Client wants to update their own site?

[stymowicz]

I have a client who wants to update certain areas of their websites on a daily basis but don't want to pay me to do it. They want to be able to do it themselves from their desktops even though they have no knowledge of anything related to web design or languages. Updates would include a scrolling text box area and pictures which are in a table and need to be a certain size.

Any ideas on how to go about setting them up to do this so they won't make a collosal mess of the site or does anyone know of any software that can be purchased/used to make it easy for them to do their own updates? Also, even if they can update the data/content of their site is there an easy way to update/FTP the files back to the server?

All help/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Damien]

If you client has no knowledge of editing web pages, I suggest you use a cgi script for the pages, once the script is up and running it's very easy for client to edit edit their pages.
have a look at;
http://cgi-resources.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/Editing_Web_Pages/

Plenty of scripts to choose from, most of them have admin areas which can be accessed from your clients desktop.

[Jona]

Originally posted by Damien
If you client has no knowledge of editing web pages, I suggest you use a cgi script for the pages, once the script is up and running it's very easy for client to edit edit their pages.
have a look at;
http://cgi-resources.com/Programs_and_Scripts/Perl/Editing_Web_Pages/

Rock on, Damien! CGI RULES!

...Sorry, I just had to say that... ;)

[starrwriter]

Originally posted by stymowicz
I have a client who wants to update certain areas of their websites on a daily basis but don't want to pay me to do it. They want to be able to do it themselves from their desktops even though they have no knowledge of anything related to web design or languages. Updates would include a scrolling text box area and pictures which are in a table and need to be a certain size.

Any ideas on how to go about setting them up to do this so they won't make a collosal mess of the site or does anyone know of any software that can be purchased/used to make it easy for them to do their own updates? Also, even if they can update the data/content of their site is there an easy way to update/FTP the files back to the server?

All help/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Macromedia Contribute, $99.

[Ribeyed]

hi,
if you use a server-side language then you would be able to create the sites own Content Management System. If for example you use ASP (1 of many you can use) then you can create a secure area, controlled by logins where you would have forum that represent the tables in your database. Of course all the areas that your client wants to update you would need to make dynamic. Any text and images need to be stored in the database then you would need to create and admin page for them.
For your client, inserting, Updating and deleting data would be as simple as filling in a form. You client doesn't need to even know HTML to do that:D
Anyway hope this helps.

[PeOfEo]

Though if you just put a text box there and allow them to pdate the data base they can still use html for little extras which would make it nice. You can choose from an array of different languages/processes such as PHP ASP ASP.Net CGI and I think JSP but I dont know much about that.

[jeanne]

Damien, I had trouble with that link; it started OK but when I wanted to check out a few programs, I got tons of ads and it turned on my word perfect a few times and other strange things..... just thought I'd mention it. I had to crap out the machine to turn the second one off . . . . . wish I knew which link on their site I had tried........

[Damien]

Hi Jeanne

That may have been one of the links on the site rather than the site itself, but cgi-resources.com is a very well respected and used site which is why I recommended it.

Have a look at it's sister site php-resources.com, again this is an excellent site if you want to start using php.

[jeanne]

Thanks, I'll take a look at it, and maybe delicately use that link and contact the webmaster to check it out.