Making Site More Easy to Update

How do I make my site easier to update?

[IrishWeimGirl]

I have an e-commerce site that uses nice templates I put together myself. I'm satisfied with the way things look, but would like to know if there's an easier way to do things, as our product line is growing and the site updates are taking longer than before.
Right now, I'm using Netscape Composer as the HTML editor, which has been getting it all done. However, having to log into the server and do all the uploads manually has gotten a wee bit tedious. The reason why I'm doing manual uploads is because the Publish feature on Composer works in kind of a hit or miss fashion (sometimes the files get sent to the wrong directory, or images get published as .html files, etc. Similar problems have occured with using third-party FTP programs)) I know there are people using content management systems for their sites, but I've never used one, nor do I have knowledge of php, etc. I had considered having FrontPage extensions enabled, but was told by a friend that FP makes a mess of your site if any of the pages were created with a different program and then modified in FP. I did give OSCommerce a try, but wasn't able to match the online catalog's style to the rest of the site. Another issue, too, is that I don't want to have to change the product pages' extensions from HTML to something else because of existing search engine listings. Most CMS programs I've found seem to use only .php, .asp, etc. extensions
My site's hosted on a RedHat Linux Apache server with MYSQL, cgi-bin, etc. enabled. I'm already set up with a shopping cart (Mal's E-Commerce) which has worked very well. If anyone knows of any ways to save time when uploading files, or, better yet, setting up a system that would allow me to edit & create pages online, please let me know. Thanks in advance.

[justgowithit]

Sounds like it’s about time to go with a database driven site. Of course, you’d need to pay for someone to build it if you can’t build it yourself and then there would be the reoccurring maintenance cost.

nor do I have knowledge of php, etc

It sounds like you have knowledge of HTML, and basic PHP that would help you out isn’t that much harder to understand. For instance creating a simple template using the PHP include() statement would make updating across numerous pages as simple as changing one file (.inc).
The PHP Include() Statement [us2.php.net]

I don't want to have to change the product pages' extensions from HTML to something else because of existing search engine listings. Most CMS programs I've found seem to use only .php, .asp, etc. extensions

You don’t have to worry about this. You can parse pages to output whichever extension you would like.
Parse php as html [webmasterworld.com]

You’ve mentioned Frontpage as an option. I think you may be on the right track looking to employ the help of a WYSIWYG editor. You would probably save time and it would be less expensive and quicker that paying to build a database driven site or learning to build one yourself. Not to start the old Frontpage VS. Dreamweaver battle, but Dreamweaver will FTP to your server without the need for any extension - you may want to consider Dreamweaver as an option. It also creates easy to use and edit templates.

[hfwd]

I like dreamweaver's template ability. It allows us to update the website easily - without having to know which files are included where (such as with php include).

If this doesn't make sense - let me explain it this way: say you have 100 pages that talk about a specific widget and share the same navigation elements and a lot of other page elements (images, etc). You can set a template in dreamweaver that include these similar elements.

When you need to update something, all you have to do is change that template and all 100 pages based on the template will be changed automatically.

You can have templates based on templates, etc etc.

[IrishWeimGirl]

<<It sounds like you have knowledge of HTML, and basic PHP that would help you out isn’t that much harder to understand. For instance creating a simple template using the PHP include() statement would make updating across numerous pages as simple as changing one file (.inc). The PHP Include() Statement>>
It looks a lot less intimidating the way it's mentioned in the link you referenced. I've seen php tutorials that made it seem about as clear as mud :(

<<You don’t have to worry about this. You can parse pages to output whichever extension you would like.
Parse php as html>>
Thank goodness! :)

<<You’ve mentioned Frontpage as an option. I think you may be on the right track looking to employ the help of a WYSIWYG editor. You would probably save time and it would be less expensive and quicker that paying to build a database driven site or learning to build one yourself. Not to start the old Frontpage VS. Dreamweaver battle, but Dreamweaver will FTP to your server without the need for any extension - you may want to consider Dreamweaver as an option. It also creates easy to use and edit templates.>>
I'll start looking for a Dreamweaver download now :) Netscape Composer is a good WYSIWYG for smaller, simpler sites, but it does have its limitations as far as e-commerce goes. So far, I've gotten estimates in the neighborhood of $1500+ to convert the site to DB-driven, so I think the cost of Dreamweaver would be worth it.

[IrishWeimGirl]

<<If this doesn't make sense - let me explain it this way: say you have 100 pages that talk about a specific widget and share the same navigation elements and a lot of other page elements (images, etc). You can set a template in dreamweaver that include these similar elements.
When you need to update something, all you have to do is change that template and all 100 pages based on the template will be changed automatically.>>
That's just what I need :)

[safeascake]

iv seen an online editor its suppost to be like word somwhere cant think where try hotscrips. it looked pritty impressive it had the abilty to creat pages online and then update them onine so no ftp needed and also it was template driven so you could keep your templates! hope that helps

just found the name of the script WysiwygPro do a google for it

[IrishWeimGirl]

<<iv seen an online editor its suppost to be like word somwhere cant think where try hotscrips. it looked pritty impressive it had the abilty to creat pages online and then update them onine so no ftp needed and also it was template driven so you could keep your templates! hope that helps
just found the name of the script WysiwygPro do a google for it>>
Sounds worth investigating. Thanks!

[ssanders82]

Just from my experience, don't use Dreamweaver templates. I've had trouble with them applying (esp. in DW MX), and if you ever move to another editor, you'll lose their functionality. I'd recommend learning a little bit of PHP, or if you don't want to try, you can use Server Side Includes.

[leftofcentered]

You could try Macromedia's Contribute, which is WYSIWYG and a rather cool tool. That is what I recommend to my clients. Download an eval version from macromedia.com (at the site, select CONTRIBUTE from the product list).

Another (much cheaper) option is a script called SnippetMaster. There is a lite (free) and a regular (paid) version. This is less powerful than Contribute, but check out both.

[edited by: lorax at 12:55 pm (utc) on Aug. 17, 2005]
[edit reason] removed URL - please see TOS and Charter [/edit]

[Habtom]

I recommend you to go into Dynamic programming. Infact, the rest of the options are less feasible as your web grows bigger. In latter days, if you want to redesign the whole web page in a different manner, your data from the database will be there to be shaped the way you want it.

The issue of search engines is there but there are few techniques in making your dynamic pages searchable.

Put the other options aside and jump into dynamic programming (I recommend you PHP).

Hab

[moose606]

I use Dreamweaver exclusively, and would recommend setting up all your common elements as library items. This way, when you make a change to a library item, it will update the whole site. Also, with library items, you don't have to worry about what is editiable on not, including meta tags.

[leftofcentered]

Habtom : "Put the other options aside and jump into dynamic programming (I recommend you PHP)..."

Habtom, by dynamic programming do you mean a Mambo or PHP-Nuke kind of CMS (content management system)?

[Mall23]

If you get into programming or have a friend who will help you, might take a look at this article I helped write on making an auto-update system with ASP and XML:
[aspfree.com...]

It's 2 parts. That link is to part 1.

As a developer I LOOOOVE this system and it runs smooth as silk!