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1. ixwa
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   I'm trying to wrap my head around whether I would use a page vs post in which to build a 1) PHP-powered form or 2) a basic "about us" page or 3) any kind of generic content/functional page.

   Here's the problem (if I understand this): If my header.php nav menu is effectively tracking what section (category) and page (post/page) the user is currently viewing (with button state or whatever), and if WP "pages" can't be associated with categories, then does that mean I can ONLY use "post" type pages for all content, forms, and other functional pages that must "live inside" each category?

   Everything on the site is a blog post even if it never changes and is intended to do something informational/functional?? I don't know if I understand this.

   I just want predictable, trackable url structures that I can refer to from anywhere! Like:
   domain.com/[category-slug]/[anythingIwant].php

   Or am I thinking about this all wrong?

2. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   I can ONLY use "post" type pages for all content, forms, and other functional pages that must "live inside" each category?

   Correct. Only posts have categories. Pages have their own separate hierarchy.

   Everything on the site is a blog post

   No it's not. Pages are completely different in WordPress. Try reviewing http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages

3. ixwa
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   Thanks esmi. I assure you I have reviewed http://codex.wordpress.org/Pages (I read all I can before posting here) and it hasn't answered my basic question:

   If I use pages for holding "evergreen" content (I'm avoiding the word "static") what mechanism does one use to track/display a user's location while browsing the site based on the page they're looking at?

   This is obviously a standard part of any website navigation and if WP "pages" are just unaffiliated "content holders" then how are they organized on a website (even just visually)?

   A practical example: If my nav menu has 4 main categories, and I want 6 "pages" somehow only associated/visible/accessible from a secondary menu under category 3, let's say, how is this accomplished in the WP dashboard? (The point being that if a non-web client wants to add another "page" to this section (read: category), it needs to be seamless, not a backend code kluge.)

   Some of this feels like an uphill battle right now...or it could be that I'm just not yet knowledgeable enough about WP PHP calls...

4. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   what mechanism does one use to track/display a user's location while browsing the site based on the page they're looking at?

   Whatever mechanism you want to use.

   how are they organized on a website (even just visually)?

   Again, they can be organised in any way that you want. I'm not sure what the problem is here. I suspect you're creating "issues" where none exist.

   If my nav menu has 4 main categories, and I want 6 "pages" somehow only associated/visible/accessible from a secondary menu under category 3

   Then that wouldn't be a Page (note the letter casing) - it would be a category listing.

5. ixwa
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   Whatever mechanism you want to use.

   OK, but what I'm getting at is: What mechanism is RECOMMENDED/NORMAL/TYPICAL. What I've described is pretty universal to all websites and so I'm scratching my head as to how this is done within the WP framework...which right now looks far more geared towards "sidebar" includes.

   Then that wouldn't be a Page (note the letter casing) - it would be a category listing.

   I looked up "category listing"--didn't find anything, so I assume you mean a listing of _items_ under a category? In that case, a listing of WHAT. Posts??? (Since nothing but posts are associated with categories, right?) So I'm back to square 1!

   Can I not just use the WP dashboard to create "pages" or Pages (or just pages) under whatever categories and be done with it? My understanding is that "posts" are basically time- and author-based blog entries (with all their associated tracking, comments, etc), and so don't exactly lend themselves to pages containing detailed PHP functionality and such.

   I don't know where the disconnect is, but I can't possibly be the first person who sees a gaping chasm between dinky "posts" associated with categories (nice) and freewheeling Pages associated with nothing (not nice). What's in between these! Arg!

   (BTW: Thanks for bearing with me; I've been doing my own thing with PHP for so long that "predefined" CMSs like this are...puzzling.)

6. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   What mechanism is RECOMMENDED/NORMAL/TYPICAL.

   There isn't a recommended, normal or typical method of implementing navigation - assuming that's what you're referring to. It boils down to your theme and whether you are using any custom menus or widgets. Some people use Categories and Posts. Some use Pages. Some use both. You decide how to organise your site.

   I assume you mean a listing of _items_ under a category?

   Yes

   In that case, a listing of WHAT. Posts???

   Yes. Only Posts have Categories.

   I don't know where the disconnect is

   Neither do I. And I have no ideas why you assume that Pages are more "freewheeling" and "not nice" compared to Posts. Some people have whole sites that use nothing but Pages. I've even created some of them and I can assure you that they are very logical, easily navigable, sites with a clear hierarchical structure.

7. ixwa
   Member
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   OK, thanks esmi. I think when I read in WP's docs that Pages are not affiliated with categories that somehow that meant trouble for navigation/visual structuring, but I guess I need to embrace this concept!

8. esmi
   Theme Diva & Forum Moderator
   Posted 1 year ago #
   

   http://theartificers.co.uk/ is a tiny completely page-based site. I'm sure there are many other much larger sites out there, too.

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