UPDATED: This template gives you the opportunity to display three different categories in a static page. It can be a nice starting point if you use it e.g as the entry for a news section with three sub-categories. You don´t have to enter any content via the WP write panel since this page shows the most recent posts from three categories that you define.

The code for the three columns uses three different loops to display the most recent post of three different categories and Tim Thumb script to crop, rezize and display the image on top of each article. In addition the most recent posts of the specific category are teasered below the excerpt of the post. As an alternative you can use widgets in ths lower area as well.

Preperation on the Options Page

Everything can be setup in the themes optionspanel or optionspage in the WordPress admin area. You find the optionspage unter Appearance > BranfordMagazine Options (as an example for BranfordMagazine). Here is a Screenshot.

Now select the category from the dropdown list for each of the three columns. Also set the number of posts. Do not set a “0″ for “number of posts per category” because this will make the template cause errors or at least unexpected bahaviour.

Assigning the Template to a Page

In order to use the template you need to assign it to a page. Just open the “new page” panel and type in a title for your page. You don´t need to enter content because this will be pulled from the three categories you have defined on the options page before. Then assign the “3-Column-Page” template from the “Attributes” metabox (normaly right to the editor window).

The result should look more or less like this.

Tutorial updated on Fabruary 1st 2011