Contents

1. WordPress: Configure MailChimp Subscriptions

2. WordPress: Configuring Author Avatars

3. WordPress: Theme Translation

4. WordPress: Configuring Author Profiles

5. WordPress: Installing Recommended Plugins

6. WordPress: Theme Documentation

7. WordPress: Frequently Asked Questions

8. WordPress: Customization Options

9. WordPress: Configuring Menus & Navigation

10. WordPress: Installing Demo Content

11. WordPress: Configuring Category Colors & Images

12. WordPress: Installing a Theme

13. WordPress: Shortcodes

14. WordPress: Configuring Widgets

1. WordPress: Configure MailChimp Subscriptions

The theme includes support for a MailChimp mailing list subscription form. If you already have a MailChimp mailing list then this can be used, or a new account and mailing list can be created via the MailChimp website. The below step-by-step guide will walk you through obtaining an embed code and integration with the theme.

  1. Login to your MailChimp dashboard, and navigate to your 'Lists'.
  2. Identify from your available mailing lists which you would like to create a subscription form for, select the dropdown arrow for this list followed by the 'Signup Forms' option.
  3. Select 'Embedded Forms' for the available options.
  4. Select 'Naked' form style from the available options.
  5. Uncheck all checkboxes and choose 'Show only required fields'.
  6. Navigate to your WordPress dashboard, and into the 'Appearance' -> 'Customizer' section.
  7. In the 'Subscription Bar' section configure the provided options and paste the copied embed code into the 'MailChimp Embed Code' field.
  8. Save your customizer changes and refresh the page for your changes to be visible.

If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

2. WordPress: Configuring Author Avatars

Author avatars use the Gravatar service, which is now default system for avatars with within WordPress. If you are already using Gravatar with your author email there is no setup required. If you haven't setup a Gravatar account, and wish to display a avatar on your blog you can register and configure this on the Gravatar website.

If you wish to use locally uploaded avatars then this can be achieved using the 'WP User Avatar' third-party plugin, which can be installed via your WordPress dashboard.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

3. WordPress: Theme Translation

We recommend the use of the Loco Translate third-party plugin for all translations, as this will allow you to translate theme strings directly within the WordPress dashboard.

If you would prefer to manually create translations you can find the POT translation file within the themes 'languages/' folder. We only suggest this method for advanced users who are aware for to manually create theme translations.

After creating your translation ensure you have set your site language within the WordPress settings.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

4. WordPress: Configuring Author Profiles

Within each blog post is an author section which contains the profile information, such as the author name, biography and social links. These options can be configured via your WordPress dashboard under the 'Users' section. Mouse over the user you wish to modify and select 'Edit', which will present these author profile options for editing.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

5. WordPress: Installing Recommended Plugins

Upon activation of the theme, you will be presented with a prompt requesting you to install theme recommended plug-ins. It is recommended that you install these plug-ins, however it is not required. Some theme functionality may be missing if these plug-ins are not installed.

  1. On the provided prompt, select 'Begin installing plugin(s)'.
  2. Check all the plugins you wish to install, and select 'Install' from the bulk options followed by apply.
  3. The plugins will then be download. Once this has completed select 'Return to Required Plugins Installer'.
  4. Recheck all plugins again, and select 'Activate' from the bulk options followed by apply.
  5. If for any reason a plugin activation fails, you can manage these plugins within your WordPress dashboard via the 'Appearance' -> 'Install Plugins' section.

If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

6. WordPress: Theme Documentation

Before submitting a new support ticket we highly recommend reading the included theme documentation, as this will provide all the required information to install, configure and use your theme. This documentation can be found in the downloaded theme archive by opening the README file.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

7. WordPress: Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to our most frequently asked questions related to our themes and the WordPress platform. If you're answer is not found below or in the themes documentation please submit a new support ticket.


Q. I want to make modifications to my themes CSS style, how do I do this?

We first recommend reviewing all the customizer options as you maybe able to achieve the desired changes via these settings. If you wish to make more advance changes to the theme CSS, this can be done via the 'Appearance' -> 'Custom CSS' option, or via editing the source files directly.

Q. Where can I find the unminified CSS and JS assets?

All SASS (CSS) and JS assets can be found in the themes '/src' directory. We use SASS for style-sheets, so any changes within these files must be compiled first before use within the theme. More information on SASS can be found on at http://sass-lang.com/.

Q. The Twitter Widget is not showing my latest tweets, how do I fix this?

Ensure you have correctly entered your 'Twitter API' details correctly. These details are cached for performance upto an hour after entry, so after re-entering your API credentials allow this cache to expire.

Q. Post images appear zoomed in and/or distorted, how do I fix this?

If you are installing the theme on a blog which already has content uploaded, you will need to regenerate your thumbnails so the theme can access the correct image sizes. This can be done via the 'Tools' -> 'Regen. Thumbnails' option. If uploaded images are too small in size, or use an aspect ratio which is different from the recommended these images may appear distorted. More information on recommended image sizes for the theme can be found in the 'Post Formatting' documentation section.

Q. How do I upload Author Avatar images?

Author Avatar images are managed via the Gravatar webservice. This associates an email address to an image, which is displayed within the theme for that particular author. More information on Gravatar setup can be found in the 'Theme Features' -> 'Author Avatars' documentation section. If you wish to use locally uploaded avatars then this can be achieved using the 'WP User Avatar' third-party plugin which can be installed via your WordPress dashboard.

Q. How do I integrate Google Analytics?

We recommend installing a third-party plugin to enable Google Analytics support as this will persist through theme changes. Plugins can be found and installed via the 'Plugins' section of the WordPress dashboard.

Q. How do I install the 'Ecko' plugin?

After activating the theme you will receive a message at the top of your WordPress dashboard prompting you to install the bundled plugins. This will guide you through automatically installing the plugins. If you have not received this message try disable and reactive the theme. Alternatively if you wish to manually install the plugin, you can find the plugin ZIP within the 'themename/inc/plugins/' directory.

Q. The Ecko Widgets and Ecko Shortcode menu is not present, how do I enable this?

Ensure that the included 'Ecko Plugin' is both installed and activated (See above). If you are using a child-theme, the 'style.css' file must contain the 'Author' and 'Text Domain' attributes as provided in the example child-theme.

Q. The demo import fails or provides an empty page after processing, how do I fix this?

This occurs when the import script runs into your host’s configured memory limit for PHP. If you have access to the php.ini file, you can manually increase the limit. If you are using shared hosting, the best alternative may be to consult hosting support as they may be able to temporarily lift the memory limit.

Q. I have found a bug or theme related issue, how do I report this?

If you have found a bug or theme related issue please submit a ticket on our support centre. Provide as much information related to the issue as possible, such as screen-shots, any present error messages, device/OS/browser used, and a link to your blog/website if relevant.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

8. WordPress: Customization Options

Theme related customization options can be found within your WordPress dashboard under 'Appearance' -> 'Customize'. Customizer options are preserved when updating to a new version of the theme.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

9. WordPress: Configuring Menus & Navigation

Theme menus can be configured via the WordPress dashboard under 'Appearance' -> 'Menus'. Ensure to set a 'Theme Location' for created menus at the bottom of the menu options, or assign a location via the theme customizer. The 'Ecko Navigation' widget is also avaiable for sidebars (and drawers if present), this will display the navigation set for the 'Primary' location.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

10. WordPress: Installing Demo Content

If you're using a new install of WordPress, then you may want to install the themes demo content to explore how the theme functions. This is only recommended for new WordPress installs, if you're running a production blog we do not recommend importing the demo contents as this could conflict with your existing content.

  1. Within your WordPress dashboard navigate to 'Tools' -> 'Import'.
  2. Select WordPress and follow on-screen guide, if the WordPress import plugin is not installed you may be prompted to install it.
  3. When you are prompted to upload am XML file, navigate to the 'extra/demo-content/demo-content.xml' file in your download directory.
  4. Continue with the provided on-screen instructions. When asked, ensure to check the 'Download and import file attachments' option.
  5. The demo import process may take some time, you will be notified when it has been completed.

If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

11. WordPress: Configuring Category Colors & Images

Category Images

Each category can have an assigned image which will be shown on the category page as the category cover background. These options can be accessed via the 'Posts' -> 'Categories' page, by selecting 'Edit' on the category you wish to modify.

Category Colors

Each category can have an assigned color which will be used as the indicator color for the category tag, this is shown within the post list and post page. These options can be accessed via the 'Posts' -> 'Categories' page, by selecting 'Edit' on the category you wish to modify.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

12. WordPress: Installing a Theme

There are two methods to install the theme, via your WordPress admin dashboard or (S)FTP. Installation via your WordPress dashboard is the recommended method, and (S)FTP installation is only suggested for advanced users.


Admin Dashboard Installation

  1. Login to your WordPress dashboard, which can be found at 'yourdomain.com/wp-admin'.
  2. Navigate to the 'Appearance' -> 'Themes' section.
  3. Select the 'Add New' button, followed by 'Upload Theme' which can be found in the page header.
  4. Using the provided dialog window, upload the theme (archived .zip) file found in the '/theme' directory. Select 'Install Now' to install the theme on your WordPress installation.
  5. Depending on how your WordPress install is configured, you may be prompted to enter your FTP details for your web hosting account at this stage.
  6. WordPress will now install the theme, this may take a few minutes. Once it has completed return to the 'Appearance' -> 'Themes' section of your WordPress dashboard and activate the theme.
  7. Upon activation of the theme you will be redirected to the EckoTheme intro page, which will provide quick access to useful pages such as the theme customizer, plugin installation, and theme support. More details on these can be found in the documentation sections below.

(S)FTP Installation

  1. Login to the SFTP/FTP account for your blog. You can also use any online file manager with upload capability if your host provides one.
  2. Navigate to your WordPress installs directory, and follow the path 'wp-content/themes'.
  3. Upload the theme (Unzipped) directory found in the '/theme' directory.
  4. Login to your WordPress dashboard, which can be found at 'yourdomain.com/wp-admin'.
  5. Once the theme upload has completed, navigate to the 'Appearance' -> 'Themes' section of your WordPress dashboard and activate the theme.
  6. Upon activation of the theme you will be redirected to the EckoTheme intro page, which will provide quick access to useful pages such as the theme customizer, plugin installation, and theme support. More details on these can be found in the documentation sections below.

If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

13. WordPress: Shortcodes

The theme includes a number of shortcodes to make accessing theme styling features easier when writing your blog posts. Access to these shortcodes requires that the 'Ecko Plugin' is installed and activated.

These shortcodes can be accessed via the 'Ecko Shortcodes' menu found within the post editor (when using the visual editor). All theme shortcodes are configured and inserted via this menu.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.

14. WordPress: Configuring Widgets

The theme includes a number of EckoThemes exclusive widgets which can be used within widget areas throughout the theme such as the sidebars and drawer sections. Access to these widgets require that the 'Ecko Plugin' plugin is installed and activated.

Setup and configuration of widgets can be done via the WordPress dashboard under the 'Appearance' -> 'Widgets' section. The theme will enable default widgets if no widgets are configured.

Twitter Widget

The 'Ecko Plugin' includes a Twitter widget which allows you to display your latest tweets. This requires configuration of a Twitter application to provide the theme permissions to read your latest tweets. The below step-by-step guide will walk you through configuring a Twitter application and connecting the widget.

  1. Sign into the Twitter Application Site with your Twitter account.
  2. Select the 'Create New App' button.
  3. Complete the required form fields. The 'Callback URL' can be left blank.
  4. Once the app is created, select 'Keys and Access Tokens' from the tabbed navigation.
  5. Select 'Create my access token' found at the bottom of the page.
  6. In a new tab, navigate to your WordPress dashboard and into the 'Appearance' -> 'Widgets' section.
  7. Add the 'Ecko Twitter' widget to your desired sidebar section and complete the details. The API Key, API Key Secret, Access Token and Access Token Secret can be found on your newly created Twitter application page.
  8. Save your changes to this widget. Your Twitter feed should now appear on the chosen sidebar/drawer.

Ensure all API credentials have been entered correctly before saving. The Twitter Feed is cached for performance reasons, if you are receiving errors after ensuring your API credentials have been entered correctly please allow time for the cache to expire (which may take upto two hours).

Subscription Widget

The 'Ecko Subscription' widget adds support for MailChimp mailing list subscriptions for your visitors. More information on how to obtain a MailChimp emebed code can be found within the 'Theme Features' section.


If you require any further assistance or have any questions be sure to let us know by submitting a new ticket, and we will be happy to assist.