I've been asked to update our website and I foolishly assumed that I could just take one of the standard templates, tweak the style.css file, then edit the html that I'd grabbed from our guilds web page (via the 'view source' function), re-upload both, and away I'd go! No surprise here tho... I was wrong.
After a few failed attempts I actually decided to read the help pages and forums and thus found out about the layout.html and menupage.html files.
So can you answer a few questions for me, so that I know I'm on the right path?
1. I assume that the Layout.html 'filters' and guides the generation of the pages from the databases lurking behind it? And that the pages are generated on the fly with the layout.html, menupage.html, style.css and options set in the Menu Administration page all combining together. Is this correct-ish?
2. To create my guilds custom layout, I'll need to combine static elements from my finished html design, with the layout.html 'holders' that tell the generated info where to go?
You are exactly right. It's a good idea to take an existing layout.html file to see how the commands are used on the page. That'll give you an idea. Also, the Layout Guides for the individual sections (Layout File, Menu File) will list all the commands available to you:
I've got my 'basic bones' layout.html file up and running nicely, but I just wanted to ask if it's possible, after uploading my layout file, and whilst I'm still in 'test mode' [with the green box onscreen], to also upload and switch to my custom CSS file to see the full-effect of my tinkering and to take a look at what breaks and what doesn't?
If I upload the CSS will this only be seen on the test mode or will it appear across the board for all the other users on the guild site?
Fofr doing the CSS Tweaks without changing your existing CSS, your best bet will be to upload it to your Administrative File Uploader, then change the link to the new path there. That way, you're editing a completely different file, rather than the default one.
At least, that's how I do most of my development with this system.
My concern is that when I upload my amended [tho not complete] CSS file with the Admin File Uploader, and then change to it thru either the Advanced layout Options page or the CSS editor page, the change seems to effect not only my viewing of the guild pages [which is fair enough as I'm the one tinkering], but it also effects everyone else in my guild who might be on the site at the same time - they get my 'knackered' CSS file view too.
So I guess I want to know is there a way to isolate the CSS I want to tinker with from general viewing, so that only I get the messed up version/s whilst everyone else using the guild site gets the 'normal' version?
Gower www.grudge.dkpsystem.com
[Edit: Just a quick thought. Do all the upload/edit functions of the Free Demo link work correctly so I could hide in there fine tuning my CSS?]
