Live Preview should map sidebars as done on activation

[alexvorn2]

Problem:

Sidebar disappears in the live preview after theme deactivated.

Reproduce:

Fresh install of the WordPress trac:

1. Activate Twenty Ten theme
2. Click the Live Preview of Twenty Twelve
3. No sidebar in the preview

Bug 100%

[alexvorn2]

Expectation:

The sidebar should show with all default widgets in Live Preview

[nacin]

Twenty Ten names its first widget area "primary-widget-area". Twenty Eleven and Twenty Twelve use the more generic/standard "sidebar-1".

Since we do re-map sidebars on activation, we should probably do that on live preview as well.

I have a question. If this is a "Bug 100%" why do you need a second opinion on it? :-)

[alexvorn2]

because I thought this is a theme bug but actually this is a WP bug, so that's why I needed for someone's opinion.

[alexvorn2]

so this going to WP 3.6?

[rmarks]

I have looked over possibilities to fix this and think I'm close, but I need a little feedback please. These changes are in /wp-includes/class-wp-customize-manager.php:

In start_previewing_theme(), I propose to add near all of the add_filter()'s
update_option( 'theme_switched', $this->theme->stylesheet );

In stop_previewing_theme(), I propose to add
update_option( 'theme_switched', false );

I tested this code, but when I browse to /wp-admin/customize.php?theme=twentytwelve the first time, I do not see the sidebars. When I refresh, I do see the sidebars. I think I have the first update_option() call in the wrong place. Am I on the right track? Can someone point me toward where this should be?

[DrewAPicture]

Replying to rmarks:

I have looked over possibilities to fix this and think I'm close, but I need a little feedback please.

Would you like to ​submit a patch?

[alexvorn2]

Replying to rmarks:

I tested this code, but when I browse to /wp-admin/customize.php?theme=twentytwelve the first time, I do not see the sidebars. When I refresh, I do see the sidebars. I think I have the first update_option() call in the wrong place. Am I on the right track? Can someone point me toward where this should be?

You do not see the sidebars from the first time because they did not registered yet.
I have not looked in the code but I think a dev should look into this because here things are not so easy.

[rmarks]

Based on the logic in comment:5, here is a patch. It has a logic error in that the registering of the sidebars occurs too late.

[rmarks]

Replying to DrewAPicture:

Would you like to ​submit a patch?

Just did. Thank you for the help yesterday.

[alexvorn2]

Replying to DrewAPicture:
this is not a working patch, please read the comment...
It's just an approach or so.

[DrewAPicture]

Replying to alexvorn2:

Replying to DrewAPicture:
this is not a working patch, please read the comment...
It's just an approach or so.

Look, @rmarks is looking for feedback on his approach. There is nothing that says uploaded patches even have to work, but something is better than nothing.

We are here to foster learning in addition to improving core through contribution so if I might make a suggestion, a little less time spent on shooting down suggestions might go a long way toward finding a solution this ticket.

There are such things as incremental patching and learning while doing, which @rmarks seems ready and willing to try. Have a better suggestion? Make a better patch.

[alexvorn2]

I think there is need for a better patch, but as I said "I think a dev should look into this because here things are not so easy."

[alexvorn2]

Tested the patch, seems to be working for me.

[alexvorn2]

related #28060

[westonruter]

@alexvorn2: I believe that this issue would have been resolved by #27767 (and #27897), please test in 4.0 Alpha (will be in the 3.9.1 release). We're now invoking the widget remapping logic when first loading the Customizer in a theme switch preview. When the theme gets activated, the remapped widgets go live.

[nacin]

Duplicate of #27897.