FAQ relating to the Feast Plugin.
The plugin is an entirely setup than themes - you must download and install the themes separately. See the theme tutorials for the theme you'd like to install.
How do I install the Feast Plugin?
Always back up your website before installing or updating themes and plugins. Your hosting company should be doing daily backups for you. We recommend installing new (and updating) plugins on a staging site.
IMPORTANT: you must be running a modern PHP version - 7.1 or later. Installing this on an outdated server (PHP under 7.1) will cause the site to crash. If your host still has you on a PHP version under 7.1, change hosts immediately. This is a huge security and pagespeed problem.
- Download the latest feast-plugin.zip version in your account: https://feastdesignco.com/shop/account/downloads/
- If the zip file is showing as a folder on your computer, you have a misconfigured operating system or browser, use Google to troubleshoot and resolve the issue
- Navigate to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin
- Choose File > feast-plugin.zip > Install Now > Activate > Settings
You can also access the plugin settings page by navigating to your theme menu in the left-side of the admin, and selecting the "Feast Settings" page.
How do I update the Feast Plugin?
Always back up your website before installing or updating themes and plugins. Your hosting company should be doing daily backups for you.
- Download the latest feast-plugin.zip version in your account: https://feastdesignco.com/shop/account/downloads/
- Deactivate AND delete the existing version (your settings will be saved)
- Follow the installation instructions above to install the plugin again
With the release of version 2.0, we now offer managed plugin updates through the WordPress Admin's "plugin" page. In the Feast Plugin 2.0 and later, simply click the "update" button on the plugins page to update.
Are my current settings preserved if I update my theme?
Settings that you configure in the Feast Plugin are saved between theme changes and updates.
Settings that you have configured within your theme are not saved when updating or changing themes.
How do I enabled / disable each feature?
By default, features are set in the "default" or "blank" state, and are not loaded. In this configuration, the feature does not load and does not affect the website. This is to prevent unexpected changes and conflicts when the plugin is initially installed.
However, when:
- a checkbox is checked
- input field is given content
- drop-down is set anything aside from "default"
Then the plugin is then instructed to load the features on your blog.
Why is this a separate service from the themes?
Themes are designed to affect the styling, visual aspect of a WordPress blog, which is not supposed to change or receive updates. This means we could invest a flat amount into designing and developing the visual aspect of a theme as long as we expected it to pay for itself eventually. The $75-$125 price for themes does not include ongoing updates.
Plugins are designed to affect the functional part of a WordPress blog, which requires on-going maintenance and development to stay up to date with best practices. This ongoing development costs money, which is not covered by one-time theme purchases.
For more information, see this post.
Over the years our customers have asked repeatedly about making changes to features that were built into the themes with good intentions. However, as best practices changed, the functionality became outdated and our customers fell behind other blogs that had the budget to stay up to date. Without the funding to re-develop these features, updates were few and far between.
In order to continue funding updates and development for the functionality, it has to be moved into a paid plugin with on-going revenue to pay developers, designers and consultants. That's what the Feast Plugin was born for.
But there's more. One of the most frequent issues our customers encounter, has been that updating is tedious and difficult and time consuming.
By building the settings into the Feast Plugin, this introduces a whole new way to allow customers to preserve their customizations. Now that the functionality lives in the plugin, the themes can be more easily updated for bug fixes (and new design elements for the block editor) without undoing some of the major customizations.
With the way that plugins are integrated into WordPress, we can release new features and updates to the plugin, and all you will need to do is click the "Update" button on the plugins page.
Will the individually purchased themes continue to get updates?
Yes, the themes will continue receiving styling-related fixes.
For example, version 4.0.0 of all themes received a big visual update in December 2018 with the font sizes being increased to the now web-standard 16px. This styling-related update makes posts easier to read (providing a better visitor experience) and resolves the "font size too small" warning in Google Webmaster Tools.
The mobile version of the navigation menu also received a styling update, to resolve the "touch elements too close" warning in Google Webmaster Tools.
Newly developed and updated functionality is being moved to the plugin, as premium features for food bloggers that want to stay ahead of their competition.
Why would I want all 5 themes?
We provide a handy theme comparison chart for new food bloggers to use when deciding which theme they want. We've had feedback that it's still difficult (and comes with some anxiety because there are no refunds).
To make it easier, we now provide access to all themes when you purchase the plugin (+theme access), so that bloggers can try them all and decide which works best for their blog.
Some established food bloggers also enjoy visually refreshing their website, keeping the site from getting stale with their readers. Others decide they want things styled a certain way, after becoming more experienced with their blog and audience, and realized a different theme was closer to their ideal.
This is most easily done by installing one of the other themes.
Previously, "updating" a theme (eg. from Foodie Pro 2.1.4 to Foodie Pro 3.1.6) meant re-installing a fresh copy, which is the same as installing a new theme from scratch. This means it's just as easy to switch themes as it is to re-install an existing theme.
How many websites can I install the plugin and themes on?
At this time, we only require that you use the themes on your own personal sites. If you have 2, or 5, or 10 personal sites, you can install the themes and plugin on all of them.
If you're developing a site for anyone else - client, employer, colleague, friend - they should purchase their own subscription.
We'll be introducing licenses down the road, along the same lines as WP Recipe Maker.
Does the Feast Plugin work with Non-Feast themes?
At this time, we've only tested Feast themes with the Feast plugin. We expect that most of the features would work with Genesis-based themes, but we wouldn't guarantee this because other developers may implement things different.
We'll look into further testing with this at a later date.
What's currently working in the Feast Plugin?
Features not marked with "(in development)" on the Feast plugin page are live.
Why are there two transactions in my account?
When a subscription is created:
- the first $99 payment is recorded as one transaction
- the actual subscription is created, without being billed, until 365 days later
This enables you to cancel the subscription at any time, so that you're not re-billed next year, without affecting the initial payment. The subscription bills at the rate posted on the Feast Plugin page (currently $99/year).
Marilyn says
A few questions
1. If I have already made customizations in the customizations CSS tab will those be valid still? Or do I need to add these to the plugin?
2. I use Feast plugin for php coding. Will I need to delete that and add changes to the paid plugin?
3. With the free themes. Do those get updated with the plugin when I install them?
4. Does the initial price of $99/yr renew at that price? Or does it increase to the then current price?
5. Support for the classic editor ends in 2020. Is this plugin the only way any future Gutenberg changes and compatibility will be added?
6. I am confused about updating. It says I need to download the latest zip, then delete the current file and reinstall the new one. Later it says like other plugins the update is done in the plugin area by clicking update. Can you clarify?
7. When my theme needs an update will I still need to manually upload the new theme? I realize the plugin saves codes and settings. But I will still need to upload a new file?
8. Will my current theme, as well the additional ones that come with the plugin have any future fees? Or is there a need to “repurchase” any of the 5 themes?
Kudos on separating design and functionality. A better fit for both you and the consumer.
Thank you!
Skylar Bowker says
Hey Marilyn!
1. We're working on automatically pulling the "Additional CSS" content from the theme, but haven't fully worked it out yet. We'll post up a page outlining how it's done when it's ready. As a worst-case scenario, you'd have to simply copy+paste it over to the plugin's tab.
2. No, the changes in the "Feast Customizations Plugin" can continue to live there. We're currently testing the "Code Snippets Plugin" to see if this is a better tool for saving theme customizations.
3+7. Themes will continue to be manually updated, the same way as before. We've looked into automatic updates, and there would be too many breaking changes for too many people, for this to be successfully implemented. We may build in automatic updates for a stripped down version of the themes in version 5+
4. If you purchase at $99/year, it will renew at $99/year.
5. WordPress will continue to support the classic editor until the end of 2021 according to this: https://make.wordpress.org/core/2018/11/07/classic-editor-plugin-support-window/
The themes are already block editor compatible. Extended support for block editor features in the future is being added to the Feast Plugin. With the way things are changing, it would be irresponsible to put half-baked block editor features into the themes that won't be updated and maintained regularly. Things are changing every 6 months, and the vast majority of bloggers don't even update yearly.
6. Thanks for asking this - I can see how it might be ambiguous. Clicking "update" to update a plugin was a general statement about plugins, not specifically the Feast Plugin. We should have this working in the next few weeks.
8. You get continued access to the plugin and themes as long as the subscription is active. If a subscription isn't renewed, you'll retain access to the version you have installed.
We're looking into premium services (keyword research, content creation, sponsored content) to add down the road, which may come with an associated costs, and may be incorporated directly into the plugin, or may live elsewhere. It's too soon to tell. These will be optional though.
I'll get these answers integrated into the FAQ.
cyberdave says
I have a question regarding the Simple Recipe Index. I'm finding conflicting information, and this is pretty much why I bought the Plugin.
This page https://feastdesignco.com/how-to/create-multiple-recipe-index-pages/ says to use Simple Recipe Index but I can’t find anywhere that tells how to do so.
https://feastdesignco.com/how-to/create-multiple-recipe-index-pages-cravings-pro/
This says multiple recipe indexes are now created with the Feast Plugin’s Simple Recipe Index.
After installing the plugin, I see that the Feast Plugin Settings page in my dashboard says Simple Recipe Index is in development.
(also your sales page has some info on the bottom that says only the $199 version is for sale now, which I saw after I signed up with $99) /confused
Thanks.
Skylar Bowker says
Hey Dave!
We've pre-emptively updated some of the tutorials, so that people are aware that long-term, the Simple Recipe Index in the Feast Plugin will be how recipe indexes are built.
It's been delayed a little, but we expect it to be out before long. I thought we had it up and under development on the main product page, but it looks like it hasn't been copied there yet. I'll get that fixed.
The $199 is crossed out, and the plugin sales page states that it's $99/year for a limited time.
Jo says
I currently use WP Recipe Maker, what would be involved with switching to Feast?
Skylar Bowker says
Hey Jo!
WPRM is a recipe card plugin - the Feast Plugin does not do recipe cards. They are complimentary plugins, not interchangeable.