Greetings, Great Question
I’ve just made a free account and tried to put in add the custom theme, is that possible?
If the free account you mean http://wordpress.com/ … I don’t think it is possible to use your own custom theme.
To get started, generally, you’re going to want to do what we call a sub-directory installation of WordPress. This is very important so you don’t take down the existing site.
First I would suggest to contact Moonfruit to verify their systems do in fact support WordPress at all.
Reference this section: https://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress#In_a_Subdirectory of this page: https://codex.wordpress.org/Installing_WordPress
Good Luck
Thank you for your reply! I don’t think Moonfruit do support WordPress. So, IF the scout group own the domain name (I think they do) can I build the site somewhere else in the mean time? I am currently looking at installing MAMP and WordPress on my Mac. Is this a way to go?
I currently have my own website hosting with TSOhost, would I be able to build the scout website there, then buy separate hosting with them and switch the scout website to that once we launch? (I want it to be completely separate from my own website)
can I build the site somewhere else in the mean time?
Yes, and then use a DNS A record to point the domain to the new host
I am currently looking at installing MAMP and WordPress on my Mac. Is this a way to go?
No, probably not
currently have my own website hosting with TSOhost, would I be able to build the scout website there, then buy separate hosting with them and switch the scout website to that once we launch?
You should ask TSO if your account supports multiple virtual hosts. If so you wouldn’t have to buy another account and the sites would all be totally separate.
When setting up, I thought I am creating a BLOG which is what I want, not a full Website. But I cannot get to the Dashboard and don’t seem to find a place to login, so obviously I am totally lost here. Any help?
Hi, blog/website are interchangeable if there is only one WordPress installation on the domain. You can make it look like a blog by installing a theme that looks more like a blog than a website. WordPress is very versatile.
What are you seeing? What steps have you taken?
I think that starting the website on your mac using MAMP is a good way to go. You can make the whole website on there until it’s finished and ready to be put online.
There will be 3 parts to the website:
1. The wordpress installation. That is the wordpress core files that you download from wordpress.org.
2. The theme. This is what you will be working on.
3. The database. This will be the content of the site (posts, pages, categories, etc).
You will have all these 3 parts on MAMP. Later online you will also have these 3 parts.
Once you have your new hosting set up at TSOhost or wherever, and you’re finished making the website in MAMP, you’ll be ready to put the site online. The way I would do this is like this (it corresponds to the 3 parts mentioned above):
1. Install wordpress on the server online.
2. Install the theme that you created. All you have to do is copy the theme folder from MAMP to the server online in the \wp-content\themes directory, and then it will be available in the WP dashboard.
3. Move the database from MAMP to the online server. You can do this manually through phpMyAdmin or you can use on of the many plug-ins such as “WP Migrate DB” plug in.
All in the mean time, the old website is still up and working on bgscouts.co.uk. All that’s left to do now is to point the domain name to the new server.
OK thanks all for your answers, they are really helping me!
@santeven you say don’t use MAMP – what else can I use to build the website elsewhere? I am not aware of any alternatives.
slacie – you say yes to using MAMP.
I have seen online others who do, and don’t, recommend MAMP. Is it just personal preference?
Another question: I obviously need to sort out the hosting company, TSO or otherwise. I might as well do that first. If I do that, am I able to build the website online with them BEFORE I get hold of the bgscouts.co.uk address we eventually want it to use. ie cut out the need to install MAMP and WP on my mac, then migrate.
A simpler way of asking the question is: Can I build a site online if it doesn’t yet have a domain name registered to it?
Good questions:
Can I build a site online if it doesn’t yet have a domain name registered to it?
Yes, it would have some temporary domain. Let’s say your personal site on TSO is example.com … If TSO supports multiple virtual host via subdomains, you would build the scouts website on TSO under a subdomain, something like scouts.example.com … And the two sites on the one host would be totally separate. Just like you asked earlier almost the same question!
Also you probably want to make sure you can “get hold” of bgscouts.co.uk (the “permanent” domain) … that is, you will need to make sure you are able to login to the registrar account where its nameservers and dns zone are controlled. If not you won’t later be able to connect the permanent domain to whatever site you have built using a temporary domain.
I have seen online others who do, and don’t, recommend MAMP. Is it just personal preference?
As slacie pointed out there are some benefits to using MAMP. Most of those benefits you already will have if you build using a temporary online subdomain.
That being said, there also are some downside to MAMP:
- You have to build the host, that is, install the “AMP” parts onto your Mac which is the “M” part. Your TSO host already is built by professional host builders.
- Unless you want your MAMP to be the permanent host (really bad idea), you have to move the site from your MAMP. Yes it can be done, but in most cases it’s an unnecessary complication.
Thanks @santeven.
I rang TSOHost, they were really helpful (and I got to talk to a human within 1 minute and only had to ‘press this number’ once, definite thumbs up on the customer service!). They told me I can input the website address I eventually want to use at start up, and then enable something called ‘Preview’ which will allow me to build and see the site, but it will leave the old site untouched. Then, when I’m ready, I will do the address switch. The person the website address is registered to is a scout leader so no problems getting hold of all the details I need.
They also told me they would install WordPress for me if I got stuck, but I seem to remember it was very easy to do when I did my own website, so I will then just have to upload the custom theme I already have downloaded, and I’m sure I will be able to work out how to do that.
I think I’m now on track to buy the hosting, and get stuck in!
Yes, the preview system likely creates for you a temporary domain behind the scenes. Mark this topic resolved?
I actually use WAMP since I have windows. But yea, these vs XAMPP or others is mostly a matter of preference. I’m sure they each do some things better and some things worse than the others.
The same with developing locally on one of these solutions vs developing on an online server. Each has it’s ups and downs. I have hosting space online for my sites which I could also use for developing sites, but I prefer to do it locally on my pc with WAMP and then upload when done.
For me the main thing for choosing to work on WAMP is to save a few seconds of uploading each time I press the save button. And not having to connect to the online server every time I want to start working. Also to keep my online server cleaner.
But for you it might be easier to develop the site online if you can get the hosting now. And then just change the domain.
Huge thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble to reply and add input and patiently explain it to me. Marking as resolved.
