Web Design, Direction Needed.

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23-01-2006, 09:27 PM
just_laze

Web Design, Direction Needed.

Hello,

I've recently designed a website, it's not commercial and I won’t be earning any money, it's purely a 'space' for me on the internet where I can display my limited talent to friends and family.

I designed the site in Photoshop, using Image-Ready I sliced the image up and generated the necessary XHTML. I edited the XHTML in Dream-Weaver and applied some minor optimizations and finally validated it on the w3c site.

What I’m left with now is a template and I’m not sure what to address next? I will have a blog, gallery & a place where I’ll post my creative work but I don't want to be fiddling with HTML each and every time I want to edit my site. Essentially what I want to do is create a 'login' area that from within I’ll be able to post to my blog, upload photos to my gallery and add content to my creative section.

I am told that I will need to learn PHP to do this, but I’m not sure where to start or what tutorial to take first. I want this website to be designed correctly, judging from the above am I ready to begin learning PHP so I can code it to be as easy to manage as possible or is there further design related work that needs to be addressed, for example, do I need a style sheet when I can only see myself defining a text type as the site is very simplistic and minimalist, perhaps there's something else I need to do that I’ve not considered.

Either way, could I please receive some advice on how to enter the world of PHP and grasp the concept before I’m drowned in lines of code.

Thanks :-)
23-01-2006, 09:41 PM
Funkstar

you might need to change your template slightly, but you would probably be better finding some free/open source blog software, installing to your webspace and then re-write their template with your style/design and layout.

There are loads out there so unless you are doing soemthing special, there should be no need to get your hands too dirty by coding your own.
23-01-2006, 10:10 PM
just_laze

I see your point and i'm not blind to the fact that there are large code-samples available free of charge but i'd prefer to start from scratch and create my own as a method of learning the language as i find the best time to learn a language is when you're working toward a goal.
23-01-2006, 10:19 PM
mike_w

If you want to learn PHP, the sitepoint book is a good place to start - I learnt MySQL and PHP from there: http://www.sitepoint.com/books/phpmysql1/
23-01-2006, 11:10 PM
Funkstar

Quote:

Originally Posted by just_laze

I see your point and i'm not blind to the fact that there are large code-samples available free of charge but i'd prefer to start from scratch and create my own as a method of learning the language as i find the best time to learn a language is when you're working toward a goal.

thats a fair point if you are quite happy to learn PHP (or similar). I've worked with ASP in the past and keep meaning to have a look at PHP but despite having a few projects in mind that could take advantage of it, i've just never found the time :)
24-01-2006, 12:25 AM
just_laze

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike_w

If you want to learn PHP, the sitepoint book is a good place to start - I learnt MySQL and PHP from there: http://www.sitepoint.com/books/phpmysql1/

Would you say this book carries you through to an intermediate stage of MySQL/PHP giving you the ability to string together more complex use by understanding the fundamentals? I mean, using the book, what have you learnt, as a MySQL/PHP user how would you rate yourself after completing the sitepoint book and what have you created using the knowledge gained?