Ellen Mae – Importing The XML File

Before You Begin

It is not required that you use an XML file in your website. This file is provided as a convenience for those who wish to exactly duplicate our theme demo. But for most cases it is far more work than needed because you can just start adding your own real content to your site rather than uploading placeholder content and then replacing it with genuine content.

If you are going to use the XML import, please make sure you have Genesis, your child theme, and your plugins all loaded and activated before you start.

Using a Genesis Theme XML File

1. Download the ellenmae.xml.zip file  (aka the demo data) from your My Account page.
2. Unzip the file
3. Log into your WordPress admin panel (as an administrator).
4. Install the Genesis framework.
5. Install your Genesis child theme and activate.
6. Install and activate any required plugins used in the demo/exporting site.
7. Go to Tools –> Import.
8. Choose “WordPress” from the list of available data options.
9. If the WordPress Importer is not already installed on your WordPress install, follow the instructions for installation.
10. Upload the ellenmae.xml file via the importer’s instructions. Don’t worry, this part is really easy. You just need to know where you saved the XML file on your local computer.
11. Map the authors in this XML file export to a user on your installation. For each author, you may choose to map to an existing user or create a new user.
12. You will then have the choice to import attachments. Say yes to this so you import content images, as well as home page sliders.
13. WordPress will then complete the import process by populating pages, posts, categories, tags, comments, images, and menus.

At this point you have the content, but you are not finished. You need to assign menus, configure widgets, and populate any theme settings.

Something is Wrong! Nope Not Really

The thing to remember is that the WordPress (not Genesis) XML export process only includes menus, pages, posts, categories, tags, comments, and images. It does not include widget settings, menu assignment, or theme settings. You have to configure this yourself. This is not an issue with Genesis or the theme, but a constraint of WordPress itself.

Also, if you don’t have the required plugins activated then the import may leave out some important parts. For example if the exporting site uses an image slider on the home page, has an event calendar or a store, these content types will be in the XML file. Unless those corresponding plugins are activated in your importing site those content types cannot be successfully imported.