the parent’s functions file to the child. As per the codex, all you need to add is this: * ``` ``` * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430752) * So, its a copy and paste situation? I thought I had to replace some of that info with my own, and I couldn’t figure out what was supposed to stay, and what was supposed to be interchangeable for my information. * When I say that my theme has multiple stylesheets, let me be clear: there is a main style.css document with all php page documents. In that same level there is a folder called “css” that has other stylesheets labeled “responsive”, “nivo- lightbox”, jquery.bxslider” etc. I don’t know if this is what you mean by “multiple stylesheet themes” or not. * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430753) * I come back to my question: What is it you’re trying to accomplish through a child theme? If it’s only CSS overrides, forget the child theme and install the plugin “Simple Custom CSS”. * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430755) * Well immediately I’m looking for CSS overrides, but long term I’m trying to use every opportunity to learn and grow my skills and knowledge. I’m not making a blog for my grandma, I’m having a go at a career. I don’t want to take shortcuts for instant gratification, I want to absorb everything I can so that someday I can be more like you! * [ProjectArmy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/supporthero/) * (@supporthero) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430757) * That’s good. Anyway, you don’t need to copy everything from your parent theme to the child theme. You just need to have style.css and functions.php. If you need to override a PHP document from the parent, that’s the only time that you copy it over to the child theme. * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430758) * You might want to start out with a theme that’s easier to child theme, say twentysixteen. * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430955) * Ok so I acknowledge that the right thing to do would be to start over and get my child theme right in the first place. Let’s continue on in the spirit of learning new things and exploring new ideas – Since I copied the entire parent theme and all of its contents – it is a theme that can stand on its own, correct? Shouldn’t I be able to just remove the parent theme, which would remove any conflicts I may be having? * Moderator [Steven Stern (sterndata)](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) * (@sterndata) * Volunteer Forum Moderator * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430956) * > Since I copied the entire parent theme and all of its contents * That’s the wrong way to make a child theme. All that is required is what’s shown in the codex: [https://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes](https://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes) * Do not remove the parent theme. Start over and do it correctly. * [bdbrown](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bdbrown/) * (@bdbrown) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430957) * > Let’s continue on in the spirit of learning new things and exploring new ideas * You’ll accomplish that by following the advice [@sterndata](https://wordpress.org/support/users/sterndata/) posted. * Thread Starter [Image Works, Inc.](https://wordpress.org/support/users/nimage/) * (@nimage) * [9 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/#post-7430958) * I have now created a new child theme, and done it correctly. the only files in my child theme folder are a stylesheet with bare minimum contents, a functions. php with the bare minimum contents, some page templates I made, and an images folder. The theme works fine with a few styling hiccups I can fix later. * Unfortunately, I’m still having the original problem. for example, I have this code on one of my pages: * ```
This is a yellow box
``` * with this in my css: * #test { width:300px; height: 300px; background-color:yellow; } * and all that shows on my site is the text “This is a yellow box” what other issues might cause this behavior? Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 17 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘style.css doesn't always work…’ is closed to new replies. ## Tags * [child theme](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/child-theme/) * [css](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/css/) * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 17 replies * 6 participants * Last reply from: [imjuanleonard](https://wordpress.org/support/users/imjuanleonard/) * Last activity: [9 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/stylecss-doesnt-always-work/page/2/#post-8350807) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics