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[ChevyRay]

I've been trying to get a content management system set up for my site, and it's been hell.

Medieval showed me how to set up CSS classes (which was retardedly simpler to learn his code than with ANY tutorial 0_o) and we managed to come up with a template that I'm really happy with. It's simple, but now that I know the ropes I can easily add features to it as I go along.

I just want it to be easy to write posts and have them show up on the site, like with Wordpress or Blogger. I also want to be able to categorize the posts and have users search them by tags, like the TIG page does, and to have certain pages of the site display only related information. For example, like the ART page to always display the latest entry with an "art" tag, etc.

All the content-management systems I find online only let you load up different templates, and I don't WANT a stupid pre-made template I want my own! I can't seem to find a "raw" template that I can just plop my own HTML into.



So I was wondering if

A) any of you webmasters out there are interested in helping me get this off the ground, or

B) anybody can explain to me how I can achieve what I need to be done.



Here's what my site looks like... since I feel bad asking for help without at least giving a taste of the goodies to come if I can overcome this bump in the road.



Cheers!


Chev

[increpare]

Stripping down existing wordpress (say) templates isn't too difficult a task (for instance, here's my (work-in-progress) wordpress homepage).  TIGsource uses wordpress, and I think that would work pretty well for you.  There are also wordpress sandbox themes, which are designed to be customized with css (if you're already on a bit of a css buzz, that might be an interesting way to go).

Big question the first: do you have a web-host?

(the restriction on custom templates is pretty much universal across free sites).

 Also: you're not going to find any pure php themes for wordpress, with wordpress you have to sort of build the theme around a given php scaffolding.  It's not hard to build stuff by modifying existing ones though (that said, 95% of all wordpress themes are structurally near-identical).

[ChevyRay]

Big question the first: do you have a web-host?

Yup.

Just browsing through some of your suggestions right now. Still not technically sure how to accomplish what you say, but I might be able to figure something out by trial-and-error.

[Hideous]

I don't remember telling you anything about CSS? You sure that wasn't Medieval?

[ChevyRay]

Shit yes it was. I just have no brain. It was on MSN :D

I originally typed that he set me up with a system similar to yours and his site, but erased it cause it wasn't really relevant. But then I got the names confused

[ChevyRay]

I read through an article that compared different content management systems, and it said that ExpressionEngine was best for those seeking control over the look of their site. After scouring through their (TONNES) of documentation, I found tonnes of helpful tutorials on their templating system, and might be able to embed the content I need. I'm gonna give it a go and see if it works.

Best thing is I can install the CMS on my own server, so I can access it all from my own host. Hopefully this works out.

Still looking for help, though

EDIT: OMG. I'm surprised that ExpressionEngine isn't as popular as Wordpress around here. Does anybody use it? It's actually pretty simple. I'm watching THIS tutorial right now, on making templates. It's pretty clever.

[ninjascience]

i have to say, I love wordpress.  So easy to customize, and your site doesn't even need to be a "blog" for it to be useful.

[ChevyRay]

Well I wish I knew how to

[increpare]

read through an article that compared different content management systems, and it said that ExpressionEngine was best for those seeking control over the look of their site.

There are different degrees of control.  You'll have plenty of control over visual aspects and layout of your site (enough to do what you wanted to) if you go with wordpress.  I can't speak about/help you with expression engine, because I haven't used it in a long time (if, indeed, I've ever used it).

Just checked out the video there: it might be convenient I guess, in that it has its own markup system, instead of having loads of embedded php scattered about the place.    Looks easier to write something from absolute scratch, though I suspect this might be a difficult task.  In wordpress, you can edit your themes via the the main admin interface also.

Hmm.  Interesting.  Doesn't really offer anything to me though (given that I can deal with WP).

Have you got either of wordpress or EE actually up and running on your site?

EDIT: OMG. I'm surprised that ExpressionEngine isn't as popular as Wordpress around here.

Here's one possible reason: Wordpress, for all its faults, is completely free and open-source.

If you have a couple of days spare to consider, cmsmatrix.org can be pretty entertaining.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

Drupal also lets you customize themes or make your own themes by editing php and css. I say go with Drupal, I tried it and Wordpress and found Drupal much superior.

[dmoonfire]

I like Wordpress and DokuWiki, but that's my style. Drupal is nice, but I got into it a bit too early and it moved around too fast; which left a bad taste in my mouth I guess. I heard its pretty stable now. MediaWiki is... okay, but slow as molasses in winter.

Usually if you can get a simple HTML page the way you want it, it isn't too hard to convert it to any of those. At least, that is how I work.

[Cymon]

Cymon's Games is a highly abused Wordpress theme. The trick is to make it not look like a highly abused Wordpress theme. It pretty much does everything you're looking at.

[ChevyRay]

Yeah, well look at mine

http://properundead.com/

You can't post comments yet though, and that page is the only one finished

[increpare]

Yeah, well look at mine

http://properundead.com/

You can't post comments yet though, and that page is the only one finished

By 'only one finished' you mean 'only one full stop'?

[ChevyRay]

 ... er wha?

Sorry, it's late and I have no brain. What say?

[increpare]

the links don't go anywhere?

[ChevyRay]

 

There's nothing for them to go to yet

I've not completed the site yet. I have much to do.

[Don Andy]

Maybe I've just been unlucky, but in my experience Drupal tries to be everything with its modularity but is actually nothing really good. But I could just have been mixing with the wrong kind of modules.

[postlogic]

Drupal also lets you customize themes or make your own themes by editing php and css. I say go with Drupal, I tried it and Wordpress and found Drupal much superior.

Drupal is definately not for the beginner. It's quite baffling at first, and sure, it's powerful. But it's still pretty damn much to get yourself into. That being said, I love Drupal

Just never. EVER. go for Typo3. Ever.

[increpare]

Just never. EVER. go for Typo3. Ever.

Oh?  I haven't even ever heard of it (and I have looked around at these things).  You have a regrettable liaison with it as a minor or something?