# Got a domain... Need web designer software... what do i do :S



## bluebloods (Oct 2, 2004)

Hey guys,

I want to cry, I thought creating a website would be easy!! But turns out it's not, I don't get an online web builder with the domain name and web space I just bought so now I'm a bit screwed  

What is the best way around this without having to use complicated html or uploading loads of files etc.

I heard that using another webbuilder is the way to go and then transferring what I have made somehow?

Does anyone know a good place to start for someone who knows next to nothing about this website building stuff


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Either way you are going to need to upload files. How else will they get on your server?


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## bluebloods (Oct 2, 2004)

oookay.... as i said I am very new to this :O

I can deal with the uploading as long as it is simple... what would be the easiest way to create a design and then upload the whole thing?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Using an FTP program. Your site likely gave you FTP info. Download a program like SmartFTP and configure it for your site. The should be a tutorial on the host's site. If you still don't understand it, PM me your account info and I will set it up (you can trust me).


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## bluebloods (Oct 2, 2004)

actually, maybe this will make things easier...

I had already created a website on www.tripod.com before I decided to buy a proper domain.

Is there any way of transfering what I have made to my new webspace in an easy way?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

You would need to download you tripod website and upload to your new one.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

You can use Nvu, a great, a free, opensource program for designing your website.
See why it's so easy: http://www.nvu.com/screenshots.php

Then, use SmartFTP to upload your files (it's just drag and drop.)


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Eriksrocks said:


> You can use Nvu, a great, a free, opensource program for designing your website.
> See why it's so easy: http://www.nvu.com/screenshots.php
> 
> Then, use SmartFTP to upload your files (it's just drag and drop.)


I'm guessing that bluebloods will need a little more guidance for the FTP.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

OK. 

Get your FTP details from your hosting providor (they should be listed in the control panel). 
Then enter those details (domain, username, and password) into SmartFTP, and connect. Find your HTML folder like public_HTML or public_docs (if you don't see one, that's OK - you are in it).

Then, once you are done designing your website, save the HTML files to a folder. Then, drag and drop those files into the SmartFTP window to upload them.


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## bluebloods (Oct 2, 2004)

Thanks guys, I downloaded SmartFTP and Nvu - which looks a little less traumatising!!

I managed to connect the software to my website which is good 

I have the website I would like to transfer, my method has been to copy and paste the design into Nvu but as you might expect it's not really coming out as desired... i.e. the images aren't really appearing and the links aren't working (it is a multi page site)

Is there perhaps a way of giving the url link and uploading it from there?


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

Hi,

To be honest, start again from scratch 

html isn't that bad compared to other scripting, use websites such as hotscripts to download free scripts and bit by bit put your website together.

If you want to start off you could you microsoft frontpage or even microsoft publisher. They all create websites that you just drag things to where you want them very easily.

Your webhost should allow you to use frontpage extensions, If you were feeling brave download Macromedia Dreamweaver MX. Its a fantastic program, hard to use if you don't have any idea about html but you'll pick it up slowly (lots of webdesigners use it)

If you have any troubles PM me. I am a Webdesigner and a webhost.  Happy to help


Lewis


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Dreamweaver, Frontpage, and Publisher are all very expensive. Nvu is free and that is what bluebloods was using.

However, I think I agree with the start from scratch idea. 

OR

Go to your old site. Click View >> Source. This gives you the html coding that went into your website. Copy and paste it into notepad. Save the file as ANYTHING.html. Make sure that your hompage is saved as index.html. Could you post your current site?


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

The only problem with copying and pasting the source code is that you will get all the links refering to the old webpage.

Dreamweaver is expensive to buy, however they do allow a 30day free trial downloadable from there website, and if bluebloods is prepared to get the website sorted within 30 days then its worth it 

bluebloods could always pay someone to do it ......... though costs could go high, Or buy a template from templatemonster or something ? If you go on ebay, im sure you'll find people selling website templates.

Thanks

Lewis


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I do cheap websites. Relatively cheap that is. I could whip something up for him quick but I am going out of the country for a month in a few days. I wouldn't want to leave him hanging like that.

However, relative links should work in any setting. Instead of linking to http://www.mysite.com/otherpage.htm, you can link to /otherpage.htm.

What is your site?


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

Yeah, Ditto, I do cheapish websites, depends what they want to have on them.

PM if your interested and tell me what you want, I have plenty of sites to show you with my work if you want. 

I think he was using a free website designer though (The ones you get from like piczo etc) and they always use there full link including there website url to stop people copying the source.

Its really annoying, but i suppose it makes people stay with them.... If you post your link im sure we can all have a look and see if you can steal the source back 

Lewis


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I would show you some of my websites, but I just pulled the plug on them all an hour ago to switch hosting plans.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

I don't think this needs to be a war between web designers. 

Lewis -
Nvu is basically Dreamweaver and FrontPage, but it's free. 

I also have to agree with just starting from scratch. Otherwise you could download the old page source and then edit it and change it with Nvu, it should work just fine.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Eriksrocks said:


> I don't think this needs to be a war between web designers.


i created a thread for that a while ago....only 2 ppl posted


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Maybe you should try it again.


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

Actually, I'm kind of mad now. Whenever you google for my site, the link i posted in the thread shows up right below it.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

What is your site?


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

I'll post it later when I get my new host worked out. I said a few posts back that I cancelled my service a few hours ago. Actually, my site is still in the works. This is a site that I sold to a youth group.

I feel kind of bad. We hijacked blueblood's thread. He better come quick to reclaim it.


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Yeah, sorry blueblood.


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

covert215 said:


> I would show you some of my websites, but I just pulled the plug on them all an hour ago to switch hosting plans.


 You mean to say the sites you hosted are down simply because you are switching hosts!!

I guess, you have followed some erroneous procedure to transfer. IMHO, this is what I do for transferring the sites of my clients to new hosts:

Get new hosting account (Reseller, VPS, Dedicated, whatever)
Request client to keep the updates to the site on hold for max 2 days. However if there's something like forum, you have to switch it off for a while. But visitors at least see some custom message and not 404 error.
With the help of new IP address, transfer all the sites including email addresses
Change the DNS of domains to point to the new hosting servers
Check the mails on the old server with old IP to get hold of leftovers.
This will ensure that neither the visitors nor the mails are lost. Of course, you may have to answer some support calls due to the last step. But people will not be too harsh if they don't lose mails


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Sometimes I'll do it your way, sometimes I won't.


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

AbvAvgUser said:


> You mean to say the sites you hosted are down simply because you are switching hosts!!
> 
> I guess, you have followed some erroneous procedure to transfer. IMHO, this is what I do for transferring the sites of my clients to new hosts:
> 
> ...


Agreed !! 

Though to be fair, I usually have root access to both servers and can just copy them directly over via ssh, makes it really quick and once the nameservers are switched theres no downtime and everything is dandy 

What happened to bluebloods anyway :S thought they wanted help and now they have dissapeared


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

LewisSellers said:


> What happened to bluebloods anyway :S thought they wanted help and now they have dissapeared


Hmm... Maybe he got scared away.


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

lol yeah probably 

he probs decided that we were more hassle than what he needed and took it to a webdesigner to do.

Sorry bluebloods  we should all hang our heads in shame.........


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

-- I mean ...


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## LewisSellers (Jun 28, 2006)

lol  good one... well if bluebloods comes back we should give him his post back because its kind of gone off the subject...

I forgot what it is we are supposed to be helping him with..............


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

bluebloods
Last Activity: 29-Jun-2006 07:09 AM 07:09 AM 
(The time now is 11:21 AM.)

He's spying on us!


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

A new billing period would have started for my sites today. I took them down yesterday so that my clients wouldn't have to pay for them. I still need their clearance to begin paying for a new host.

If I had left them up today, they would be paying for another month of service, even though they would only be using it for 1 or 2 days.


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

Switching hosting is none of client's business, because he is not switching from you.  So there shouldn't be any downtime for them. I usually bear a month's price at old and new place rather than saddle them with any downtime. Thats like buying some goodwill  Right? Surely helps in the long run


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## covert215 (Apr 22, 2006)

They don't really care. They are non-profit organizations and I am making the sites for free. I'm keeping costs as low as possible.


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## AbvAvgUser (Oct 3, 2002)

Just for your information. If you need some space temporarily, contact me. I may be able to do that for free as well


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## face1 (Sep 17, 2005)

this is a little goofy, but it works

download & install legacy version netscape navigator 7.2
http://browser.netscape.com/ns8/download/archive72x.jsp

launch browser > browse to page you want to copy/edit/whatever then go to select file > edit page

when the new window opens then go immediately to select file > save as then create a new folder for your download / website and save the file

netscape will pull down all code and all pictures and install them in the new folder you made and will make all image file paths correct!

simply close netscape and reopen the file in whatever editor you choose to use

...you may need to check you links for accuracy, but anything with full url or pages from same site downloaded to same folder will be fine

warning!!!! do not even bother trying to edit the page in netscape...can of worms there!
just use it to download only

by the way, this works with any page you want to copy, not just your own....so download and edit away and make it your own


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

How is that related?


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## face1 (Sep 17, 2005)

bluebloods asked...

_
actually, maybe this will make things easier...

I had already created a website on www.tripod.com before I decided to buy a proper domain.

Is there any way of transfering what I have made to my new webspace in an easy way? _

***just a low-tech way of getting things down without ftp from tripod 
also
a shortcut way to copy layout elements from a site he likes for creating his own page "not quite from scrath" 
and
for practicing!

My web class loves learning and designing like this (they are all beginners)


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## Eriksrocks (Aug 7, 2005)

Oh... :up:


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## gilena (Apr 7, 2003)

As a backup, but very resourceful these days, create a page for your company on MYSPACE.COM until your actual company website is 100% running. I am member of MYSPACE.COM and my business traffic has increased. It's FAST AND SO SO EASY to creat. Yes, I do have my own company website. I've had it since 2001. And yes i designed it. Was a headache at first but now I do market myself as a webdesigner. GOOD LUCK AND MANY BLESSINGS!


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