Template with header and footer - so lost!

[webdudechris]

I am creating my first theme using FSE and Pinegrow (both new to me). I want to create a template that has the header and footer in, so this can be used for all pages. I will need to create new templates, so can add the header and footer again to those. I have followed the tutorials and actually created the header and footer as editable blocks, so they can be added to any page.

But of course i dont want to add them to every page by hand, that would be silly!

So this is where I get lost. I thought I could add a page template and add the header and footer blocks through the wordpress admin a bit like this:

1. In Pinegrow use the template index.html
2. In Pinegrow under the Wordpress options choose Export as = page.php (this should be the standard tempate used for all pages by default. Should it be called page.php or index.php?)
3. Post template name = not sure what to put here?
4. This template has only a main loop in the body.
   5 Save and export so it creates page.php
5. Go into wordpress, edit the page.php template.
6. In this template editor add the header and footer and change the options available such as footer links and titles.
7. Save page template.
8. Create any new page and it will use this page by default with the header and footer (un editable unless go into the template editor)
9. Add more blocks which will appear in the content loop area.

However I am being told, no i need to create the header as a html file in theme/parts and use it from there? I am so lost and cant find any tutorials on doing this. All the pinegrow tutorials I have watched exports them as editable blocks, and then adds them to individual pages as needed.

[PeteSharp]

I have recently setup a site using a similar outcome to what you want to achieve with the navigation and footer basically being global. I have all the menu areas and customiser fields setup on this.

I am sure there are other ways to go about setting this up as well.

I have my index.html setup as my main template. It has a Navigation - Main - Footer sections.

I apply the following WP actions to it.

On the main section of the page I have the WP action for content.

Then I just setup specific pages based on the sites needs. eg. I have front-page.html and I give it the following Page Settings.

And if I want to be able to add blocks to these pages I just assign the content WP action.

[webdudechris]

Hi Pete, thanks so much for your reply, it was very useful and very much appreciated I was able to get it working now.

[PeteSharp]

No worries, once the penny drops it all comes together. It isnt always so clear initially.