Considering another (new) website

canderson1229

I am considering creating a new website, is it possible (and if so how) to be working on a new website but the old one still functions until the new one is to be published to replace the old one? Do I just use a different URL until its complete or do I even have to do that? Any thoughts and help would be appreciated!

Hikin' Mike

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denisegoldberg

@canderson1229, I assume you are talking about a new SmugMug site to replace the old one. Is that right?

I think you can make changes to your site in a new theme and just not publish it until you are ready - but I haven't done this myself and I wouldn't be comfortable with that answer without some confirmation.

@leftquark can you or a smugmug hero jump in here?

canderson1229

Yes thanks Denise, yes a new theme I just want the current one to be there as I build and tweak until ready.

denisegoldberg

@canderson1229 said:
Yes thanks Denise, yes a new theme I just want the current one to be there as I build and tweak until ready.

I found a set of statements on the help page Use themes to tweak my design that seem to support creating a new theme but not applying to your full site:

You can apply themes to specific pages, folders, or galleries without affecting any themes you have applied to all pages, all folders, or all galleries. To see the theme you applied to a single page, folder, or gallery, you'll need to click "+Make This Page/Folder/Gallery Custom" in the Customizer when it opens. You'll see the words change to "Just This Gallery/Folder/Page" to confirm you're changing the theme only for that section of your site and nowhere else.

It seems like creating a set of test pages/folders/galleries and assigning a new theme to them would allow you to experiment and fine-tune the new theme without changing your site until you are ready.

canderson1229

Thank you Denise! That's so helpful!