How did you start?

[Domie]

Hello everyone,

I am intrested in skinning PHPLD and i am wondering how did your first start to design your first PHPLD template?

Did you learn any specific coding languages etc?

Please share. :D

If you would be nice enough to help me over MSN, i would greatly appreciate it. Email: raremico@hotmail.com

[bobby9101]

got a local server and backedup every second
then jsut played around til i got the hang of it

[Optimit]

I started by wanting a different look for my directory, but being such the cheap bastard that I am, I could not afford to pay someone else to do it. So, I dug in and started playing around with it. When I finally figured out how to add my own logo, I was a happy camper.

[Domie]

Does anyone use dream weaver for their templates?

[bobby9101]

DO NOT USE THAT
it will screw up your code
only use a text editor, php editor, or html editor
you MUST hand code your files

[droolingmnky]

I used DW to get my template to a point to where I liked it (minor tweaking etc). I added the code to make the actual template, moved it around until it was how I liked.

Content visible to registered users only.

You can use what ever you wish, as long as you know understand that there's no phpld extension for it so that means you can't use it like you would normally.

Oh and it works just dandy for php also.

[bobby9101]

have you ever seen dreamweaver/frontpage output
it is ugly at best
talk about useless code and recursion :p

[edi]

i use dreamwaver as editor, but VERY carefuly as often I get error. i am the beginner too and takes me ages to find what to change in the code to get what i want.
trial and error is what i do - if i mess it us, i just transfer original file to it's proper place...;) and start again....

[Steven Myers]

Hmm, interesting posts :)

I use html-kit, very good to use and not a cheap Microcrap Frontpage software that displays differently in every browser. :p

Nice bunny avatar edi :D

[bobby9101]

NOTEPAD guys i am telling you NOTEPAD ;)
best microsoft product for a reason

[Steven Myers]

you should be hung in the forum bobby just for saying that lol :D

[Optimit]

I use DW, but I use code view to work in, and then check my work in design view.


BTW, DW does not leave nearly the crappy code that FP does. At least DW 8 doesn't.

[droolingmnky]

Nod, DW 8 FTW!

I really just use code view and design view to get instant feedback. I can't stand trying to use their insert functions...

[Optimit]

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This might explain the bug in your directory.

[Domie]

I will try, thanks everyone.

[shzor]

hi , i just want to know that i can design template very easily in front page & kow ghraphic as well....but now i want to design phplinkdirectory template what i have to learn to design that?

[bobby9101]

ntepad is great the only thing i dont like is no line counting.
so i use phpdesigner2006 for line counting and thats it
notepad is so easy fire it up and type in some code it is so easy
no wysiwyg for me
i am a hardcore handcoded coder :p

[Optimit]

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I agree that the wysiwyg editors can leave some nasty stuff in the code. As an example, paragraph tags around tables and images, span tags in places that have no need, and in the case of FP, tags that can only be read by FP.

However, I think there is real benefit to using something such as DW. DW helps me keep all the sites organized, ftp info is built in and stored into memory, a nice file storage system, and as I hand code, I can also take a peek at the wysiwyg screen and see what is happening. You just don't get any of that from notepad.

[shzor]

mean i have learn php to design its template

[Redmatrix]

I use a new, free tool called METAPAD (http://liquidninja.com/metapad/). It's similar to notepad, but more powerful, and less resource-hog.

I started messing around with the default template. (a copy of course!)

It helps that I know CSS and HTML 3.0.

If I have helped you, then please, add your link to my directory.