Content Management System?

[FTFlash]

Hello, everybody. I run a humor/entertainment website that I update weekly with fresh new flash animations, videos, flash games, images, audio, jokes, and other content.

For the past 5 months I've been using Dreamweaver's templating feature to create new content pages in HTML. However, I think that there must be a better way.

I've decided to learn PHP + MySQL, and have ordered a book on it. After I learn these languages, what I'd like to do is: design a content management system that will allow me to update my site daily.

The system should allow me to:

1. Fill in web forms for
- Title of flash movie
- Description of flash movie
- Author of flash movie
- Source file "Browse..."

2. Then I press "Submit". The information I filled will be stored in a MySQL database, and the movie will be uploaded to the server. I can repeat this process for hundreds of movies.

3. Then, at a later date, I can view a list of the movies I've uploaded onto my site and their corresponding information, and I can select (using checkboxes) the movies that I'd like to appear on my site. After pressing "Submit", all the actual movie pages will be created, and the homepage of the site will be updated with links to the new movies.

Here are my questions:
- Is this possible using PHP and MySQL?
- Is there a better way using content management systems that have already been created (like Mambo, etc.)?
- Will designing this code be difficult for a newbie who has just read a PHP book?

Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks so much!

[Anyango]

- Is this possible using PHP and MySQL?

Yes absolutely.

- Is there a better way using content management systems that have already been created (like Mambo, etc.)?

Although there are many CMS applications available on the web even like the one as you mentioned but i don't think any existing famous application suits not more and not less then your requirements. I mean those applications are big, they have many things in there which you prolly not even want to have and it will become hectic to manage.

- Will designing this code be difficult for a newbie who has just read a PHP book?

I guess , Yes. Try a search on sourceforge and other open source sites to look for some basic similar scripts to start with, this task is not big, for an experienced programmer it should take less then a day but for a newbie, mm, it depends.

Kami

[FTFlash]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I think I am going to go ahead and code it myself. I don't want to rely on some 3rd party script that does a bunch of other crap that I don't need.

Plus, I'll gain the knowledge from trying to learn PHP. It might be hard for me this time, but it'll be easier for my next project, and the next.

[Timotheos]

That's a lot of coding to build your own CMS. I heartily encourage your desire though to learn PHP/mySQL. It's bound to help immensely but I think you should really consider existing CMS systems. Most of them have a lot of good developement all ready behind them. Mambo (or Joomla) is good. Personally I use Drupal. They both have a core program and you build on functionality by added the modules that you need. So pick and choose how much cruft you want. Check out www.opensourcecms.com for demos of many many CMS packages.

[FTFlash]

I've gotten the book, and started to read it. It is 650 pages long, but it does seem relatively easy to learn.

I look forward to the challenge, and eventual success of my future PHP coding. ;)

[rden17]

I recently have delved into Joomla and Mambo as one of my clients is looking for a website that has several features and they want to have control over their content, rather than having me update constantly. While at first, these CMS sites are a bit overwhelming, once you spend some time on it, tweaking it and doing your research on the modules and components, it becomes a lot easier to handle and modify for your own specific needs. The first time I installed one of them, I about fell over by all the options given to me, but like I mentioned, a little time spent rooting around in it, I quickly became much more familiar with it.

That's my 2 cents. Good luck either way you choose.

[pompousjohn]

yeah, Mambo/Joomla is great, but if you're new to CMS I hear Xoops is easier to start with.

Mainly you should just go in there and start disabling "unpublishing" the features you don't want, and look on sourceforge for any that are missing.

Almost every application you can think of for a CMS has been addressed by these guys, and you don't need to know any programming although it certainly helps.

[FTFlash]

Well, either way I choose, I still think knowing PHP is a valuable knowledge that will not be wasted. In fact, even if I go with an already created CMS, I'll probably end up needing some PHP anyway.

Thanks for the suggestions. I really appreciate them.

However:
I know that you guys said that there is probably already a CMS with the features I'm looking for (ability to fill out a web form, attach a flash file (.swf) or movie file (.wmv, .mov, .avi, .mpg) and have the CMS automatically embed the movie into the webpage for viewing) but do you know of any CMS's that can do this specific feature?