Can this website be recreated
Yes, it can 🙂
If you mean that WP has built-in wptexturize() auto post formatting function, that adds extra html tags, you can disable it completely in page and post content by adding this code to functions.php
remove_filter('the_content', 'wptexturize');
disable in comments and excerpts
remove_filter('the_excerpt', 'wptexturize');
remove_filter('comment_text', 'wptexturize');
or you can use plugins that have may be more delicate settings
Raw HTML http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/raw-html/
PS Disable Auto Formatting http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/ps-disable-auto-formatting/
or google ” disable auto formatting WordPress ” for more info
Thanks, vjpo
I will look deeper into the options you suggested.
Just to clarify your suggested path — by disabling the auto formatting, I should be able to place text and graphics on a page using html, and it won’t be clobbered by the extra tags that WP adds?
Is there a tool (free, preferably) that I can do WYSIWYG creation of the page layout HTML?
As you can tell, I am both new to WP and web programming.
Thanks for your help.
Just to clarify your suggested path — by disabling the auto formatting, I should be able to place text and graphics on a page using html, and it won’t be clobbered by the extra tags that WP adds?
No, it’ll just remove the auto paragraph tags.
The WordPress Visual Editor actually is the best tool to use to see what your site WILL look like.
new to WP and web programming
So much to learn… It will take some time to master WP (php), CSS, HTML and js.
By the way, the site is quite pretty, so may be easier to manage problems with hosting or to hire a professional for the migrating task. If not, good luck with WP!
There is few options how to convert a layout design to WP theme. To find theme and change design, to build new theme, to adapt some ready or to create a child theme. The child theme is most convenient method if you want to save existing layout of the site. The default Twenty Ten theme, for example, is suitable to be parent theme (it supports all the WP functionality, it’s code commented in details)
Check “Getting Started Resources” links on the front page of this forum.
Check this links also to understand WP template architecture.
http://codex.wordpress.org/Stepping_Into_Templates
http://webdesignerwall.com/tutorials/building-custom-wordpress-theme
Child themes http://codex.wordpress.org/Child_Themes
A safe way of adding javascripts to a WordPress generated page.
http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_enqueue_script
Acceptable External Editors list http://codex.wordpress.org/Editing_Files
If you are Mac user, Coda editor is ok. Firefox with Firebug plugin and Chrome Developer Tools might be useful.
Hope, this 16 tons of info are helpful 🙂
Don’t panic, there is much more tons.
vjpo,
I appreciate you taking the time to provide such good advice! Believe it or not, I have made great progress after a couple of intensive days modifying a child theme of the twenty-eleven template. I think I have a good understanding of how WP works, and have read through most of the links you indicated. I have a development background in database programming, but not web development.
My biggest hang-up right now if figuring out how to replicate the home page. It has a columnar-layout, and I just can’t seem to figure out the best way to approach it. It seems impossible to do it in the Visual Editor, even with the TinyMCE Advanced plugin. My latest thought is to create a custom CSS file for that layout, but have not tried it yet. I assume, once I have the CSS built, I can use the tags in the HTML window to apply the formatting. If you have any better suggestions, I certainly would welcome them 🙂
Yes, the original website is very nice. It was built by my friend, with no development experience using a proprietary website builder. She had a major falling out when the service wanted to charge exorbitant sums for adding a second website. All she got was some html code exported from the system, with none of the e-commerce stuff working. I volunteered to migrate it to WP so she can edit/add content easily, and as a way for me to learn enough to build a second website for another facet of her business. I like a challenge 🙂
Doris
Hi, Doris! It was a bit excessive advice )
how to replicate the home page
for me it could be easier to create a static front page
http://codex.wordpress.org/Creating_a_Static_Front_Page
and then, using mentioned Raw HTML plugin, or something like it, create a content for this page (in html mode). If you still have a headache, check the draft example of html and CSS for your homepage http://pastebin.com/cfEbz4Gp
I looked the original css of dreammountainstudio.com It can be more simple.
Thread about editors. Common recipe is to instal and test WP locally.
Some extra ))) For future (if you interested in web programming) check Blueprint CSS framework and how it had implemented in e. g. F8 Lite theme. Again, it’s a bit difficult, only if you are planning to create some custom themes.
vjpo,
I now declare you my mentor.
Thanks for the draft — that was in the lines of what I was thinking would be the best approach. The original css for the site is a nightmare. Like I said, it was generated from the web site builder service my friend was using, so it is css created by an automated process which is not good or even intended to be maintained manually. I have since talked to my friend and we will make that home page a bit simpler, which should save me some time in the short term.
The Blueprint CSS is enlightening. I will look into that deeper. Not sure if I need it on this project, but certainly an option for a new site. I have been looking seriously at a WP framework, likely Thesis or Genesis. Impressive, but another cost, while Blueprint CSS is free. I have no problem editing styles manually, but the structure of the grid system would offer great flexibility. Do you have an opinion of Thesis/Genesis vs a CSS framework?
Again, thanks for taking the time to help.
Doris
I only payed with Thematic framework (but it’s not so easy to use it from scratch). You can also check Hybrid theme framework.
Blueprint provides only CSS grid and basic typography styles. So this is not a WP framework. I used it inside the F8-Lite theme and it was easy to customise theme according to the grid.
It’s nice to help, but I afraid that I can tangle you by chaotic links and new names )
I don’t understand, on what phase of work you now. Just checked again the site, the layout itself is simple, you don’t have to copy original CSS, just copy width, font, font-size and colors. All pages have one header and footer, the home page is a static page. The “Products” page can be the “Products” category archive. May be you need create special post template for product post.
Where I am at so far is I have modified the twenty-eleven theme to customize the header and footer. Just that exercise gave me a good handle on WP, CSS, HTML and PHP.
So now I am ready to start building the pages, and where I got stuck as to how to approach the home page and prompted this question in the forum. I feel confident that I can build templates for the pages, and was just thinking adopting Thesis or Blueprint CSS might make that process easier and faster.
We are on a fast track to migrate the web site, since the contract with the current hosting solution expires end of Sept. Just looking for a crutch to meet that deadline.
I may just muscle ahead without a framework or grid, since as you say, it is a simple layout.
Doris
Do not edit the Twenty Eleven theme. It is the default WordPress 3.2 theme and having access to an unedited version of the theme is vital when dealing with a range of site issues. Create a child theme for your customisations.
Yes, I created a child theme. That is the best practice from what I can tell from numerous posts in this forum. Thanks for re-iterating that — it is much easier to manage that way.
Doris
