Copy existing web blog as base for a new web blog

[Armand1]

Hi there,

I have an existing web blog site and would like to take the style, coding, pages, aso... - not the blog posts - for a new blog site. Last time when I copied one of my sites I learned changes made in the copied version are effected to the original version too. Because custom themes are global so if I make an edit to the custom theme while editing one site I will see those changes on another site using the same custom theme.
Is there a way to copy a whole site and not having this effect. Or is re-coding it all by hand the only way.
Thanks for your help and please excuse my German-English.

[Bernadette3]

Hi @Armand You can get around this by opening the theme editor in the copy site and renaming it on save. 

[Bernadette3]

Although, to be on the safe side in case anything has changed, you might want to try making a very small change after renaming and verify on the original site that it still has the original code. 

[Armand1]

Hi Bernadette, thank you for your answer. Already copied my original site and created the new site as you recommended. But I'm facing now another problem and don't what to do now. When I try to export the theme from my original site, get the prompt window what to do with the zip file (open or save), but then a short while later get an error message. Have a look at the attached pictures. First, it looks like a local problem, something like file properties or so. 

And the same behaviour when I try to export the theme of the copied site. Even worse: In Weebly I click the Theme tab, then click on "Edit HTML / CSS" absolute no reaction. Waited for dozen minutes, nothing happens. So no access to all header or css code anymore.

So I tried exporting themes from other sites I have and there it works. Is just the theme from my western-arctic.weebly.com.

As you can see in the 2nd picture the mentioned file has the size 0 bytes, and when I click in the prompt window the zip.part-file will be deleted as well. So this theme I can't export, others I can. Is it maybe the size, because have earlier version exported and they are at 1.6 MB.

Looking forward to your answer, Armand

Please excuse my German-English

Pic 1:

Pic 2:

[Adam7]

Hmm... Does it do that if you switch to a different browser?

[Armand1]

Hi Adam,

tried with Chrome, and yes doesn't work as well.

In the bottom status bar in Chrome after start "export Theme" see the kB counting up, then at 3.5 MB it stops and the message "Failed - Network Error" occurs.

Don't think is a browser issue because have another website and there is no problem export the theme.

I think it has to do with one of the theme file (js, css, ...). If you have a look at the website western-arctic.weebly.com you will see a lot of features I included. For example in Itinerary (https://western-arctic.weebly.com/itinerary.html) and scroll down to the Mapbox part, or the galleries (https://western-arctic.weebly.com/galleries.html).

Maybe the problem is to be searched here. No idea, and for me, it doesn't make sense. Because all the files are physical on Weebly server and the export doesn't depend on the content of the files. So, no idea.

Hope the Chrome message provides now a hint.

Armand

[Adam7]

Are there a lot of files in the theme? I suppose it's possible that it could be big enough or have something included with it that it might cause some kind of timeout during export.

[Armand1]

Hi Adam,

try to count the number of files, but can't give you a real number. Why? Have 4 websites, and none of them I was able to load into the editor. Sometimes i get this "An error occurred during a connection to www.weebly.com. PR_CONNECT_RESET_ERROR", or this "Secure Connection Failed An error occurred during a connection to 109875360-712638656752934103.preview.editmysite.com".

So can't load any site anymore, or get a blank edit window.

For two websites I used the theme "Unbound-Unite" as a base and modified it. So checked a very early export from "western-arctic.weebly.com", before I coded the map and galleries function, in there are about 120 files in it. So maybe in the current version might be 130 to 140 files.

My guess is, the code behind the "Edit html /css" button read all files are listed here and try to find them on the server. But there are some missing, and then the function runs into timeout.

So what can do? I think from my side I can't do anything. even with the situation that I'm not able to load any of my sites is very frustrating.

Is there a way to forward this problem to the developing department?

Thanks, Adam for your help.

[Armand1]

Hi Adam,

still fighting with my problem, but today found very awkward things in my Weebly site.

First was able to access the Weebly Code Editor again.

Thought to take the change and create a backup of ALL file here, manually, by copy the content, then paste into Notepad++ and save locally on my machine.

So I created the same folder structure and went from file to file. Most of the folders come with the theme, but there are two I created for my own under the folder "ASSETS". These two folders are "myfiles" with js-files and css-files my map and gallery feature. The other folder is "myimages", where I uploaded all the pictures for my According Galleries, and only for that.

In this folder I run each file and checked the content, then missed one picture file: "180_20190826_105929.jpg"

But now it comes: In here found also the folder called "Images", which comes with the theme I guess, but it should be one level higher as a subfolder of ASSETS.

Anyway, run through too, some svg files and two png I uploaded here too. But also the missing picture 180_20190826_105929.jpg, unfortunately, the content isn't the original picture anymore. Instead the content is this:

NameDimensions

180_20190826_105929_comp.jpg

12 x 9

Image

Also found a js-file here: jquery.revealer.js, content looks ok, is js code.

This is definitely as it should be, the Image folder should be one level higher, and jquery.revealer.js should be under ASSETS.

So back one level up to "myimages" folder and continuing checking what else is in here. And surprise, two more js-files:

1. jquery.loadTemplate.min.js with this content: Name jquery.loadTemplate.min.js Dimensions 720 x 360

2. plugin.js containing this: Name plugins.js Dimensions 720 x 360

Because of the moving to a different folder, both file lost their code!!!

And believe me, I didn't upload my picture file into the wrong place or moved the js file where they do not belong to be.

Also mentioned this very awkward behaviour of the code editor, especially the files manager part weeks/month ago. Very often you click on one file, nothing happened, and then later you see some folder/files are moved anywhere. Sorry, the file manager isn't reliable and needs a review. It happens today again, I moved the image folder up under ASSETS, and later was in folder myimages again.

Made some screen dumps and attach, please have a look. And please inform the developer if you are able to do.

Now will try to get the original content of each certain file back, and hope it solves my problem. At least the missing picture 180_20190826_105929.jpg could cause export failure. (My guessing in the previous reply.)

Please keep me informed, Armand

PS: Now i know how many files: 144

and the size (without the pictures for the gallery): 1.8 MB

[Armand1]

Hi Adam,

tried to recreate the folder structure and upload missing files and contents in Firefox . But again, in Firefox after every upload of a file the folder structure is changed, files moved to somewhere they don't belong too.

Then tried Chrome, looked a bit more reliable, so recreate the structure and uploaded missing files and content, but the Export Html/css still doesn't work. Same Error again: At 3.2 MB Network error.

I have no idea how to continue, but this behaviour of the editor, I'm not confident to click anywhere. Every click change the structure.

I have no problem to pride you/or any developer with my access data, so someone can have a look at it.

Please, need help now.

Armand

[Adam7]

Hmm... Which site is this? I'll see if it will let me export the theme (I think I'll see what you do, but you never know).

[Armand1]

Thank you Adam.

It is the site western-arctic.weebly.com.

In the meantime, I have two themes for this website. With the original one westernarctic I don't have access to the Editor anymore. When I click on Edit Html/Css nothing happens. No reaction at all, I waited for almost 30 min for a reaction, nothing.

Then I  created a new zip file by copy and paste all files from the editor when I had access last time, this theme is called westernarcticmanualexport. If I choose this theme (btw: all content the same as in westernarctic), at least I have access to the editor again, so far all last times I tried.

But the export doesn't work with both themes.

Also, I made a copy of the theme westernarcticmanualexport, did some small data modification like names etc., gave it a new name and choose it for a new website. This website is across-canada.weebly.com, the theme is acrosscanada_1. And here it is: No problem access the editor, no problem export the theme.

Hope you find something.

Thanks again Adam, and please excuse my German-English.

[Adam7]

So the copy of the theme that would not export would actually export fine for you? That is strange. I sent an email to you with the theme attached, but realized I had sent the copy of the theme and not the original. I was able to export the original, so I will send that over in a moment.

[Armand1]

Adam, thank you so much for exporting the themes for me.

Checked the zip from the original theme (westernarctic.zip) and compared to the screen dumps i made last time when I had access to the editor, well the zip doesn't correspond to it: Files are missing in the zip, or files/folders are in different locations. And this caused the problem I think: What you see in the editor is not what is on the server. And therefore the awkward behaviour in the file manager all-time, moving files/folders when I click on a file.

And maybe it explains that export failed when I try. Why it worked for you, that is awkward.

The other theme (westernarcticmanualexport.zip) created with my manual export looks like it should be. And with choosing this theme I have editor access, so I will stay with this theme and delete the other one.

It is not so bad if I still can't do any exports, because there are not many changes needed to do.

To answer your question: Yes, I used a copy of the theme (westernarcticmanualexport.zip) for a new website (across-canada.weebly.com) and no problem, editor works fine, exporting also.

So will stay with westernarcticmanualexpeort theme and see how it goes.

Again, thank you Armand

[Adam7]

Not a problem! If you have trouble in the future please feel free to post again.