University Blog Service

Plugin Updates

• Popup Anything 2.1.6 -> 2.1.7
• WP Accessibility 1.8.1 -> 1.9.1
• WP Video Lightbox 1.9.4 -> 1.9.6
• Yoast SEO 19.1 -> 19.2

UBS service administrators have updated to WordPress 6.0. Please find more information here:

WordPress 6.0 “Arturo”

If you’d like to learn more about what’s new in WordPress 6.0 please view https://www.wpbeginner.com/news/whats-new-in-wordpress-6-0-features-and-screenshots/

WooSlider Retirement: The developer of WooSlider has retired their support for the plugin. https://woocommerce.com/retired/. We have received reports from UBS customers that it has broken their access to Widgets in their sites. Based on these issues, we are recommending users move to the plugin: New RoyalSlider. 

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Overview

Below you may find information about the two plugins we will be using to replace the defunct WooSlider on UBS. Additionally, there are also instructions for moving content from the WooSlider plugin to the New RoyalSlider plugin. Below, you may also find a guide covering how to display RoyalSlider content in a widget area utilizing the “amr shortcode any widget” plugin. 

ABOUT: New RoyalSlider

New RoyalSlider is an image gallery and content slider plugin. Every slider template is responsive, touch friendly, is built with best practises of WordPress plugins, and works with absolutely any theme.

More about the plugin here: https://dimsemenov.com/plugins/royal-slider/

ABOUT: amr shortcode any widget

Insert a widget or multiple widgets or a entire widget area (sidebar) into a page using a shortcode. Set up your widget first in a normal sidebar. Check it works. Then, drag your chosen widgets to the sidebar called “widgets for shortcode”. Add the do_widget shortcode to the page where you would like the widget to appear (or the do_widget_area) To use in the block editor, add a shortcode block, then type in (including the square brackets [do_widget widgetname] or copy the do_widget tip from the widget in the ‘Widgets for Shortcodes’ sidebar. 

More about the plugin here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/amr-shortcode-any-widget/

How to move content from WooSlider to RoyalSlider

Step-by-step guide

1) Activate the New RoyalSlider plugin from your Dashboard > Plugins > New RoyalSlider

2) Navigate to RoyalSlider in your Dashboard

3) IMPORTANT: Before creating your first slider, select “Settings” in RoyalSlider

a) Under “Preload CSS and Javascript files, make sure that the third option (“On every page”) is ticked to ensure correct slider functionality across your entire site

b) Save changes

4) Navigate to “Edit Sliders” and select the “Create New Slider” button and choose the type of slider you want to create (we recommend “Custom slider” for your first RoyalSlider)

5) Enter a name for your slider

6) Select the “Add Images” button and select the images that are currently used on your WooSlider slider

7) Choose a slider display option from the templates area

8) Select the “Create slider” button. You may edit the slider at any time and save your changes

9) Select the “Embed this slider to site” button

10) Embed your slider:

a) Add slider using shortcode

i) Paste the shortcode new_royalslider id="1" in content area of any post

ii) If you add slider that overrides default WordPress gallery, you need to add royalslider="1" attribute to shortcode

b) Add slider using Gutenberg block builder

i) Go to any post or page with Gutenberg editor and select RoyalSlider block

11) Publish your post and view it

How to display RoyalSlider in a widget area using amr shortcode any widget

Step-by-step guide

1) Activate the amr shortcode any widget plugin from your Dashboard > Plugins > amr shortcode any widget

2) From your dashboard, navigate to Appearance > Widgets

3) Select “RoyalSlider” from the available widgets and drag it into the desired widget area

4) Go to your live site to view the slider in action