Tags: html/css scripting web design
Published : 10 months, 3 weeks ago (Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:31:33 PDT) Searched: scripting http://planemech669.livejournal.com/3262.html 0 links Related posts
Websites are supposed to be dynamic. Looking at the two that I manage now, I've noticed that the design and the content might need some updating. Let me take you back in time and give you some history on their evolution.
FlyLawton.org and FamilyMedicalCtr.com started as FrontPage nightmares in 3D. There was no template, every page was slightly different from the others in layout (sometimes horribly noticeable!)and the content was many months out of date. My first attempt was a pure html/css exercise. FrontPage is notorious for it's overuse of tables in layouts. I basically reproduced it using a style sheet to control the layout to give the site a consistent look. The next step is were we are now. I've continued with using css to control the layout, text sizing and element positioning. But now I wanted to simplify managing the content. Welcome to php. Using php to carry out the passing of variables like page titles and scripts and php's wonderful includes function I was able to turn long pages into short ones that I didn't have to scroll through to find what I wanted to change. The site has two common header and navigation sections depending on which section of the site you are in; one for the airport pages and one for the Authority board pages. There is a single footer that is included in all the pages. I'm still using html/css to control it but php is the assembler and glue that holds it all together. Right now I have sites that are quick loading, even off of a dial-up connection, that are simple and easy to look at in layout. FlyLawton is even a bit self-dynamic in that I've added a flight status page that uses a script from FlightStats.com. They just seem to be missing something truly dynamic in their essence.
So now I'm looking at some ideas. Mostly for FlyLawton.org. It's a website that is part of the city of Lawton, a first impression on those that are going to be moving here or visiting on business. It's a statement that reflects our city's technical mojo to the rest of the world. I'm considering rebuilding the site using PHP-Nuke. I want to add some sort of community participation to the site. A place that people will come to start their travels and learn about what new things are being planed for the the 'SW Oklahoma Gateway'. I've only a few constraints to this. If it involves a system, the system must come from open source realm or the truly freeware realm. It can't take away from what is already there.
I'd like for you to take a look at what I've got so far and then provide some input, so here's the links:
FlyLawton.org and FamilyMedicalCtr.com |