How to create a WP website

  • Resolved RossB

    (@rossb)


    13 years, 8 months ago

    I have a basic website I created years ago using MS Frontpage.

    See: http://www.proofreadercentral.com

    It’s adequate for my purposes, which are really just promotional, but I’d rather replace the clunky FP code with the far leaner alternative offered by WordPress (from what I’ve heard and read – I’m no techie). Also, there are so many great plugins available for WP, such as All-in-one SEO, that it would be great to be able to use.

    I know it’s possible to use WP as a CMS, and the way I’m thinking of going about converting my current FP website is as follows:

    1. Have the current FP home page as a static page in WP.
    2. Have the current FP horizontal navigation items as Pages in WP, with a similar horizontal nav menu.
    3. Re-size the current header so it can be uploaded as a header in, say, the Twenty-Eleven WP theme.

    I also want to have a blog attached to the website. I’m stumped by this – can’t think how to do it. It would be a blog related in content to the website (eg: posts on aspects of popular language use that annoy me and another couple of BOF pedant friends…yes, you don’t want us sitting anywhere near you at a dinner party!).

    I’ve designed several websites using FP. For all its apparent clunkiness it’s very intuitive software – I’ve been able to get away with a very minimal knowledge of the technicals (I don’t know much about HTML or CSS, for example…have always just used ‘tables’ in FP, but I understand that the concept is long gone from web design!).

    To those who are tech-savvy, with this proposed conversion from an FP website to a WP one, am I biting off more than I am likely to be able to chew, do you think? Is there much more to it than the steps 1-3 outlined above?

    Would appreciate some feedback/advice, especially about the blog addition aspect.

    Cheers
    Ross

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  • Kate Newbill

    (@clnewbill)

    13 years, 8 months ago

    It’s easy to set up a blog when using WordPress as a complete site — it’s actually built in.

    Create a page called Blog. Don’t put anything on it; you just need an empty page. Then go to Settings -> Reading and choose “Static Page” next to “Front Page Displays.” In the dropdown box next to “Posts page,” choose “Blog.” (You’d choose the name of your front page next to “Front Page,” of course.) Save.

    Now Blog will show up as a choice for your menu, and any posts you write will show up automatically on the blog page.

    As for moving your FP site to WordPress, you have the process exactly right. Best of luck!

    Thread Starter RossB

    (@rossb)

    13 years, 7 months ago

    Kate, thanks very much for your response. I must apologise for not acknowledging your post before now – got distracted and the email advice that I’d received a reply from you became quickly buried beneath the fold. Just found it now!

    Your advice is very clear – thank you.

    I’ve just “discovered” WordPress for Windows, which allows you to download a local version of WP on to the hard drive of your computer. Very simple procedure, and now I can design away until the site is ready, THEN upload it, rather than doing the design “live” online. Probably common knowledge, but new to me! Very cool, I think.

    Cheers!
    Ross

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

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