help please I'm new

Hi TV,

Please try not to get too frustrated.

CMS Builder is an amazingly better paradigm then the hard coded HTML approach to embedding content in a web site.

We all felt a bit (or a lot) confused and frustrated in the beginning, but as the concepts of how PHP works became clearer we're all really glad we stuck it out.

Once you understand some of the basic differences between HTML and PHP, you'll be able to move ahead quite quickly.

First of all, you'll need to set up a MySQL database and install CMSB on your server.

Hopefully, that process should be pretty straight forward.

After you've installed the program, you should set up a few really simple pages to get the hang of some of the differences between using a database to populate a web page with content and hard coding that information into the code of a web page.

Once you've got the hang of it, you'll need to examine your existing web site and determine where content variables need to be created, and set up the database fields required.

If you take the process slowly, it should not get too confusing.

Here's an excerpt from my CMSB Cookbook http://www.thecmsbcookbook.com that can help to get you started.

WHAT IS CMS BUILDER AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

CMS Builder is a PHP based Content Management System (CMS) that lets non-technical users update the content on their website using a simple browser based interface, without learning any HTML or programming skills.

From the web designers perspective CMS Builder allows us to design web pages that rely on an on-line database to store their content. It also facilitates the retrieval of that information from database records and the insertion of that information into specific locations on a web page.

From the end user’s perspective, CMS Builder facilitates the modification and addition of content to both the database record and web pages by means of a simple, browser based interface. Modifications to existing pages can be made from any computer that has internet access.

Information is modified using any web browser (Internet Explorer, FireFox, Safari, etc.), and no special software is required on the home
computer.

WHAT'S PHP?
PHP, which is an acronym for Hypertext PreProcessor, is a general-purpose scripting language that’s especially suited for web development.

CMSB uses PHP to both populate pages and to access a MySQL database and manipulate the acquired data to render dynamic, client controlled
web pages.

A major strength of PHP is that it’s server side scripting, so the end user has no access to the actual PHP code. It can be embedded into HTML coding and interpreted by the web server, which renders the output as HTML.

PHP was originally created sometime in 1994 or 1995 by the Danish/Greenlandic programmer Rasmus Lerdorf, but has since been improved and updated by a group called the PHP group.

As your skills and your curiosity grow, you can learn a lot more about implementing PHP solutions later in the Cookbook.

HOW DO I IMPLEMENT CMS BUILDER?
Once you’ve installed CMS Builder following the really simple instructions on the Interactive Tools web site, you’ll probably want to
dive right in and create your first web site. I would urge you to wait until you’ve watched the videos on the Interactive Tools website, and until you’ve read at least the introductory chapter of this cookbook. I’d also suggest that you follow the creation of the 2 sample
pages later in this chapter.

In order to use CMS Builder effectively, and to minimize the frustration that’s common to all first timers, there are a few new concepts
that you’ll have to get your head around.

TYPES OF DATA BASE INTERFACES USED
CMS Builder uses 2 basic types of database interfaces to manage web pages.

1) A single record interface, for information that may be changed but only exist in one form at a time. Examples of this type of
information would be an “about me” page, “contact information” and the directions to a specific location.

2) A multi record interface for information about a series of items that have the same basic informational structure, (name, address,
description). Examples of this type of information would be a list of images, a calendar of events, and a list of products.

The multi record interface manages 2 types of pages. "List" pages that show a listing of either image thumbnails, event titles and dates,
or products, and "details" pages that shows detailed information about a specific item in the list.

SECTION EDITORS
In CMSB, the database record interface that you’ll create is called a section editor. A section editor contains the menu of fields that
will be used to organize the content of your web page. It is where you will set up certain restrictions regarding the type of data that can
be entered (only certain file types, certain characters), how much information can be entered (300 characters, 12 images), how that
information is processed and displayed (show or hide the record on a certain date), and in some cases who is allowed to enter the
information (the administrator only, or the original author).

You can create either Multi Record editors or Single Record editors depending on the type of data they are to manage, and create a menu
structure that contains the types of fields that suite your application.

You can also choose from a set of preset menu structures, and even use copies of your own editors to create additional editors for use on
the same or different sites.

FIELDS
Once you’ve created either a basic single record or multi record section editor, you can add a number of types of fields to that
editor’s menu structure to facilitate the entry of various types of information.

The simplest of these fields is a “text” field, which is a one line field that can only accept text as it’s input.

The next type is the “text box”. A text box is similar to a text field, but it can accept multi line text entry.

If you need a greater degree of flexibility in entering their data, you can create “WYSIWYG” fields that present a WYSIWYG editor
interface, either allowing uploads or not, your choice.

There are “list” fields that can take their input from either single or multiple entry pull down lists or radio buttons.

There are “checkbox” fields that output different values depending on whether they’re checked or not.

There are “upload” fields that allow users to upload documents, images and even flash, video and audio files. Upload fields have a great deal of flexibility attached to them and are among the most complex.

There are also some “special” fields that can let you show or hide a record from a web page, enter a date and sort or control your
records using those dates, decide when to publish a record to a website or when to remove or un-publish that record, and other special
functions that help to customize your implementation.

Once you understand these few basic tools that are in your arsenal, you can begin to implement CMSB into your web design.

QUALIFIERS
PHP and MySQL offer a full range of qualifiers and search criteria including if, then, else, and, not, equals, where, limit, and others
that can add complex functionality to your pages.

GENERATING THE PHP CODE REQUIRED FOR YOUR WEB PAGES
After you've created your section editors and included various fields to enter your data you’ll need build web pages to display your data. The good news is that the basic code to accomplish this can be automatically generated by the code generator that is built in to CMS Builder.


There's a lot more in the Cookbook to help you get started, including a set of recipes that offer detailed, step by step instructions on how to build simple sample pages to increase your understanding, and a set of finished sample files that you can download to compare with your files.

Hope that helps get you started and convinces you to stick with it.

Best,

Jerry Kornbluth

Thanks for the reply. I have followed the instructions and installed the CMSB under my root directory on my site. I was able to open the admin part and mess with section. However, I cannot see any of my content. I save details but get a 404 error. Sad part is I downloaded Word press and followed their simple instruction and was publishing in 10 minutes. However, that's just blogs stuff and widgets. I wanted to create a better website than what I had. The big thing is when I generate code it says to save it as"whatever file.php". How? And where does it save if I could? And why when I preview do I get a 404 error everytime? There's really no troubleshooting guide. The instructions say it's simple but if it doesn't work then there is no where to find out why it didn't work. I am really not going to spend more money on a cookbook when I can't get the simplest pages to work. Iv'e spent 2 days trying to go step by step slowly and I still can't see the sections I make. Thanks for the reply though.

Hi TV,

Sounds like you need to create a viewer (web page) using the code in the code generator, upload that page to your server, and tell the section what the name of the page is for the preview (don't forget a forward slash in front of the page's file name).

I'd really recommend you getting a subscription to the Cookbook which comes with a 30 day money back guarantee (CMS Builder comes with a money back guarantee also)

Follow the step by step guides in the first chapter of the Cookbook.

Your problems will disappear and your frustrations will go away.

If you still don't want to keep it, I'll gladly issue a refund at any time within the first 30 days.

Give it a shot.

Jerry Kornbluth

Here is a quick run down of the basic steps to get you going...

- setup a mysql database

- install cms builder

- create a new section editor

- use the code generator in the cms: this will create the code you will need to connect to the database, grab the info from the section editor you created in the previous section, and roughly display this on a webpage

- connect to your website via ftp

- create a new file, call it whatever you want, but you will probably need to use the .php extension

- paste the code from the code generator into this file and hit save

- open your browser and load up the page you created

- go back to the .php file and tweak the code as necessary

Hey TV ...

I too experienced frustration you are going through now and I have been a programmer for 20+ years! Fact is, I did not grasp the concept and power of CMSB until about a week of tinkering around! Once I realized that even though CMSB is similar to Wordpress or any other content management system, it's real power is in it's DIFFERENCES. Where other systems provide both the back end and the front end page templates, CMSB provides the back end and a code generator which supplies you with the function library and the code for each page or section of your site. That gives you the freedom of designing your site YOUR WAY without having to be a PHP/SQL programmer. You simply replace the static code on your pages with the dynamic content from the database using the code provided by the code generator to retrieve and display the data for that particular page.

Another thing is the tremedous amount of top notch support you will receive from the development team at Interactive Tools and the forum membership. I assure you, there is no problem you have that cannot be resolved either on this forum or, in more complex cases, priority consulting services. You are not alone out there!

You WILL eventually "get it" and once the light bulbs go off, it will change the way you do web development forever. Do not give up, just keep asking questions!

zip222, Thank you! I still have a cople issues though.

- I setup the SQL database.

- CMS is installed

- I created a Section Editor named FAQ

- use code generator in CMS. Here's where I lose it. How do I roughly display this on my webpage?

- I can connect via FTP no problem

- create a new file? where is this done? If it is under the "Create" tab I don't know where it is saving. I can't find anything saved in the Uploads folder of CMS.

- I can cut and paste the code no problem and hit save. But again I don't know where the file is going.

- I open browser and get a 404 error.

- I can't find my .php files :(

Thanks for the response.

I still feel like the Uber noob :(

TV