Define "newbie"
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- mark sipe
- Jr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 22
- Thanks: 0
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After reading some of the posts from "newbies" I must be an embryo. I own a few small businesses, and have had several less than successful website experiences. Everything I have read about Joomla tells me it is easy and a beginner can set up their own site with a learning curve of course.
I have bought into the club and am very impressed by the product but don't know where to start. I am changing articles, adding images by picking my way through things with some success. I have no budget to speak of and thought by using rocket launcher I could populate the site myself. This should give you some background to understand where I am coming from. I can program home automation systems, lighting control systems, touch panels and such but this is all new for me.
First it seems I should study up and learn HTML/CSS, so what is the best book, website, whatever to start. Second any suggestions on maybe some tutoring to get my sight up at least in a basic mode. What other languages should I know to fully utilize Joomla? I have four websites/companies, I am using Godaddy's websight tonight until I can get these up and running. I don't want to pay to have it done so much as pay to learn how to do it, the ole fish or learn to fish.
Also how do you manage your articles, I can't find things that I would like to change, is there some kind of basic layout plan to help me know how to find things on my site to make changes?
Thank you in advance for any help or kindness,
Mark
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- cdavis411
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 17787
- Thanks: 882
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Hi,
This is not an uncommon feeling or experience. It is a bit like a puzzle, once you dump all of the pieces out in front of you it seems an impossible task, but once you start to get a few matched pieces it starts to come together at a faster and faster pace.
For me (not a patient learner at all) it was a few video I found by googling: joomla tutorial
This helped me understand the basic structure and methods involved in implementing a joomla website. Then I began to understand where things are and this helped me know what questions to ask.
The GOOD NEWS is (and I am not overstating this a bit) that you came to the best place for users of varying skill levels to share and help each other through the labyrinth of web implementation.
So I applaud your openness. Just ask some questions specific to your project/s and I promise you that it will not be long before things start to click and you will be firing on all cylinders.
Also see this: docs.joomla.org/Beginners
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- mark sipe
- Jr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 22
- Thanks: 0
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cdavis,
I am used to challenges from being self employed most of my life. I am learning HTML now and probably should have learned this a long time ago but was always working in other software. Doesn't look too hard and should be better by the end of the weekend.
Thanks for the support,
Mark
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- JEM
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 17917
- Thanks: 4
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:arrowu: +1
Some additional info:
Scroll down to Joomla Basics
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=21&t=54455&rb_v=viewtopic
For content organization:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=15..._v=viewtopic#p320898
Most of Joomla's look and feel is controlled by css, so for for learning css, I suggest checking out this site:
www.w3schools.com/default.asp
We use this tool for finding what files to edit:
www.rockettheme.com/blog/team/255-tools-firebug
For finding your content:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=15..._v=viewtopic#p320901
For tutorials, each demo version has its own Tutorial section:
demo.rockettheme.com/jul10/tutorials
All templates have a Tutorial and Guides Section, for example, Panacea's guides are here:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=385&rb_v=viewforum
These sections are for Tutorial and Guides Section, not questions, so if you had a question about Panacea Tutorials and Guides, you'd post here:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=383&rb_v=viewforum
And as always, when you have a question, following these guidelines are the 'Holy Grail' for getting fast support:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=38...36997&rb_v=viewtopic
(IMHO, I would run away from GoDaddy, many problems with installations, etc. You may be lucky, but if you run into problems it might be worth your while to switch hosts, especially if you are planning to build a few sites.) - Thanks,
jim
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- cdavis411
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 17787
- Thanks: 882
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JEM wrote:
...........................(IMHO, I would run away from GoDaddy, many problems with installations, etc. You may be lucky, but if you run into problems it might be worth your while to switch hosts, especially if you are planning to build a few sites.)
:arrowu:
Seriously good advice.
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- mark sipe
- Jr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 22
- Thanks: 0
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I have been using them since they gave me a backend to control on my own, the reason I am moving over to Joomla now.
Not sure how many rules it would break but could you suggest any hosting companies? I have worked with small ones only to have problems, at least Godaddy answers their phone.
Looking for a medium to large company, stable enough so I don't have to worry about my sites going down.
Mark
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- JEM
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 17917
- Thanks: 4
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May of us use HostGator without issues. no problems with Joomla or any RT templates.
To move sites, we use Akeeba Backup.
www.akeebabackup.com/akeeba-backup-for-joomla/index.html
To install a template with a Rocket Launcher, I recommend uploading the zipped package to your server adn extracting it on the server through the host's CP as opposed to extracting on your computer and FTPing the files. - Thanks,
jim
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- WBoro
- Hero Rocketeer
- Posts: 389
- Thanks: 5
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I remember the early days, in the late 1990's and early 2000's, trying to find decent hosting companies. We stayed with them for 6 months or so, enduring the small stuff, if they handled the big stuff. Eventually, we hopped past 4 or 5 hosts. This became a big deal as the company accumulated a lot of sites and domains. Once we located a couple of decent hosts, we stuck with them.
A few rules we learned early-on were:
1) Never buy your domains from your hosting company (some people had a hassle keeping their domains when they changed hosts).
2) Never host with a company that charges cancellation fees.
3) Control your own Domain settings (DNS, etc.) instead of letting your host do it.
4) Don't get mad too quickly when a host has a problem. They all have problems.
5) If the problems are impacting your business, don't let a bad host sink your company.
6) Many hosting reviews were written by the company being reviewed.
Greg
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- coldshot88
- Sr. Rocketeer
- Posts: 108
- Thanks: 0
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Great post.
How about a tutorial for updating your existing template? What files to upload, edit, etc...I know there's an explaination in FAQs, but its not very 'layman'
I think its very important as its going to be an on going process for all template users
It can be a very daunting task for noobs like me..
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- JEM
- Preeminent Rocketeer
- Posts: 17917
- Thanks: 4
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coldshot88 wrote:
Great post.
How about a tutorial for updating your existing template? What files to upload, edit, etc...I know there's an explaination in FAQs, but its not very 'layman'
I think its very important as its going to be an on going process for all template users
It can be a very daunting task for noobs like me..
If you apply a template to an existing install, it's just a matter of installing the template and all the extensions that go along with it.
After that, you have to reorganize your content to match the new template positions.
If you need further assistance with a particular template, you should start a new thread in the forum for the template you are using.
Some good links in this reply:
www.rockettheme.com/forum/index.php?f=33...asics&rb_v=viewtopic
An old post, but some valuable info:
Nanci wrote:When you change from one template to another everything is not going to preview perfectly, nor is it assigned by any form of automation. It can't be.
Not all modules and positions you have used in one template are necessarily named the same or positioned the same from that template to another. The same goes for the styling.
As an example; There is no way for Joomla! to know that you want your "Breadcrumbs" to be assigned to the new Akiraka Breadcrumbs-Bottom module position without you assigning the Breadcrumbs to that position. Unless of course, the position you had them assigned to before was named the same.
To begin you should open EXTENSIONS > TEMPLATE manager and assign any needed parameters within your new template.
Next I would open each module and assign the new positions within your new template accordingly.
You will need to do the same with your articles and any and all module suffixes you have assigned previously.
Changes and or new assignments may also be needed in your menu structure.
Module Variations: The same applies here. The module variation suffixes for Akiraka are not named or positioned the same as modules and module variations in Hivemind.
It sounds worse than it is. I've done this before... it just takes a bit of organizing and a little time.
The CHOICE of how you do this and if you do this is yours. If you have a smaller site with little content it may be quicker and more efficient to start fresh. Backup your data first and make some screen shots of how you had it before so you won't have to go completely go by memory.
Though I am sure this is not what you wanted to hear, I do hope this at least helps you to get started and helps you understand what is going on.
- Thanks,
jim
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