Hi-- this is a really newbie question, I'm afraid.
I run a football website as a hobby, located here.
It's a pretty simple website right now, but it has a lot of potential to grow. For instance, I'd like to have a collection of articles about famous games between the teams (of which there could theoretically be hundreds).
I added Serendipity to the site because it occurred to me that a lot of the things I'd like to do mesh well with a blog format-- for example, the front page. Right now, I need to keep changing the text in the center of the page every time there's a new week of games-- and what I wrote before is gone; too bad for anyone who missed reading it while it was there.
But I don't intend for the entire site to become a blog-- it's more like I'd like it to be some cross between a blog and a normal web site, where Serendipity allows me to manage the content and how it links together.
Am I on the right track by thinking that it's designed to do this? And if so, do you have a suggestion for how I should get started? I'm not afraid to read through a bunch of material, so if there's a FAQ or tutorial written about undertaking this sort of thing, feel free to point me to it. I'm afraid I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for; I feel like I'm still finding my bearings.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post!
converting an existing webpage to Serendipity
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Don Chambers
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As a Chicago Bears fan, I'm afraid I cannot help! 
Actually, perhaps it is better to say that "not much can help the Chicago Bears this season"!!! 
Actually, your entire site could easily be converted to serendipity... Your frequently changing pages would be normal blog pages, and the pages that rarely change could be static pages.
If you have the ability to undertake this project in a localhost environment, you could begin immediately. If not, might you want to begin reading and digesting everything you can now, then wait for the end of the season before making drastic changes? Also, how are you creating your html code now?
Actually, perhaps it is better to say that "not much can help the Chicago Bears this season"!!! Actually, your entire site could easily be converted to serendipity... Your frequently changing pages would be normal blog pages, and the pages that rarely change could be static pages.
If you have the ability to undertake this project in a localhost environment, you could begin immediately. If not, might you want to begin reading and digesting everything you can now, then wait for the end of the season before making drastic changes? Also, how are you creating your html code now?
=Don=
Thanks; it's good to know that Serendipity can work for this! That sounds like exactly the sort of thing I had in mind.
I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what you mean by a localhost environment. Does that mean running my own server? I'm not currently doing that; my site is hosted by GoDaddy. It was from their site that I learned about this one.
I do have the admin control panel available to me where Serendipity is installed here. Nothing there now but an empty blog, but I can use it to test things out and learn how they work.
I think it does make sense to plan to redo the site with Serendipity for the 2008 season (unless doing so is way simpler than it seems), and learn what I can between now and then.
As for how I am creating the code now, it's pretty simple I'm afraid-- just editing it in Notepad. I add things as I learn new tricks, and I've written some Javascript for sorting tables and displaying/hiding text. The only use of PHP on the site is for displaying the poll on the front page, and that I got from the site offering the free poll software. Everything else on the site is just an HTML file written in Notepad and uploaded by FTP.
I will need to learn PHP and Smarty to convert the site like I'm talking about; am I correct? Do you have any suggestions about where I should start learning? I have a book about PHP in general, but I think something more specific to Serendipity would be helpful.
Well, sorry for the long post-- I'm excited about the possibility for the site. Thanks for the help! (sorry about the Bears)
I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what you mean by a localhost environment. Does that mean running my own server? I'm not currently doing that; my site is hosted by GoDaddy. It was from their site that I learned about this one.
I do have the admin control panel available to me where Serendipity is installed here. Nothing there now but an empty blog, but I can use it to test things out and learn how they work.
I think it does make sense to plan to redo the site with Serendipity for the 2008 season (unless doing so is way simpler than it seems), and learn what I can between now and then.
As for how I am creating the code now, it's pretty simple I'm afraid-- just editing it in Notepad. I add things as I learn new tricks, and I've written some Javascript for sorting tables and displaying/hiding text. The only use of PHP on the site is for displaying the poll on the front page, and that I got from the site offering the free poll software. Everything else on the site is just an HTML file written in Notepad and uploaded by FTP.
I will need to learn PHP and Smarty to convert the site like I'm talking about; am I correct? Do you have any suggestions about where I should start learning? I have a book about PHP in general, but I think something more specific to Serendipity would be helpful.
Well, sorry for the long post-- I'm excited about the possibility for the site. Thanks for the help! (sorry about the Bears)
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Don Chambers
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First thing I would check before moving forward is whether or not you have access to the MySQL database that was created by installing s9y via godaddy's control panel. If not, remove the service, remove the existing /serendipity folder if the removal does not do it, create your own MySQL database, create whatever folder you want to install serendipity, then ftp the latest s9y release to that folder. You will thank yourself in the long run.
I doubt you are going to need to know any php to start modifying a template to suit your needs. Depending on the template, you will encounter a little, or a lot, of smarty... but it is very easy to understand. It will mostly be html and css, but you already seem to understand both.
I doubt you are going to need to know any php to start modifying a template to suit your needs. Depending on the template, you will encounter a little, or a lot, of smarty... but it is very easy to understand. It will mostly be html and css, but you already seem to understand both.
=Don=
Hmm. It appears that I have access to the database, but I may have screwed something up during the process.
Through Godaddy's control panel, I can access the database with phpMyAdmin. (Will that interface give me the access I need for this?) I can see that there are a bunch of tables there-- 17 under "information_schema" and 21 under the title it gave the database.
That's the weird thing. When I installed Serendipity, I chose a reasonably simple title and username for it. But when I go to the Godaddy control panel, the database name shows up as a 16-character string with a 13-digit random number in it, and my username for the database is the same string.
So, I went to the Serendipity control panel on my website and changed the database name, username, and password to more manageable titles. Unfortunately, that screwed things up and now I'm getting a connection error on that page.
Oops. Maybe the change just hasn't made it to Godaddy's server yet, or maybe I screwed up and need to reinstall.
Through Godaddy's control panel, I can access the database with phpMyAdmin. (Will that interface give me the access I need for this?) I can see that there are a bunch of tables there-- 17 under "information_schema" and 21 under the title it gave the database.
That's the weird thing. When I installed Serendipity, I chose a reasonably simple title and username for it. But when I go to the Godaddy control panel, the database name shows up as a 16-character string with a 13-digit random number in it, and my username for the database is the same string.
So, I went to the Serendipity control panel on my website and changed the database name, username, and password to more manageable titles. Unfortunately, that screwed things up and now I'm getting a connection error on that page.
Oops. Maybe the change just hasn't made it to Godaddy's server yet, or maybe I screwed up and need to reinstall.
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Don Chambers
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Don Chambers
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- Posts: 3657
- Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:40 am
- Location: Chicago, IL, USA
- Contact:
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Don Chambers
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- Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 2:40 am
- Location: Chicago, IL, USA
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Okay. I think I'm almost ready to get going. But I'm afraid I'm back to the newbie question: How do I make a template? I still haven't been able to find material on how to get started.
Should I maybe just use FTP to go into "serendipity/templates" on the site and start taking a look at the contents of that folder in Notepad?
But I'm afraid I'm back to the newbie question: How do I make a template? I still haven't been able to find material on how to get started. Should I maybe just use FTP to go into "serendipity/templates" on the site and start taking a look at the contents of that folder in Notepad?
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Don Chambers
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All templates/themes/styles are located in the folder /templates/. the zipfile includes a number of templates, but there are many more in the spartacus repository. You can either download them, unzip & ftp, or you can install the spartacus plugin, which lets you access the repository directly.
Starting from scratch is probably not going to be your best choice if you have never done any of this before. My suggestion is to first find a template that has the structure you want (ie sidebar - content - sidebar). While I would personally love to recommend the bulletproof template as a starting point, I'm afraid all our smarty code for a variety of configuration options will confuse you until you have a little experience under your belt.
Perhaps you should start with the template that is activated with you first install s9y... which is "Serendipity 3.0" (for now). That template is located the folder /templates/carl_contest/. Create a new folder called /templates/afc_north/ (or whatever you want) and copy the contents of /templates/carl_contest/ to this new folder. Using notepad, open the file info.txt and change the name to whatever you want (this is not necessary, but it will make it easier for you to tell the difference between the original carl_contest and this new template.
Also, for now, in this new folder, delete the files preview.png and preview_fullsize.jpg. Again, this is to help you identify the difference between your copy, and the original.
In the s9y admin panel, select "manage styles".... select your new copy as the template. The templates are actually listed in folder name order, which is not always the same as the template name, so if you use my example folder of afc_north, it should be listed before serendipitiy 3 (foldername: carl_contest).
Files that contain html are *.tpl, so the file that generates the main structure of most pages is index.tpl. This template includes a number of custom tpl files which are different from those used by default. I suggest you ignore those other tpl files for starters, but you can edit those as well if you wish to change what they do too.
Starting from scratch is probably not going to be your best choice if you have never done any of this before. My suggestion is to first find a template that has the structure you want (ie sidebar - content - sidebar). While I would personally love to recommend the bulletproof template as a starting point, I'm afraid all our smarty code for a variety of configuration options will confuse you until you have a little experience under your belt.
Perhaps you should start with the template that is activated with you first install s9y... which is "Serendipity 3.0" (for now). That template is located the folder /templates/carl_contest/. Create a new folder called /templates/afc_north/ (or whatever you want) and copy the contents of /templates/carl_contest/ to this new folder. Using notepad, open the file info.txt and change the name to whatever you want (this is not necessary, but it will make it easier for you to tell the difference between the original carl_contest and this new template.
Also, for now, in this new folder, delete the files preview.png and preview_fullsize.jpg. Again, this is to help you identify the difference between your copy, and the original.
In the s9y admin panel, select "manage styles".... select your new copy as the template. The templates are actually listed in folder name order, which is not always the same as the template name, so if you use my example folder of afc_north, it should be listed before serendipitiy 3 (foldername: carl_contest).
Files that contain html are *.tpl, so the file that generates the main structure of most pages is index.tpl. This template includes a number of custom tpl files which are different from those used by default. I suggest you ignore those other tpl files for starters, but you can edit those as well if you wish to change what they do too.
=Don=
Template vs. Embedding?
Hey, AFC and Don,
AFC, I'm at the same stage you are with S.
I'm also on GoDaddy. I'm using their Deluxe account to host several websites myself, which I'm happy to report is smooth going so far.
I was initially confused over the dbase name too, but S seems to keep all that out of your way, fortunately!
This is the site where I've installed S in the last few days.
I'll be experimenting with templates and such soon so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.
But I was thinking of embedding S into a page vs. templating. Maybe Don could point me to info on that subject or compare the two options.
ALSO: I initially found your post by searching for the word "Poll". Would you mind telling me what you're using? I looked at your site (very good job, BTW!) and I didn't see any indication of the authors which was surprising.
Thanks and good luck!
AFC, I'm at the same stage you are with S.
I'm also on GoDaddy. I'm using their Deluxe account to host several websites myself, which I'm happy to report is smooth going so far.
I was initially confused over the dbase name too, but S seems to keep all that out of your way, fortunately!
This is the site where I've installed S in the last few days.
I'll be experimenting with templates and such soon so I'll be keeping an eye on your progress.
But I was thinking of embedding S into a page vs. templating. Maybe Don could point me to info on that subject or compare the two options.
ALSO: I initially found your post by searching for the word "Poll". Would you mind telling me what you're using? I looked at your site (very good job, BTW!) and I didn't see any indication of the authors which was surprising.
Thanks and good luck!
Last edited by mabiak on Sun Dec 02, 2007 7:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Don Chambers
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Information on embedding s9y can be found here: http://www.s9y.org/123.html
I tried that once and was not happy with the results. I ultimately redesigned an entire site to be powered by s9y instead of embedding s9y into the existing site.
I tried that once and was not happy with the results. I ultimately redesigned an entire site to be powered by s9y instead of embedding s9y into the existing site.
=Don=
Resurrecting this thread because I finally have time to work on this now. Sorry I missed your question, mabiak.
The poll I use is called Advanced Poll, and there is a link to it on the page, but it's very easy to overlook. It takes you to http://www.proxy2.de/ , and you can find Advanced Poll version 2.0.8 under "free scripts" on that site.
Hopefully what you will need to install it is there; I learned about and installed it through GoDaddy, so it might work slightly differently going through the site itself. But I have found it very easy to use. It can attract votes and comments by bots if you leave an individual poll up for months, though.
The poll I use is called Advanced Poll, and there is a link to it on the page, but it's very easy to overlook. It takes you to http://www.proxy2.de/ , and you can find Advanced Poll version 2.0.8 under "free scripts" on that site.
Hopefully what you will need to install it is there; I learned about and installed it through GoDaddy, so it might work slightly differently going through the site itself. But I have found it very easy to use. It can attract votes and comments by bots if you leave an individual poll up for months, though.