Best practices for web template

I find myself building websites all the time and I am thinking I
should have a starting point template so I don't have to waste time re-
creating something I have already created in the past.

Just want to make sure I am doing it right. I am fluent in HTML,
XHTML, CSS, PHP and more and want to know what the best way to build a
starting point template is? Right now I have one index.php file that
links to an external css file and includes a head.php and scripts.php
file (head is for doctype, title, etc and scripts is all scripts)

Is this the best way to do it?

Also, I think I'd like to learn a php templating engine so I can make
my sites very easy to tweak in the future without having to re-create
all pages. Is this a good idea? I have been looking at Smarty.
Thoughts?

Also, I am looking for a SIMPLE CMS solution. As a developer I'd like
to define what fields, etc I'd like to use the CMS for and then have
it spit out PHP/mySQL code that I can put into the site and administer
the content from a user-accessible web portal. I have looked at
Drupal, Mamba, XOOPS, etc but they all look like whole-site solutions.
I really want a content/sections based solution.

Sorry for so many questions! Just looking for some feedback! Thanks!

Re: Best practices for web template

On Nov 27, 1:55 am, ja...@graftechnology.com wrote:
> I find myself building websites all the time and I am thinking I
> should have a starting point template so I don't have to waste time re-
> creating something I have already created in the past.
>
> Just want to make sure I am doing it right. I am fluent in HTML,
> XHTML, CSS, PHP and more and want to know what the best way to build a
> starting point template is? Right now I have one index.php file that
> links to an external css file and includes a head.php and scripts.php
> file (head is for doctype, title, etc and scripts is all scripts)
>
> Is this the best way to do it?
>
> Also, I think I'd like to learn a php templating engine so I can make
> my sites very easy to tweak in the future without having to re-create
> all pages. Is this a good idea? I have been looking at Smarty.
> Thoughts?
>
I use PHP includes for nav and footer content.

> Also, I am looking for a SIMPLE CMS solution. As a developer I'd like
> to define what fields, etc I'd like to use the CMS for and then have
> it spit out PHP/mySQL code that I can put into the site and administer
> the content from a user-accessible web portal. I have looked at
> Drupal, Mamba, XOOPS, etc but they all look like whole-site solutions.
> I really want a content/sections based solution.
>
Perhaps look at a blog type engion?.

> Sorry for so many questions! Just looking for some feedback! Thanks!

Well, Wordpress is perhaps a good enough solution for the content
management stuff or you could just use PHP includes for that as
well.
--
Regards Chad. http://freewebdesignonline.org

Re: Best practices for web template

On Nov 27, 1:07 am, Chaddy2222 sicur...@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
> On Nov 27, 1:55 am, ja...@graftechnology.com wrote:
>
> > I find myself building websites all the time and I am thinking I
> > should have a starting point template so I don't have to waste time re-
> > creating something I have already created in the past.
>
> > Just want to make sure I am doing it right. I am fluent in HTML,
> > XHTML, CSS, PHP and more and want to know what the best way to build a
> > starting point template is? Right now I have one index.php file that
> > links to an external css file and includes a head.php and scripts.php
> > file (head is for doctype, title, etc and scripts is all scripts)
>
> > Is this the best way to do it?
>
> > Also, I think I'd like to learn a php templating engine so I can make
> > my sites very easy to tweak in the future without having to re-create
> > all pages. Is this a good idea? I have been looking at Smarty.
> > Thoughts?
>
> I use PHP includes for nav and footer content.
>
> > Also, I am looking for a SIMPLE CMS solution. As a developer I'd like
> > to define what fields, etc I'd like to use the CMS for and then have
> > it spit out PHP/mySQL code that I can put into the site and administer
> > the content from a user-accessible web portal. I have looked at
> > Drupal, Mamba, XOOPS, etc but they all look like whole-site solutions.
> > I really want a content/sections based solution.
>
> Perhaps look at a blog type engion?.
>
> > Sorry for so many questions! Just looking for some feedback! Thanks!
>
> Well, Wordpress is perhaps a good enough solution for the content
> management stuff or you could just use PHP includes for that as
> well.
> --
> Regards Chad.http://freewebdesignonline.org

The problem I have with Wordpress and Blog type apps is that the
interface it tied down so much, it's hard to make a custom site with
it.