New guy wants to join. Will you help ?

chavez · #1 05-28-2006, 04:23 AM

Good morning to everyone.

Briefly about me and my expectations from VodaHost.
I am a plane spotter from Poland with absolutely no programming knowledge, but with pretty exact idea what I want to build.
I want to build my own personal website with:
1) database driven photo gallery with searchable fields which will be the main axis of my website.
2) photoalbums with pictures from my trips
3) blog with news from the aviation world
4) Timetable for my local airport
5) Some static sites like "About me", "Contact", "Links"

In future also:
7) map of my home airport with spots - I would like Google Earth involved,
maybe also city guide with worth-to-see objects marked in the same style
8 own discussion forum

All that in very simple graphic layout, but 100% customized. Only lines/frames and text links.

I was looking very long for hosting service that would allow such dummy like me to do it object-drag'n'drop-wise.
I want to do it using BlueVoda builder and(or?) Soholaunch.

Now that you want what I want to do, I can ask my quesations.
1) Is it possible to build a photogallery with searchable fields, results displayed with thumbnails, and then, after clicking the picture to display it'sfull size with full description - just using BV and Soholaunch ? Or do I need to involve some programming ?
2) Is Soholaunch the online layout designer as well, where I could build lines, fields, tables, boxes, put text and create links ?
3) Where I can see more screenshots than in tutorials of what can be done using only these two tools or one of them?
4) Can my domain be easy transfered from domaindirect.com ?
5) Is there any offline step-by-step manual how to build website from scratch and publish it - like *.pdf or something ?

That is all questions for now, thank you for reading them and for answering as well ;)

Cheers

Vasili · #2 05-28-2006, 08:45 AM

Soholaunch is a commerce "cart", so you'd be better off using Blue Voda for your enterprise building.

The newest version was released just today, and there isn't a better (or easier) tool on the market. It can do everything you've asked for.

Come on in! It's wonderful in VodaLand! Click here to begin by downloading Blue Voda for free, and start building your site before committing to anything! When you are ready to publish, then set up an account. It's so easy, you will wonder why it took so long to discover!

navaldesign · #3 05-28-2006, 08:58 AM

1) Is it possible to build a photogallery with searchable fields, results displayed with thumbnails, and then, after clicking the picture to display it'sfull size with full description - just using BV and Soholaunch ? Or do I need to involve some programming ?

A database driven site can't be built in ANY websitebuilder. It involves scripting, or at least using a php generator. A photogallery script is quite difficult to create, it takes thousands of hours to create, test, finetune etc. On the other hand, if you join Vodahost, you can use one of the free of charge galleries that Vodahost offers you through your CP. I think Coppermine is just the one for you, but ofcourse there are others, simpler, that you can use. BV also has a photogallery tool, and with some imagination, you can acheive many things with that. Depends on how you want to articulate your site. The search feaure is not present though.

2) Is Soholaunch the online layout designer as well, where I could build lines, fields, tables, boxes, put text and create links ?

You can do some pretty things with Soholunch, including Database creation and querry, tables, forms, text editor, links and also custom code. It also has some cool features as authorised users, user loggin, hit counter, etc. ready to insert in your pages. But it won't give you the absolute freedom in creating your own template, background etc. as BV does.

3) Where I can see more screenshots than in tutorials of what can be done using only these two tools or one of them?

The tutorials are a basis, kind of User's manual. To see more, visit some sites of the VodaHost Comunity members.

4) Can my domain be easy transfered from domaindirect.com ?

Yes, you can transfer (if your domain name is not locked with them) or you can simply point your nameservers to Vodahost.

5) Is there any offline step-by-step manual how to build website from scratch and publish it - like *.pdf or something ?

I'm afraid not. The tutorials are in streaming video, there is no PDF or similar version

chavez · #4 05-28-2006, 11:36 AM

Thank you for answering, gentelmen.

6) So if Blue Voda is website creator that creates websites with more freedom, can I built a layout there, and then upload it and add some features like blogs, simple photogalery, database, administration of users, and other cool tools in Soholaunch, or I have to decide on one of them only ?

7) Does Soholaunch provide possibility of creating a database where one of the fields is uploadable picture ?
I am afraid that just a caption is not enough fields to describe my pictures, I need at least 8 select list type fields and 7 checkbox fields that will be searchable from the main screen of my website.

8. If the answer for both above is NO, will the Blue Voda be enough to create everything mentioned in point 6) offline except the database, and use some database-creator-for-dummies to creat the database and upload all together ?
Will some other software work with Blue Voda in order to create a database ? Do you know such software ?

9) I am familiar with MS Access enough to create multi table related database. Will it be hard to learn MySql and php enough to create a simple searchable database ?

Sorry for bothering you, but I want to know what I am getting in, or should I rather hire a programmer to build such website for me.

Greets

Vasili · #5 05-28-2006, 12:07 PM

6. Blue Voda is a complete web creation tool that allows you to do all you ask, but is not truly compatible with Soholaunch. Soholaunch, like any commerce cart, needs to be loaded in an account by itself. Soholaunch is by far the most easy cart to self-manage, and includes more customization features than most carts, but will not replace the overall utility of Blue Voda. A shopping cart is a poor excuse for an advanced web design utility. You need to focus on downloading Blue Voda, watching the tutorials (2 or 3 times to really understnad the common proccesses that run throughout the 'system), and begin to use the tool to create your "drag-and-drop-simplified", perfectly wonderful website. BV (Blue Voda) has many of the features that you would expect to find in Dreamweaver, Front Page, Coffee Cup, and other tools, only in truly user-friendly format. You can build your first website in less than an hour, providing you study the tutorials!

7. Every "account" has a database included, and there are tons of 3rd party free scripts to take advantage of. Many of them have been discussed in the Forums, which truly does have the answers to almost 99% of any question ever asked about web design and techniques. You might have to "drill down" to look at earlier threads, but they are there. True search functionality is not designable in Blue Voda, or Soholaunch for that matter. This is always an added script, which you can format in the databse included in your account to relate to your html formatted BV website. There are ways to mimic search using BV html, but search IS possible using scripting, like General Naval inferred.

which leads to a blended answer for

8. You are trying to draw the finish before the horse has left the gate. You do not have to learn php, know how to code html, or any other higher web authoring protocol. In-board tools, functions, and capabilties are already provided in BV, and available scripting and higher tier design elements , although advanced, are still based on the simplified drag-and-drop linear formatting.....you simply have to place it where it is supposed to go (provided you have pulled the right scripts).

Again.....download BV and start using it, initiating your learning curve and clearing your developmental path. It is not uncommon for BV users to discover their directions have been enhanced by the powerful technological freedoms BV offers, and their vision taking on brighter colors. When you reach an pothole, check into the Forum to search for the specific answer - don't pose a question and just sit waiting for one! You can always post a thread in the specific Forum if at a loss, and periodically check for a technical response as you search....it's always your choice how quickly you progress, and where your progress leads.

(no doubt also, you will find that I tend to write more than necessary.....) LOL

All right? Time to get your feet wet, soldier! Download the thing and get busy! Nothing like a tool such as Blue Voda to discover self-definition!

chavez · #6 05-28-2006, 12:27 PM

Thank you very much, Vasili. I have already downloaded the BV and trying to instal it but it does stop on registering fonts and doesn't go further. Ok, I will try install it on another computer. Now reading some getting started tips by VodaHost and tutorials. I know how I want my website to look like, so I think I can skip the planning process.

Thank you !!

navaldesign · #7 05-28-2006, 12:38 PM

6) So if Blue Voda is website creator that creates websites with more freedom, can I built a layout there, and then upload it and add some features like blogs, simple photogalery, database, administration of users, and other cool tools in Soholaunch, or I have to decide on one of them only ?

Soho has all these features, but you can't create a template in BV and upload it in Soho. It is considered custom code and it will cover everything else. Please visit the Soholaunch dedicated forum to see how this can be done.

7) Does Soholaunch provide possibility of creating a database where one of the fields is uploadable picture ?

No, what you store in the database is the link to the picture file, not the file itself. Yes, you can store the link in the database.

I am afraid that just a caption is not enough fields to describe my pictures, I need at least 8 select list type fields and 7 checkbox fields that will be searchable from the main screen of my website.

You can create a search with whatever and as many search fields as you want

8. If the answer for both above is NO, will the Blue Voda be enough to create everything mentioned in point 6) offline except the database, and use some database-creator-for-dummies to creat the database and upload all together ?

BlueVodais a sitebuilder. you are going to need some scripts to acheive the rest. It's not difficult though.

Will some other software work with Blue Voda in order to create a database ? Do you know such software ?

If you only want to create a database and manage it, you can use phpMyAdmin from your Darabase Section in your Control Panel.

9) I am familiar with MS Access enough to create multi table related database. Will it be hard to learn MySql and php enough to create a simple searchable database ?

Sorry for bothering you, but I want to know what I am getting in, or should I rather hire a programmer to build such website for me.

Hmm. If your job has nothing to do with programming, this would be a waste of time and energies. I would get someone to do the database part of the job for me.

chavez · #8 05-28-2006, 02:37 PM

Ok, I decided, I want to learn. I will build that site. I know it may be full of disappointments, but when I finally do it - that will be a galactic huge satisfaction.
I know what I want to build and I started building.
How can I edit page's generated html ? I want to change bacground color setting to my own. I get into page html, but I can't edit the background color number.

Thank you

chavez · #9 05-28-2006, 02:59 PM

Ok, I found how to do it. however I have another technical question.
When I will create a database, should I create a search fields in BV or create them later by some other method ?

Thank you

navaldesign · #10 05-28-2006, 04:37 PM

There is no way you can create the search script in BV . A search querry consists in a html form to submit the search criteria, (and this part can be built in BV) and a server side php script. The html for the visual part, the php to perform the search and retreive the results, and then another page yet, mixed html/php to present the results.

chavez · #11 05-30-2006, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by navaldesign

I think Coppermine is just the one for you, but ofcourse there are others, simpler, that you can use.

Excuse me, this Coppermine : http://coppermine-gallery.net/ ??
What version of Coppermine do you provide ? I couldn't read that info from features list. It seems to be fantastic reach of features gallery, I think I will use it as main engine for my photos and will build informative site around it with over features.

Greets

navaldesign · #12 05-30-2006, 06:42 PM

Yes, that's the one. Version offered through Fantastico is 1.4.2

chavez · #13 05-30-2006, 06:59 PM

Thank you Navaldesign, I appreciate your being so helpful :)

Greets

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