This document provides suggestions for simplifying the WordPress dashboard and administration interface. It recommends removing unnecessary widgets from the dashboard, using code to minimize dashboard menus and boxes, and adding shortcodes or functions to more easily display child pages and handle 404 errors. The document also gives examples of removing meta boxes, including notifications for visitors, and linking to a "report a problem" form to make the site easier to use.

1. Keeping It Simple
(but not stupid)
Stephanie Leary, @sleary
sillybean.net

2. Dashboard & Menus

4. Unclutter: Adminimize

7. Dashboard Commander

8. Prefer Code?
function remove_dashboard_widgets() {
global $wp_meta_boxes;
unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['normal']['core']['dashboard_right_now']);
// unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['normal']['core']['dashboard_recent_comments']);
// unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['side']['core']['dashboard_quick_press']);
// unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['normal']['core']['dashboard_recent_drafts']);
unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['normal']['core']['dashboard_incoming_links']);
unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['normal']['core']['dashboard_plugins']);
// WordPress Blog
unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['side']['core']['dashboard_primary']);
// Other WordPress News
unset($wp_meta_boxes['dashboard']['side']['core']['dashboard_secondary']);
}
add_action('wp_dashboard_setup', 'remove_dashboard_widgets' );
http://gist.github.com/2722692

9. CMS Dashboard

11. Full Comments On
Dashboard

12. Dashboard Notepad

13. Widgets
http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/18334

14. Widgets
http://core.trac.wordpress.org/ticket/18334

15. Organizing

16. Hierarchy

18. Simple Page Ordering

20. List Child Pages
// list child pages automatically on empty pages
function append_child_pages($content) {
$children = '';
if (is_page() && (empty($content))) {
global $post;
$children = '
<ul
class="childpages">'.wp_list_pages('echo=0&title_li=&child_of='.
$post->ID).'</ul>
';
}
return $content.$children;
}
add_filter('the_content','append_child_pages');

21. List Child Pages
// child page list shortcode: [children]
function child_pages_shortcode() {
global $post;
return '<ul class="childpages">'.
" " wp_list_pages('echo=0&depth=0&title_li=&child_of='.
" " $post->ID).'</ul>';
}
add_shortcode('children', 'child_pages_shortcode');

22. Writing

23. Shortcode Reference

24. Gallery Metabox

25. Post Container Warning

26. Post Container Warning
// Admin Notice on Posts Page
add_action('admin_head-post.php', 'postspage_error_notice');
function postspage_error_notice() {
$postspage = get_option('page_for_posts');
if (!empty($postspage))
add_action('admin_notices', 'postspage_print_notices');
}
function postspage_print_notices() {
$postspage = get_option('page_for_posts');
// show this only if we're editing the posts page
if (!empty($postspage) && isset($_GET['action']) &&
$_GET['action'] == 'edit' && $_GET['post'] == $postspage)
echo '<div class="error"><p>This page is a container for
the most recent posts. It should always be empty, and you should
never edit this page. To add a news item, go to <a href="post-
new.php">Posts -- Add New</a>.<p></div>';
}
http://gist.github.com/2515588

27. Removing Meta Boxes
add_action( 'add_meta_boxes', 'my_remove_post_meta_boxes' );
function my_remove_post_meta_boxes() {
" /* Custom fields meta box. */
" remove_meta_box( 'postcustom', 'post', 'normal' );
}
justintadlock.com/?p=2898

28. Raw HTML Snippets

29. Notifications

30. Peter’s Collaboration
Emails

31. Notifly

32. Collateral Condolences

34. For Visitors

35. Better 404s
• apologetic, personal language
• search for words in the bad URL
• show search box and sitemap
http://gist.github.com/2723096

36. 404.php (1)
" <h2>I'm sorry. I couldn't find the page you requested.</h2>
" <?php
" $options = us2011_get_options();
" if (!empty($options['problem_report']))
" " $report = 'If you still can't find it, <a
href="'.get_permalink($options['problem_report']).'">please let us
know what you were looking for,</a> and maybe we can find it for
you!';
" if (!empty($options['sitemap']))
" " $sitemap = ' or looking for it in the <a href="/
sitemap">site map</a>';
" ?>
" <p>You can try searching for it<?php echo $sitemap; ?>.
" <?php echo $report; ?></p>
" <?php get_template_part( 'searchform' ); ?>

37. 404.php (2)
" <?php
" global $wp_query;
" $wp_query->query_vars['is_search'] = true;
" $s = str_replace("-"," ",$wp_query->query_vars['name']);
" $loop = new WP_Query('post_type=any&s='.$s);
" ?>
" <?php if ($loop->have_posts()) : ?>
" " <p>I'm searching for the name of the page you tried to
visit... was it one of these?</p>
" " <ol>
" " <?php while ($loop->have_posts()) : $loop->the_post(); ?>
" " " <li><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php
the_title(); ?></a>
" " " " <?php the_excerpt(); ?>
" " " </li>
" " <?php endwhile; ?>
" " </ol>
"<?php endif; ?>

38. RSS?

40. “Report a problem”
• More likely to be used than “contact”
• Automatically fill in referring URL
• Link in theme footer

41. Gravity Forms example

42. How do you
keep it simple?

43. Thanks!
@sleary
sillybean.net