DISCUSSION: Absolute beginner using Joomla--Getting Started Suggestions

[parambyte]

at least you are getting somehere... 

i am having a terrible time trying to learn. the tutorials are not helpful enough. i think theres far more knowledge in the forums but you have to read them slowly and patiently before yo can get anywhere.

i think the biggest problem with joomla is its not intuitive enough. mayube there should be a Joomla plugin for Adobe GoLive or Dreamweaver.

My 'attch' image button on content is just inactive. i am unable to attach images even though my image mambot is active.

wanted to ask someone to professionaly develop my site, but want to leanr so i can maintain it... as admin...

[self]

Hey param - since my first Joomla download I've reinstalled 4 times and many sleepless nights, this time I'm documenting each step so that I can ask for help on this forum with some semblence of cognition.

[Joomlawebber]

i think the biggest problem with joomla is its not intuitive enough. mayube there should be a Joomla plugin for Adobe GoLive or Dreamweaver.

Have you tried looking at the template tutorials. There is a dreamweaver extension, to use when designing your own templates

My 'attch' image button on content is just inactive. i am unable to attach images even though my image mambot is active.

Dont worry, this is happening to me too, but i can not tell you why.
Instead i have installed the Jce wysiwyg editor, and there you have plenty of options, and its a great tool. You can get it from the extensions server.

/K

[parambyte]

thanks. your suggestions are really helpful. let me work on them...

[self]

Joomlawebber - Thank for great direction. Will install the jce editor. Definitely checking on the dreamweaver extension.

[parambyte]

hey, any plugins for GoLive? I donthave Dreamweaver...

[guilliam]

hey, any plugins for GoLive? I donthave Dreamweaver...

unfortunately there is non yet that we know of.

- g

[sevenhelmets]

Great informative guide Amy, thanks heaps! 

Just a quick addition, the glosary link under your phase 2 section is now redundant.  The new link should be:

http://help.joomla.org/content/view/1655/248/

[AmyStephen]

Thanks, SevenHelmets, I made that change.

I found that list of work helpful, myself, when I got started!

Great change - much appreciated - welcome to Joomla! and let us know if something really doesn't make sense. Lots of good people to help you here!
Amy

[Princess Frou-Frou]

I have been wondering about using Joomla and shall have a good look through this guide ... ta very much 

[AmyStephen]

Good luck, Princess, and welcome to Joomla!

[TheDoctor]

Thank you! I loved this guide, thanks to the Author, and the Authors of all the assignments!

:-* :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*

[AmyStephen]

I agree - there were many people over time who have contributed to our learning. I found it so helpful when I started, as well. Glad you did, too.

Good luck, TheDoctor!
Amy

[Asphyx]

The best approach I can offer for making a template is this...

think of your Joomla template as a blank form...

your not defining much of the content at all in your template you are simply making columns and spaces for Joomla to insert content into.
The PHP is relatively easy to get done. It is the CSS that takes forever and a day as there is just so much you need to add that you can't really see until you have installed the template after which you make changes on the fly to the CSS...

I usually cheat in this regard and append a typical CSS file such as from solarflare to my custom CSS file as a starter...(make a comment to show you where this pasted code starts)
Make changes as I need them and move them above the comment line as I get what I want.
Whatever is left under the comment line when I'm done is deleted then....

I also find Imageready to be very useful for creating the layout as it will do the slicing. I make sure there are slices for each section (including main content and footer)
then take the output into Dreamweaver (which does have an extention to make templates BTW) and add my column layout to the maincontent slice.
A little tweak of the footer and I my layout is done...just a matter of tweaking the CSS

[miketech]

lol well im ready to get yelled at....Does this Joomla run on windows? kk feel free to yell at me, but in the process could you answer my question. Thanks.

--Complete N00B--

[Asphyx]

Joomla runs on both IIS (windows web server) and Apache for Windows provided you also have PHP and MySQL installed.
Both have Windows version you can install!

[miketech]

Thank you, Im going to install this and see how it runs then.

[AmyStephen]

Let us know if you have questions with the guides! Hope you love Joomla! as much as I have!
Amy

[danflory]

This was a nice friendly start. I am looking for a CMS that I can grow into with hundreds of pages. I see this is will do it.

I had a difficult time with installing Apache and friends then less trouble with Joomla!
After the introduction material,  and many forum topics, I still couldn't follow most of the marvelous things I see happening on the example site. I kept looking for help to understand and noticed that for the price of a couple hours of factory labor I could purchase the Joomla! book. Please put this, at least once, in the absolute beginners guide. The fact that I am an absolute beginner should not presume that I won't pay a little for some help. This 340 page book covers what I need to know. It would have been worth the cost to  start by buying the book because I could have saved two days work just in the install. XAMPP works,  and so does  Apache2Triad that I settled on for security reasons.

Anyway, Thank you for leading me in the first steps.

[techtool]

I am a Real Newbie. The first step in the Quick Start says to up load the files to the web site. What site? And the site seems to need to support MySQL and PHP. Apache is mentioned. Now my ISP offers me a free site, http://WWW.COMCAST.NET/~MyNameHere. Is that OK? Will that do the job? How can I find out?
On a related issue -- once I get on board with Joomla, how do I build an "off-line" site that I can test? Can I then upload, publish my revised site in one pass or do I need to do all the steps again on the "live" site?

[AmyStephen]

Hi TechTool -

PHASE 2: WALK RIGHT THROUGH THE DOOR

Probably now, you are wondering, how can I install this thing? Never fear – it’s not that difficult when you follow these instructions . Basically, you upload a file, fill in the blanks, and, presto, you're done! Imagine. Your very own copy of Joomla!.  :-*

If you click that link, it will take you to the installation guide.

On that page, there is a topic entitled "System Requirements." That will provide what you need -- share it with your ISP and see if that site will work for you.

If you want to work locally, there are a couple of easy options:

STEP 1: Pick one of these two choices.
Guide:: Install Local Uniform Testserver & Joomla! in 20 easy steps!

- OR -

I use XAMPP

STEP 2  Joomla! install

Installation Guide:

A) Getting the Files section.
B) Browser Installation section.

STEP 3 Moving your site when you are done with development.

FAQ: Moving Your Joomla! Site (files and configuring of configuration.php) 

Good luck! And, welcome to Joomla! HAPPY to have you with us!
Amy

[danflory]

This last answer gave me links I've been looking for. Thank you!
I found the Instilation guide to NOT be the first thing I need. The first is
XAMPP
or what I am using Apache2Triad

[AmyStephen]

Yes - I am writing some new stuff for v 1.5. It is very difficult to know how to start this all! People can get a web host (there is much variety there!), do it on their PC (or Mac!), they can have their own host. It can be run on Linux, Windows or Mac. It can use Apache or IIS.

I threw this guide together given stuff I used when I was learning. It really isn't for everything, unfortunately. But, I found that there is good material and people didn't seem to find it.

But, like you are saying, it misses the "start" - and that is pretty important! I made a few updates given your feedback and will absolutely keep what you are saying in mind for the next project I am doing.

Perhaps you will do a read for me when I have a draft?

Thanks Dan!
Amy

[techtool]

Amy says "Share this with your ISP."  I guess she has not had the pleasure of meeting Comcast. Never was the phrase "faceless monolithic" more appropriate. There is no there there.
But the stuff on local install looks very promising.
Thanx

[AmyStephen]

LOL! I shall change immediately to "compare this with your ISP's specifications." I guess most people don't have coffee with their ISP's then. Hm. Go figure!

Good luck, TechTool and let us know if you have problems. Welcome to Joomla!
Amy

[danflory]

I would love to "do a read"

After my first couple of weeks with a local install I found some free hosting to use during my learning process. In Fantastico of cPanel the install was done in 15 seconds.    Your right about lots of different paths that are available.

After finding Joomla! Book I have directions to keep me learning for a while. I was pleased to see the link about moving my site from local to the web. When I have a couple of weeks invested in the free service I'll be backing it up here at home. And someday I will be writing code that I will like to debug here before I install it on the public server.

[AmyStephen]

Cool! You "sound" like you are learning and loving it! I am excited just to hear you say you will be writing code to debug! Stay in touch! I'll let you know -- it'll probably be a bit, yet, before I have a draft!

Good luck, Dan! Amy

[nathandiehl]

Amy,

Read Joomla 1.0.x End User Document

is a bad link.

[AmyStephen]

Thanks, Nate. Looks like you have to register, now. I think I'll check out Brad's site and see what he has. Appreciate your note. Amy

[asti]

I will first THANK ALL that contributed to this helpful post!

However - my situation is bleak that this point in time
I am / have:
Basic computer skills
Linspire as an OS - use the CNR feature exclusively for programs
Editor is NVU
Use gFTP for uploading
Host is pow web
have joomla, zencart and photo gallery1
website is almost 6 months old and crippled, floating in mid air cause I can not find anything helpful to show me the ropes!
All of the pointers here describe a download of joomla, then uploading to the host, with powweb, they have an Instant Installer, every pictorial I have seen looks nothing like what I see!
If it will help, I can get a screen shot and post the picture........

Thank you for any helpful responses.........