Catalyst is progressing right along as one of the most advanced Premium WordPress Themes available today. With each new update we focus our attention on both increasing the capability of Catalyst as well as refining the features that already exist. It is our goal to continue to take this young, yet very refined WordPress Theme to new heights with every new release. With Catalyst 1.1.2 this is no different so read on to see what cool things we’ve done to make Catalyst better than ever!
Taking Custom Layouts To The Next Level
One of the awesome features that the Catalyst Premium WordPresss Theme offers is the ability to create an unlimited number of Custom Layouts. Being able to assign these Custom Layouts to single pages and posts makes it super easy to customize the structure of your website. But what about Archive pages, for example? Or maybe your Search Results page, 404 page or your individual Author pages?
Up until now these non singular pages were given the default layout and there was no way to specify otherwise. With Catalyst 1.1.2, however, this is no longer the case.
Now, in addition to being able to assign Custom Layouts to Single Posts and Pages, you can also assign them to…
- General Archive Pages
- Category Archive Pages
- Tag Archive Pages
- Search Results Pages
- 404 Pages
- and Individual Author Pages, each one being able to use a different Custom Layout
What this does is make it so you can quickly and easily take full control over the layouts or your different posts, pages and post/page types. And because we’re talking Custom Layouts here this means that you can now more easily focus specific Custom Widget Areas and Custom Hook boxes onto these page/post types. So if, for example, you wanted a Custom Widget Area to only display on your Category Archives Pages you can just assign a Custom Layout to your Category Archives page and then focus that Custom Widget Area on that particular Custom Layout.
New “Special Layout” Type:
With the last update we introduced the catalyst_landing_page Custom Layout type which makes it super easy to create Custom Landing Pages. With this update we’ve added the default_sidebars Custom Layout type which allows you to create a Custom Layout that takes on the Default Sidebars.
This is useful for those situations where you don’t need a new set of Custom Sidebar Widget Areas, but just want to change the Layout of a page with a Custom Layout. By using any variant of the default_sidebars name when creating your Custom Layouts you will do just that. Learn more about this new feature HERE.
Now You Can Set Default Widths For Your Custom Layouts!
Now you will find in your Dynamik Options > Widths section the ability to set Custom Layout Width Defaults for each type of layout (eg. Double Sidebar Layouts, Single Sidebar Layouts and No Sidebar Layouts). What this means is that you can now say, “From now on when I create a Single Sidebar Layout I want my Content Area Width to always default to 600px and my Sidebar 1 Width to always default to 300px”. And what you’re also saying with this scenario is that you always want your Wrap width for your Single Sidebar Custom Layouts to be 900px (that number may vary depending on some of your padding option values).
What this also does is make it easy to now ensure that every Custom Layout you create has the exact same total Wrap Width as your Default Layout (if so desired). So no more creating a no-sidebar Custom Layout, assigning it to a page, viewing that page and saying, “Crap, I forgot to adjust the Content Width to match my Default Layout Wrap Width.” Not a big deal, but something that bugged me a bit before and now is a non-issue.
Greater Control Over Your WordPress User Accounts
With Catalyst 1.1.2 you will now find two new options at the bottom of each of your WordPress User account pages. We’ve already mentioned the first one which is the ability to assign Custom Layouts to individual users Archive Pages, but the other should prove useful for Catalyst / WordPress Developers. You can now specify which Catalyst Admin pages you want each individual user to be able to access.
So let’s say you have a client that you only want to be able to access the Core Options, but you want to restrict access to the Dynamik and Advanced Options. This can be done by un-checking a few check boxes and clicking save. Want to remove access to the entire Catalyst Admin panel? One more check box and you’re set! So it’s a simple option, but super useful for those who need it.
Other Odds & Ends
We also fixed a few bugs and added a few more features in 1.1.2. For a complete list of these changes be sure to check out the Catalyst 1.1.2 Changelog.
Amazing, its getting better and better.
Awesome thanks so much guys keep it up!!
I could not be happier with my experience using the catalyst theme so far.
If I can make one request it would be to have additional tools to implement landing page and
salespage type features similar to how optimizepress does. To add buy boxes and graphics in
the wysiwyg editor would be amazing for all internet marketers!
Thanks again!!
Being able to do custom designs to almost any level desired is wonderful -just like some online magazines do it. I don´t need Drupal anymore.
Thank you very much dear Catalyst developers
Oh yes I also agree with Chad! I hate leaving my Catalyst theme and installing optimizepress (which is a good product) again. And optimize press can use both posts a n d pages which is useful if you need more text
I tried the Catalyst user settings to control accessibility of clients or 3rd party to Catalyst controls. I do not know if I did it correctly but the 3rd party user can go back into the user account to uncheck the access check boxes, so defeat the purpose.
Is it possible to implement an optional password protection to the user accessibility from within WP account and also linking to the Catalyst plugins.
I was thinking going into building sites using Catalyst, then on transferring the sites to clients, the clients will have to purchase a license (or unlimited license) via my affiliate link build in….should they want to make changes themselves.
Good for the Catalyst building team and myself.
Another Catalyst User raised this question in the forum and you can read my response HERE.
Eric
Hi Eric,
After seeing your online videos, I am very interested in purchasing Catalyst. However, before I purchase, I have a question about the ability to hide the Catalyst admin bar (on the left nav) from certain user groups. In other words, is it possible to restrict access to Catalyst admin options bar only to certain user groups, such as network administrators and/or site administrators? Most users only enter content and do not need such advanced options. Listing the Catalyst admin options will only confuse then.
Also, I have hundreds of users that I need to support and it is almost impossible to do the restriction for individual user. Thanks so much for your time. I look forward to hearing from you.
As you mentioned, you can do this on an individual user basis, but there’s nothing built into Catalyst that does this for you.
You may be able to accomplish this using a Plugin like “User Role Editor“, but I’m not sure.
Eric
I used plugins such as Membership and Adminimize to create new new groups and customize what is available to them. I am able to use those two plugins to control who has access to Gravity forms. I am not sure if it is possible to use the same plugins to control access to Catalyst admin options. What do you think? Thanks so much for your quick reply! –Lisa
Thank you for all the wonderful things you give us, catalyst and your personal support are just awesome. I love the people in the developers section of the forum as they are so willing to help as well as the staff at catalyst allways there to answer my individual questions. Where in the heck can you find such amazing one on one support for so little money as they charge for the developers license, NO WHERE!!!! that’s where. I have purchased lots of personal coaching for lots of money but never have I felt like I have gotten soooooooo much more than I have paid for and such a great value for the money I paid. My Clients love the designs and layouts I am able to give them using Catalyst theme. Great Big Warm Hugs Tenderspirit
Disabling access to Catalyst at the user level = genial
Hey Everybody,
Thanks for all the positive feedback and support! It’s our awesome Catalyst Community that will inevitably make Catalyst better and better. So keep it up!
Eric
Congratulations on another great milestone for Catalyst. I still haven’t gotten over my amazement at the last update, now there’s more to be excited about
Awesome!
Amazing, its getting better and better.Another great milestone for Catalyst.
Fantastic update. Thanks Catalyst team. I love how practically everything is customizable.