Passing data to WordPress template parts
How I use WordPress' template part logic, but additionally pass scoped data to the template part.
Published on 16th October 2019
Blog posts about WordPress
WordPress is a web-browser-based content management system, which started life as a spin-off of b2/cafelog before becoming the most widespread CMS in the world. I began casually helping out with b2/cafelog in 2001, and migrated my early websites to WordPress’ first version in January 2004. I’ve built personal and professional sites using WordPress ever since: the biggest project being a multilingual, international multi-site installation for a former employer.
Technical case study: Gutenberg Blocks outside the content area
WordPress' Gutenberg Editor allows you to do much more than create and edit content in a single content column.
Published on 7th October 2019
Making a legible date string from two dates in PHP
The user experience nicety of a legible date string.
Published on 25th September 2019
There’s more to life than WordPress
I’ve been using WordPress since the very first version and love it. In a talk at WordCamp Zurich, I shared some of the experiences I’ve gained as a CMS developer, website builder, content manager and blogger since the late 1990s.
Published on 20th September 2019
Lucky Thirteen
This website turns thirteen today.
Published on 20th August 2019
Creating a single-width Gutenberg block
How to create your own Gutenberg block with only a full or wide alignment option, instead of the usual possibilities.
Published on 19th August 2019
cubetech Desk Memories
The farewell photo of my fourth office desk in Switzerland, before I start afresh in the Bernese Oberland.
Published on 8th December 2018
What I’ve built with WordPress
Some people believe that WordPress isn't suitable for more than a simple website. Throughout my career, I've proved that assumption wrong many times over.
Published on 4th December 2018
Saying hello to a better future
I'm moving to Swiss web agency Say Hello as partner, client consultant and full-stack developer from January 2019.
Published on 3rd December 2018
Technical case study: working around an intensive site cache
How I swapped out individual sections of a high-traffic site to make best use of WordPress' REST API.
Published on 29th November 2018
How to get your visitors where they need to be
I presented at the WordCamp conference in Lausanne a couple of weeks ago, on the subject of website usability. The video of my talk is now online.
Published on 9th October 2018
Working with multilingual theme options
I’ve been using the Advanced Custom Fields plugin for WordPress for nearly five years, and it’s implemented in every project I’ve created or worked on since I began using it. At work, our WordPress Themes depend on…
Published on 26th September 2018
Technical case study: HTML5 video
How I quickly implemented a splash page for Sulzer Schmid Laboratories, containing an autoplaying HTML5 video.
Published on 18th September 2018
Speaking at WordCamp Lausanne
I'm presenting at WordCamp Lausanne at the end of September. Come and hear me talk about user interfaces and usability, and get your questions answered too.
Published on 14th September 2018
Integrating Mailchimp fields and interest groups to a Gravity Form
I was recently set the task of integrating a Mailchimp mailing list to a WordPress website by way of a multi-step Gravity Form. The regular form fields were easy to link, but the interest groups needed a…
Published on 10th August 2018
WordPress’ Gutenberg editor
The major update of WordPress, scheduled for this year, will contain a brand-new and much-improved editor.
Published on 6th July 2018
In Focus – an interview with cubetech
An interview with me which first appeared on the cubetech website in June.
Published on 5th June 2018
DSGVO der EU: Auswirkungen auf Schweizer Website-Betreiber
Am WordPress Meetup in Bern am 17. April 2018 sprach Martin Steiger über die Auswirkungen der Datenschutz-Grundverordnung (DSGVO) auf Schweizer Website-Betreiber.
Published on 18th April 2018
Why the age of WordPress’ Core code doesn’t matter all that much
Many developers complain that WordPress is an outdated system, relying on old code for the sake of the widest range of possible support. I see that as one of the advantages of WordPress.
Published on 22nd March 2018
The Day Job
It was inevitable, I suppose, that I would, one day, have to start applying my experience to The Day Job instead of just my hours. Instead of just being the go-to-guy for programming, I’d have to take over a more…
Published on 15th March 2018
Speaking at WordCamp Bern
Through my participation of the regular and sociable “WordPress Meetup” in Bern, I was one of the volunteers who helped organize the WordCamp conference in Switzerland's capital last weekend.
Published on 14th September 2017
WordPress Switzerland
As my working career moves towards being involved with WordPress 100% of the time in future, I’ve started to gradually invest a little more of my time and effort into the WordPress community. My aim is to work with…
Published on 1st March 2017
A new role at WordPress agency cubetech
After six years with my current employer, the time has come to move into a role which better suits my abilities and which will provide me with new challenges. I'm really excited that I've been asked to join WordPress agency…
Published on 27th February 2017
Investment in a proper website concept is usually the least expensive option
Spending money on an informed, experienced website concept document will usually work out cheaper than trying to battle through for days on your own. It will also mean that the end result will be more reliable and more likely to…
Published on 22nd February 2017
The dangers of technical evangelism
Why the software you love may not always be the right one for the project at hand, and how you can recognize and plan for it.
Published on 20th February 2017
WordPress is bigger than you think
In 2016, 27% of all of the websites on the internet were powered by WordPress. That's 8 times more than Joomla, 12 times more than Drupal, and 70 times more than TYPO3.
Published on 17th February 2017
Using WordPress template parts for my new WordPress theme
The new WordPress theme running this website has been improved by the use of WordPress' get_template_part function.
Published on 20th December 2016
The minimum viable product
A stripped-back, simple WordPress theme for my personal website, which I can begin extending as and when I have the time.
Published on 15th December 2016
Examples of WordPress as a headless CMS
WordPress is much more than a simple tool for building websites. Here are a few prominent sites which use WordPress and its new REST API for much more than a simple blog.
Published on 28th November 2016
Base code for a WordPress theme using PHP namespaces
I provide a free public Github repository containing example code for starting work on a WordPress theme which uses PHP namespaces and template parts.
Published on 25th November 2016
Base code for a WordPress plugin using PHP namespaces
I provide a free public Github repository containing example code for starting work on a WordPress plugin, which uses PHP namespaces.
Published on 25th November 2016
New Slack channel opened for WordPress Switzerland
Providing WordPress developers and designers in Switzerland with an online place to hang out and exchange tips and ideas.
Published on 1st November 2016
Handling file requests with the WordPress Rewrite API
I occasionally have a need to divert file requests on a website to a PHP script. By doing so, I can determine whether the visitor may access it, see whether an image should have a watermark automatically applied, or notify…
Published on 20th October 2016
The WordPress technology behind my new photo galleries
Publishing photos to WordPress directly via FTP using Adobe Lightroom.
Published on 23rd September 2016
Managing WordPress Theme plugin requirements
I’m in the closing stages of development for a new WordPress site for a client. (A private one, so I can’t go into details.) As the development phase has progressed, the management of the required plugins in the Multisite installation has…
Published on 16th September 2016
An easy introduction to WordPress plugins with PHP classes
There are many copy-and-paste examples of how to write your own functions and apply them through WordPress’ hooks and actions. But with a little simple knowledge of PHP’s namespace syntax, developers who regularly work on WordPress projects can make their lives a lot…
Published on 7th September 2016
Happy birthday, Permanent Tourist!
I wrote and posted my first blog post in this version of my website ten years ago today. To celebrate, I'm reviving the “Photos” section of the site, which will contain my best and my favourite photos.
Published on 20th August 2016
Customizing Twenty Sixteen
(The WordPress theme, not the year.)…
Published on 13th April 2016
Twenty Sixteen
2016 sees the tenth anniversary of this website. I decided that this was to be the year when I'd do some major overhaul work on my site: improved technology and a long-awaited clear out of some legacy data problems. That's all…
Published on 7th April 2016
WordPress plugin to get rid of the need for CAPTCHA images
“Comment spam” is a term which relates to automatically-generated website comments. People with too much time on their hands make software to submit to websites like mine. It’s then down to me to ensure that the nonsensical or downright abusive…
Published on 1st April 2016