how to convert static to dynamic...?

[nexternal]

Here, I come drinking the Kool-aid again, but I must say, some of these answers miss the point. I keep hearing about rewrites and server mods, which is dancing around the point at hand.

You have a large site and you're having issues making site-wide updates.

So first, can we address what might fix THIS problem before we move on to the pros and cons of what might fix this problem?

You have two choices.

1. Go dynamic using a programming or scripting language.

2. Go dynamic using a CMS program.

Programming

A simple way to use programming would be using "includes" for a header and a footer. Your index file would look something like this

<?php "path to file/header.html");?>

The body of my document

<?php "path to file/footer.html");?>

This would allow you to change the header and footer on the fly for the entire site. You can also use other includes for "snippets" of code and advanced functions. Only then could you consider the advanced server options to handle the file names. 1) 301s to change .html to .php or 2) rewrites to keep the .html with php functionality.

CMS

Your other option is a CMS system. I don't know the constraints you refer to, but I would SERIOUSLY consider a CMS system. Something like Wordpress would allow you keep keep full control over file names, code, design, etc. The benefits that I see for you and the company are: WYSIWYG editors for you and your internal clients. The ability for users to create, modify their OWN pages. This leaves you free to pursue higher goals, removes you as a perceived friction point to employee's who wish to create and modify content. Allows for a huge amount of flexibility without a build out. Other Open Source options would be Joomla or Drupal.

If anyone has any feedback on these two methods or my logic I'd appreciate it.

FYI: I just did one of these conversions with wordpress at the beginning of April. I used 301s to forward all .asp to .php. My case was a little different because it was dynamic to dynamic. My goal was to make adding content easier though the use of a CMS. I was able to add advanced functionality, keep the SEO file names, the SE rankings and my sanity.

Good Luck!

[nexternal]

What do you all think about using an iframe tag for dynamic content?

Very much against it if you care about SE results. If not, be my guest.

[langsor]

What do you all think about using an iframe tag for dynamic content? This way you can intersperse dynamic stuff only where needed without having to send all pages to the php processor.

tj-rie,

The number of ways to configure a web page are almost endless...it really requires experience trying on different hats and seeing how they fit for different situations.

I don't know how SEs handle iFrames (I believe the major ones should be okay) but there is no reason not to use mixed html/php filetypes across your site.

However, if you are trying to use one page as a template and then include dynamic content inside that page using iFrames, you might run into the same situation/concern that many have with using one php page as a template and including sub-content in that page based on the passed in query string (template.php?page=my_page&content=some_content) which is that even though the content changes, the name of the page stays the same--which is believed to make it more difficult to index for the Search Engines. If this is not a concern, I see no reason not to do it this way if you like.

Hope this helps to answer your question.

[Clarrie]

We are about to do the same thing, and had many of the same concerns. After some research, we are now determined that we will move to the Joomla CMS using the OpenSEF extension to keep the page names Search Engine Friendly. This will allow us to retain the exact same external URLs for all existing pages.

Hi Pagetta

I'd agree with lpoulsen about Joomla. We've deployed a whole batch of Joomla sites over the last year and use the OpenSEF component to manage the mod-rewrite of the URLs to .html extensions - OpenSEF provides the flexibility to rewrite the URL to include section and category titles (or not), and as the rewritten URLs are saved to the site database, you can even assign custom URLs to specific items (which can be used to effectively redirect an old page to the new if you really want to do that)

You mentioned that you are not inclined towards CMS as the present, but I wouldn't rule it out entirely. I've used several different ones over the last few years, but I find Joomla strikes a good balance between usability for the non-technical content editor, and the flexibility you as a webmaster needs technically.

The standard Joomla editor allows you to edit the page html (and some of the 3rd party add-on editors are even better), coupled with control over the core files (all editable Open Source) you've got quite a bit of flexibility, and a great deal of control over the code. For example I've put together "hybrid" Joomla sites where some pages are distinctly "Developer only" pages, but kept others for for the site owners use e.g for press releases, news stories, technical documents etc.

[chrisJumbo]

Just a question. Is the .htaccess file something you can add at the domain level or is it server level?

Through FTP we can naturally modify our files at will, but we of course don't have access to the level above.

I've also been looking into PHP and MySQL, but don't want to mess up our .htm rankings.

[nexternal]

Just a question. Is the .htaccess file something you can add at the domain level?

Yes, you should be able to add this file (if it's not already there) in the root directory that you have access to (assuming that's where your index / home page is).

[activeco]

Slightly OT, but I think it should be noted:

I see a lot of references to .htaccess file, giving an impression that this is the only solution for similar problems.

As many sites today reside on their own servers, it must be said that the prefered way is to put things in main configuration files instead (e.g. httpd.conf -> <Directory> section).
.htaccess allows changing settings on per directory basis.
When 'AllowOverride' is set to all, as per default, .htaccess will be looked for (in above directories too; deeper - the worse) every time the url is requested.
Sites with substantial traffic suffer performance issue in this case.

In short, use .htaccess only if you don't have root access to the configuration files.

[Orion]

If all you're looking to do is an easier way to update content, and allow others in the company to do it also (not have to rely on only the webmaster then Adobe (formally macromedia) Contribute is a decent solution.

No need to recode a single thing. buy the product install locally... connect to site, set up the admin and users you want you can limit the users so they can't touch the layout aspects etc.

Might be a good solution until you're ready to redo the site the way you want it (at that time build in the dynamic long term solutions).

[varun8211]

I think, I can help you with this. Check out http://www.galaxyweblinks.com . YOu can manage the content of the site from admin control panel. It is not any open source CMS but our in house site customized management system.

[jrb@w3f.com]

Yeah, PHP, another one to learn.... CSS, and XML, etc.

Look into SSI. Seriously, it is a great way to "include" common parts so updating a piece updates the whole site.

Use a little CSS to provide consistant formatting and look. Also easy to change the whole site from one piece.

Organizing your content is the best time spent hands down. All the rest is secondary.

'Includes' CAN be specialized pieces using php, perl, etc, but go easy on them. Handy in limited use, and the whole site still looks nicely static to the Engines, etc.

It's easy to 'grow' your site that way too.

(IMHO)