School Website

Jbbae · #1 (**permalink**) 04-05-2008, 08:22 PM

I am thinking of making a school website, with different sections such as music, news, tips, interviews, etc.

I have an idea of how to make a website, how to put buttons, banners, etc, but using Dreamweaver, but I have NO idea how to use add a website application that would allow me to upload the music, videos, etc.

Also, I want to make different mini-blogs of different sections in the site, each section in a different square, and in which I can see what is new in the website, and after the 5 latest uploads, there is the link "more..."

To get a much clearer idea of what is it that I exactly want, you may want to go to www.yahoo.com and take a look at the front page, in which they have put mini-blogs into sections such as "buisness" "world news", etc...

I do not wish to pay, and I think I will stick to dreamweaver websitemaking, but I have scarce knowledge of the advanced website making techniques, so I ask you peeps for some help...

Please help me out with this... it's very important...

I have four days to get this information so I can start this... thanks

Thanks again,
Jbbae

Lajocar · #2 (**permalink**) 04-06-2008, 01:22 AM

Jbbae, do you want to upload music and videos etc or website visitors?

Bingo · #3 (**permalink**) 04-06-2008, 10:59 AM

With dreamweaver you may want to learn the basics of HTML & CSS. One very good way to learn is download this template and start learning the code structure.

I'd also take a read through Lisa's website, How to create a website. Its full of great information to get help get you off the ground.

Jbbae · #4 (**permalink**) 04-06-2008, 04:36 PM

First of all, I do want to put music and video files

and could u tell me in how much time I would learn all the HTML/CSS stuff?

DotComBot · #5 (**permalink**) 04-06-2008, 05:18 PM

Hey Jbbae,

I've been doing it for twelve years and I still haven't learned it.
To put together a basic site with css and html only shouldn't take too much as you could more than likely start with a free template and simply fill in the content.
Adding music and videos, however, is a different story. There are ways to do this simply by adding a bit of code to your html, but that requires such things as having the videos hosted on youtube and adding a player from there onto your page. To take the files from your computer and load them onto a server is not the problem, the ability to display these on your pages is what you need to look into.
I use flash for everything I can so, sadly enough, I'm not that savvy on which other formats will work to accomplish this. I believe java can do it as well as various other programs, but I'm unsure which would be best for you.
If you let us know what format your videos and music files are I'm sure someone can give you a definitive answer.
If your interested in a flash formatted player and display, I can help you out. Just let us know what you are working with and, if flash is an option, it would be a great opportunity for me to put together another tutorial.
As far as your mini-blogs and latest uploads, etc. (like yahoo) you're talking about some serious php scripting, that would take considerable time for a professional. You may want to rethink that for now.
Hope that helps.

Jbbae · #6 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 05:03 PM

Thanks a lot, Dot

I really appreciate it...

so I have another pack of questions

So in order to use Dreamweaver, I must learn the basic HTML and CSS stuff?
(And btw, what EXACTLY are these things?)

I just learned dreamweaver in school and know how to do the things in a visual way, using the options in the program and such...

Also, about uploading music and videos, I want to make clear that all I want to do is upload them from a computer onto the site, then obviously, display it... I have a friend who can do it, but I want to be able to do this also, since I am a pretty competitve guy

So... what IS flash? I would like you help if you think that is advisable for my sort of website...

and about the mini-blog thing, Yea... I also thought it would be something very complicated... So, what do you suggest me to do in order to replace it with something similarly good?

Btw, I am a new novice, and my background information on this subject is to USE dreamweaver, but I have NO idea about HTML, and CSS, or any other complicated advanced website skills, which I am eager and NEED to learn in a matter of days... I am a pretty fast learner, and will try my best ><

If you are not too busy... I would be really thankful if you could help me out on this ><

lisa · #7 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 05:44 PM

As far as using dreamweaver you might want to start by downloading one of the CSS templates from www.csstemplates.org Open the template up in Dreamweaver and that will help you get a feel for how the program works.

Once you become familiar with the functions you can always Google different things if you need help. That's how I learned a lot about the program. I also bought Dreamweaver for Dummies and that helped a lot!

James · #8 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 06:15 PM

Jbbae

I think Lisa never bothers mentioning a couple basics just because she knows some of us can't resist chiming in with them! Go to w3schools.com where you can get the real facts in easy tutors about html and css. Even if you use dreamweaver or some such program you need to understand what all those markups are so you can make adjustments, etc.

And don't let DotComBot scare you. He's a great guy and everything he says is true, but it doesn't take twelve years to get a basic understanding of what's going on. In a month or two with a little time each day you will have the basics of html and css in mind. Then you keep learning a little at a time.

Have your friend show you how he does it and learn what he knows. Go to DotComBot's site, right click, and look at "view page source" to see how a pro does it! With cut and paste and templates you can use a lot you don't know much about, but you really do need to start learning a little about html and css if you want to understand anything.

lisa · #9 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James

Jbbae

I think Lisa never bothers mentioning a couple basics just because she knows some of us can't resist chiming in with them! Go to w3schools.com where you can get the real facts in easy tutors about html and css. Even if you use dreamweaver or some such program you need to understand what all those markups are so you can make adjustments, etc.

I always forget about recommending that site. Thanks, James.

Jbbae · #10 (**permalink**) 04-08-2008, 08:22 PM

Thanks guys, and yea im currently learning from a site I learned from google http://csshtmltutorial.com, after some of the tutorials in Lisa's site, of course and just took a look at DotComBot's site

Wow, he IS good... so like anyone care to explain what's a flash and what are the other programs that are other options to flash?

And also, how much can I get done in a week if I try like an hour each day on studying these things?

I kinda gotta learn whatever I can in one week >< and im a complete novice

And im kinda competitive with my other friend, not sure if I can get myself to ask him, but yeah, since he knows more than I (T.T), He will help me with many stuff.

Btw, how am I supposed to understand DotComBot's site? O_o it IS scary after all...

Thanks

WB Sponsors