Content Mangement System

hlchuah77 · August 12th, 2004, 06:30 AM

Hello, every body, here i hv one question. Do any one know how to create this what so called Content Management System(CMS). CMS here means an application that can convert user input with minimal use of Markup Language. For example, now i am posting this message to all of u, there are buttons to make my button in bold, italic, underlined, by just click on the particular button.

What i want to do is that to use the same way, but in different usage. here, the CMS(i call it CMS) here is used for the purpose of broadcasting my message to all of u. but, i wan to convert all my message typed here to HTML page which can be displayed in any browser.

For clarity, i would want to hv an example below, let say i type the following string to the CMS screen,

"Hello, everybody, I need your help."

after that, i click "Safe" button. then the above string is saved into a database, and the database will convert it automatically by adding appropriate HTML tag thus to have it displayed in browser.
after i click "Safe", for example, the string above will hv been changed in the database to...

<html>
  <body>
      "Hello, everybody, I need your help."
  </body>
</html>

Because i am looking for a title for my project, and this title comes out automatically in my mind. i just want to know what is the proper platform and language for doing this, ASP? ASP.net? or....??? and for database, using Access? or SQL Server 7.0? or...? which language is much friendlier in this case. is it C#.net? or VB.net? or PHP or...

Also, i would want to know is there any other interesting title beside this title? For me, i have an alternative title for my project, which is Library Management System.

Hal Levy · August 12th, 2004, 10:07 AM

A content management system is used to manage content. For example, you would use it to help business people create content for a web site, without having to worry about page design and markup.

What your want to build, as described here, seems to be a notification system or alert system.. which would require the user to connect to get the alert. You would be able to write it using any language or technology you mentioned.

Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

hlchuah77 · August 13th, 2004, 05:39 AM

Thank you Hal Levy for rephrasing this Content Management System in a much easier way. Ya, in fact I would want to develop a system "to help business people create content for a web site, without having to worry about page design and markup." It is much due to that I am a Chinese who is staying in Malaysia, meaning that I am not too good in English, thus having my question a bit misleading, aren't you feel that? :) I am sorry for that.

Ankur_Verma · August 13th, 2004, 08:09 AM

If you dont have any problem with Activex controls, Explore DHTML control.

Hal Levy · August 13th, 2004, 09:53 AM

I wouldn't write a Content management system today (I wrote one about 7 or 8 years ago for a client). I would buy one of the mature existing products, like Microsoft's Content Management Server, and use that.

Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

hlchuah77 · August 14th, 2004, 09:39 PM

Ya, I agree with you, Hal. But, I hv to create a simple system as well as for my project requirement. And I hope that to come out with something for my undergranduate project too.

Regarding the DHTML, I do have some experience on it. Ankur, can you let me know how DHTML is gonna help me in Content Management System? And what is ActiveX control? I do read one book talking about ActiveX, but I still very blur on what it is actually.

Ankur_Verma · August 16th, 2004, 02:29 AM

This is what you asked for in your first mail....

Quote:

quote:For clarity, i would want to hv an example below, let say i type the following string to the CMS screen,

"Hello, everybody, I need your help."

after that, i click "Safe" button. then the above string is saved into a database, and the database will convert it automatically by adding appropriate HTML tag thus to have it displayed in browser.
after i click "Safe", for example, the string above will hv been changed in the database to...

<html>
  <body>
      "Hello, everybody, I need your help."
  </body>
</html>

Now if you have a web form or a standalone application with DHTML control embedded in it (its like having a form with text box on it) and you type anything in the control, thats equivalent to writing anything in Visual Interdev Designer window. With just enough programming you can provide the users with quite a few HTML formatting options and then when you save the text your text will be saved as a HTML.

Go to this site for more details and downloads, with a little search you would find some scripting samples that you can use for your Web foms staight away.

Ankur

Ankur_Verma · August 16th, 2004, 02:48 AM

About ActiveX controls, well you deal with them everyday they are present everywhere, just tighten up your browser's security a bit more then normal - set it to ask (prompt) before downloading or using any ActiveX and you will be peppered by message boxes telling you that almost every significant site in the world is using a few on each of its new page.

What are ActiveX Controls? Well they are piece of software written in such a way that everything that comes under microsoft domain will be able to use them. If you have written your Application as an ActiveX control, other applications like IE, MS Word, Excel, any other application written by anybody else - they all will be able to use it.

Macromedia has developed their flash movie player as an ActiveX control which is why you are able to embed it in HTML pages and play flash movies.

You have to follow a set of specifications while writing your code to make your software an ActiveX control. Almost all the Development Environments for windows app development allow you to make ActiveX controls these days.

If you are really serious about this stuff begin reading about COM.

Ankur

hlchuah77 · August 17th, 2004, 08:30 AM

Thanks, Ankur. Now I will begin to go and explore those stuff.