Content Management Systems

They have: 14 posts

Joined: Aug 2009

I dont know if this belongs here so if it doesnt Admin please move.

I have been designing sites for about a year now. I use the Adobe Suite –mainly flash, photoshop and dreamweaver.. I tend to use CSS as much as I can.

I am finding I don’t have time to keep updating client websites and I know you can get things like Wordpress and Joomla which are CMS. The problem I find with these is that they don’t allow for creativity unlike Dreamweaver. You have to use a theme and work with that theme and even if u want to modify it comprehensively you have to dig deep into the css that constructed the theme in the 1st place. I don’t have this problem with Dreamweaver.

My question is this. If I produce a site in Dreamweaver can a piece of CMS be used to offer that site to a person so that they can update it themselves? Im not sure how CMS software works and whether I can use it with my Dreamweaver projects. Could someone give me a heads up?

Thank you

greg's picture

He has: 1,581 posts

Joined: Nov 2005

Not really sure about any others, but I know with Wordpress there are specific functions, variables and classes you call throughout the theme template.
These functions (etc) are generated within the core code, which you don't need to access.

You simple make a theme with your html code and css and place the functions within your code to call the various aspects of the CMS.
Like the navigation, page listings, category listings etc.
I'm sure you could do it in a WYSIWYG, but you'd need to know what functions to add and where.

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

You should also look for some bare bones or basic themes that just contain the basic structure. That's what I've always done with my sites. Then I can build in my own design however I want.

Learning how to do themeing, at least in Wordpress, would be good for your business.

greg's picture

He has: 1,581 posts

Joined: Nov 2005

Yes that's how I learned Wordpress. Just played around with the "Default" theme that comes with all Wordpress installs. Now I start with blank files and build a theme from ground up (well, my own basic template).

There's not much in the way of HTML and CSS cod0 in the main files, so you can see the Wordpress specific functions easily and figure out what they do.

You don't even really have to be familiar with PHP for basic styling, just learn/remember what each function does and put it where you want it.

They have: 14 posts

Joined: Aug 2009

Indeed. I know how to modify Wordpress themes using css etc etc. I was more along the line of CMS for sites ive done in Dreamweaver. Ill have to look at specific CMS softwares to see if I can get any insight there.

Thanks

JeevesBond's picture

He has: 3,956 posts

Joined: Jun 2002

I don't know of any CMS that can 'take over' sites built in Dreamweaver. They all come with their own theming system, so you'd have to port a site over to the chosen CMS' theme.

There is Contribute, which allows users to update content on sites built using Dreamweaver templates, but it never really took off.

a Padded Cell our articles site!

They have: 10 posts

Joined: Aug 2009

I don’t think so. CMS has their own way of configuring and developing a website and there is no way you can patch Dreamweaver with any CMS. You should in fact look for a suitable theme and modify it as per requirement.

They have: 3 posts

Joined: Sep 2009

There is 2 steps:

1) Make your design in DreamWeaver

2) Find the people who will port this design into some CMS theme

This is very common thing in web development: designer make site pages presentation, and programmer ("themer") make this pages live with CMS and this CMS's theming system.

So you no need to change your workflow - just choose right CMS, find people to port your design to this CMS, and get profit Smiling

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Sep 2009

Why not try joomla.

They have: 25 posts

Joined: Sep 2009

You can create a theme in dreamweaver for Joomla or Drupal etc.

PHPonly's picture

They have: 13 posts

Joined: Apr 2009

Just search on websites like HotScripts and find the CMS that you are looking for there. There are many choices out there, but it takes time to find the right one.

They have: 3 posts

Joined: Oct 2009

thats ok. but u havent say what type of business websbite?

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Nov 2009

Unless you conform to a theme, how do you expect the CMS to know where to put your content, where to put headers, where to put navigation, etc?

A theme is just a static site design with pieces of code telling the CMS where to put your content.. And there's no real way around it. Of course you can build a theme in Dreamweaver, just make your design then use code view to insert the theme snippets, then when you are done split the design into the required files.

It's either that, or keep manually updating your sites Wink

They have: 4 posts

Joined: Aug 2011

Content management system is a use for Create a simple web page with a form. Best example of content management system is Wordpress and Joomla

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