9.0 version is critical update which will affect all sites on Re:hub theme. Please, read information below about changes, deprecated parts and possible issues and solutions
Due to new Envato rules for theme code, we must change file structure of theme, because widgets, meta panels, options, mail functions and shortcodes can’t be used in theme and must be placed inside plugin.
To prevent different problems, starting from 9.0 version, theme will have another name and folder names.
Previously, main rehub theme folder had name rehub. Child themes had names rething-child, rewise-child, etc Now, theme folder name is rehub-theme and child themes have name repick, rething, rewise, etc
Old child themes will not work with new Main theme. You must update both themes.
Due to fact that themes have another folder name, you can still use old theme and install new theme version in the same time. You can switch to old version of theme in any time if something is wrong on site.
Please, note, that auto update will not work from 8.6 to 9.0 version, you must install 9.0 version as new theme as described in installation guide
If you used 9.0 beta version, please, remove it, delete also Rehub Framework plugin and install new versions
We will also support 8 version of theme for some time and continue to add fixes if we find critical issues. You can find 8 version in full theme package which you can download on Themeforest. Most of functions are working the same in both versions. So, you can switch between them to move all outdated parts of site to new theme pages. All posts, products, theme options, modules of Elementor, WP bakery, widget settings are the same and you will not lose them while switching. Read below about deprecated parts which you should change in new version
Table of Contents
Deprecated parts
As we continue to add new functions, we must to remove some outdated parts which are not in use in theme to improve speed, security and overall code organization. So, we will remove totally some parts which were deprecated last few years.
There are: special layouts for ThirstyAffiliate plugin, Multioffer meta panels, MDTF templates.
MDTF styles and functions are still available in theme, but we recommend to move to Woocommerce if you build directory or comparison site as we add a lot of new functions and it’s several time faster to build such site on woocommerce than on posts. Read our tutorial here
Top rating constructor
This part will be totally removed from theme. If you had some pages with top rating constructor and used shortcode for them – it will work. If you didn’t use shortcode to show list – it will not work. Temporally, you can copy shortcode in end of top rating constructor and place it on page, but we recommend to use our new special List constructor module from Elementor which will be released in 9.0 version.
It’s really powerful feature and finally you can make very cool lists from frontend. This is what many of you were waiting long time. You can easily show additional information in columns, custom labels, typography, colors, dropdown panels, attributes, image attributes and you can even add filter panels and advanced sorting. Also, very important, that everything is looking great also on mobiles
Please, note, that Top table constructor will be also deprecated but later, so, we recommend to use new List builder.
Check video about new Listing builder on review list article.
Comparison button for posts
Post are not good for any type of filtering and comparisons. So, we decided to remove comparison buttons from posts. Now, you don’t need to use separate option for posts and products and hide buttons in posts. Please, use woocommerce, it’s ten time faster to build comparison sites on woocommerce, then posts. If you still need to use posts, you can use 8.6 version of theme
Blank child theme and customizations
If you use some customizations in child theme and want to use new theme, make sure that your custom child theme is pointing to correct theme folder. For this, open style.css of child theme and replace rehub to rehub-theme in top of file.
Also, you may have fatal error with notice that rehub_option function is not defined, so, you must add fallback function to your custom functions
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// Fallbacks
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
if(!function_exists('rehub_option')){
function rehub_option( $key ) {
if( is_customize_preview() ) {
$value = get_theme_mod( $key );
}
else {
if( class_exists( 'REHub_Framework' ) ){
$value = REHub_Framework::get_option( $key );
}
else {
$value = get_theme_mod( $key );
}
}
return $value;
}
}
Localization
If you don’t use own custom localizations – nothing will be changed. But if you used via Loco Translate, it will not work with new theme, so, you should make new localization. But there is better way. When you create your localization, Loco translate prompts you to save it globally in wordpress folder or Loco plugin’s folder. So, you can just find this file via ftp or file manager on hosting and rename it
Usually, your files are saved as wp-content/languages/themes/rehub_framework-RU_ru.mo and po file. Change them to name rehub-theme-RU_ru.mo and it will work with new theme version. Also, admin panels of theme are saved in rehub framework plugin instead of theme.
Table columns
Many of theme parts used table styles early, for example, offer lists. Now, we changed them to Flexbox models. If you used some custom lists, please, check our new styles. They are universal now and more easy to use them.
Full width Page template
This page layout which was deprecated early will be removed now. In next few months “Page for layout builder” will be also removed. Please, use default Page layout if you need full width pages, we merged all settings in it, so, you don’t need to switch templates when you want to have more control over page. We also added special “System pages” template which is great for cart pages, registration pages, order pages, etc. Once you activate your theme, it will change My account page, checkout and cart page to this new Layout if you have them as default layout with sidebar
Full width Footer Widget
Currently, it’s replaced by Full width Custom Footer Area. You can use it to build totally custom footer area via Elementor. Check tutorial
New option and functions
Now, about good things which you can get with update
Better optimized and better speed
As we removed deprecated parts and merged many things together, it must work a bit faster especially in admin pages.
New default styles
We reviewed default styles of theme and changed default colors, removed unused outdated styles and added more control options for global design of site. We are concentrated on more comfortable environment for site control, this is why we moved all design functions to Customizer, Elementor and Gutenberg. Now, you can see and control everything directly from Frontend of site. And we will continue to improve this. We already added near 40 custom modules for Elementor, most of them are very unique and we will introduce soon Elementor ready block library with more than 20 Homepages, near 40 custom blocks.
All default blocks are merged into one theme
Now, all templates are merged into main theme. You don’t need to choose one child theme to have special function from demo site. Child themes will have just different styles for some post blocks and are not required anymore.
Now, you can choose category, search layout among more than 10 different styles which will fit for any kind of site (deal lists and grid, masonry grid, equal height grids, lists with voting, news lists and many other modules are available now)
Elementor, more Elementor
Additionally, new options were added in some blocks for even more control. And yes, you will love new List builder module. We plan to make more video tutorials about some interesting ways of using Elementor.
Also, one big advantages of WP bakery plugin was that fact that you can use copy it’s shortcode and use in other pages.
Now, with new update, it’s available in Elementor and it’s even more easily.
Just create any page with Elementor, then, save it as Template
Then, go to Saved templates and you can find there special shortcode
Use it anywhere. For example, this can be useful when you build Mega menu or Custom footer (you can use shortcode in full width footer area)
We added updated tutorial for Mega menus with video and also video how to customize header, footer and other parts
Additionally, we added also Parallax and Smart sticky column to Elementor Free version
New Blog module
it’s very common situation when you have shop, directory or comparison site and you need to have also Blog, but you don’t want to spend time to make featured image for Blogs, make special formatting. Previously, all post modules have a featured image in archives, now, we added special template for simple Blog section. It’s simple, but very modern, great design to improve your site and it doesn’t have featured images. With Elementor, you can customize titles, excerpts and you can add up to 6 different color styles for each item for this module (You can find it by name “Colored post grid”
Finally, we finished such important reorganization of theme files and now, in next few updates we can concentrate on new demo sites which will show many new features of theme that were added in last year. Follow update for upcoming new e-commerce demo, Booking site demo, Cashback coupon demo, Digital multi vendor demo and many other cool things.
Bonus Plugin
As apologies for possible issues on your site while updating, we added additional bonus plugin Layered Popup which you can download in Rehub – plugins