Help With Template Design

alana r · #1 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 06:07 AM

James

Thanks so much! That would be a huge help

I am really confused now, almost all of the things mentioned in these posts are new to me css and ssi especially, funny enough though what css and ssi do is exactly what I wanted to do with my site,

maybe if I explain what I would like to do, you could tell me if you think it will be possible

1. I want to resize to 1024
2. I want use ssi for the left nav, the top nav (home,googleads,contact) and the banner across the top (but not the two images because I want to replace the photos on different pages to other photos)
3. I want to use css throughout the site

I want to be able to change the main content area obviously, the right table, where the ads are at the moment and the photos on each page

I dont know now if I need to make a template or ssi to work off, I dont mind if I have to redo all the pages if it means that later on I will be able to edit the navigation etc with ease, because I have a lot more content and pages that I will want to add, you may have noticed that the layout on the home page and most of the navigation pages are different to the original design which was awful really (you can see it if you click on party essentials on the left side)

I have a lot of pages still in that design that I need to be changed as well that I have been putting off doing

I tried ssi last night and I had though it had worked but then when I went to add content to the new page i realised I couldn't edit any of it

I am so not technical, I have been building my site now for weeks and leaving out huge chunks of important stuff, if only I had found this forum before I started! I was always put off by webmaster forums before though, because I thought that it was only for people who really knew a lot of the technical stuff

I hate asking you all for so much help because I know you are all working so hard on your own sites and I dont want to be taking up your time

James · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 10:15 AM

Alana,

Glad to help out. I really like what you are doing and also appreciate your good thinking. In particular, you show great wisdom by recognizing that the longer you think into the future, the more successful you will be.

Quote:

I don't mind if I have to redo all the pages if it means that later on I will be able to edit the navigation etc with ease

It would be quicker (maybe?) to fix some of the immediate issues, but in truth you will be dramatically better off by changing your basic set up. If you don't you will be dealing with stuff all the time that will be pretty frustrating.

Fortunately, it may be easier than you might suppose. Lisa has a good template that you can download. Then you can just copy your content over, adjust the css and add includes. Once the home page is set up the others will only require inserting the content.

It will take some work, but should not be too difficult. I think you will be very happy going that route. And it will be a lot easier to understand and work with.

Begin by going over to:

http://www.2createawebsite.com/video...nTemplate.html

After downloading to a folder of your choice you will need to unzip it. Then select the three files and image folder, right click copy, and then paste into a different folder where you want to work. They probably won't work from where you unzip it.

I think I will ask Lisa if she wants to move this to a different thread since we are not really doing site review.

Let me know when you have the template downloaded.

alana r · #3 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 03:55 PM

thanks James

sorry for the delay, was at work
I have downloaded and saved the files into my website folder

James · #4 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 04:43 PM

Unfortunately I have to do the same to you, just a little delay.

I am required to have CPR class tonight and have to leave soon. Later tonight (late) I will work this for a while. One thing I would mention. Make another copy of the index file and css file. Sounds like a lot, but it will help to work with two. One to just look at basically but since we will open it up it is a good idea to have the back up. Rename them originalindex.html and originalstyle.css.

It wouldn't hurt to spend some time looking over the template code just to get acquainted with it.

Notice especially how there are <div> tags dividing into sections instead of the table divisions in your former pages.

lisa · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 04:51 PM

James you're awesome for helping.

Also, alana_r, there is a video associated with that template that you can watch. If you open the instructions.html file there is a link to the video to sort of give you an overview of how to edit the template in general.

As James said, open it up and look at the index.html file. I've added notes there that explain how to edit the stylesheet to get the results you want. I think if you spend time looking at the notes, it will also help you get a feel for how it all works.

alana r · #6 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 05:00 PM

Thank you James and Lisa

I am going to have a look at it now

alana r · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 05:57 PM

hi

I have followed the instructions to take the file out of the zipped folder and save it on my desktop, but when I open it in dreamweaver it is not showing up properly

Not sure what I am doing wrong?

lisa · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 06:46 PM

So you have the folder cssTemplate sitting somewhere on your computer outside of the zip file right? So you open Dreamweaver and now open the index.html file and you cannot see the template?

alana r · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 06:49 PM

yeah, it dosent look like the template, is it supposed to?

it has the left nav on the top straight across
under that is the right sidebar
then the contents
then the footer

no header

just to make sure this is what I did

downloaded template to desktop
opened folder
clicked and dragged template out of zipped folder to somewhere else on the desktop
opened dreamweaver 4
opened index from css template folder

did i miss something?

lisa · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 09:44 PM

Sounds like you did it right. What version of Dreamweaver are you using? Not that this should matter because I would think any version would open it correctly.

James · #11 (**permalink**) 11-18-2008, 10:09 PM

First we need to get your template up and running.

When it is unzipped you should have the three files: instructions.html, index.html, and style.css plus the images folder.

In order to get the template to work it has to be moved away from the zip folder or the zip deleted (I prefer not to do that in case I need to get the files again). I would select each of these (you can do it at once) and right click copy. That will copy all of them. Then open a new folder in an entirely different location (not in the line of the zip folder). That will be the base folder for your site. Now right click, paste.

This should put all three of those files plus the image folder all in that one folder. You do not need the instructions file, but you do need the other two files and the images folder all in that one folder for the index.html file to open in your browser. Double click on index.html to see if it does open.

This way you will know right away whether you are having a problem with your template setup or Dreamweaver. By the way, whether or not you can get it going in Dreamweaver, we will move right ahead.

Post a note as soon as you get it up. Or if you are still having a problem let me know what is happening.

alana r · #12 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 03:55 AM

hi
Lisa- am using dreamweaver 4

James- I tried it that way first but it didn't work eidther
I also after trying it a few times both ways deleted all the files and zipped folder and downloaded it again and tried it again,still can't get it working

There is one thing though I don't know if it means anything, when I download it I get a "threat detected" message from avg

James · #13 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 08:48 AM

It could be so. The zip may be blocked somehow by your protection.

I will pm you with an alternate way to get it downloaded.

alana r · #14 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 03:56 PM

hi

I got the email, I followed the instructions but its still not working, its the same as before

just to make sure, is it supposed to look like it will when its published in design view, like it does in Lisa's video?

lisa · #15 (**permalink**) 11-19-2008, 04:32 PM

Yes, when I open the index.html file in Dreamweaver, I see the template. In fact, in the video you are looking at me editing the template in Dreamweaver.

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