I have a site for a client: Clicky To See

 

Now what they want is for customers (who are authorised) to be able to log in and view certain products. They also want a CMS in place where each product is part of one of more categories... seems quite simple really...

 

I instantly thought WORDPRESS! But how do I make my current xhtml/css site into a wordpress site? Does anyone have any good tutorials on how to do this. All of the ones I seem to find are how to create themes from scratch and the client loves the design so there is no option to change it...

 

Any tutorials etc... would be greatly appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Tel

You can just use your current css to build a theme - it doesn't need re-designing, though you may need to add more styles depending on what you add to it with Wordpress.

 

There is a theme called 'Starkers', by Elliot Jay Stocks, which has removed all the default styling from Wordpress and gives you a blank canvas to work from.

 

Once you have the theme installed, start by editing the header, page and footer files, inserting your html from the current site where appropriate. That's where the theme tutorials will come in handy.

Do it properly and use your own CMS?

Do it properly and use your own CMS?

 

That has to be the most pointless post ever?! :rolleyes:

 

I wanted to do it with wordpress for several reasons, building a whole CMS for something that wordpress can handle very easily would be such a waste of effort...

 

Anyway, it is sorted now. Thanks to Mr P and his idea of using Starkers as a starting point

 

Cheers mate

I had a similar problem but no idea about Starkers as a starting point; so thatll definately help me and others in the future, chers guys

Do it properly and use your own CMS?

This really is a pointless comment, and a pointless signature afterwards too. Why spend the clients money developing a CMS from scratch if a free one exists that will do the job very well? I'm sure you have helped the OP a great deal. Are you trying to imply that you have created your own CMS and using that perception to show off? If you are, it's making you look a bit silly. Sorry.

Good point notbanksy - I didn't even notice the signature to be honest.

 

@ Skidz... what defines a 'real developer' as you call it? Someone who spends all of their time building applications and charging clients ££££ to do it?! I am a REAL DESIGNER rather than a developer but I am learning more and more php everyday. The fact that you are obviously not getting any work at the moment is no reason to have a go at me.

 

As far as I am concerned, real business people use whatever means are available to get the project done in the shortest time possible and charge the most for it

 

Well, the topic is sorted now - thanks for the decent replies

The definition of a real developer is probably something a long the lines of "some one that can develop". Your a real designer.... So stick to design? I can't design for toffee so I don't bother on a commercial level.

 

I'm in a position at the moment where I have far too much on to be taking on new work.

 

I'm not having a dig at any one. It's just very insulting to the years that I've dedicated to learning what I know when I'm being undercut by hundreds of pounds because some one can download free open source software and knock it together

Well I do stick to design, but I am learning to develop too - so why should I not take advantage of free open-source software?

 

I can understand how frustrating it must be for someone who has spent years developing their own bespoke software, only for free versions to come along and screw you over.... but that is no reason to have a go at people for using the free software.

 

At the end of the day, business is business and I would sooner pay £0 for a great piece of CMS in wordpress and fully customise it using my design knowledge, rather than pay a developer ££££ to create me a bespoke software solution that does the same job.

Anyway...

 

Thanks for the starkers wordpress theme link... i used something similar but this is better. Bookmarked!