Ease of use and changing site URL

Hi,

I’m thinking of using modx for a couple of sites. It’s actually way more powerful and complex than I need, but I’ve found more low-end quasi-CMSs like Wordpress to be too inflexible.

Before I give it a try, I have a couple of questions:

1. I have very little web development knowledge - some very basic html but not much else. I know what php is and what CSS does, but that’s about it. I’m open to learn a little "on the job" with modx, but at the same time don’t want to be spending hours and hours tearing my hair out when all I want to achieve is something very simple. Should I take the plunge, or would I realy be better sticking to the more applications?

2. I notice that modx doesn’t have built-in "themes" like many other CMSs. How hard is it to change the layout and look and feel of a modx site?

2. One of the priority things I need to do is replace an existing static html site with a CMS-driven site. As such, I need to be able to build the new site at one URL (e.g. a subdomain like http://test.mydomain.com), and then when I’m happy with it, move it to the main domain. Is this possible/easy with modx, and if so, how?

Thanks in advance,

Rob

1. - I think you answered this one yourself: "I’ve found more low-end quasi-CMSs like Wordpress to be too inflexible."

2. - It’s as easy to change the "look and feel" of a MODx site as any other site, but you’ll have to learn .css to do it because that’s how it’s done on any site.

3. - This is definitely doable and there are several ways to do it. It’s mainly a matter of just copying the working site to the new location (assuming they’re both on the same server) and editing a few config files.

You might look at this site to get a feel for what it’s like to work with MODx: http://bobsguides.com/MODx.html

Several newcomers to MODx have told me that it helped them get started.

Bob

Thanks, Bob, for your helpful comments, and for the link to your site.

What I meant about changing the look and feel is that many CMSs ave built-in theme functionality, so all you have to do is find a pre-built theme package that you like, upload it, and activate it. Modx doesn’t have that, as far as I can see. I’m not saying it should; just that the fact that it doesn’t means there are no shortcuts to chaning the look and feel.

Rob

Here we call themes "templates". There’s a ton of them in the Resources, and I’ve got several available on my loripsum.co.uk site (link below).

Quote from: robg at Jan 26, 2008, 03:03 AM

What I meant about changing the look and feel is that many CMSs ave built-in theme functionality, so all you have to do is find a pre-built theme package that you like, upload it, and activate it. Modx doesn’t have that, as far as I can see. I’m not saying it should; just that the fact that it doesn’t means there are no shortcuts to chaning the look and feel.

You are correct robg, MODx is founded on principles derived from our experiences with traditional CMS systems that have these shortcuts. The very things that made it super easy for those without traditional web design and development skills to make use of these themes made it impossible for those with to utilize their skills when creating their own custom themes. In MODx we trade the "here’s the way to do it" theme shortcuts for full control over traditional web design elements; it can be daunting for many at first, and certainly not the one-click, no-thought process of installing traditional CMS themes. But we think the added flexibility and power to make our sites look exactly like they would without a CMS is worth it.