Here’s a plugin I feel every WordPress blog should not be without. I just came across it and boy, does it sure come in handy. Basically what this plugin does is to put up a temporary page to announce that you are doing some site maintenance and to be right back back in X amount of time.
Maintenance Mode Plugin is one of those plugins that happen to address a very common issue every WordPress blogger encounters when they need to take their blog down for a some tweaking or repairs. Previously, bloggers had to switch the index.php file with a static maintenance page, but this plugin makes it a snap.
It works for WordPress 2.0.x and 2.1.x (Although Micheal Woehrer only mentions WP 2.1), and even WordPress 1.5.2 (pretty old WP version).
The only problem I had was getting the front end to look normal for me as the admin (while other visitors would be seeing the maintenance page). If you are having this problem, it will work though, if you follow these steps:
- Download, upload, and of course make sure to activate the plugin in your plugins directory.
- Go to Options > Maintenance Mode > Activate; activate and update it.
- Also update the entire page options.
- Go to Users > Your Profile > Update Profile, and update it. You don’t have to change your password or anything else, just click on the update button.
- Finally, go to Users > Authors & Users, and check the box for admin (I assume you are the admin) and then select “Set the role of checked users to – Administrator”, and then update the options.
It should work by now, as in you (the admin) being able to view the front end of your blog. If it still doesn’t work, try deactivating and then reactivating the plugin, and repeating those steps above or switching the order around a little. 🙂