What is this called?

[dyers78]

I am slowly becoming outdated to web design...

I have been challenged to come up with a way to have other people in my office post content to the website. I am looking onto contribute but have never used it. What other methods or software will allow me to accomplish this?

I have 3 people that all manage different sections of the sit. I want them to be able to add/edit text without bothering me. how is this accomplished?

[chalsema]

I think you're looking for a content management system. I use modx (http://modxcms.com) and it's really easy to integrate the site design into it. And I believe you can give certain people permission to edit certain parts of the site. There are tons of other CMS's out there too.

[dyers78]

how does a CMS work - Do you add references to an existing site or do you build a site based on the CMS? I will have to do more research on it but if anyone has ant good overviews of how they work it would be helpful.

[GraphixNPrint]

I usually write the code in php and have an admin area where authorized users edit thier own pages, or create new ones based on form entries. All the data is stored in a mysql database, that is called every time a page loads.

[dyers78]

am I screwed if I don't know php.. or SQL?

[GraphixNPrint]

no, the Content Management Systems that Chalsema mentioned dont require knowledge of those if you can install them yourself or have your host set them up for you (they generally run on php and mysql, but the user interfaces are generally gui

[chalsema]

Yep, and to integrate your current site design, you only need to know html/css... But yes, you'll need to "redo" the site to get it going.

Here's the modx wiki, it has tons of great info: http://wiki.modxcms.com/index.php/Main_Page

[dyers78]

Ok, I am going to take the humble route and look stupid for awhile.

I am looking through the how-to's - which are long. To get me started, I need to download MODx... then what. I have a remote host so do I need to contact them and make sure it's OK to run MODx or is it something I can play with and learn as I go. What is included with this download and what is the SQL knowledge needed?

I am going to get this - thanks for the help!

[dyers78]

Are you guys running a local server - or is that reccomdation for learning purposes? Seems pretty conveinient to set up on a on a Mac?

[chalsema]

I just have it running on our Web host, we use BlueHost.com a lot. Then you upload all the files from the download to your server either the main directory, or a subfolder. I believe you need to have PHP support on the server. Then, most hosts give you an easy way to create MySQL databases. You need to make a new database and username + password. Remember those for later. Then run the install page... something like www.mydomain.com/modx/install.php And go through the steps it gives you - inputting the database info you made. Then that's it. It's installed. Then you can look at the design integration wikis and how tos. Hope that helped!

[GraphixNPrint]

first you need to know what your remote host supports. Is it Linux or NT? Is PHP and MySQL supported? You should contact your hosting company, many have built in support for various CMS's that are available and will probably do the setup for you. Then all you need to do is learn the management of it. I would suggest setting it up in a sub folder on the site, learn it and get it the way you want it, then have the hosting company redirect your default homepage to the new subfolder making a smooth transition.

[dyers78]

ahhhh, my head hurts. I just spoke with my IT guy and my host company which knew nothing about MODxp but referenced CPanel. He said they would not host any third party software but do support SQL and PHP.

Can someone tell me how a user updates a site once all this get up and running? I imagin they would log in on some website with UN and Password and have rights to a certian section of the site they would be able to edit?????

[GraphixNPrint]

Cpanel is for maintaining a website... inside cpanel you have options of various software that is supported on the system. If you log into the cpanel account you should be able to see which mods are supported and choose one to install and where to install it as mentioned before.

I believe last time I looked at a host with cpanel installed you would look under the CMS section, if I am wrong someone will be along shortly to clarify where to look.

[chalsema]

Hmm... Okay. CPanel is just the backend to your server that makes it easy to create MySql databases, create email addresses, create ftp users...etc. If they support PHP and MySql, you should be able to easily install Modx (or any other php based cms).

Once it is installed a user simply logs into the management area by going to a link like this: mydomain.com/manager. From there they can do things like edit pages, add new pages, etc. And while they're logged in, there's a "quick edit" feature where they can go to a page and edit it from that page. For example they could go to mydomain.com/page1.html and there would be a small toolbar at the top while logged in (which doesn't show up for non-logged in visitors). They could click "edit content" and a box would pop up where they would edit the content in a wysiwyg format. (Without changing any of the site-wide template.)

[chalsema]

I believe last time I looked at a host with cpanel installed you would look under the CMS section, if I am wrong someone will be along shortly to clarify where to look.
That's true, usually there are supported CMS systems (and other things like blogging systems) that can be easily installed through the CPanel system. But that doesn't mean you can't use other systems as well, it just takes a little more work.

[Cyan_Ide]

I can see you're looking into using a CMS, but for what it's worth, I cannot stand Contribute. At all. I have it on a job here at school, and the times times that it has helped I can count on my hand, whereas the number of times that it has caused a pain in the arse due to checked out files and having to use admin access to free them and all that jazz have been numerous.

[dyers78]

Thank Cyan. I was looking at Contribute but I don't want to buy anymore software. I was playing with the demo of the MODx and it seems ok. I am going to keep looking into this. Is it best to keep the initial design fairly simple with these things? My current design is a bit complex and doesn't have much room for flexible text. I am not thinking a simple standard 3 column fluid layout?

I really appriciate all your help!!!

[dyers78]

I am reading all this stuff but I need get something installed so I can work through it and see how this works. The notes say:


You must have access to a web server, either local (localhost) or remote (A server you pay for access to from a hosting service).
If you don't have a local server, you should get one as it greatly simplifies the constructing and testing of a website. You really don't have to know much about Apache (the preferred server among those who know), just go to Apache Friends (http://www.apachefriends.org/) and download and install XAMPP on your computer.
You must have access to a MySQL database. The XAMPP install includes MySQL. Eventually you will need database access to the (remote) MySQL server. Discuss this with your hosting providerI have a host but don't have sql support (I have to go through IT to get that, do I need it to play around?). Is it safe to add all this to my PC? I really want to get dirty here. ll the reading and not doing is not my learning style.

[chalsema]

I'm sure it's safe enough to add all this to your PC, but I don't have any advice on how to do it... I've only set it up on Web servers that have already had PHP/MySql support. Maybe someone else can give some advice on setting it up locally?....

[dyers78]

Update - I have been on the MODx forums and reading like mad. I have been told that if I don't know SQL and PHP, MODx might not be for me? How detailed does this get? I downloaded the MODx files and am going to set up a local host to play. Am I out of my league wanting jump right into MODx, or can this be done.

Maybe there is a more basic option out there for what I want - which is for coworkers to be able to manage their own, predesigned web page content.

This is all very intereting though!

[GraphixNPrint]

you could easily have them upload a file containing what they want on the page and on each page just have a simple php call.. example:

<?
include "john.txt";
?>

so your normal header would be above that and your normal footer below that... the only thing they would modify is what is in john.txt

now they would have to use html formatting in that file or it would look like crap, so do they now how to do that?

[dyers78]

I work with idiots when it comes to anything electronic - PHP sounds fricken cool. I gotta learn it.

[GraphixNPrint]

Sams Teach Yourself PHP In 24 Hours is great... get it at your local library (or buy it to reference back to all the time)