How to customize a website template

12 July, 2008 (13:02) | Template links, Webdesign | By: Andreas

…or rather one out of many possible ways to do it:

This screencast by WebBriefcase shows how to edit a copy of andreas07 using a visual editor, without having to write any code at all. It shows only the basics, but it may still be interesting to see since it shows one of the best things about using templates: You can get a complete website done very quickly, and the result can be really good.

WebBriefcase has a lot of other interesting articles and tutorials for site owners, bloggers and template users - it is well worth a visit.

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Show comments (6)

Comments

Comments can be only posted for 14 days after the post date. If you have comments about an older post such as this one, feel free to send me an e-mail!

Comment from Carmen Vj
Time: July 15, 2008, 3:35

Great info. I am still learning how to build a professional website and learning html. I will be coming back to webBriefcase to learn more. The tutorials will help me that's for sure. So hard learning this internet thing. I am working at it and trying to find many resources to help me and this site is want of them. Thank you.

Comment from Khushal
Time: July 16, 2008, 4:06

Too good for the starters though, on an advanced level web-template customization really is a tough job though, making things the way you want them to look from an already made template is really a job that needs skills, thanks for sharing though!

Comment from Mircea Zetea
Time: July 18, 2008, 11:15

I am not a fan of this stuff. The best possible way to integrate / modify a template is by writing code by your own. And it is the only way you will learn something.
Even when I was a complete beginner I preferred writing code to "editing" in a visual environment.
You have a clean code, complete control etc.
I can't agree with such practice even if it helps the beginners. It might help them to get things done but it does not help them to evolve.

Comment from Andreas
Time: July 18, 2008, 11:47

I agree that writing code is the best way to work. After all, every line of code in my templates are written manually in Notepad++. But for a total beginner with no HTML/CSS editing knowledge at all, going directly into code mode is a huge first step to take. A video like this one shows that it can be really easy to get started with using templates, and I know that lots of template users have learned XHTML and CSS after starting with a visual editor and then realizing that editing the code manually gives much better control. And is much more fun, too. It is all about making the first step easier to take, because that will eventually result in more people ending up learning how to work with the code directly.

Comment from A Week In The Life of A Redhead
Time: July 19, 2008, 8:44

i am just learning to write code so templates have been a big help in getting me up and running. I am becoming impatient to redesign my site on my own once I am at a level where I can produce something of quality. Your point is correct about making that first step easier to take.
Catherine, the redhead blogger

Comment from static brain
Time: July 26, 2008, 2:30

I learned how to write code the hard way. First in notepad and then later in Notepad++. WYSIWYG editors can be good or bad depending on how you look at them. On the good side it makes it easier for beginners to change a few things really quick, which they couldn't have done otherwise, due to no knowledge of CSS or HTML. On the bad side though, WYSIWIGS tend to add unnecessary code and bloat things. Bloat can slow down page load times. Also unnecessary code can break things in different browsers. I have found that some WYSIWYGS allow you to add things like scrolling marquees which aren't cross browser compatible, working only in Internet Explorer, and not in Firefox or Opera. Firefox is a solid competitor with a large part of the market share. Why design for only half the net? That being said, if you want to change just a few things like maybe a header picture in a template then a WYSIWYG is fine, but if you want to do serious design a WYSIWYG leaves a lot to be desired. And don't forget to check and make sure your new template looks good in Firefox and Opera, as well as in Internet Explorer.

andreasviklund.com