Integrate Blog Into Existing Site? Whats the Simplest Route?

[Misanthrope 0]

I'd like to integrate a very simple blog-type feature that will only show up my site's home page. I want the blog section to look like the rest of the site. Here's my site if it helps:
vbritton's site
The site has three columns, and in the center column, I want to put simple blog entries. I want to keep the other two columns open for other stuff so it doesn't look like a blog site. It would also be nice to have an rss feed.

I know some html. I don't know php or sql, but I'm guessing I might have to learn if I want to do this right. I'd rather not have to go through the hassle of trying to integrate Wordpress since my site is already created. What do you think is the best and simplest way to do this? I've checked out similar threads on this topic, but the responses don't go into enough detail for the technically challenged. If you use php/sql terminology keep it simple for this non-geek!

Thanks in advance for your help

Edited February 22, 2007 by vbritton (see edit history)

[zyzzyvette 0]

I built my first blog with this tutorial. It's an article series on how to build your own blog, targeted to the "newbie coder". If you're going to build your own, I'd suggest doing some basic php first, just to get the gist of things.

I haven't integrated someone else's blog script into one of my own sites, so I have no idea how plausible that is with a pre-existing template and such. If it is, that's likely an easier way unless you'd like to learn anyway or are a fast learner.

[BuffaloHelp 24]

I too was in a similar position few years ago... and I found a simple solution of using CuteNews http://cutephp.com/ . CuteNews does not use SQL and the easy integration to any web page makes it ideal for beginning CMS (in your case you can use it as a blog).

CuteNews will give you a code to insert into your page, i.e.

<?PHPinclude "yourdirectory/folder/shownews.php";?>

Just insert that code to the area you designated and save the page as .php extension. That's it, really. The program will automatically insert articles saved using CuteNews main interface. Now, you can select categories, number of articles per page or which "skin" or template to use...etc.

For an example of how CuteNews is used as CMS, visit http://gfxtrap.com/ and see the main content shown by CuteNews.

The second is to use RSS within your page. WordPress spits out RSS to all your entries. There are programs free to convert RSS data to HTML page. A simple point to the right program can show RSS coming off of your WordPress (or other blog script with RSS feature) to show as HTML in your web page.

An example of RSS translated to HTML can be viewed here http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ This is just an example that RSS (a XML data really) can be interpreted to HTML page.

[garbage 0]

Well that seems pretty easy, I was thinking of just adding some extenal link for like an html and just have it open within the specified frame...

[Misanthrope 0]

Well that seems pretty easy, I was thinking of just adding some extenal link for like an html and just have it open within the specified frame...

Garbage, would you mind clarifying that? I'm an idiot when it comes to this stuff and need point by point directions. Thanks!

[rval 0]

use iframe

[Misanthrope 0]

use iframe

I'm afraid a two word post doesn't accomplish anything, unless of course, your aim is something other than providing useful information. With all due respect, I don't consider this a legitimate response to a perfectly valid query. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't even think it falls within Xisto posting guidelines of typing so many characters per post. Please revisit my original question and focus on my request for detailed information a non-geek can comprehend.

 

I can only assume that you, Rval, know what you're talking about. At least I hope you do. If that's the case, either 1.) provide something more than a two word response, or 2.), consider posting a tutorial on the subject. I for one would be most grateful.

[rval 0]

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Page</TITLE><iframe src="http://forums.xisto.com/&; width="554" height="560"></iframe></HEAD><BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF" vlink="#FF0000" text="#000000" link="#0000FF"><DIV style="overflow:hidden; position:absolute; left:634px; top:214px; width:300px; height:92px; z-index:0"  align="left" align="top"><FONT size="5" color="#FFD700" face="Arial"><B>MY<BR>REAL<BR>PAGE</B></FONT></DIV><DIV style="overflow:hidden; position:absolute; left:573px; top:65px; width:341px; height:34px; z-index:1"  align="left" align="top"><FONT size="5" color="#FFD700" face="Arial"><B>---IFRAME</B></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

paste this code in the new txt document and change .txt to .html and you'll see an example.

and this is a small code that goes in your site, you should enter your site url and w-h.

<iframe src="http://http://www.yourblog.com/; width="554" height="560"></iframe>

[garbage 0]

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Page</TITLE><iframe src="http://forums.xisto.com/&; width="554" height="560"></iframe></HEAD><BODY bgcolor="#FFFFFF" vlink="#FF0000" text="#000000" link="#0000FF"><DIV style="overflow:hidden; position:absolute; left:634px; top:214px; width:300px; height:92px; z-index:0"  align="left" align="top"><FONT size="5" color="#FFD700" face="Arial"><B>MY<BR>REAL<BR>PAGE</B></FONT></DIV><DIV style="overflow:hidden; position:absolute; left:573px; top:65px; width:341px; height:34px; z-index:1"  align="left" align="top"><FONT size="5" color="#FFD700" face="Arial"><B>---IFRAME</B></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

paste this code in the new txt document and change .txt to .html and you'll see an example.

and this is a small code that goes in your site, you should enter your site url and w-h.

<iframe src="http://http://www.yourblog.com/; width="554" height="560"></iframe>

Thats is a great example of what the html code should look like, also what are you using to code, do you have aprogram such as front page or dreamweaver.. if so this will make the coding much easier.

[Misanthrope 0]

Thats is a great example of what the html code should look like, also what are you using to code, do you have aprogram such as front page or dreamweaver.. if so this will make the coding much easier.

I'm using the free program, HTML-Kit. I apologize for my ignorance, but I still don't understand what I'm supposed to be doing here. Should I make another index page with this code in it? If so, what do I do after that?

Hey Ya'll - thanks for your excellent input and instructions. I tried out Cutenews (thanks for the help, BuffaloHELP!), and guess what? It actually works! Not only that, but it didn't change the look of my existing site at all. Wordpress is nice too but I hear it's a little harder to integrate it into an existing site. They sure have some cool looking themes, though. If I had to start from scratch I would probably go the Wordpress route, but for people who already have a site up, it doesn't look like Cutenews can be beat. Feel free to chime in if you disagree... Edited March 1, 2007 by vbritton (see edit history)

[satyaparija 0]

Thanks a lot

Buffalohelp

Cutenews is really what I was looking for.

Can anybody tell me what is the best way to integrate a blog with site?

Say Wordpress( anything that is suitable platform) blog to a Joomla site?Actually I ve already a site built on Joomla. So I don't want to change the CMS. Is cutenews is best solution for this?

Is there any suitable plug-in Joomla?Actually the built-in Joomla blog feature is not that flexible.

Any suggestion is welcome.Thanks in advance.

[tigercat 0]

If you don't mind moving some content around and aren't extremely attached to your current website, I would recommend using a CMS. A CMS give you a blog and a website all in one. A CMS isn't like Wordpress, which is pretty much only a blog. A CMS is a website that can use the frontpage as a blog. I find that a CMS is much easier to maintain than a traditional website. After you get the site looking the way you want it to, there is no more coding.

Actually the built-in Joomla blog feature is not that flexible.

I disagree with you. The Joomla blog feature seems to get the job done for me. What does a traditional blog, such as Wordpress, offer that Joomla does not? Edited August 27, 2007 by tigercat (see edit history)