Featured posts: Viola has an option to show a list of featured posts using thumbnails and text links. All that you have to do is tick a box while creating the post and assign an image being used in the blog and saved by the Wordpress installation. The thumbnails are created by TimThumb, which fails to work if the image is not on the same Wordpress blog. This feature can be disabled from Viola Settings page that can be found under the Appearance tab in Wordpress admin window.

Image Rotator: When you install Viola in your Wordpress (Wordpress->Wp-includes->Theme->Viola), you will find a folder called imagerotator in the theme folder. This folder contains Matt Mulenweg's image rotator script. All that you need to do is upload as many 160px wide images you want in this folder and they will appear on the left sidebar. The script will keep the images rotating. It can also be disabled from Viola Settings page.

About Me: The theme has an in-built About Me box that can be easily customized without having to tamper with codes. Just go to Viola Settings page and add your name, image, description and title for the About Me box. You can also add HTML codes in it. It can also be turned off.

Custom Footer: In case you want your own text or message in the footer of the theme, just add it in the Viola Settings page. It will also accept HTML codes.

Ad-only Sidebars: Not exactly separate sidebar of ads but just sections on the sidebars that are made only for showing ads. When you go to Appearance->Widgets in the Wordpress settings page, you will find several "Ad Sidebars" apart from "Left Sidebar", "Right Top Sidebar", "Right Right Sidebar" and "Right Left sidebar". These ad sidebars have been created for easily showing ads in sidebars. If you wish to include some ad, just add a "Text" widget in the desired sidebar and paste the ad code in the space for text. If you wish, add a title for the ad box.

How many sidebars does viola have? The left sidebar acts as just one sidebar. The right sidebar is divided into two: the upper half called "Right Top Sidebar" and the lower half. The lower half of the right sidebar is divided into Right and Left sidebars.

Apart from these main sidebars, the theme will have following sidebars for showing ads:

Left_Top_Ad_164px: This ad will be shown on the top portion of left sidebar and can be up to 164px wide.

Left_Bottom_Ad_164px: This ad will be shown on the bottom portion of the left sidebar and can be up to 164px wide.

Right_Top_Ad_300px: This ad will appear on the top portion of the right sidebar and can be up to 300px wide.

Right_Left_Top_150px: This ad will be shown in the top portion of the left side of the lower half of the right sidebar, can be 150px.

Right_Left_Bottom_150px: This ad will be shown in the bottom portion of the left side of the lower half of the right sidebar, can be 150px.

Right_Right_Top_150px: This ad will be shown in the top portion of the right side of the lower half of the right sidebar, can be up to 150px wide.

Right_Right_Bottom_150px: This ad will be shown in the bottom portion of the right side of the lower half of the right sidebar, can be up to 150px wide.

Add ad codes after adding "Text" widgets in the desired slots. The large number of sidebars make it possible to add as many ads in desired slots easily.


Ads on post pages: By default, each post will show ads just below the head line and at the end of the post if the codes have been saved for these ads on Viola Settings page. One can have separate ad codes for the top and bottom slot. If the ad code has been set, the ads will be shown on post pages. These ads can be turned off for certain posts through the options available on the sidebar while creating or editing posts. The control for top and bottom ads are separate, making it possible to turn just on of the ads or both of them.


Better Navigation: The theme uses a modified version of wp-pagenavi plugin for a nice page navigation.

Enjoy the benefits of Viola Wordpress theme. Please don't hesitate to ask me if you face any problem using the theme. I might also be able to customize it for you :)