Building a website

I'm just starting out with my RV-7, and after looking at all these fantastic websites a lot of you have, I'd like to have a go at it. I'd like to use it as a builders log, and a place where my friends and family can go to see progress.
If any of you could steer me in the right direction, I'd be most appreciative I'm good at the hardware side of computers, having built about 4 now, but I just don't have a CLUE about this topic.

Thanks, Chappyd

Website

Probably the easiest way to get into it would be with a copy of Microsoft Frontpage and a cheap hosting account with someone like Hostdepartment.com. You can get a free trial version of Frontpage at http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/product.aspx?view=22&pcid=57bccce5-f934-422d-a11a-2afd0c0014db&type=trl.

A hosting account should cost you no more than 5 or 6 bucks a month.

I suugest the above combination because you'll be able to use FrontPage to design and administer your site. There are cheaper ways (i.e., just code HTML in notepad) but the learning curve is steeper. I'd start with Frontpage and then learn to tweak the HTML later.

There is probably good free/shareware for web design, but I'm not aware of any specific names - I just use notepad

Agreed. www.VansAirForce.net is done in plain old MS Frontpage (everything but the forums). The pictures are processed in Google's FREE Picasa2 software. I have an older version of Photoshop that I do some graphic stuff in (ads), but for regular pictures you get much better than free (Picasa).

I upload changes using cuteFTP, which I think was $12.

Best,
Doug

Expercraft or kitlog

The easiest way has to be either the http://www.expercraft.com/ website or http://www.kitlog.com/ software, and associated web site.

The most important thing, IMHO, is set the date properly on your camera. Once you have the correct date in there, all the pictures you take will have the date/time information in the EXIF header. From there, the possibilities are endless. There's a fabulous program called FlexibleRename (search for it) that will allow you to rename your images using the information in the EXIF headers. Very useful.

If you feel like fiddling with web stuff (this was my first attempt) it's really easy to write a couple of PHP scripts that will automatically generate the web pages for you (you could steal mine as a starting point). I just drop the pictures in a directory, run the autogen script, and then go back at a later date and fill in the comments when I feel like it. The Next|Prev links also generate dynamically so I can pull stuff, add stuff, whatever and not worry about it. Really simple. I've got to think that Dan C. is doing something very similar since my format ended up being almost an exact copy of his...it totally wasn't on purpose but once you start seriously fooling with automating it, the page-per-day thing just kinda' comes tumbling out as brutally simple and effecient, and everything else just seemed liked way more work than I wanted to invest in a stupid web page. I'll also mention that this format is a total PITA to manage by hand. Funny how that works.

FrontPage and webhosting

I am trying to learn FrontPage 2003. So far, the Microsoft online training is the best that I have found and it is free. Using FrontPage is not that hard but it does take some time. I also have the "FrontPage 2003 all in one desk reference for Dummies."

I have started creating http://www.ab-dar.com with FrontPage a few weeks ago. This site has not been announced yet as it is still under construction with lots of work left to do.

I chose 1 and 1 web hosing as they have a good repretutation and are cheap.

$3 / month with FrontPage extensions. http://www.1and1.com

I created http://socal_wvaf.rvproject.com using a program called CuteSite Builder. http://www.cuteftp.com/cutesitebuilder/ It is a $70 program and very easy to use. What you see is what you get. It is as easy to use as creating a PowerPoint presentation. Dan has been hosting the socal_wvaf.rvproject.com for FREE. It is going to be moved to: http://www.socalwing.com soon. I imported the site from the rvproject link using FrontPage2003, edited it, then published it to the socalwing.com URL. It took no more than 45 minutes to move it. Walter Tondu is going to be the new webmaster. We are hosting the new http://www.socalwing.com site at http://www.phpwebhosting.com/ It is more money but they have UNLIMITED space and UNLIMITED traffic. Walter has done many web pages and they are the best he has found.

You do not need to purchase FTP software. FrontPage has it built in plus Windows XP and Internet Explorer also have it built in. In XP, click "My Network Places", "Add Network Place" and follow the wizard. In Internet Explorer, go to the Address field where the URL for the web site is displayed. Erase what is in the box and type: FTP://www.your-domain-name.com and then enter your user name and password.

The down side of FrontPage 2003 is that in typical Microsoft fashion, it has more BLOAT and size than it needs to. An example is http://www.rvformation.com/ site is only 28K of html code plus the images on the remote server. As a test, I imported the site into FrontPage 2003 then compared the size. The same site using FrontPage 2003 to publish it was 53K. It almost doubled in size. IMHO, this does not matter to me. Yes if everyone had dialup, older 8088 computer with small amounts of disc space, it would matter.

These are my opinions and experiences. Good luck with your site. A FREE hosting site would be good to start out with and then you can move to one of the pay per month sites when you outgrow the free one.

If you have high speed internet connection with static IP, leave your computer on all the time, it is possible to host your own site.

BTW. I am a hardware guy not a software programmer. I am willing to try anything legal, moral, and safe so am giving it a try. It is better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.

Good luck and I am interesed in learning with you much more about web site development.

Gary

expercraft.com !

Hi Gary,

We simply would not have a website if we had not discovered expercraft.com.
It it very easy to use and gives enough room to make it as personalised as we want. The only thing you have to do is upload your pictures and write some description about it.
The only downside is that you are stuck to their format and dependant on the upgrades they provide.

just try it!

Anyone use openoffice for html?

I have openoffice on my comp at work and noticed today that you could make a webpage with it. It's a free program, and I'm guessing it might be like frontpage, since the other parts of Open O are MS clones, like mozilla is to internet explorer. I made a test page and you can view it in html as well. I'll play with it and see if I can't come up with something.

I did go to the link Matt posted, but when I tried to order a cd, it didn't go anywhere. I googled Frontpage and got a link to a download but didn't have time to fool with it.
Thanks for the input fellas

KitLog Pro v2.0 is very easy to use for website construction. Since you maintain a builder's log in the program on your computer, not suspect to website crashes or need an internet connection. If you have an internet connection on that computer, or if you take your log to another one that does, all you do is click one button "Post To Internet" and it builds the entire website for you.

Then you can log into our website and change the welcome message, add a picture, and choose a color theme. There is no charge for this service if you are a registered KitLog user, and there will never be any advertising.

You can see one of our 158 projects uploaded at www.mykitlog.com

Paul Besing