CMS Made Simple Forums

Hi there

I'm new to this forum, new to CMSMS as well as new to working with a CMS in general. This is the first time I am going to attempt to implement a CMS on a site...so I will no doubt be asking lots of questions over the coming weeks.

First things first is where to best install CMSMS to avoid complications when the site needs to go live...

My client already has a simple website, which is currently live and I am doing a re-design and expansion on this so will be working on my dev server to create all the new CSS/XHTML layouts. When it comes to installing CMSMS and implementing the site it would probably be best to work on her server, but I don't want to interfere with her current site. What is the best plan of action?

- create a subfolder on her server and install CMSMS in that folder and create the new site there?
- install CMSMS into the root foder and have the dev site in a subfolder - is that problematic when it comes to moving site files into the root folder and making the new site live?

Basically her current site needs to be active until it's time to wipe it and replace it with the new site. But I need to be able to develop the new site and implement the CMS without any problems and then overwrite the current site when the new site is complete.

If anyone can offer any advice on the best practice, that'd be great. I'm sorry if this is a bit of a numpty question, but I'm totally new to this and don't want to create problems for myself in the long run by installing CMSMS in the wrong place and working in the wrong way from the start.

Thanks

If the existing site uses index.html as it's home page you can just put it in the root as CMSMS uses index.php...

That way you can do all the development on their server and not have to move it later, just rename/delete the index.html file when you are ready...

We mainly use separate subdomains for working on new CMSMS sites; copying over what files will be needed from the existing site over to the subdomain (wherever it may be.. on the client's own host {which is often us}, or our own development servers). This keeps them both (current site and new CMSMS site) separate and we know what files go with what site (and if we're missing something we need in the new one). This makes it easier to back up the old site and the new site, separately, without any extraneous files mixed in. It also makes it easier to move CMSMS over and to clean up the old site's files that aren't used any more.

Thanks for the replies...I take it that it's quite easy to move the cms from the subfolder to the root once the site needs to go live and there are no major issues? I've decided to go with that option as I don't want to mix the current site with the new.

Hello,

Eskymo wrote: My client already has a simple website, which is currently live and I am doing a re-design and expansion on this so will be working on my dev server to create all the new CSS/XHTML layouts. When it comes to installing CMSMS and implementing the site it would probably be best to work on her server, but I don't want to interfere with her current site. What is the best plan of action?

How to motorize your old plain html static site with CMSms

Pierre M.

Eskymo wrote: ...I take it that it's quite easy to move the cms from the subfolder to the root once the site needs to go live and there are no major issues?

When you move from the subfolder to the root you will have to edit the "#Path Settings" area of config.php to reflect the path changes.