child theme doesn't display

Please put your code inside of backticks so it reads easier. Thanks.

Are you sure the child theme is active? When I inspect your site, I see the twentyfourteen theme active (I can tell because the style.css file is being read from the parent folder and not the child folder).

Also, I do not see a style.css file in here:
/wp-content/themes/twentyfourteen-child/style.css

Your folder organization should look like this:

/wp-content/themes
   /twentyfourteen
      style.css  <-- Original file that came with the theme.
   /twentyfourteen-child
      style.css  <-- Your modified style.css file.

Hi CrouchingBruin,

Thanks so much for looking at this! I’m sorry, after I posted I kept working on the site so that’s why it lacked the style sheet and was inactive.

I deleted the twentyfourteen-child theme folder entirely and then uploaded it again with the style.css file inside it.

I have my folders and files arranged exactly as you demonstrated above.

I copied the style sheet for the child theme directly from wordpress support “how to make a child theme.” and that is what I posted above. I did change the references to twenty thirteen to twenty fourteen in the original code.

The error I get now is: “The following themes are installed but incomplete. Themes must have a stylesheet and a template.”

Underneath it states “Template is missing” and calls my theme by name “twentyfourteen-child” so it is recognizing my folder.

I have a template line within the child theme stylesheet as shown in my first post above.

‘7. Template: twentyfourteen’

Does the child theme require a second file named “template?” Or is it a php file that is needed?

As I understand it the only necessary file is the style.css and the lines within the new style sheet titled “name”, “template”, and @import which all seem to be correct I think?

I am on a linux platform WP version 3.8.1
Using FileZilla.

Site is using twenty fourteen theme now. I will try not to mess with it until I get some suggestions. https://www.ashevilleontap.com

I was able to get rid of the “template is missing” error by adding the file
index.php as recommended by someone on the forums.

I activated the child theme but got the dreaded white screen for my site. I suspect that this is b.c. the new index.php file is empty and my child theme is overriding the original theme as it should. What I want to do I think is pull the theme from the original twenty fourteen theme which is where the @import comes into play?

So logically the original theme is missing it’s index.php file? But that’s impossible as the theme works just fine.

update. I’ve removed the index.php file and am back to broken theme – template missing.

I have read lots of posts on this issue. It seems the problems are:
1. missing or incomplete parent themes (i.e. missing the style.css file)
2. punctuation and other coding errors (typos)
3. child theme template line must match exactly parent theme’s folder name (case sensitive).
4. Incorrect folder organization or nested folders. Child theme must be in the same folder on the same level as parent theme.

Other fixes seem to be uninstalling and reinstalling. I’ve done this for the child theme and it’s style.css file to no avail. I can only guess there is something wrong with the twentyfourteen theme in WP!? Seems unlikely.

Can I uninstall and reinstall that parent theme somehow. I can’t help thinking it’s something simple and obvious.

The stylesheet at twentyfourteen-child/style.css has line numbers in front of each line. Take those out and I think everything should work fine.

Voila! Thanks so much for solving my issue!!!

Every example of how to make a child theme (and I looked at a lot) had numbered lines. I guess style sheets should not have these?

Thanks again!

That’s right, no numbered lines necessary. A lot of sites do that when showing code snippets because it’s easier and faster to say “look at line 15”.