Where to upload different file types?

[Gaius]

Hi all,


I'm completely new to website making (no knowledge of CSS/PHP/et cetera, minimal knowledge of HTML) and therefore use a WYSIWYG editor (Kompozer).

While I have managed to 'create' and upload simple index pages (I got a Website under Construction index.html up at the moment), designing a proper website is far beyond my capabilities.

Therefore I have decided to download a free template and modify it to fit my needs.
I have also created a subdirectory of the server's main \html directory, so that I won't have to move files around later, should I decide to create additional websites.
This subdirectory is called PalaCon.

Since I want a nice looking site, I have downloaded a template which probably is not well suited for beginners.
Apart from the 5 html-files it contains three folders, images, css, and js.
I know I have to simply upload the html-files to PalaCon and as far as I know, style.css can also go there.

What I don't know is the following:
a) Am I correct in simply placing css-files in the same directory as html-files?
b) Is it okay to upload contents of the template's images folder to the regular images subdirectory on the server (which is on the same level as PalaCon and should therefore be accessible), or should I rather create a new images folder under PalaCon for them?
c) I have no idea where to place the contents of the template's js folder; those are JScript Script files and are called as follows:
image_slide
jquery.galleriffic
jquery.min
jquery.opacityrollover
The developer describes his template as This template uses a jQuery image fader.

While I very much like the effect this fader provides, I have no clue how to set it up, hehe.

I have tried to simply place all files in the main PalaCon directory, but of course this didn't work.
Instructions on where to place the different file types and necessary changes to server settings (if any) would be highly appreciated.


Cheers,
Gaius


P.S.: I'm using FileZilla as an FTP Client, server administration is done by Parallels Confixx.

[lisa]

Hi Gaius

It doesn't matter where you place the files, what matters is how the HTML pages reference the file. So if your images are located in the images folder, then the path should be

<a href="images/apple.gif">

So you need to check the paths and make sure they are correct based on where the files are stored. If every file is in the same folder then your links will simply by <a href="file.html">. But if they are in different folders, the path need to be correct. This tutorial may help.

http://www.boogiejack.com/server_paths.html

[Gaius]

Hi Lisa,


thanks a lot for your speedy response.

Haha, I feel really dumb now ... I knew about 'relative' and 'absolute' paths, but had never considered them to be relevant for scripts and other file types which do more than just sit there and wait to be called up.
I guess I just expected it to be more complicated than that.

In accordance with your advice I've created three subfolders, images, css, and js, under the main PalaCon folder and of course ... it worked.

Thanks for solving the first website-related problem I've encountered.
I'm afraid it won't be long before I'll come up with the next newbie question.

Cheers,
G.

[James Colin]

if your template comes with 5 html files and 3 folders, then you should upload your 5 html files in your PalaCon folder and also copy the 3 folders in your PalaCon folder.
So that the folder called css will be located in:
/PalaCon/css

All the files provided by your template should stay in their current folders, don't move the files around or you'll have to edit the html files to reflect the location of your different files (css, image, js files) and that will be difficult and prone to error and also not good practise. It's good practise to have sub folders to organize your files.

[Gaius]

Hey James,


thanks for that.

It's nice to see you think that having subfolders is prudent; I've always been a fan of that practice and implement it everywhere, from the PC's Explorer to my picture archive or browser bookmarks ... it's way easier to find something within 10 properly labelled (or labeled, since most of you guys seem to be from the US, hehe) folders than having to scroll down an endless unorganized list.

I didn't know that the same was applicable when structuring a website ... now I realized that it's just a matter of entering the proper values for <link> and <a> within the HTML ... same system as organizing a PC's structure.


Cheers,
G.