Website content management systems.

Hi Paul

Have a look at the following site, i think it pretty much outlines what you are looking for - http://www.cmsmatrix.org/

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Folks,

Is wordpress difficult to include in a dreamweaver designed webpage, purely for a simple data management tool, but let the Dreamweaver CSS handle the layout?

Many thanks

WordPress themes' layouts and styles are CSS-based, so from that point of view Dreamweaver (and any other CSS editor) can be used to handle the layout. You just download the relevant style sheet and edit its content.

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Hi Cormee,

Ok. The current system I use has include code for which you include a page that displays the content, and then a catagory number and a template name to configure the layout of the content.

Would something similar be possible with Wordpress?

The current system I use is cutenews

Rgds

Paul

It would be possible but would take a bit of work to implement, would be a complete waste of time and a massive step backwards. WordPress is a completely enclosed database-driven CMS 'ecosystem', what you're suggesting is removing part of its core functionality and replacing it with an archaic technology that is nowhere nearly as powerful as the functionality you're removing.

Your best bet at this stage of the project is to familiarise yourself with WordPress, mess around with a vanilla install and get an idea of how it works, you'll see what I mean in the above paragraph.

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Guys,

Thanks a mill for your help on this.

The problem I find with wordpress, is as due to it being 'template' based, I find it hard to make it unique looking, something that isn't a restriction in Dreamweaver as you start with a blank canvas.

I have used it a good bit over the last few years to try and get familiar with it, but not enough to say I'm an expert by any means. Its a wonderful tool, with endless posibilities for addon's etc.

Any tips or advice on template mods would be greatly appreciated.

Rgds

PG

Just because a WordPress theme has a red, left-aligned, 90% wide header, it doesn't mean you can't edit the CSS to make it right-aligned, blue, 1000px wide.

Do you understand the concept of separating style from document template using CSS, and do you understand how CSS works?

WordPress is template-based, the templates are styled using separate CSS files, you edit the CSS files, not the templates, to make it unique looking.

You shouldn't need to edit the document structure, the overwhelming majority of sites, regardless of CMS or how they were produced, follow the same design patterns and use the same structure - header, navigation, content, footer - if you plan on deviating from that then WordPress might not be suitable, otherwise it is.

In most cases these themes have been designed using best-practices, standards compliant code etc, by designers who have a lot more experience than you, given your self-confessed lack of experience nothing you're going to produce will be better than these freely available themes.

paulgrogan.eu wrote: »

Hi,

Thanks a million for that reply. Yes I do have an understanding of CSS and their workings alright.

I think my issue is that I have become used to 'designing' websites in Dreamweaver and being able to see it as I go along, rather than hard coding it and not being able to look at the site at a glance.

Are you aware of any good tutorials in particular for learning wordpress and how to customise it?

Many thanks

Paul.

Just download Firebug for Firefox, you'll be able to make and preview CSS edits without having to edit & FTP the actual CSS file. If you like how your edits look, you can then make them on the file and upload it.

No, I don't know of any tutorials, sorry. You should be looking for tutorials on CSS btw, you shouldn't need to edit your WordPress installation (outside the CSS files)

there used to be a dreamweaver plugin for joomla I think