Multiple WP installations, multiple hosts, one set of templates

  • Hi Everyone,

    I am launching a new network of WP blogs. For reasons beyond this forum, they will be hosted on different hosts. However, for branding purposes, they will all be using the same theme.

    As I plan on making frequent changes to the theme, I am looking for ways to avoid uploading the same set of files over and over to multiple accounts. Basically, all I want to do is upload the changes once and have them reflected on all my blogs.

    Is is possible…

    1. … to use only one set of template files for all blogs? In other words, if I have 3 blogs on domain1.com, domain2.com and domain3.com, can I host the template files (theme) for those 3 domains on domain4.com?

    If the above is not possible…

    2. … are there any mass FTP uploaders that can work simultaneously with multiple FTP accounts, so that I can upload the theme to several hosting accounts with one click?

    Any advice is greatly appreciated! ??

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

  • In other words, if I have 3 blogs on domain1.com, domain2.com and domain3.com, can I host the template files (theme) for those 3 domains on domain4.com?

    This would be possible only if all the domains were hosted on the same server (but you’ve already indicated that they’re on different hosts) and each domain had common read access to directory where you could put the theme files. You would have to arrange this with your host.

    2. … are there any mass FTP uploaders that can work simultaneously with multiple FTP accounts, so that I can upload the theme to several hosting accounts with one click?

    In my opinion, a better idea would be for you to set up SSH access on each of these accounts. Then you could use Subversion or the like to maintain a repository of your theme files. Updating each site would be as simple as logging in and typing svn update.

    Thread Starter miroslav

    (@miroslav)

    Thanks, filosofo. Isn’t it possible to hack the WP code to simply change the default path to the template files?

    Re: SSH… sounds promising! Would this update all files on all hosting accounts with one login and one command? Or, would I need to login separately for each hosting account/WP installation?

    Yes, you can change the default path to the template files easily. But if your domains are all on different hosts, that’s not going to help you. Also, the same is true concerning SSH: if they’re on different hosts, you’ll have to log in separately.

    Thread Starter miroslav

    (@miroslav)

    Yes, you can change the default path to the template files easily. But if your domains are all on different hosts, that’s not going to help you.

    If it’s possible to change the default template path to one on a different server, than it’s good enough for me. I need only one path to template files for all my WP installations (regardless of whether they are on a different host, or not). What am I missing?

    What am I missing?

    You need to be able to execute the PHP in the template files with variables set to values particular to your domain and database–if the template files are on another server you can’t do that.

    Thread Starter miroslav

    (@miroslav)

    You need to be able to execute the PHP in the template files with variables set to values particular to your domain and database–if the template files are on another server you can’t do that.

    Got the point! ??

    So, that leaves me with the second option… FTP mass uploader. Anyone?

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