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Author Topic: New Website Templates Ready Soon  (Read 13040 times)

robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« on: January 28, 2007, 10:59:59 am »

For the last few days, I have been working on an HTML/CSS based website template for photographers that follows my easy to customize strategy of coding. When it's complete there will be full WYSIWYG page editing and full customing of page colors (WITHOUT the use of a MySql database). Also the ability to add the modules you want on the page - as an example with thetest sites below the Home page is a Random Image module, Wedding and Portrait is a SlideShow module (I will also have a Gallery module that contains the SlideShow with a Menu for different categories, Content on Left module, Content on Right module, Full Page Content module with background image for layering text on top as in the Links page.

While not as slick and smooth running as a Flash website, you benefit from faster page loads and the ability to Bookmark individual pages - plus viewers who don't have the latest Flassh plugin or who have Javascript disabled, will be able to view the HTML/CSS I am working on.

Here are a couple  of variations that are a result of easily customizing the colors on the same website template:

BLACK ON BLACK

PINKY PINK

TAN-OY





Let me know what you think. And I would reallylike to know if there are issues on other Browsers that IE7 and Firefox that I am ttesting it on - - - particularly Mac browsers which I don't have access to. Any help is appreciated. Once I have the scripts complete I will need 2 or 3 testers with different browsers to run the site through its paces (mostly with the password protected Settings Panel that will be part of it. Drop an email to if you have any comments or are interested in the script when it is done.

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« Last Edit: February 05, 2007, 10:09:28 am by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2007, 11:52:34 am »

The page structure and look is pretty basic and one photographers seem to like. The first website I built for my photography website 6 years ago was basically the BLACK on BLACK template. I always liked it but wanted a full page layout instead - so only used it for one year and then archived my scripts. Many of the modules (like random image and slide show), I have had written and included in other website templates I have been providing for over 4 years now. The idea for the large horizontal panoramic images has been adapted in the last year or so into my websites - I like the look after seeing it on sites like Mike Colon and others.

The value should be the behind the scenes editing where there will be no need for knowing html or manually typing in customization with Notepad. The Site and Page modification structure will be similar to my phpCrazySite (there is a sample website there that you can sign into to see) where the owner signs in and has access to each page and a visual text editor for changing the site wording, modules and colors. Probably far more like a simple forum or blogging software in use - than Winklet or Bluedomain or Simpleviewer and all of the other flash based websites.

Not sure when it will be done. I only started  about 3 days ago and am nearly complete. It is made up mostly of elements and modules that I have developed for other websites I have designed for web clients of mine. My main intention in building it - is to include it preinstalled in website accounts that I will am providing for a few discrete photographers or others wanting a fast server. It may be completed in the next week or it may be a week or two - - - but it won't be long.
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2007, 09:51:25 pm »

I THINK YOU ARE ALL GOING TO LOVE THIS

For all those who love FLash content and who particularly love the free SIMPLE VIEWER webgallery - - - - I am going to be including a module so that anything like that fits inside my new Website Template.

You can see the Demo Simple Viewer on the BLACK ON BLACK "Contact" page.


Also been working on having a module for my OnePageGallery which should make this Template good for simple Porfolio websites with the Links at the top being the different categories - OPG (OnePageGallery module)


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BLACK ON BLACK

PINKY PINK

TAN OY
« Last Edit: January 31, 2007, 10:47:32 pm by robertwatcher »
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DarkPenguin

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« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2007, 10:54:48 pm »

Very nice.  Fits together nicely.
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #4 on: February 01, 2007, 09:50:36 am »

bbpowers has let me use one of his ShowIt (davidjay.com) flash movies for testing - so that I can build and provide a module that fits into the Template. Because I don't have the flash movvie and page on my website, I don't have total control over the layout - so if it doesn't fit perfectly right now, it will in the final version - but you get the idea.

ShowIt Flash Movie:
http://rwwebhost.com/black_on_black/index.php?pg=9

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« Last Edit: February 01, 2007, 09:58:11 am by robertwatcher »
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wolfnowl

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2007, 03:32:07 pm »

I'm not much of a pink fan, but the black on black works for me.  I'm using Netscape 8.1 under Windows and there are no conflicts on the pages that I viewed.

Mike.
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2007, 04:37:28 pm »

Thanks for the input Mike
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2007, 02:44:30 pm »

I'm getting there.

looks like the Crazy (as in crazy simple) Website is going to be even more thorough in visual editing than I expected.  That creates far more complexities in coding that have to be anticipated to protect against user error in editing.

Just so those who have been asking know - it appears that I will be providing 2 different versions. The main one will be a full blown visual editor allowing  customization of the page colors and page content editing and installing of modules (example : Flash module, Random Image module) from within the webpage - - - by logging in. The second LITE version will be identical looks and functionality wise - but editing will be done by updating page  content (plain text or somple html) in Notepad as so many applications do (example Winklet and Simpleviewer). The modules will still be made available - but you will have to assign them to the page manually in Notepad (not too hard to do).

Just keeping you informed of what is going on. SHould be done before too long  
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2007, 05:04:21 pm »

It's coming along fine. If I was just building this as an HTML website (which would look identical in every way from the surface), it would only take a day to complete. In order to make a CMS based website where the owner has control of changing colors and content from the browser with WYSIWYG functions - there is a pile of Computer Programming and Logic that must take place . Even the smallest little function or issue can take hours to figure out.  I just spent 2 hours trying to figure out why I couldn't get an associated directory name for one of the Plugins, to be recognized - only to finally figure out that it was a small piece of hidden code placed in the database file that was getting tacked on to the end of the directory name. One small step - but significant part of the site - - - can take a day. And there are hundreds of things to think about that we all take for granted - and that if weren't counted on and a workaround found - would cause the website to fall apart. I'm sure nobody knows what I am talking about (or is interested)  



Anyway - I have a little Demo I have put together showing some of the work so far. While it may not look much different on the surface - it is majorly different "under the hood". I have made the Demo to resemble the what you would be faced with if you were logged in and able to change website settings on the SETTINGS Menu link.

How the process will work is that you click on the little "green tv" in the bottom left of the site  to Log In and then after giving the username and password the Settings page then becomes visible and the "green TV" lights up to let you know you are logged in and in editing mode (it is permanently on for this demo). To Log Out you would click the "green TV" again and  you log out and would no longer see the Settings menu link (you can't do this on this demo).

You are welcome to play with enetring color and text settings on the Settings page - - - however the Modify button is disabled so you can click it but nothing will happen.


To show how versatile this Crazy Site (as in crazy simple and crazy versatile) is - I have made an image background and placed it on the "Container" layer to totally change the look of the plain colored samples I showed previously.  To get the proportions right was so easy. I took a screen shot of the website and patsed it into a layer in Photoshop and then composed the elements on top of it. In this way wverything fit right - - - including the Menu Links at the top which are part of the Menu Layer - not the Outer Layer.
   


http://www.phpcrazysite.com/demo1/


-- - - - NEXT WEEK WILL BE DONE - - - -  -
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #9 on: February 12, 2007, 11:31:21 pm »

PROGRESS REPORT

The layout and Coding are all done now.

Now just a couple of days of trying to figure out every scenario that anyone would come across that would crash the site and writing safety code in to the scripts to prevent that from happening - plus a couple of refinements on the Plugins. Will be available by Friday at the latest.

Here is a full working DEMO where you can LOGIN and look behind the scenes - and see how it works. Push any buttons you want - the Save feature is DISABLED:

(login by clicking the little green TV in the left bottom corner of the website)

USERNAME - test
PASSWORD - test


http://rwwebhost.com/demo/




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I should clearify the purpose of this website build. Even though I called it a Template at the start,  because that is the term bantied around so many forums all the time - - - it is in reality a Website Application or Coded Program. There are no Multiple Template choices - it will look however you want it to look within the basic framework.

I have created with the phpCrazySite, a website that is every versatile and very easy to change to the look you want visually. It does not - and could not - provide everything possible. It is a fixed structure (content area is 740pixels by 420pixels) that will allow all the layers of boxes to contain their own color or background image for a completely customizable visual experience.

The WYSIWYG editor is the only plugin that allows live editing of the content area. The other plugins (random image, slide show and opg) are very efficient scripts that I have made in the past that I have adapted to work within the content area by linking a folder of images to them. You will be required to upload the folder of images to your server space and then enter the folder name on the page - - - and they run perfectly without a database structure. After posting the concept I wondered if there was a way to include the popular SimpleViewer and other Flash appllications into the content area - - - and came up with the FlashViewer plugin that is essentially an iframe that links to a self contained webpage running a flash app or to the Simpleviewer Folder. Nothing too magical - it just works and deals with the problem so many have had trying to figure out how to make Simpleviewer into a proper website. Now you can.

The phpCrazySite saves the frustration of trying to learn html or how to edit text files that run Flash programs. If you don't want to learn how to upload a folder of images, all 9 Linked Menu pages can be made to look the way you want and contain the  wording and images you want from the Web Browser. You would just have to learn how to transfer the website package to your server by FTP (I have a flash video that describes that easy step).
« Last Edit: February 12, 2007, 11:32:47 pm by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2007, 02:12:41 pm »

ALL DONE

ALL DONE

ALL DONE


The full Demo (with save settings disabled) is online now:

http://rwwebhost.com/demo/


To check the runnings, log in by clicking the green TV in the lower left corner of the site. User name is "test" and password is "test"


The latest version of Porta was used to both resize (does the best job of any program) and create the Simpleviewer Gallery that works perfectly under the "Porta" link. The complete folder that Porta created, was simply uploaded to the server space and the name of the folder entered into the page data (you can see that by clicking on the Edit Page button on the bottom right of the website. Bernard's suggestion of providing a "Client Login" link was a great one and so I implimented that
feature.



I will be contacting those who have spoken for a copy, on Friday.

Thanks for all the support and suggestions along the way during this 2 1/2 weeks since I first posted the concept here.

Here is the look my son Ryan put together using the new phpCrazySite - for his photography website (he wants to be trendier and young - lot out of touch like his old man):

« Last Edit: February 14, 2007, 03:01:44 pm by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #11 on: February 16, 2007, 02:29:32 pm »

I will be spending the next while  putting together a few videos to help with the understanding of the phpCrazySite ("site of a thousand faces") concept and workflow - for those who have spoken for their copy. I personally find it much easier to do things visually following video instruction than with pages of text (which I always manage to get people lost in).


One of the toughest chores of any web application, is installing it on your web server.

I have the first of my video tutorials completed now that deals with that aspect. The program that I use for FTP file transfer from my computer to web server, is the free FileZilla FTP Client. I figured that the steps are similar with most applcations and templates - - - so the video may be valuable to ones who are having a tough time figuring out FTP with those products also. There is also a piece I recorded that shows the "box layers" of the phpCrazySite and helps with understanding the layout of this website application:

http://www.phpcrazysite.com/tutorials/


Let me know what you think!

You can contact me by PM or


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« Last Edit: February 16, 2007, 03:28:08 pm by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2007, 01:20:07 pm »

I have just been asked about another Flash based slide show application. I downloaded the Demo to see if it worked seemlessly in my phpCrazySite - and sure enough it does. My FlashViewer Plugin is proving to be a far more valuable inclusion than I initially appreciated - - - making the phpCrazySite even more versatile by being able to run a variety of Flash applications.


Here is the developer of the AutoViewer Flash Gallery:

http://www.airtightinteractive.com/projects/autoviewer/
« Last Edit: February 24, 2007, 05:15:32 am by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2007, 01:12:57 pm »

New Support Forum for the phpCrazySite and my other FREE scripts. It is not a general discussion forum however - just Q&A for helping with my webcripts and for tutrorials that will be added:

www.rwSUPPORT.com

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A lot have asked about proofing with the phpCrazySite - and I am happy to say that Ryan Nutt has a very nice product that he has developed (ProofBuddy) that will be a nice addition to the phpCrazySite as the standalone application that it is now by linking to it. Ryan hopefully will be working on ways to embed ProofBuddy into the phpCrazySite also and if that is a feasable option, he will make all those owners of the phpCrazySite aware of its release in the rwSUPPORT forum.  You should visit his website and supprt forum and see if ProofBuddy isn't a good fit for your needs.


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« Last Edit: March 08, 2007, 05:36:38 pm by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2007, 09:45:37 pm »

[span style=\'font-size:11pt;line-height:100%\']Some more pretty cool Album Display stuff for photographers[/span]

My 3D animator buddy is adapting some PS templates that he has built - and flash products, to work with photographers needs for displaying album layouts. He has published the book that is in this Adapted SimpleViewer Gallery and is distributing it around his 3D community.

Softdistortion will have a section on the rwSUPPORT.com forum. From what he has mentioned to me - he plans on offering the cool page layers (with highlight and shadow) for photographers use - and possibly some products related to publishing books for your wedding and portrait clients. I am feeding him some of my client images so that he can make a demo or two with that type of imagery. As you can see from this base CrazySite, it all fits in really nicely when embedded in the display area with the FlashViewer Plugin. Keep an eye in the future.

He is also working on refining the Zoom in Feature - you can see it work by right clicking on the book pages and zooming in:
http://rwsupport.com/softdistortion/


I think you just drop your images, text and any graphics you want included - into between the layers of the Template:



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« Last Edit: March 11, 2007, 07:39:15 pm by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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New Website Templates Ready Soon
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2007, 08:36:08 am »

Sorry about changing the page with the working demo (behind the scenes settings and admin - with save disabled). I have been so busy and have made many changes to my websites and overlooked this until I received a few emails in the last couple of days.

I have the demo working again. You can view how the settings are saved and you can see the WYSIWYG Editor and play with it by logging in to the Demo WebSite. To Log In click on the little green TV in the bottom left corner and use User Name "test" and Password "test" to gain access to the back end of the phpCrazySite. Here is the link to the Demo - - - http://phpcrazysite.com/demo/

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cgf

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« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2007, 10:13:48 am »

It all seemed to work fine in Opera 9.02 running on Win XP Pro... the picture gallery in particular loaded nice and fast... especially as I am on a slow 256k-bit mobile connection.

Cheers

Chris.
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2007, 10:35:11 am »

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL CRAZYSITE OWNERS:

Please get in touch with me ASAP by email at for a CRITICAL SCURITY FIX. All those who are hosting their CrazySite on my web server do not need to worry as I have already added the fix to your website.

--

I have a security fix that you should download, unzip and upload to your web server. The file is called ".htaccess" and it protects against those with mailcious intent from gaining  access to the editing capabilities of your website (a couple of photographers have reported to me that they have had their CrazySite altered unknowingly).  I really didn't wish to put heavy security on the CrazySite when I built it and did not anticipate anyone who was not authorized going in and changing the look of the website (which is all they can do) just for the fun of it. Anyway, I have a script that will fix the problem. This fix will be included in the next phpCrazySite update - but that is not available yet - - - so please be sure to get in touch with me ASAP.
« Last Edit: March 27, 2007, 10:36:13 am by robertwatcher »
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robertwatcher

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« Reply #18 on: April 03, 2007, 10:45:44 am »

I am wanting to put together screenshots depicting how everyone is using their CrazySite. I have started the collection here - CrazySite Users Designs and Layouts.


If you aren't on this page or have changed your site look, please let me know so I can include a screen shot to help others see how versatile it the PCS can be .


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robertwatcher

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« Reply #19 on: April 24, 2007, 11:49:09 am »

Before I finish off the next version (including suggestions from CrazySite users), I have been playing with the idea of making the content area size customizable so that larger vertical images or WYSIWYG pages can be displayed if desired. As it is now, the Content Display area is restricted to the popular 740pixel wide by 420pixel high format size (also used by several of the Flash websites) which makes for a web page that fits perfectly in all browsers without scrolling. However - with my overall concept of making this as versatile as possible, I have been playing with using larger display area sizes and with a little changing to the code could include customized height and width settings so that each webmaster could choose their preferred size. The area will still be a fixed size though and centered - - - so it would be a matter of designing a site say at 800x600 pixel display area which would work well at 1200x1080 without scrolling - or any size one chooses.


I have been playing a bit with Adobe Lightroom Galleries and seeing how they embed in webpages - - - much like SimpleViewer actually. They are very easy to create though and include a built in FTP for uploading the gallery to your web space. This should work well embedding in to anyones HTML based webpage using an Iframe (this display area where it is embedded is 800pixel by 600pixel):

http://phpcrazysite.com/lightroom/
« Last Edit: April 24, 2007, 11:49:35 am by robertwatcher »
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