New to Joomla.. need help

[joomdev]

1) I installed Joomla a few weeks ago and so far I can administer it ok. The thing I am still not clear about is how/where CSS, htmls and other components of Joomla reside that make up the website/pages that we see.

2) I also am not able to change the main header image to something different. Is it documented anywhere. I find changing default template graphics a difficult task. dont know where things are.

3) I want to create a website and then hand it over to someone but I do not want to have him install Joomla and db etc.. instead after creating the site, I want to convert Joomla site and its template to standard CSS and html. can that be done ?

thanks

[reashlin]

For the first two questions have a look here

http://help.joomla.org/component/option,com_easyfaq/task,cat/catid,227/Itemid,268/

As for the last question im not really sure what you mean.  Surely the point in using joomla is the php backend support you require and as such you could not just send html and have a working site.

Could you elaborate a little on the substance of the site and how much you know about developing for the web

[joomdev]

about the last point, what I mean is that I am creating this website for someone but they need kind of static website (CSS, html) etc. What I am doing is creating the site in Joomla because its easier to create the site. I can add components, menus etc but when I hand over the site to the customer I will only hand them over CSS, html and static site with static components, menus, header image, etc..

I have seen some discussion about converting your own CSS and html to Joomla but not vice versa. if anyone know how to do both, covert CSS/html --> Joomla and also Jommla site ---> Static CSS/html to handover to client who do not want to install Joomla. hope I am clear

[joomdev]

so no reply means, this cant be done I guess.

no one know where CSS, htmls are stored in Joomla. I will try some other forum

[reashlin]

I think the problem here is the HTML and CSS are not stored they are generated every time you view a page. 

The one possible way would be to look at every page and copy the scource code.  Then you just need to move the files the html imports over to the new site.

It is possible but I do not know of any tools to do it.  That is not to say there are none but I have never seen one.

[ashar]

The css and javascript depending upon the template you are using reside in the templates folder. Hope it helps

[earl080688]

hi... i'm also new in joomla and i have the same problem. i want to change the pages of joomla. and i think the only way for that is to edit the index.php of the templte you chose. but my question is, what if i want to add another php page as another link, can anyone please tell me if that is possible. any idea please... thanks in advance.

[ashar]

Well I think you guys need to download the manual. Adding the pages is quite easy and you can do that even without doing any coding.

[jalil]

I have seen some discussion about converting your own CSS and html to Joomla but not vice versa. if anyone know how to do both, covert CSS/html --> Joomla and also Jommla site ---> Static CSS/html to handover to client who do not want to install Joomla. hope I am clear

i think i understand your idea.

to convert joomla to static, you need something that would read all the pages and store them in html files.
that would mean you need a client programmed to look up all the pages and then save it automatically.
or you could do it manually if your client pays you late.

you would also then need to change all the link references in the html produced to that they reference your html pages
instead of the index to joomlas index.php. again i imagine you could use a good editor to edit this globally. whatever it is
it has to be done else your client will not able to access the htmls you produced and compiled.

if all goes well, you would have a next HTML site. as for the images or flash files, what you do is you just mimick the directories as like on the original joomla site.

all this is a lot of work.

there are also web diagnostics program, which given a url, will scan all links in url (the website) and produce all pages and report the statistics. you dont need the statistics of course, but in order to produce the statistics, these program need to access the pages and hence...you have the pages genenated or rather acccessed automatically. sorry i do not remember their names, but i understand there are quite a few such diagnostics programs around and they are free.

hope this helps.

[jcerious]

Just open the page in Firefox, then use the File/Save As command.  Create a special folder for these files and Firefox will automatically download all the images and change the references in the pages to point to the images and other linked pages.  Then just upload to your client's server EXACTLY as firefox created it and everything should work perfectly! 

[earl080688]

thanks to all you're replies but ashar... can you please give us the link to download the manual that you're saying. because i think i badly needed that one. please tell me... thanks!!

[muddauber]

JoomDev, since there were several other questions after your initial post, I'll try to answer your
early quesitons. The HTML and CSS in Joomla is stored at yourwebsite/templates/yourtemplate.
There is an index.php and the css file that creates the pages, but the content is pulled from the
database each time a page is called. Unless you use some caching technique to create a
quicker response.

Your content is called up each time you click a link that calls the template and the content from
the MySQL database. Joomla does not have a way to save the entire site's generated pages to
static pages, as the links and layout would not work correctly once exported.

Drupal can generate static pages and that may be a better option for you if you just want to
create a prototype website for someone and drop it on them. 

You could create a site in Joomla and then recreate it with static pages by copying and pasting
content into static page templates. If you have to go to all that trouble you probably would be better off
starting the site with NVU or Dreamweaver from the start, or consider Drupal.

[yeskay]

I too have the same problem.

I got a startup from your reply.Am now having my own template, images and around 15-20 HTML files.I got a clue that the existing joomla homepage(for e.g)
is refering to "com_frontpage" and "com_content" for its respective content.Am i going right?


I need to get my HTML pages with the same look and feel with joomla too.But am not sure whether i need to change the contents like text,images url and menus from the files of joomla installed directory or through admin login.Because i found the texts can be edited only from admin login.So is it possible to change the entire jooma pages with my new content.I find only php files doing all these tricks.So how my HTML files will make its presence there?How can i make my HTML pages integrated with contant manager.Where should i place my HTML files.

Thanks in advance.

[muddauber]

I don't think you will be able to do what you envision with Joomla.
Joomla does note create stand-alone pages. The pages are part HTML,
part component/modules generated from Joomla's PHP, and part data files
from your MySQL.

I found the best mix is to learn how to make a static page that looks
and works like a Joomla template. Open the Joomla template with
a HTML editor and start stripping it down to the elements that don't
have the PHP and MySQL files.

I was able to do better with the MXFusion program that lets you make
websites from templates and you can add all the menus and sections you
want and it will generate the HTML, menus, submenus and links automatically
for you. You get MXFusion free with a 1and1 account.
Check out http://www.netobjects.com

I found that making the static pages did not give me the power and felixbility
that Joomla gave. I don't think it is productive trying to use Joomla as a static website
generator.

[jurgentje]

I think, if the number of pages is reasonably limited, it's feasible to turn it into a static site...

BUT!
You'll have to be sure not to have any static content.
This means:

• no forms! (contact us)
• no logging in
• no other stuff (f.e. calendar)

Next step, I would install a SEF-component (I'm using OpenSEF here, but you can make it the one of your choice), but Joomla 1.5 is equipped with a pretty good SEF-engine itself. This can turn your pages into nice URL's (you'll have to look into SEF to understand this too)

Final step, there are programs that "suck in" a website...
A well known one is HTTrack Website Copier

Now, you'll have all you need in one clear folder. Packed and ready to send to your customer.

Just as a sidenote: if this would be a website for a company, I would really suggest them to take a decent hosting account that allows you to install Joomla. On the long term, they will absolutely benefit from this!

[muddauber]

I thought Jurgentje  a good idea  as I've used it many times for archving and
reviewing sites. It kind a bizarre idea to make a Joomla Site, then turn it into a static site,
but what the hay. With PHP links to various modules, I wondered how deep it would pull
the css php and template items referenced materials. I actuall thought it pulled in
the flash rotator slideshow with the website extraction tool

I tried WinHTTrack and it initially looked like it actually did a good spider on
a Joomla site, UNTIL I disconnected my network connection and found all
the broken and shattered pieces.

[jurgentje]

muddauber... I've never done it before, but is seems to work just fine here...
I did a full copy of our corporate website (about 150 pages)...

Just a few details:
- for some reason, where I used {mosimage} ... I didn't have the image. Don't ask me why...
- the search form and the contact form didn't work

Obviously, I want to emphasize the importance of a SEF module. This turns links with parameters into (apparently) real pages...
So:
    http://www.mysite.com/index.php?action= ... replies=15
becomes something like:
    http://www.mysite.com/forum/question/243918.html

And if all links in your page have a (fake) HTML address... HTTrack will do a fine job spidering through te page.