Journalized theme Version 2.7.2 for WordPress versions 2.5 through 2.7 is now available.
The latest version fixes a couple of bugs and is now ready for internationalisation. It comes with Russian translation files (Russian translation kindly supplied by Dmitriy Donchenko)

or TAR ball journalized-theme-2.7.2.tar.gz
Update: The theme has been updated to version 2.7.2.
The theme has the following features:
- Comes with six seven built in ‘skins’ (including the old Blue, Sand, Winter, and Xmas)
- A new administration interface to configure the theme.
- All known browser bugs addressed. Tested in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Webkit (Safari), and Opera
- Support for widgits, tags, and Gravatars
- Can be configured to have 1, 2, or 3 columns.
- The number of columns can be configured separately for archive pages and single posts or pages.
- Supports custom header image, including in the background
- Supports full-width or center column header
- Compatible with WordPress versions 2.5, 2.6 and 2.7
- Supports threaded comments (WordPress 2.7 only)
- Supports paged comments (WordPress 2.7 only)
- Supports drop-in custom skins
- XHTML 1.0 transitional
- Supports multiple languages. Comes with Russian as a second language.
Here is a screen shot of the new administration interface used to configure the theme.

And here is an example of the nested comments. It also supports paged comments in WordPress version 2.7.

You can configure a number of features of the header:
After almost two years of inactivity, this theme is finally updated and available again.
You can download the final release here:

ZIP file journalized-theme-2.7.2.zip
or TAR ball journalized-theme-2.7.2.tar.gz.
This version completely replaces all the old versions, including the standalone Journalized Sand, Blue, and Winter themes (unless you are still on WordPress 1.5).
Please give it a try and let me have any feedback in the comments on this page. I have kept the old comments here, just add any new comments as usual. The theme is licensed under the GPL. So you may modify it and distribute it. I’m very interested to hear if you use it, modify it, etc. If you have any questions leave a comment on this post with your question. Comments are moderated so you won’t see your comment immediately.
I will write some more information about creating your own skins in the next few weeks. I will also document some of the hundreds of configuration possibilities!
Update: You can now download an extra skin! This is the Xmas skin I occasionally use on this blog. Note this skin is now included with version 2.7.2.
You can download the xmas skin here:
xmas-skin-2.7.1.zip.
- Once you have downloaded it. Unzip it, then upload the files to your journalized/skins directory.
- Go to Appearance -> Journalized Options in the admin screen, and select the new skin.
- If you want a picture of Santa to appear along side your blog title, type ‘santa.gif’ into the ‘Header Image’ box and uncheck both ‘Add the image in the background’ and ‘Turn off the blog title’.
- If you want your header to be full width, check that box and set header image height to be 138 pixels (that worked for me)
- Finally save your settings and you are done


Matt,
That’s weird, because if I look at your site in IE6 it looks fine. I don’t have a copy of IE7 here to try, but I may be able to look tomorrow.
Mike
I would like to be able to “list posts” similar to the options offered by Fuzzy Posts.
A listing of the titles, linked to the actual post.
Thank you for any suggestions, I am so liking Journalized and “planning” how to modify the skins so I can change the look “with the seasons” or more often
Wheat
Personal comment:
Thank you for the templates. They are great.
I downloaded your Journalized 2.0 blog template tonight and installed it on my blog, http://www.thedoorway.org/blog/. I noticed that the save function of the options page did not save the changes I made in the text that appears at the top of columns A and C. Is there a workaround?
Since it didn’t work that way and didn’t have the other items that ver. 1.0 has in my column C, I’ve gone back to ver. 1.0.
Mike, don’t know if this can be done or not, but on the individual post pages, we’ve been able to put some code in there for some social bookmarking icons/links, but we have not been able to do so on the front page of the blog (center column). Is there a way to do this? I’m sure we’re just missing something simple but any help you can give is GREATLY appreciated, Sir. Thanks again for such a rockin’ theme and for all of your previous help. Also, thank you in advance for any help you can give in this matter, at your convenience, of course
I can’t get the save function to work, so I just renamed the color schemes and manually removed the top sections from each column. Kinda defeats the purpose a little, but I love the theme.
Mike, are you still planning to release an update? I’m hoping to add widgets to my blog.
With the change of how blogrolls are displayed in WP 2.1÷2.2, I had to change that portion of the column-b.php (in my case) template. What I ultimately changed that section to after searching through the /wp-includes/widgets.php file (it should keep compatibility with 2.0.x):
Any word on the widgetized version?
I have this theme uploaded and I can get to the theme editor OK and all, but when I tick the circle that has the flower theme, and click on save settings, it stays the same theme, which is the blue theme. What do I need to do?
(I don’t have the theme live right now.)
Hi Mike, any news yet on the widgetized version? Unfortunately, we had to take our lovely template down which we had hacked severely to enable widgets and other design considerations, with the newer WordPress upgrades we could no longer maintain the hacks as they kept on breaking and had to default to K2.
SO, will there be a stabilized version of 3col anytime in the near future?
Hello the save function is not working on upgrade to wp 2.2.1 it did work.… on old version of wp 2.0 it worked maybe if I knew where file is written? I could fix? maybe it needs a chmod or something
The error may be in this file
functions.php
Great Theme but one problem I can not get the theme options to save . Using journalized-theme-2.0-Beta-2 and wordpress 2.2.1
Thanks
DaNc
it is working now did a re install of WordPress
DaNc
Journalized Theme Version 2 broken by wp 2.2.1
Hello I upgraded from wp 2.0 to 2.2.1 and it broke the theme mentioned.
In this theme there is a options page called Journalized theme options. It has a save button. The save button does not write to the sql tables anymore.
This is preformed by a file called functions.php.
This file has default setting for this theme. If I edit thoose, it writes to the sql dbase.
But if i hit save button on page it does not.
I assume that a minor change was made on how the data is saved to dbase in wordpress when upgrading from 2.0 to 2.2 as the upgrade script says as much when you run it.
Anyways it seems that some minor mod is needed here to get this theme back up… can anyone help me with this… thanks..
Vis.
The theme is here
http://zed1.com/journalized/themes/journalized-theme-version-2/
the betat 2.2 addresses my issues thaks
It‘s possible set journalized to fix width?
In my case, I need put max 750px.
Thks
Saving settings doesn;t work. Just reverts to the Blue skin color no matter what I select…
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Hold on 214. Maybe not the theme; I’m still working on it.
Please help how to add widgets to sidebar, I am trying but its just not working yet, you have other things happening with this theme its not so simple to add widget.. just scrap all placement commands let widgets do that some how and keep your other options such as header page reading and so … widgets do it all for ya I am not sure how a 2 colum widget sysytem woul work?
Hi Mike, love the theme. I have installed it even though it is not widget ready. Having widgets will just finish it off nicely.
I am still working on widgets rather frustrating so far
I’ve noticed a problem with your theme, it comes back with this error, no matter what. I can’t even revert to another theme. I had to empty out the function.php file, and I was finally able to get the default theme back. Here’s the error message:
Fatal error: Cannot redeclare journalized_add_theme_page() (previously declared in /wwwdocs/blogs/wp-content/themes/journalized/functions.php:29) in /wwwdocs/blogs/wp-content/themes/journalized/functions.php on line 123
As far as I can tell, it’s not re-declaring it anywhere.
Vis -
Short version of Widgetizing Journalized:
- Add two register_sidebar functions to functions.php, naming each (do not give them the same name), putting <div class=“sidebarsection”> in the before_widget array, </div in after_widget, <h4> in before_title, and </h4 in after_title.
– Invoke dynamic_sidebar(‘name’) in both column-a.php and column-b.php (using the names you gave them in functions.php).
That, along with Automattic’s basic instructions, should give you a Widgetized Journalized with both columns able to take widgets. At least that worked for me.
Do note, if there is at least one widget in either column, it will override the theme options for that column except for whether the column is displayed. That means that, for example, if you had a calendar in Column B and add a widget to column B, you’ll lose the unless you add the “calendar” widget. Conversely, if you only add a widget to column A, you’ll still have the calendar in column B.
If Mike’s e-mail didn’t spam away what I sent him, he does have some modifications I did in a zip file somewhere, including a few other “housekeeping” changes mainly designed to make Journalized fully 2.1÷2.2 compliant (it doesn’t deal with tags, so I can’t say it’s fully 2.3-compliant).
Hi Mike,
I have used your theme, slightly modified (or rather modified a lot over the years), for about two years. Yesterday I upgraded my WordPress installation to 2.3.1. Are you still working on your themes, and will you make a version fully compatible with the latest WP version?
My site is at http://nyfiken.org/ but after the upgrade it does not yet look quite the way I had intended it to.
If you reply to this I would appreciate it if you would write me en email about is as I will not be reading this page on a daily basis.
Best regards, and thank you for a nice set of themes,
Johan Adler
Stockholm, Sweden
Mike, I’ve been trying without luck to load an image to the header. I’m new to this. Which of the files should I be adding it to? and, on which line? Sorry for the wording but, just spent 3 hours trying and have to go now.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Al
This looks like a great theme! You might want to consider changing the file download URL to a regular URL so that wget will work with it? It is a trick that alot of linux admins who work on SSH use.
I love this, been looking for a three column.
Going to put it on my sandbox site and get to tweaking.
Thanx alot for this!
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This is a nice looking theme that would fit well with a few of the sites I’m putting together for a neighbourhood community board.
Thanks for the update!
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It’s very nice. I’ll have to try this out on one of my blogs.
this is very nice and orderly…
Hey, hey; an update, and not just plugins either. Looks like I’ll have to do some downloading a bit later.
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Still looks good. I’m surprised you took out the “author” link back here.
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Hi Steve,
I did, didn’t I? I can’t remember the thinking behind that decision, it was a long time ago. Hmmm.…
Thanks for your comment on the font size problem.
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Mike,
Glad to see the old theme updated and changing back to it, but I get an error message when clicking on a category:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in /home/xxxx.com/blog/wp-content/themes/journalized/archive.php on line 87
Both in IE6 and Firefox
Any ideas?
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the error report. I’ve used a 2.7 function if an author archive is not found (copied from the default theme), so it breaks on earlier versions. Replace that line (87) with the following:
if (function_exists('get_userdatabylogin')) {
printf("<h2 class='center'>Sorry, but there aren't any posts by %s yet.</h2>", get_userdatabylogin(get_query_var('author_name'))->display_name);
} else {
echo("<h2>Sorry, but there aren't any posts by that author.</h2>");
}
I’ll try to release a new version this weekend (I have a CSS fix to publish too).
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Thanks for the theme. I always love simple theme like yours.
Am curious how customizable this theme is. While I like the current theme I use for astralaudio.net, this new one has some nice collumn changes (and is good for wp2.7). So, would want to match the color design as on the current theme and use the added features of your theme to spice things up. Awesome work!
–Allen Sale, Executive Producer of Astral Audio Productions
I can’t get a header image to appear, no matter what code I put in the link. The admin panel doesn’t look anything like yours, above, either. There are no pix in it. Using WP265. I’ve tried all of your zip files too, no changes with any of them.
Thanks for this beautiful theme.
Hi Allen,
The theme is very customisable.
If you want a new colour scheme, the easiest thing to do is copy one of the existing xxx-skin.css files which looks similar to what you want (i.e. spacing, font size, etc.).
Copy it to a new name of the format colourscheme-skin.css, and the theme control panel will automatically pick it up and offer it as a choice.
Go through changing the colours to be what you want. Most of the skins only use three or background colours, and three or four foreground/border colours.
All the rest of the flexibility is configurable from the control panel and with widgets.
Enjoy!
Mike
Hi Twolane,
Did you make sure to upload the ‘skins’ subdirectory? Also check the permissions, it needs to be readable by the web server, 755 for the directory and 644 for the files in it.
Mike
Everything is as you say it should be, ‘skins’ directory included.
Design/Journalized Options is nothing but text and buttons.
There is no header image appearing, neither from the default ‘skins’ directory, nor by full path located in an ‘images’ directory.
It’s all working now.
Now there’s no styling selections in the write post area. Also, when I click on HTML, the write area disappears, and I can’t get it back. I am not a newbie. What’s going on with this theme?
Hi Twolane,
I’m not sure what is going wrong for you, but the theme has nothing to do with Write Post page. It’s code is not even called on that page.
It does sound like you might be having problems with JavaScript (it is JavaScript which controls and displays the formatting buttons for example.
My theme does not use any JavaScript.
Do you have any plugins installed? Maybe there is an incompatibility with one of your plugins.
Apparently there’s a problem with tinyMCE.
http://wordpress.org/support/topic/220455
Sure is looking good on the 2.7 nightly. Thanks, Mike!!
Hi Mike!
Here is your theme translated to russian language.
http://blogproblog.com/tema-dlya-wordpress-27-journalized/
Journalized is one of the best themes for wordpress!
Hi Dmitriy,
Thank you very much for this translation!
I think I must properly internationalise the theme and use your translation as the first supported language.
Mike
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I also need to translate your theme into several languages. if you would implement localization, users could use this plugin: h**p://www.code-styling.de/english/development/wordpress-plugin-codestyling-localization-en to translate it and send to you.
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I’m getting an error whenever I click on a catagory. PHP Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in djskylab.com\wp-content\themes\journalized\archive.php on line 88
Also.. I’m having some overlay with the tables. Middle tables is overlapping the right sidebar sometimes. What can I do?
Great theme. Thanks!
Mike,
I use SiteMeter and installed the code but apparently I only get hits if the main page is accessed whereas I often get visitors to individual pages. Is there someplace else I need to add the code in order to make sure all my hits get counted?
And thanks much for your theme. I’m glad you updated it as I could not use it with the newer version of WP.
Mike, please disregard. Like a dumbass I had the code on the wrong php page. All fixed now.
I’m still getting the parse error…
Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in XXX/wp-content/themes/journalized/archive.php on line 88
…even though I have replaced line 87 with the code suggested above…
if (function_exists(‘get_userdatabylogin’)) {
printf(“Sorry, but there aren’t any posts by %s yet.”, get_userdatabylogin(get_query_var(‘author_name’))->display_name);
} else {
echo(“Sorry, but there aren’t any posts by that author.”);
}
What am I doing wrong?
Scott Ott
In the meantime, I have commented out that section.
I am looking at using this theme for a new project and ran into two problems. I am running WordPress 2.6.5 with PHP4.4.9:
This happens on the main page:
Fatal error: Call to undefined function: get_search_form() in C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wordpress265\wp-content\themes\journalized\column-a.php on line 56
This happens when I click on a category link:
Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in C:\Inetpub\wwwroot\wordpress265\wp-content\themes\journalized\archive.php on line 88
Soemthing wrong with my configuration or are these know issues?
Mike
Hi, Mike Walsh and Scott Ott,
The latest version (2.7.1) of the theme should fix both your problems.
There were a couple of calls to WordPress 2.7-specific functions which broke things in exactly the places you both mention.
Download the latest version and you should be good to go. Let me know if there are further problems.
Mike
I was getting the error on line 88, downloaded the new version, replaced the files and now I get the error on line 87 instead.
Any ideas?
Here’s the error: Parse error: syntax error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in /home/antzinpa/public_html/kns/wp-content/themes/journalized/archive.php on line 87
Thanks, Mike. The files you sent worked.
GREAT customer support!
Hi Mike!
First thanks to fix the header in the flower skins! Works perfectly!
One little thing ..and it is no big deal:
I tried to set up the WP with a static page. I had the theme set up with 2 columns, pages + posts with one column.. What happened is if you do that, the home page becomes a one column home page. It is normal and logical, I undestand that!
Question: would it be possible in the future to have an “override feature” if a static page is choosen to be displayed on the home page?
In ohers words, to keep the 2 columns (or the set up for the home page whatever it it) on the home page EVEN IF the theme post — pages had been set up with one column.
Thanks
Roger Pilon
Hi Mike!
Again me!
You already have 4 templates available. AS it is now, you pick one and it is used for all posts + all pages.
Why not in the future, create 4 new pages templates based on these 4 “css templates”
1) page template 2 columns
2) page template right column
3) pages template left column
4) page template no columns at all
Each template will have just one function: to call the right CSS page (which are alreday done and is the most time consuming to create.).
Could you imagime how much flexibility it would add to your theme?
And again, I am repeating myself here, the worst is already done (the 4 templates)!
My $0.02 cents!
Thanks
Roger Pilon
Hi,
Thanks mike i was waiting for this theme nearly 2 years.I want to change the colour scheme for this theme could you please let me know where i need to change the colours.
Best Regards
Roger,
Glad the fix worked. It will be in the next release.
I see what you mean about the home page and the templates. I might consider both your ideas for a future release.
Mike
Debian,
I replied to your direct email…
For everyone’s benefit, here’s a brief overview of how to create your own custom Journalized skin:
The easiest thing to do is take one of the skins that you already like (maybe in terms of borders, spacing, etc) and copy it to a new name with the following format:
skinname-skin.cssin the skins directory. That will automatically be available on the journalized theme options page to select from (if you also create (or copy) a little screen shot thumbnail asskinname-thumb.pngit will use that to.Then just start changing the colours in the css file.
Nice job mike..
I used your theme.. Thank for your kindnesss.
Success for you
Hi Kemi,
I’m glad you like it.
Hello Mike and users. Thanks for your theme and your help.
I would like to know how to get images or logos in the columns. In what template and what line.
Thank you from Spain.
Hi Peter,
You do not need to edit the templates. You can put (almost) anything you want in the columns by adding text Widgets and typing in the HTML.
Mike
Thanks.
How difficult would it be to add tabs at the top?
Hi Steve,
Hmmmm… I think it would need quite a few changes to support tabs. I will put it on the list of possible future features.
Mike
Thanks! Good theme!
But I too have problem with archive
Parse error: parse error, unexpected T_OBJECT_OPERATOR in wp-content/themes/journalized/archive.php on line 87.
And I use 2.7.1 theme version
Hi Dmitry,
This seems to be a PHP version specific problem. I will send you a version of archives.php by direct email. Please let me know if it fixes your problem. If so I can incorporate it into new release of the theme.
Mike
Thank you, Mike! I received this file. And with new version archives.php all work fine.
Thank you for help!
Dmitry
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Strange that no images appear on the Journalized ‘Options’ page.
Oops… simple error in my WP config was keeping the images from showing… my bad.
Now, about those drag-n-drop widgets…
The theme(s) looks so nice, exactly what I’ve been looking for, for a long while.
However, no matter what I do, I can’t get the save function to work. Choosing Eggs or any of the skins or the layout, I’m still left with the blue standard theme.
Am I missing something? I’ve checked the files, which all seem to have the correct permissions, 755 and 644.
How come the save sattings function doesn’t apply the changes?
Hope you can help and thank you so very much for this awesome looking theme
–Thomas
Hi Thomas,
Are you using the latest version of the theme (2.7.x)? The problem you describe existed in version 2.0 and was fixed a couple of years ago.
Thank you for updating this theme. It was the first one I ever used and have had a hard time finding an adequate theme to replace it with. Glad I don’t have to now
I have been using your theme for a while and really like the design and ease of use. My problem is that it looks fine with Firefox, but when opened from IE it does not display the sidebars on the main page. If one of the posts is selected then the sidebars do appear. What do I need to do to show the full page with right and left sidebars when using IE?
Thanks,
Hi Ken,
which version of IE? and what screen resolution are you using?
Mike
Two different laptop configurations:
1680 X 1050
IE 6.0.2900.5512.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206 – 1234
1280 X 800
IE 7.0.5730.13
Thanks,
Ken,
Sorry I forgot to chase this one up. But the problem in IE is caused by the post entitled “Another Obama Appointment Mistake”.
In that post you have a whole bunch of non standard HTML tags, likely added by pasting from Word, which are breaking the layout.
It starts with
<!--[if gte mso 9]>and ends with
<!--[endif]-->If you remove that stuff then it works fine.
Mike
Hi Mike,
Just called in to say I like this theme. Its a nice organised theme.
I dl the 2.7.2 yesterday. It also has a nice selection of theme options too.
Where is the font,font type, and size. Example, Verdana please, I can’t find it?
K
Hi Kate, you have to edit the CSS file skins/winter-skin.css to change the font. The font setting is right at the beginning of that file.
Mike
“Mike (to cite another) You are THE MAN!” — you so generously and patiently devote your remarkably limited spare time to supporting your free theme. It’s about time you concentrated this effort into another of your compelling books. Hurry up and get it written, already!
(Oh, and I just wanted to push this post to 300 comments).
You are THE MAN.
Mike,
With the launch of 2.8, how will this effect the theme (with all the new changes put in)? The upgrade is a tempting one but I’d rather wait until we know for certain Journalized is ready for the 2.8 spotlight. Great work as always.
–Allen Sale
Executive Producer
Astral Audio Productions
Hi Allen,
I’ve just run through some tests with a 2.8 blog and Journalized 2.7.1 works fine.
Hi Mike,
Sorry I went back a version lol to your 1.0.2 I really like that its so organised.
I have errors on both sides though. I dl a fresh zip but its no different. The two sidebars have decided they prefer the middle lol of my posts. Obviously no one can read where the sidebars cover. Gives a whole new meaning to reading between the lines..haha
What about long posts:
Long headings:
pictures too big at 450 width:
I just removed all my <div align and just put in center but no change.
There is nothing wrong at all with the theme except something I did recent but I know not what. Been at it now for two days before asking.
Thanks for any help Mike.
Kate
Hi Kate,
I’m pretty sure version 1.0.2 will not work with WordPress 2.8. Was there a specific reason you could not use the latest version (2.7.2)?
Hey Mike, just wanted to quickly ask since your last comment about these themes was dated July 12th. Any chance you get these working for 2.8? Or better yet 2.9? Let me know, these are some pretty nifty templates and could use a few. Hope to hear back from you and thanks again for all your creative work.
wow there we go i was searching for different colors layouts and here it is .thanks any updates on latest version..?