Configuration
Retail plugin configuration lives on System, Plugins, System - RCA Themer. The hosted lab at https://recreatinganew.com/themer uses its own in-browser controls and never reads these Joomla plugin parameters.
Who can see the Styles panel
Enable panel
Leave Enable panel on Yes for normal use. When it is No, the frontend never loads panel assets and you will wonder why Themer is broken when you disabled it yourself.
Super Users only
Default is Yes, meaning only Super Users see the Styles panel on the frontend. Admin backend login alone is not enough when Shared Sessions is off. You must be logged in on the frontend as Super User to use the panel.
Require ?rca_themer=1
This optional URL gate loads panel assets only when the query rca_themer=1 is present. Use it while testing on production without exposing the panel on every Super User page view. Open the frontend with that query in the URL while testing or the panel will stay hidden by your own setting.
Custom CSS file selection
Themer scans the active template css folders and you must pick one custom CSS file for export and live write targets. template.css is never written. Put brand overrides in custom.css or another allowlisted file Themer lists. Wrong file selection means paste or write hits the wrong sheet and Helix looks like it ignored you.
Export-only versus live write
Default export-only posture
Leave Allow live write on No until export works on real pages. Export means you paste dirty CSS into custom.css yourself via template editor, FTP, or file manager. That is the shared-hosting-friendly path and the one you should master first.
Enabling live write safely
After export works, set a long Write secret, turn Allow live write on Yes, take a full site backup, visit the frontend as Super User, arm Write to live CSS on the panel, and Save live on a non-critical page first. Live write requires Super User, CSRF protection, matching write secret, selected custom CSS file, and allowlisted paths. Backups land under css/_themer_bak/. template.css is never written, and cross-origin CDN sheets are not write targets.
Beta unlocked and future licensing
Leave Beta unlocked on Yes for current free retail use. Setting it to No expects a license key path stubbed for a possible later paid gate. Do not turn Beta unlocked off unless RCA explicitly directed you to prepare for that gate.
Configuring your workflow through the hosted lab
Open https://recreatinganew.com/themer when you want fixture-based color and token work without install risk. Load Helix-oriented controls against fixture Helix and SP Page Builder chrome, import existing custom.css when refining work already on a site, export custom.css or preset CSS when satisfied, and paste into template css/custom.css or the Helix custom CSS field your template documents. Clear Joomla cache and hard-refresh the live site. The lab never writes to your server.
What plugin options will not configure
Plugin options will not rewrite CDN stylesheets, arbitrary paths outside the allowlist, or Helix Template Options. Use Helix options for template settings Themer complements, not replaces, and put CSS you own in custom.css.