Basic beginners question

Ricky55 · 2009-07-29 13:44:07

Hi

I have TXP installed locally and I’ve been having a play about with it with the aid of a book I have bought.

I am now ready to start to develop my first website.

I have the site fully designed in Photoshop.

If I was going to build a new static site I would now create my images from the design and then build the pages using CSS and HTML in Dreamweaver.

Whats the best process if I’m using Textpattern?

What process do you guys follow?

Also, when you install TXT it comes with a basic trial site, do you write over this with the site you are building or do you start from scratch?

Sorry if my questions are basic but I have to start somewhere.

I’ve build loads of static sites so I’m not new to CSS and HTML just CMS’

Thanks

Ricky

jsoo · 2009-07-29 14:40:34

I always start from scratch. Of course it helps to be familiar with Txp tags to work that way. But you could approach learning Txp either way: start with the default installation and modify it, or start with your own HTML and add in Txp tags. The default installation is set up as a typical blog, so if your site will be substantially different from that, you may find it easier to create your own Pages.

More importantly, there’s a conceptual transition you need to make to go from static sites to dynamic (CMS-based) sites. In short you can serve up different combinations and/or presentations of content depending on context. You could think of context as a direct reflection of the URL. The main tags that are context-sensitive are the various “condtional tags”:“http://textbook.textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Conditional_Tags, and the almighty “ <txp:article /> tag”:http://textbook.textpattern.net/wiki/index.php?title=article.

Ricky55 · 2009-07-29 20:00:16

Thanks jsoo for your time.

Do you actually code with the TXT interface or do you use a separate code editor?

jsoo · 2009-07-29 20:33:06

I tend to edit pages and forms in the browser, PITA though that is. There are ways around this, but for quick edits (and mostly that is what I find myself doing) I haven’t found it worth the bother. I do often use the “zoom” feature of OmniWeb to get a slightly better text editor than the standard browser textarea, though. Also I understand you can set up TextMate in a similar way, but I’m a BBEdit dinosaur. All of the aforementioned is Mac only, but there’s also the “It’s all text” extension for Firefox.

For CSS I keep files in a separate directory and maintain them with a text editor and FTP, and don’t bother with the Txp database.

Ricky55 · 2009-07-30 10:42:20

Thanks again Jsoo, I use macs anyway so thats fine.

I’ve just downloaded a trial of Text Mate, I’ll see how I get on.

Thanks

Richard

jsoo · 2009-07-30 11:07:34

Don’t know if it’s been kept up to date, but if you’re looking into TextMate you might want to check out the Textpattern bundle for it.

gavnosis · 2009-07-30 15:05:36

If you’re familiar with / prefer etc. Dreamweaver (I know, overkill for editing text), I did once notice there is also a tag library for Dreamweaver from Jan De Wilde

Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS support forum

#1 2009-07-29 13:44:07

Basic beginners question

#2 2009-07-29 14:40:34

Re: Basic beginners question

#3 2009-07-29 20:00:16

Re: Basic beginners question

#4 2009-07-29 20:33:06

Re: Basic beginners question

#5 2009-07-30 10:42:20

Re: Basic beginners question

#6 2009-07-30 11:07:34

Re: Basic beginners question

#7 2009-07-30 15:05:36

Re: Basic beginners question

Board footer