Drupal 6: How to add a new region to a theme

Question

I added a new region line to my .info file under /sites/all/themes/[theme] directory. However when I look at the Blocks page, the region is not visible, nor is it a selectable item from the dropdown menus. I've cleared the cache as well. What am I missing?

Answer 1

When you say you cleared the cache, are you actually referring to the Theme Registry? Or did you really clear the database cache? If you just cleared the theme registry, it won't reflect the changes to the theme's .info file. You can clear the cache by...

1. Use the "clear all cached data" link or button located at "Administer > Site configuration > Performance".
2. With the devel block enabled (comes with devel module), click the "Empty cache" link.
3. Simply visit the theme select page at "Administer > Site building > Themes".

List from Drupal.org

It's also possible the browser itself is caching pages. You could clear your browser cache, as well as the Drupal cache, just to be absolutely sure.

If none of that works, could you post your region assignment from the .info file?

Answer 2

If you have multiple themes enabled, make sure you are looking at the correct theme on the block configuration page.

For example, if you have custom_theme and garland enabled, there is a block configuration page for each.

Go to http://www.example.com/admin/build/block/list/custom_theme to see blocks for your custom_theme
Go to http://www.example.com/admin/build/block/list/garland to see blocks for the garland theme

etc... for all enabled themes

Answer 3

I'm presuming Drupal 6 here, but in your andytheme.info, did you add the region like this (look at the bottom line):

regions[left] = Left sidebar
regions[right] = Right sidebar
regions[content] = Content
regions[header] = Header
regions[footer] = Footer
regions[andyregion] = Andy Region

Remember that you have to add all the regions if you add any in your .info file--they won't be inherited from your base theme.

And, in your page.tpl.php, did you add the region variable to be printed somewhere? Something like this?

<div class="region andyregion"><?php print $andyregion ?></div>

Of course, it would be surrounded by whatever and other stuff you'd want. Then flush the cache and see if it's in the blocks.

Andy-