What is the general function to add a Widget area (not of a particular type)?

Question

I'm very new to WP theming and I know there are several types of functions to add Widget areas.

The following one, for example, adds a widget area dedicated for menus:

# functions.php (register a new widget area):

    function newMenuWidgetArea() {
    register_nav_menus(
    array (
    'my-custom-menu' => __('newMenu'),
    'extra-menu' => __('newMenu')
    )
    );
    }
    add_action('init', 'newMenuWidgetArea');

# header.php (declare widgets in the new area to appear):

    <?php
    wp_nav_menu(array (
    'theme_location' => 'newMenu',
    'container_class' => 'newMenu')
    );
    ?>

The problem:

I don't want to add custom menus manually for example, so I don't look for a functions that add menus and their widget areas manually.

I wish to add menus from the GUI, hence I am looking forward to use a function that create global widget areas that can serve for any purpose, and then I will add into them anything I wish directly from the GUI (menu, text area, or whatever other widget).

The question:

What is the general function to add a general-purpose/multi-purpose Widget area?

The one I have for now creates a menu. not a widget area in which I could place widgets.

Answer 1

Adding on mikesars answer, afterwards, one needs to Place the widget in a template file like header.php (for example).

So it would be:

functions.php:

if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') )
  register_sidebar(array(
    'name' => 'Name of Widgetized Area',
    'before_widget' => '<div class = "widgetizedArea">',
    'after_widget' => '</div>',
    'before_title' => '<h3>',
    'after_title' => '</h3>',
  )
);

Template file:

<?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') || 
!dynamic_sidebar("Widgetized Area") ) : ?>
<?php endif;?>

Answer 2

i think youre looking for the register_sidebarfunction.

if ( function_exists('register_sidebar') )
  register_sidebar(array(
    'name' => 'Name of Widgetized Area',
    'before_widget' => '<div class = "widgetizedArea">',
    'after_widget' => '</div>',
    'before_title' => '<h3>',
    'after_title' => '</h3>',
  )
);

with this you get a new WidgetArea in the widget section in the backend.

You would then need to choose where you want it to appear. For example, if you would want it somewhere in the header, add this there, with this could:

<?php if ( !function_exists('dynamic_sidebar') || !dynamic_sidebar("Name of Widgetized Area") ) : ?>
<?php endif;?>