a newbies guide to placing the guestbook in an html page

In the short while I’ve been dropping in this forum I’ve seen several pleas for merging the guestbook into an html page, to help keep design continuity in a website.

It would seem that the expert’s point of view is to simply change the header and footer files is the best solution. However they tell us you can in-bed the guestbook if you really insist - but the instructions I’ve seen up to now assume a fair bit of experience with tweaking forms so I’m going to try to post a newbies step by step guide.

I’ve now incorporated the guestbook into two sites, I’ve only bothered with the “add entry” and “view the guestbook” pages as it seems to me the admin page is all the better for looking merely functional. Strangly the confirmation page has merged too, I’m sure there’s a very good reason for this - but it was a bit of a bonus anyway.

The sites I experimented on are:
http://www.jrmmusic.co.uk/gbook/index.phpand http://flynnsbeefarm.co.uk/GuestBook/index.php

Have a look and if it’s not what you’re trying to do there’s no need to read further.

I attempt this by way of thanks to the real experts on this site who have been a great help to me. I hope I’m not just airing my ignorance but I’m sure someone will tell me if that’s so.

Some knowledge assumed: You can change permissions for the files that need editing, you can wade through html in a simple text editor and you can access & edit the files within advanced guestbook.

• Make your HTML template page; that is any header, footer, navigation bars and page decorations you want to see on your guestbook.
• Make sure all your pictures and hyperlinks have the full path to your files, i.e. http://www.mysite.co.uk/images/apicture.jpg or http://www.mysite.co.uk/mypage.html
• Leave an empty table where you want the guestbook to appear make a note of the width in pixels. If the position of the table is difficult to find place an html comment inside.
• Save your file in a simple text editor (notepad) call it template if you like.

• Go to the style settings in administration set the table width to the same as the table in your html template. Adjust colors and fonts while you’re there if required.
• Now find index.php – it’s in the guestbook folder you may need to use your control panel to access this file. Change permissions if necessary. Copy and paste the file in notebook save it ‘cos if you mess up you can simply paste it back again!
• It should now be on your clipboard if not copy again and paste the whole thing where you put your comment in the html template.
• Select all; copy then paste the merged document in index.php overwriting everything that’s already there. Save it (your new index.php) if it won’t save search the forum for “permissions”.

• VIEW YOUR GUESTBOOK I found that the bit above the guestbook data and below the header looked a bit naff so I had to edit body.php which you can reach through guestbook administration/templates - this is pretty easy as it’s basically html.
• Now if you want the add entry page to be encased in your beautiful website your going to have to repeat the whole procedure with addentry.php. You kept a copy of your plain html template didn’t you? The file for editing the top of the addentry.php file is form.php.

Well that’s enough I’ve spent over an hour on this, reading back it makes sense to me I hope it does to you.

With thanks and apologies to amber222 who really explained this in much fewer words.

You could do this but in large sites the use of headers and footers is standard as this saves having to edit lots of files to make changes to the menu, banner etc.

There is a simpler way to do what you have done. Make the initial page as you say, leaving a space for the guestbook to go. Then simply copy everything from before where you want the guestbook to go into the header.php file and the code that appears after into the footer.php. This will add the html to both index and addentry pages.

I am completely not understanding this.. can anyone help me?

If this isn't working for you, why don't you try one of the other methods, like "include your header" by Carbonize.

http://proxy2.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4034

Read up and then if you still need help, post again.

Yeah, I am a total newcomer at this PHP stuff. Is there anyone that can help me install it?

Even my friend who is in college for digital graphics and web design was confused!

"MandyFairfield: Take a look at this..
MandyFairfield: and tell me if you can figure out how to install
MandyFairfield: http://proxy2.de/forum/viewtopic.php?p=12638&sid=1f9d007859eb66125e3a19246d8fc89a#12638
FLRazor: Oh my goodness, very complex.
MandyFairfield: YES"

I'll throw together a simple example HTML page to explain the basics of making a page with a marker for th eguestbook and then splitting the code up

WOW thank you!! I need the guestbook for my site...

http://www.stex-studio.us/mandy

Let me know!

Carbonize wrote:I'll throw together a simple example HTML page to explain the basics of making a page with a marker for th eguestbook and then splitting the code up

Yea... because "what a tangled website we weave when first we practice."

Dearest Mandy et;al

Being considerably older, and much less accomplished in life than you are

I submit the following:

After reading the thread I found myself chuckling, as I know all to well the feeling you surely are experienceing.

I have been fighting with php as well as cgi for over 6 months now.
Being older than dirt, the learning process has long since passed me by, due to old age, A.D.D. heart failure, hip replacements 5 bypasses and a myriad of other things I have somehow managed to survive.

But I digress, not a sympathy plea just a little back ground

I have learned the following after trying to install several very small php scripts and ending in complete failure.

PHP = Pretty hard Programing

Especially if you're a newbie and have zero understanding and or as in my case suffer from Alzhiemers Lite Tee hee !

CGI = Can't Get Installed, although I must admit, out of 11 cgi scripts I have tried to install I was somehow successful with the installation of 2 but then discovered that the 3 days it took me to figure it all out were wasted, as I didn't need the scripts anyway. Did ya ever feel as though you were stuck in a loop?

Meanwhile, I installed the advanced guestbook on my server, well actually I selected it from a menu and it installed itself.

Now I have to wait for some one to come up with a wysiwyg editor that I can use to change the look, images, text, placement and all other things I'd like to be able to do to use the guest book on a particular site with out it sdaying "guestbook" and displaying the images and layout that it comes with.

Thats this newbies 2 cents worth

Happy new year to all

Warmest Regards
TC
www.globalcritics.org/index.php

Open the files in notepad in your ftp very simple.

All the images can be changed by editing the relevant template file. Nearly all of the wording can be changed by editing the relevant language file found in the lang folder although some are hard coded into the templates.

The only thing in your list that would affect your ability to learn is the ADD. I know this from personal experince. Hard to learn something, let alone code something, when you get bored within five minutes, your brain is working five times faster than you can type and it sometimes feels like you have a major debate going on in your head. Age is no problem. A good friend of mine is in his late forties and is one of the best programmers I know.

BTW Critic, Your index page is not .php it is .html

Carbonize wrote:All the images can be changed by editing the relevant template file. Nearly all of the wording can be changed by editing the relevant language file found in the lang folder although some are hard coded into the templates.

The only thing in your list that would affect your ability to learn is the ADD. I know this from personal experince. Hard to learn something, let alone code something, when you get bored within five minutes, your brain is working five times faster than you can type and it sometimes feels like you have a major debate going on in your head. Age is no problem. A good friend of mine is in his late forties and is one of the best programmers I know.

BTW Critic, Your index page is not .php it is .html

Rofl See what I mean?? url should have been
www.globalcritics.org/forums/index.php

I'm 62 this month lol to be forty again I would kill to be forty

Here is when the problem really comes in ...you indicate that certain folders and template files can be modified, and thats great, if I'm you and have your knowledge

But I'm not and I don't ! But I do thank you for your input

In retrospect JTD you could have saved the bandwidth, not only is your reply non-substantive, it reads like a slap in the face
Warmest regard to all
TC

Carbonize wrote:All the images can be changed by editing the relevant template file. Nearly all of the wording can be changed by editing the relevant language file found in the lang folder although some are hard coded into the templates.

The only thing in your list that would affect your ability to learn is the ADD. I know this from personal experince. Hard to learn something, let alone code something, when you get bored within five minutes, your brain is working five times faster than you can type and it sometimes feels like you have a major debate going on in your head. Age is no problem. A good friend of mine is in his late forties and is one of the best programmers I know.

BTW Critic, Your index page is not .php it is .html

Rofl See what I mean?? url should have been
www.globalcritics.org/forums/index.php

I'm 62 this month lol to be forty again I would kill to be forty

Here is when the problem really comes in ...you indicate that certain folders and template files can be modified, and thats great, if I'm you and have your knowledge But I'm not and I don't ! But I do thank you for your input

In retrospect JTD you could have saved the bandwidth, not only is your reply non-substantive, it reads like a slap in the face
Warmest regard to all
TC

You have to understand that we get a lot of pepole asking questions on here tht have been asked and answered time and time again. We get a little irritated. If you need a little one on one help you can email me or contact me via any of the messengers listed below