Title: Very Basic CSS question
Last modified: August 18, 2016

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# Very Basic CSS question

 *  [walshbj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/walshbj/)
 * (@walshbj)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/)
 * I’m looking through all the files in my theme and don’t see where they reference
   the style.css file. Is that name a default name that is checked automatically
   or something?
    Like in the sidebar file, I expect to see a reference to style.
   css – but I don’t see it.
 * Sorry, I looked in the help and all over, maybe I’m just tired.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  [Chris_K](https://wordpress.org/support/users/handysolo/)
 * (@handysolo)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456243)
 * Have a peek at your theme’s header.php file. You should find something reasonably
   similar to this:
    `<link rel="stylesheet" href="<?php bloginfo('stylesheet_url');?
   >" type="text/css" media="screen" />`
 * WordPress assembles the theme files at run-time. This page may be helpful [Theme_Development](http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development)
 *  Thread Starter [walshbj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/walshbj/)
 * (@walshbj)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456244)
 * Thanks for the quick reply. I do see that in my header.php.
    But I expected to
   see some kind of relative reference to the file called style.css, which I thought
   was the only style sheet for the theme I’m using – just the WordPress default
   theme. Even in the html you sent I don’t see what part of it references the actual
   stylesheet file. I actually expected EVERY file in the theme to to have a reference
   to style.css. Does this header file inform each of the other files about the 
   location of style.css as The Loop runs or am I way off about everything?? Thanks.
 *  [Chris_K](https://wordpress.org/support/users/handysolo/)
 * (@handysolo)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456245)
 * _
    But I expected to see some kind of relative reference to the file called style.
   css, which I thought was the only style sheet for the theme I’m using – just 
   the WordPress default theme.
 * That would be this portion: `bloginfo('stylesheet_url');`
    (here’s the [documentation for bloginfo()](http://codex.wordpress.org/Template_Tags/bloginfo))
 * When you “View Source” of the rendered page, you see what that becomes.
 * Expecting every file in the theme to have it shows you haven’t looked over my
   link in the earlier post 😉
 *  Thread Starter [walshbj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/walshbj/)
 * (@walshbj)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456246)
 * OK, you got me. I’ll look it over.
    Thanks for the info. I’ll post back if I 
   get it sussed or ask more questions if I don’t. And thanks for not taking my 
   head off!
 * o
 *  [Chris_K](https://wordpress.org/support/users/handysolo/)
 * (@handysolo)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456247)
 * Say, I bet you may find this page really helpful. And it directly answers your
   question: [http://www.transycan.net/abc/visual_anat.html](http://www.transycan.net/abc/visual_anat.html)
 *  Thread Starter [walshbj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/walshbj/)
 * (@walshbj)
 * [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456273)
 * That page IS really helpful – thanks.
 * I’m still puzzled, I need to read those links a few more times. I did see this
   in one of the online docs:
 * Viewing CSS
 *  To view your CSS, either know the actual address (or have it already on your
   hard drive), or scroll down through the HTML page to the following reference:
 * <link rel=”style sheet” type=”text/css” href=”wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/
   style.css”>
 * What they describe here is what I’m expecting to see in all my template files,
   a reference to style.css.
    Are bloginfo and stylesheet_url placeholders or what?
 * I probably haven’t explained my self clearly at all. But I’ll keep reviewing 
   these docs.
    Do you see WHY I’m confused??
 * btw- I have figured out SOME of WordPress. I’ve added a permalink link to all
   my output pages and got my categories all organized and structured in the sidebar.
   But I’m so stuck on this one thing.
 * UPDATE:
    Just found this, which answers my question. This is what I was missing
   after you told me about what’s in the header file:
 * ‘stylesheet_url’ – URL for primary CSS file. Returns: http//example.com/wp-content/
   themes/ + your-active-theme-name(value from wp_options, “stylesheet” row) + “/
   style.css”(hardcoded in functions.php)

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

The topic ‘Very Basic CSS question’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [style.css](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/style-css/)

 * 6 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [walshbj](https://wordpress.org/support/users/walshbj/)
 * Last activity: [19 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/very-basic-css-question/#post-456273)
 * Status: not resolved

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