Thread

Hi everyone,

Sorry for the long post!

I’m trying to get my head around EE as a CMS system to simply build up a website that my clients can edit the content on.

I’ve watched the tutorial videos, read pages of documentation and I’m ashamed to say I’m still totally lost.

I don’t know if it’s just the terminology that’s confusing me or what but essentially I’m trying to create a cms solution for this design.

I don’t need the pages to act like a blog and I was hoping my client could login, create/edit a new page based on a template layout (single column or double column), and have a way to link to the page if it’s a new page.

Is a weblog a page? Or is a template group a page?  I’ve read about categories but still don’t understand them.

I’ve structured my design separating out things just like using php includes.  So I’ve got:

Template Groups:

Single Column Layout
> Index

Double Column Layout
> Index

Includes
> .footer
> .header
> .loginbox
> .menu
> .searchbox
> styles

Is there and idiots guide to using EE as a normal CMS solution, one that explains the best way to structure things based upon site administrators wants to:

> Create a page based upon a design template.
> Edit the content of an already existing page.

Please slap some sense into me as!  I’ve kind of of put my head on the block to as I’ve chosen EE as our standard CMS solution going forward, obviously once we’ve got used to it. 

Many thanks 😊

Hi - we’ve all been there!

Start here - you can even use your template instead

Thanks Andy!  😊

When you get stuck (note how I am not saying if 😊 ) come back to these forums; folks are friendly and really helpful.

Ha ha, yeah thank God they are!

Working through that tutorial as we speak.  The nerd in me is getting all excited lol!!

Well you were right.  It seems the simple things are proving most difficult lol

Q: If I view a rendered template (index) from the control panel in a template group called case-studies I can see the page I want, yet if I type the exact url that is shown in the address bar is take me to the main default homepage?

http://www.nehsp.org.uk/index.php/cases-studies/index/

Therefore my link to the case studies page in the menu doesn’t work.

Is there a setting that I can’t see somewhere on each individual weblog as the homepage link works and is using the same format for the link.

<li><a{if '{embed:my_location}'=="home"} class="selected"{/if} href="/index.php/home-page/index/" >Home page</a></li>
<li><a{if '{embed:my_location}'=="casestudies"} class="selected"{/if} href="/index.php/cases-studies/index/" >Case studies</a></li>

Haha - you’ve put caseS-studies! I hate these errors, you can sit for ages staring at the screen and just not spot it!!

I was trying to think of an easy way to explain how the templates work and all I can think of are Mr Potato Heads where you can push different coloured hair (putty) through the holes in the top of the head.

Think of Mr Potato Head as the template and putty as content. It’s late and the beer is good so excuse me if that made no sense!

...all I can think of are Mr Potato Heads where you can push different coloured hair (putty) through the holes in the top of the head. Think of Mr Potato Head as the template and putty as content.

Mr. Hambleton, I demand that you go lie down and rest. And contact a therapist at your earliest convenience.  😊

@urbanriver: Don’t forget the {homepage} variable.
This:

href="/index.php/home-page/index/" >Home page</a>

Can be:

href="{homepage}" >Home page</a>

I read his reply and decided I’d reread it later this evening after a few jars in order to decipher its meaning!

Oh my god yes ha ha, bloody typo.

Thanks for pointing that out :red:

Why I always think it’s some configuration problem or something I’ve not understood is beyond me.  1st point of call… check spelling lol

Have a nice weekend guys!