Dreamweaver - setup / database / contribute

Author

setup / database / contribute

Karen J

2004-06-10, 11:14 pm

Hi all,
I'm starting a project in 3 stages and need some advice to prevent future
nightmares -
1 - design & build front end website to this design
http://www.redsea.co.nz/testing/ambionse.html
(flyout menus on navigation)

2 - setup registration page where users submit name and email address to
database in order to get password access to a download page. I intend to do
this with PHP / mysql since I know a (little!)bit about them and nothing
about anything else.

3 setup content management system using contribute.

What i want advice on is best way to go about the initial page code so that
it works well with stage 2 and 3. I usually use ssi's / external css /
javascript files. Is this going to give me problems down the road? Should I
begin with templates instead? Is PHP / mysql going to be ok for the
registration / database part or will something else do the job more easily?
Is contribute going to fit into all this like a dream or should I be using
php to do it all? Will flyout menus cause problems for a cms? etc etc etc

Really, any and all advice very welcome to stop me digging a black hole of
hell for myself.

tia,

Karen

Paul Whitham TMM

2004-06-11, 4:14 am

Karen

I always find that SSI's are better way to go than templates, however if you
are planning to use Contribute then you will need to create some templates
for it to use. These templates can call SSI's though so you have the full
flexibility.

In terms of the language to choose, I recommend sticking with what you know.
PHP is more than adequate to handle what you want. Also the menus should not
cause you any problems either.

Finally the choice of whether to use CT or do the whole lot in PHP really
depends upon how much flexibility you want to give the content providers, as
placing all of the content in the databases does limit the layouts that can
be achieved.

I wrote a similar system in ASP with CT. The linking of the content is
handled within ASP, and the editor can choose whether to create a simple
text article in the DB, or use CT and create something more elaborate. The
end users does not see any difference.

--
Regards

Paul Whitham
Macromedia Certified Professional for Dreamweaver MX2004
Valleybiz Internet Design
www.valleybiz.net

Team Macromedia Volunteer for Ultradev/Dreamweaver MX
www.macromedia.com/support/forums/team_macromedia

"Karen J" <karen@don'tmailmeredsea.co.nz> wrote in message
news:caasnp$2oa$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Hi all,
> I'm starting a project in 3 stages and need some advice to prevent future
> nightmares -
> 1 - design & build front end website to this design
> http://www.redsea.co.nz/testing/ambionse.html
> (flyout menus on navigation)
>
> 2 - setup registration page where users submit name and email address to
> database in order to get password access to a download page. I intend to
do
> this with PHP / mysql since I know a (little!)bit about them and nothing
> about anything else.
>
> 3 setup content management system using contribute.
>
> What i want advice on is best way to go about the initial page code so
that
> it works well with stage 2 and 3. I usually use ssi's / external css /
> javascript files. Is this going to give me problems down the road? Should
I
> begin with templates instead? Is PHP / mysql going to be ok for the
> registration / database part or will something else do the job more
easily?
> Is contribute going to fit into all this like a dream or should I be using
> PHP to do it all? Will flyout menus cause problems for a cms? etc etc etc
>
> Really, any and all advice very welcome to stop me digging a black hole of
> hell for myself.
>
> tia,
>
> Karen
>
>

Karen J

2004-06-11, 4:14 am

Paul, thanks so much for taking the time to reply.

So to clarify, I should use templates for basic page structure, to make it
compatible with Contribute and within the template I can use PHP includes
for navigation / footer etc.

My client just wants to update text and images so far so that should be easy
with contribute, but what if he wants to add new pages - how will that work
with a navigation file that is an include?

cheers,

Karen

"Paul Whitham TMM" <paul@valleybiz.net> wrote in message
news:cab4pq$9h5$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Karen
>
> I always find that SSI's are better way to go than templates, however if
you
> are planning to use Contribute then you will need to create some templates
> for it to use. These templates can call SSI's though so you have the full
> flexibility.
>
> In terms of the language to choose, I recommend sticking with what you
know.
> PHP is more than adequate to handle what you want. Also the menus should
not
> cause you any problems either.
>
> Finally the choice of whether to use CT or do the whole lot in PHP really
> depends upon how much flexibility you want to give the content providers,
as
> placing all of the content in the databases does limit the layouts that
can
> be achieved.
>
> I wrote a similar system in ASP with CT. The linking of the content is
> handled within ASP, and the editor can choose whether to create a simple
> text article in the DB, or use CT and create something more elaborate. The
> end users does not see any difference.
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
>
> Paul Whitham
> Macromedia Certified Professional for Dreamweaver MX2004
> Valleybiz Internet Design
> www.valleybiz.net
>
> Team Macromedia Volunteer for Ultradev/Dreamweaver MX
> www.macromedia.com/support/forums/team_macromedia
>
> "Karen J" <karen@don'tmailmeredsea.co.nz> wrote in message
> news:caasnp$2oa$1@forums.macromedia.com...
future[color=darkred]
> do
> that
Should[color=darkred]
> I
> easily?
using[color=darkred]
etc[color=darkred]
of[color=darkred]
>
>

Murray *TMM*

2004-06-11, 7:14 pm

Karen:

I'm not Paul (and boy, is he happy!), but see below -

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver - THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"Karen J" <karen@don'tmailmeredsea.co.nz> wrote in message
news:cablmo$oe3$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Paul, thanks so much for taking the time to reply.
>
> So to clarify, I should use templates for basic page structure, to make it
> compatible with Contribute and within the template I can use PHP includes
> for navigation / footer etc.

Yes - or even regular HTML includes (it's not necessary to invoke PHP at
all). I would tend to use a single templates for the basic layout and
assembly of all the more or less unchanging page elements. Then I would use
includes for things that might change from time to time. And finally, I
would layer in the Editable Regions for client/Contribute use.

The HUGE benefit you will experience from using includes in this scenario,
is that you won't have to down- and then upsynch the site to make a change
to an include, as you would with Templates.

>
> My client just wants to update text and images so far so that should be
easy
> with contribute, but what if he wants to add new pages - how will that
work
> with a navigation file that is an include?

It will be difficult, but not impossible, just the same as it would be if
you were using only templates.

>
> cheers,
>
> Karen
>
>
> "Paul Whitham TMM" <paul@valleybiz.net> wrote in message
> news:cab4pq$9h5$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> you
templates[color=darkred]
full[color=darkred]
> know.
> not
really[color=darkred]
providers,[color=darkred]
> as
> can
The[color=darkred]
> future
to[color=darkred]
to[color=darkred]
nothing[color=darkred]
> Should
> using
> etc
hole[color=darkred]
> of
>
>

Karen J

2004-06-11, 11:14 pm

thanks Murray,

I used to use templates before I got to grips with ssi, so it shouldn't be
too hard to set this up. When I get to the PHP part I'm sure there'll be an
avalanche of questions but for now I'm happy to get going on it - thanks for
your time!

cheers,

Karen

"Murray *TMM*" <forums@HAHAgreat-web-sights.com> wrote in message
news:cacn69$729$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> Karen:
>
> I'm not Paul (and boy, is he happy!), but see below -
>
> --
> Murray --- ICQ 71997575
> Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
> (If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
> ==================
> news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver - THE BEST WAY TO GET
> ANSWERS
> ==================
> http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
> http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
> http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
> ==================
>
> "Karen J" <karen@don'tmailmeredsea.co.nz> wrote in message
> news:cablmo$oe3$1@forums.macromedia.com...
it[color=darkred]
includes[color=darkred]
>
> Yes - or even regular HTML includes (it's not necessary to invoke PHP at
> all). I would tend to use a single templates for the basic layout and
> assembly of all the more or less unchanging page elements. Then I would
use
> includes for things that might change from time to time. And finally, I
> would layer in the Editable Regions for client/Contribute use.
>
> The HUGE benefit you will experience from using includes in this scenario,
> is that you won't have to down- and then upsynch the site to make a change
> to an include, as you would with Templates.
>
> easy
> work
>
> It will be difficult, but not impossible, just the same as it would be if
> you were using only templates.
>
if[color=darkred]
> templates
> full
should[color=darkred]
> really
> providers,
that[color=darkred]
simple[color=darkred]
> The
address[color=darkred]
> to
intend[color=darkred]
> to
> nothing
so[color=darkred]
/[color=darkred]
etc[color=darkred]
> hole
>
>

Murray *TMM*

2004-06-11, 11:14 pm

Karen:

You're welcome!

--
Murray --- ICQ 71997575
Team Macromedia Volunteer for Dreamweaver MX
(If you *MUST* email me, don't LAUGH when you do so!)
==================
news://forums.macromedia.com/macromedia.dreamweaver - THE BEST WAY TO GET
ANSWERS
==================
http://www.dreamweavermx-templates.com - Template Triage!
http://www.projectseven.com/go - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.dwfaq.com - DW FAQs, Tutorials & Resources
http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/ - Macromedia (MM) Technotes
==================

"Karen J" <karen@don'tmailmeredsea.co.nz> wrote in message
news:cadjkn$8ht$1@forums.macromedia.com...
> thanks Murray,
>
> I used to use templates before I got to grips with ssi, so it shouldn't be
> too hard to set this up. When I get to the PHP part I'm sure there'll be
an
> avalanche of questions but for now I'm happy to get going on it - thanks
for
> your time!
>
> cheers,
>
> Karen
>
> "Murray *TMM*" <forums@HAHAgreat-web-sights.com> wrote in message
> news:cacn69$729$1@forums.macromedia.com...
GET[color=darkred]
make[color=darkred]
> it
> includes
> use
scenario,[color=darkred]
change[color=darkred]
be[color=darkred]
if[color=darkred]
however[color=darkred]
> if
you[color=darkred]
> should
> that
is[color=darkred]
> simple
elaborate.[color=darkred]
> address
> intend
code[color=darkred]
> so
css[color=darkred]
> /
the[color=darkred]
more[color=darkred]
be[color=darkred]
> etc
>
>