Thinking about using CMSMS...question though

[Deron]

I've seen a lot of custom designs here that are using the CMSMS system.  What I'm wondering (I'm a noob when it comes to CMS stuff) is if I use CMSMS, and I'm doing it with a custom made site, do I impliment CMS after I've got the site built?  Or do I need to get the CMS set up first and then build the site around that?

[calguy1000]

I would install cmsms, and build your site using cmsms..... otherwise you may have quite a chore importing your html, stylesheets, etc.

[Ted]

You don't have to install it first, but I would recommend it, only because you're going to be doing double work.

Best thing to do is make up the template you'll be using, set it up in CMSMS, and then fill in all the content with the tools CMSMS provides.

[hman]

I like to build a template page outside of CMSMS and import the HTML, stylesheets, and images after I'm done with the design. CMSMS is designed to fit seamlessly into an existing design - that's why you won't find too many template made specifically for CMSMS. Sometimes I make a few minor changes to the template once I get it imported, but usually nothing really huge.

It's all really a matter of personal preference. You just have to figure out what works for you. That's what I have always liked about CMSMS - it is a very flexible content management system.

Good luck with your site!

[Deron]

Thanks for all the quick replies.  Like I said, I'm new to all of this and if and when I use CMSMS to me it makes more sense to design the site first, but I've read that its easier to get the CMS set up and then add the site around it. 

Can someone explain how you would "template" an xhtml/css site?  I'm pretty good with xhtml/css but I suppose since I have no experience with CMS's I've never had to make a template, let alone make one that works well with a CMS.  By template are you just speaking of designing in photoshop and slicing images, etc...and then putting into a tableless design?  After that just add CMSMS code to the areas which will need updating regularly?  Is that even how it works?  I know the best thing for me to do is just download it and jump it but I'd like to kinda know what I'm doing before hand. 

[TNTH]

The way you describe it is kind of how I work with this cms. First I make a design, slice it, use dreamweaver to get rid of the tables and put the design in divs. Some finetuning then happens in the cms itselfes. For a website the only thing you'll need are these tags:

Code: Select all

<title>title of your page</title>
{stylesheet}
</__body>
{cms_module module='your menu'}
{content}
<__body>

As easy as that. With the {stylesheet}-tag you'll tell the cms to use the connected stylesheet. {cms_module module='your menu'} Tells the cms to use a menumodule which you have chosen (giving the menu another style must be done in the css-file of that menu), it's placed in your template where you want your menu to appear. {content} is placed in your template where you want the content to appear.