Designed own Index page, what next?

[berryhill]

I have amended the p_index.html page in DW into a page I want to use as the main sites homepage

What do I need to do now to make it the main index.html page, where do I need to save it and what do I need to do in actinic?

I haven't removed any of the actinic code, just rearranged on page to make a more attractive homepage.

Thanks

[nick1973]

Act_BrochurePrimary.html

Hi Berry, what you should have done is ammend the Act_BrochurePrimary.html file. It can be found in the acatalog directory. You'll need to make sure all your external graphics, javascript and .css files are all in the acatalog directory. They should all have direct paths i.e. graphic.gif rather than ../../graphic.gif or media/graphic.gif

Once you've ammended that file actinic will automatically generate your index.html page.....unless your wanting to create an index page that is totally seperate from the actinic site and will be updated manually.

Nick

[wjcampbe]

Andy,

The new page needs to go in the root folder of your site. I take it you have hard coded the links to Catalog etc?

In Design | Options - Miscellaneous tab, tick the URL radiobutton and enter the URL for the new static home page so the Actinic links will lead back to that page.

Make sure the 'use as home page' is not ticked in Actinic and the first brochure page is only called index.html if the shop page is shop.html - i.e. not two index.html page names which will both end up in the acatalog directory with one overwriting the other or Actinic baulking at the duplicate page name.

[berryhill]

Back to square one then

Do I need to open the p_index.html file in DW and then find the Act_brochureprimary.html file and amend that???

Can you just design til ur hearts content in this file (after taking a copy first)

What do I need to do to make it more attractive, code for sections, banner at top, page links etc?? getting a bit confused with postings as to what exactly needs to be added to this act_brochureprimary.html file.

anyone get some sample code i could take a look at?

Thanks for your help

[nick1973]

Act_BrochurePrimary.html

Yes I would do that, but be careful as the BrochurePrimary doc contains alot of tags that actinic needs. Try and make sure you keep them all for a start and then for things like the navigation, you can ammend that accordingly. If you have the advanced manual there's a section about ammending this. Of course you can insert your own custom navigation too, either through DW or Actinic tags. It tells you how to do that in the manual.

Nick

P.S. Good practice is to take a backup of both files before you start work.

[jont]

Andy - from the OP it appears you are just wanting to create your own more funky homepage? If this is the case then you were on the right tracks in editing the Actinic generated preview page in the PreviewHTML folder and then following Bills suggestions above.

In DW when designing my own index for Actinic I tend to go right to the very foot of the page and layout my desired design there - then copy and paste any Actinic codes your need eg cart contents, simple search etc. I tend to also link the actinic.css file in the PreviewHTML folder as a temporary guide to see what is happening with the format and the layout.

If you are wanting to mirror your new layout to the rest of the site you will need to edit the other template as well .. primarily Act_Primary.html and Act_PrimaryCheckOut.html are the main templates - others such as the Brochure templates may need editing also depending on the design but generally the above 2 are the main players.

HTH and doesn't confuse you any further

[jont]

What do I need to do to make it more attractive

That is down to you and how you want the page to look.

anyone get some sample code i could take a look at?

nothing stopping you looking at other Actinic generated sites and seeing how the page is laid out (view source).

As Bill suggests above it is often worth hardcoding the links to the sections (remember a section equates to just a single page on the internet) from the homepage. This does make updating a manual task but allows for greater flexibility and aids with SEO in not taking the browser through the cgi-bin but straight to the section or even the product.

If you have not already done so it may be worth downloading the Advanced User Guide and the Design Guides from the main Actinic website as there are tips in there on how to link directly to products.

[berryhill]

Thanks Guys for ur comments, think I might have a trial effort ready now.

http://www.countymowersltd.co.uk/acatalog/index2.html

just needs sprucing up and i'll be away

[wjcampbe]

Andy,

Well done - that has come a long way since I first saw it!!

I think Nick may have misread your post and thought you were asking for help with the design process.

As you say, a couple more tucks and rename the page (and the link back from Actinic), and you're home free.

[berryhill]

Thanks Bill, comments much appreicated

One concern none of the links work in

NETQUOTEVAR:HEADERGUIDE

All I done was move from topright of act_brochureprimary page into the box below and centered it??????

Would I be correct to say that I need to amend the act_primary.html file to include this new banner and it will look similar to act_brochureprimary?

[wjcampbe]

Andy, not sure why you say the links don't work. When I go to the site and click Find Us, I end up on Find_Us.html - but the contents are an exact duplicate of Index2.html - same for Service.html

[berryhill]

how can the contents be the same??? I haven't changed anything.

Can I remove the NETQUOTEVAR:HEADERGUIDE and create/hardcode the links instead?

[wjcampbe]

Yes, and you should - see my first post.