re-design templates

[dancinpony]

HI - im new

Is there another easier way to redesign templates ? instead putting in html /css code.?
I just can't seem to get a logo where i want it - as well as gettin troubles with blocks etc.

i've been playin around 4 2 weeks now  - and i still can't get the look i want ....

any sugestions would be nice i know im a new non-programmer person

J

[dancinpony]

One other question

Is it impossible to have a beautiful webiste template with liitle knowledge of HTMl/CSS.

I am struggling

[kweitzel]

No ... not unless you ask or hire somebody else to do it.

cheers

Klaus

[WebBird]

Do you use one of the freely available templates?

[dancinpony]

hi
yea - im using a free template and i know very little HTML/CSS

however - i went through the forums and saw this showcase and i think im lookin to get something like this too quick.
I'll have to start small and then move up 

http://www.theashtonlancaster.com/pages/press.php

i'll keep at it
nice site whoever own that is .............

[WebBird]

Just start with a first step - replace page logo or background or something. Which template do you use?

CSS Tutorial (German): http://www.css4you.de/index.html
CSS Tutorial (English): http://www.w3schools.com/css/

[dancinpony]

thanks 4 the reply and the link

I'm readin up on HTML /CSS. 
I figured out logo postion. . . so i'm slowly going at it .

i had to download a free visual CSS editor- and a free HTML editor - -  notepad was drivin me nuts (like d matrix)
http://www.arduosoft.com
http://tswebeditor.tigris.org/

Any newbies like me may consider gettin these to help view code in pleb mode..

[Argos]

I'm afraid you've got a lot to learn if you want to edit templates but don't know much about HTML/CSS yet... As a non-webdesigner you've got 3 options:
1. use a free template as it is, and try to make basic modifications yourself. But beware: things that may look simple or difficult, may be just the other way around and often minor changes have multiple effects on the rest of the design. But hang in there: if you try and learn, sooner or later you'll understand things bit by bit.
2. hire someone to create the template or site you want, and just use the backend to create your site.
3. leave WB and use some online CMS targeted at people that don't want to do anything "technical", so an online site builder.

[YoJoe]

Argos: how about using a wysiwyg html editor for a non technical person ?
I know that code is mostly a complete disaster, but the final visual result may become satisfying for the owner.
Rest is just putting snippets inside the code - using wysiwyg editor it shouldn't be a problem.

I don't know novadays editors despite dreamveawer and hated frontpage, as I'm coding everything in plain text.

[Argos]

You should not think that tools like Dreamweaver are suited for people without knowledge of HTML and CSS. They are very powerful tools, and can be rather complex. They are very helpful too, but you have to put time and effort in learning HTML. You will not be able to create a site in Dreamweaver or any other editor, if you don't know how to do HTML/CSS.

Also be aware that most designs are typically made out of DIV's instead of old fashioned TABLE's, so you won't see what you get in a tool either. Only after you upload to a webserver you will see how it looks.

There is simply no way of editing/producing HTML/CSS without understanding what you do. You must either learn, or quit thinking you can edit templates yourself.

[bfuller]

dancinpony

Hang in there, it takes awhile to learn but it isn't impossiable.(really it isn't as hard as it seems at first.) What I would do is find a theme that you can live with, while you learn HTML and CSS. there are plenty of beginner help books out there. I picked up enough to be danerous over a long weekend.

Just find a theme that is close to what your trying to make and make a copy of the file and rename the theme file -  theme.old and use the copy to make edit changes till you get the hang of it.

Just hang in there, people always make things look harder than they really are.

Bob

[Argos]

Just hang in there, people always make things look harder than they really are.

Well, that depends on your talent and the level of knowledge and expertise you want to achieve... 

[bfuller]

Well that is true in all things, but what level of knowledge and expertise depends on the work the person that seeks it wants to put in.

I just prefer the positive approach and give the person a little encouragement, and let him decide what level of expertise he or she wants to achieve.

Bob

[WebBird]

For me, it's real fun to learn HTML and CSS, a bit more every day. I know it's frustrating to see what experts can do when being a beginner, but you will always have to learn to crawl before you learn to walk, and to walk before you run. (And drink before you fly... uhm... forget this part.)

[dancinpony]

Ey - - thanks for the replies and the honesty.

However Dancinpony has thrown in the towel ........

global blocks finished me off . . .

[WebBird]