mmm if your template "new" use "another" page area names - when you change your theme "the view" connection is lost (in you DB you still have your content from theme X & area Y - but not in your "new" view).

This is why you need to be careful when you changing themes after you added content to area (in any CMS).

If you first use elemental read this short article. I think all themes in the official market use this idea (as rule)
https://documentation.concrete5.org/tutorials/basics-naming-your-are...

Also try this "old" post (2013):
https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/usage/site-content-missin...

Thanks for the reply, but I am still baffled.
The first link you sent says use the same global area names in all themes. We only use 1 them, it is custom so the names always match.
The second link you sent is regarding someone who had the wrong version of jquery for the front end editor.

I don't understand why adding a new php "view" file changes the existing contents in other pages. Are you saying it duplicated the global areas (essentially a new version) and that's where all my content is?

Can I get my content back? Where in the DB should I look to patch this?

Thanks again,
Sean

The new theme should match - areas name + check if you use the correct template in your new theme (otherwise your theme will use deafult.php)

** (i never "destroy" template - i do must tweaks by Less/CSS so do this tests - not 100% sure about templates & types with this issue - so make this tests).

Changing names: Also for example after you added data to area X and change is name (in the same theme) - your data will disappear.
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This video help to understand the basic of themes:
https://documentation.concrete5.org/developers/designing-for-concret...

Also try this posts:
https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/usage/when-switching-them...

https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/themes/after-changing-the...

https://www.concrete5.org/community/forums/chat/theme_changing_conte...

OK, thanks for you answers, but they simply make no sense.

I added a new template and left the existing 2 templates UNTOUCHED. I did not remove the theme and re-add it. All of the EXISTING PAGES made from the original 2 template files lost ALL content from every block. I am guessing they got a new cID or possibly the global areas all got "replaced" with nothing.

If that is standard for all CMS systems,we should fix it and get RICH. That is just wrong.

Hi SeanDevoy,

On the existing pages, do you have any errors in your browser console?

Do you have any errors in your PHP error log?

To clarify, when you say the existing pages lost their content, do you mean the areas display, but each area is empty and does not contain blocks?

Did you double check the page template to check for code errors?

Do you have a recent full backup? If not, I would make one before making changes in an attempt to fix it.

If you have a full backup made (database and files), have you tried deleting the page template?