RossB

Clear. Thanks a lot, Odai.

Thanks, Odai. Sounds pretty neat!

Just to check that I understand your last comment, the “Publish” button changes to “Schedule” when a future publication date is set, and it’s therefore “Schedule” that I click on to store the post on the WP database on the server?

Cheers
Ross

OK, thanks alchymyth. It’s way past time I investigated Firebug to see if I can understand it enough to make appropriate CSS changes. I gave it a quick run a few days back without really making head or tail of it, but I’ll have another more thorough look and see if I can work out the mods needed.

Cheers
Ross

Yes, I have come across w3schools. Just had another look, and it does seem like a great place to start. Thank you!

Had a read through the “like this” link – like a different language to me! But you’ve given me a direction to pursue. Appreciated.

Cheers
Ross

Hi Krishna. Thanks for your comment. Some queries in response, please.

1. I’m concerned about those errors you encountered with the website. I take it you were able to open it up in the first instance, but then ran some sort of error test that identified the many possible problems as per your link? What do these errors mean in practical terms? Would these problems be something to do with the clunky FP code? How are they impacting on reader experience of the site, do you think? (Sorry about these basic questions – I have no idea about these errors or what they mean…but the sheer number of them is quite alarming).

2. Yes, I am aware that I’d need to make a lot of mods to any ready-made WP theme to replicate the FP design of the site in its current form. I’ve used Dreamweaver, including messing about with PHP to create an online form following step-by-step instructions from a YouTube video, but too long ago to recall much about it. So, I couldn’t categorise myself as a seasoned designer, and I certainly don’t have much knowledge of WP coding, CSS etc. I have always managed to follow advice from generous online techies when seeking solutions to specific problems, but that’s as far as my capability goes. Do you think replicating this current site on a WP CMS would be too complex a task for someone of my pretty basic tech knowledge, then?

3. Do you think I’d be better going for some other web design software given the size and nature of my current site, and if so, is there any open-source WYSIWYG type option that you would recommend?

Appreciate your help.

S_ha_dum,

Fair enough points you make. I thought you were taking the piss in your previous response, but see now I was mistaken. My apologies.

You’re quite right that I need to get specific with some ‘how-to’ queries. I guess I was just trying to establish initially whether the task of replicating the current website using a WP CMS was a huge, complex, technically demanding proposition. I’m guessing your assessment that it “shouldn’t be very hard” assumes a fair knowledge of PHP, HTML, CSS and WP theme basics – which I don’t have beyond a bit of step-by-step instruction following.

I do have a couple of specific queries to start with. If you wouldn’t mind responding to these, it will give me some gauge as to whether the task of making the appropriate mods is within my grasp. So:

a) You’ll note from looking at the home page of my current site that I switch back and forth between a 4 column layout and a single column. Is this easily done on a WP page, and if so, how would I achieve this, pls? (I used tables in FP, but I understand that that is an antiquated approach now, with CSS – I think? – providing more elegant solutions).

b) Can I get rid of or greatly reduce the side margins in WP so the content area stretches across the screen as in the current site?

c) Is it possible in WP to have a tiled background in the content area as in the current site? I’ve seen backgrounds like this in the margins of WP themes, but not in the content area. At least, that’s my recollection.

I’m not new to WP, BTW. I’ve been blogging regularly for 5 years using a WP blog platform, but in this time I haven’t needed to do many mods after initially setting up the site – and I’ve forgotten what that took now!

Cheers
Ross

Err, any more information s_ha-dum? “Shouldn’t be very hard” doesn’t give me a lot to go on!

Ah – OK! I’ve often wondered how people put images in the sidebars, ans strangely have not managed to elicit an answer as clear as yours. So, you just drag a text widget over with the appropriate code inside…

Thanks a lot, vtxyzzy.

Cheers
Ross