Both CMSB-generated content and hand-coded

5 posts by 3 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder
Last Post: August 30, 2009   (RSS)

By pineridgefarm - August 29, 2009

Hello.

Can we have both CMSB generated content and content written in an outside text editor on the same page and have it viewable and editable in CMSB?

In other words, I already have a complete web site and am trying to integrate CMSB into it so the folks in the office can update pages. As I already have tons of content on the pages, how can I get that content to be editable in CMSB?

And I would like to add content to pages by hand using a simple text editor and ftp'g to the server; and also have the office people add content using CMSB, and have it all show on the web page PLUS have the folks in the office be able to edit the hand coded stuff I uploaded in CMSB. Is this possible? Or do I need to do all content additions using CMSB?

Thanks, Dave.,

Re: [pineridgefarm] Both CMSB-generated content and hand-coded

By Chris - August 29, 2009

Hi Dave,

You can have both CMSb-generated content and manually-coded content on the same page; however, you won't be able to edit the CMSb content from a text editor or vice-versa. Nor, I think, would you want to.

Once you move your content under CMSb-control it will exist in a database. Your pages will then have PHP code on them to fetch their content from your database. It will be very easy to change this content (or add more content) by logging into the CMSb software.

You decide in the construction of your pages which content is hard-coded and which will come from CMSb.

As I already have tons of content on the pages, how can I get that content to be editable in CMSB?


Here's how I would do it:

First, create a CMSb section to model the content you want to manage. Next, copy-and-paste all the existing content from your site into the fields you've configured for that section (two browser windows side-by-side work wonders.) Create new pages by asking CMSb to generate Viewer code for you, then cut-and-paste that code into a copy of your original page, replacing the content with the code to fetch that content from the database. Test the pages to make sure they work perfectly. Rinse and repeat the above steps for more sections of content. Finally, replace your original pages / change your links / add rewrite rules to get your visitors using the new pages.

If you can show us some examples of the type of content you currently have, we can suggest how to tackle the problem and what sections to use.

One last thing: if there's way too much content on your existing site to copy-and-paste it into CMSb, it's possible to write scripts to import your content into your database (or hire someone to do it.)

Let us know exactly what it is you want to accomplish and we'll be able to offer more advice.
All the best,
Chris

Re: [chris] Both CMSB-generated content and hand-coded

By pineridgefarm - August 30, 2009

Thank you both for the advice.

Chris, I'd like to be able to submit sample for support other than via this forum. May I do so in an email?

Dave

Re: [pineridgefarm] Both CMSB-generated content and hand-coded

By Chris - August 30, 2009

Hi Dave,

Sure thing! My email address is chris@interactivetools.com.
All the best,
Chris