1. Backup your current WordPress website files. To do that, go to Tools > Export. Save the file to your hard drive.

2. Backup your current WordPress database.

To do that, get the free plugin, WP-DB-Backup. You’ll get that by going to Plugins > Add New and enter the plugin name in the Search form. Or, you can go to the WP-DB-Backup homepage, download the zip file, and upload it to your website in Plugins > Add New > Upload.

Then, create your backup file with that plugin (see directions at the homepage linked above) and save it to your hard drive.

3. Backup your theme files. Open your FTP program and download everything in wp-content > themes > Branford Magazine (or whatever your theme is called). Save that on your hard drive. (You probably won’t use this. It’s just a “worst case” backup. I like to take every measure possible to be sure everything turns out okay.)

I generally recommend backing up your image files, too. They’re in wp-content > uploads You’ll copy every file (and subfile) in the folders with a year name (2008, 2009, etc.).

4. Remove WordPress from your website. Some hosting services will do that automatically. (At HostGator, you’ll go into Fantastico > WordPress and click “Delete” next to the domain name where that WordPress site was hosted.)

If your hosting service doesn’t have a delete option, use your FTP program to delete everything in your WordPress files.

5. Download a copy of WordPress 2.9.2. You’ll find that at http://wordpress.org/wordpress-2.9.2.zip

Unzip it on your hard drive using any free unzipping software. (Your computer probably has a program to do this, already.)

6. Install WordPress 2.9.2 manually.

(At the time of this writing, HostGator is still auto-installing WP 2.9.2., so a manual installation isn’t necessary. Check your hosting service’s WordPress options before going to the trouble of a manual installation.)

You can follow the directions in any of my books, or follow the “Famous 5-Minute Installation” instructions at http://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress

(That may seem a little scary the first time. Don’t worry. Any mistakes can be fixed, easily. After that, if you ever have to install WordPress again, it’ll be simple.)

7. Upload your copy of Branford Magazine. (If you’re starting from scratch, you can still get the free files at my Branford Magazine Archives.) You’ll do this via FTP, placing your Branford files in your new wp-content > themes folder.

8. Import your old articles, images, comments, etc.

9. Check your site to be sure it looks okay, and take a break. You’ve accomplished your goal!

If your site doesn’t look right, some of your files may have been lost or changed in the process. Follow the Troubleshooting steps, below.

Troubleshooting

If the whole site looks weird, delete your Branford Magazine files (via FTP) and reinstall them.

If it still looks weird, repeat the entire process starting with Step 4, above. (Yes, download a new copy of WP 2.9.2, just in case the first download was interrupted at the server.)

The problem probably started when you were FTP-ing your new WordPress installation.

If your entire site still looks hinky**, contact your hosting service in case they know what’s going on. They’ll have the best advice.

If your homepage categories aren’t right, the numbers probably changed. That’s normal. Follow the steps in my book: Find the Category numbers (for additional help see my video, Branford Magazine Homepage Categories), and enter them in Appearances > Editor > Main Index Template (index.php), in the appropriate locations.

If the problem includes your Lead Article (the big article at the top of the page), you’ll correct that category number in two spots in Appearances > Editor > ui.tabs.php. That’s illustrated in my book.

If your links or images are broken, you may need to manually locate the broken links and fix them.

For broken graphics, you’ll upload the missing files from your hard drive. (This is why I generally recommend saving all those wp-content > uploads files.)

To find broken links and images quickly, you can use a free WP plugin, Broken Link Checker. (Generally, to reduce site load time, I deactivate that plugin after I’ve used it during the installation.)

If something else is broken, the problem was probably in the installation. I’d go back to square one and start over. A second full installation usually fixes whatever-it-is. If it doesn’t, contact your hosting service for help.

Note: After doing this, ignore the “Update to WordPress 3.0 now” messages. Unless WordPress comes out with a patch for the problem affecting Branford and several other themes, updating means breaking your theme.

As long as you keep programs like Secure WordPress running, you’ll be relatively okay. However, if your site is a target for hackers, sooner or later you’ll need to switch to a more current theme.

* If you didn’t upgrade to WordPress 3.0 and you’d like to continue using Branford Magazine… go for it! Just be sure you’re using (and keep updated) the Secure WordPress plugin, to patch the most likely security issues, as they emerge.

** Hinky=weird, funky, or strange. It’s an NCIS (TV show) reference.

Generally, this involves text, backgrounds and lines that I want to change to different colors.

Finding the correct line of code can be confusing, but I’ve discovered a shortcut.

I’m using the Free HTML Color Picker from AllGraphicsTools.com.

I use the color picker frame (select “Pick Color”) and hover it over the color that I need to identify.  This can take a little mousework, to get the correct color to show up in the frame.

Then, I click.  The window returns to the main Color Picker screen, and the HTML code is in the form, just to the right of where it says HTML Color #.

I write that code down.  It’s usually six letters &/or numbers, like EEF5E1 or 7DA939.

Then, I search in the stylesheet (Stylesheet.css) in Appearance > Editor, until I find that same color code.

Using trial-and-error, I replace each instance of that color code until I get the results that I want.

Tip: If you don’t like a box around your graphics, you’re looking for #999999 if you’re using Mimbo.  I simply changed the code to “border: 0px” (zero pixels) and the box vanished.

Most of my books’ tips work with Mimbo and will save you time.  You’ll recognize a lot of the same code if you start tweaking it.

That’s not a surprise; the vast majority of Branford’s code came from Mimbo.

You’ll also find great advice at Darren Hoyt’s forums.  (He’s the creator of Mimbo, which was the first magazine-style WordPress  theme.)

Several fans have written Mimbo-related articles at their websites, too, and their tips can be very useful.  (Here’s one: Modifying the Mimbo Theme – Child theme tweaks, part 1)

For me, one of the big changes with Mimbo was customizing the header at my sites that require header graphics.

Tip: Generally, your header graphic will be 907 pixels wide, if you want it to extend the full width of the masthead block.

You can make it any height you want, and the theme will adjust, as long as you specify the height & width in the Header.php file.

Another tip: If you’re using Darren’s  free child theme (Vintage Green – scroll down that linked page to see its info), use FTP put the actual header graphic into the Mimbo/images file, not the Vintage Green file.  <– That’s important.

The header customization process is a little different from how Branford’s is changed. If you’re baffled, here’s a helpful thread at Darren’s forum: http://www.darrenhoyt.com/support/topic.php?id=64

Everything else is pretty much the same as I describe in my book.

For example, Mimbo’s colors are generally changed the same way as in Branford Magazine, but here’s a nice example of what you can do with Mimbo (and yes, that site uses Mimbo, too): Fubar Genre – Dark Mimbo Design Ideas.

Also, if you’re interested in a lifestream site, be sure to check out Agregado, a free WordPress theme created by Darren Hoyt and Matt Dawson.  I haven’t tried it yet, but I think my friends and fans will love it as another art-related website.