Installing Consolo on an Existing Web Site
Thanks to Consolo’s generally constructed architecture, it is possible to install Consolo on an existing web site. This guide helps you install Consolo on an existing html-based web site.
1. Basic Settings
Start by entering the basic settings for the web site in Consolo’s Configuration Tool. If you don’t have Consolo installed, or if you don’t have access to the Configuration Tool, go through step 1 in the guide Getting Started »
2. Creating System Files
Consolo will now discover that there is no installation of Consolo on the current web site. Don’t install any of the web site templates, instead use one of the three first alternatives. If any of the scripting languages ASP or PHP are supported on the server, it is a good idea to install the supporting functions as well.
Click Install. When Consolo has uploaded all the necessary files, the editor for the configuration file is opened.
3. Set Start Page
Start by checking the value for Start Page. Here you enter a specific file, for example http://www.mywebsite.se/default.asp. You may have to change this value later.
4. Index Pages
If the navigation on the web site requires every folder to have a start page, enter the name of this index page. Normally, this will be default.asp or index.php.
5. Media Archives
Under Media Archives, type in the search path to the image folder. Most web sites already have a folder where all images are stored, so use it for the path, e.g. “images/”. If there is no image folder, set a folder to be created. Also define other media archives that should exist, or already exist, on the web site. Click Save Configuration when you are ready.
6. Create Users
Open the Users tab (a) and create a New User (b). Create a new system administrator identity you can log in as in the future, and Save (c).
7. Log in
Exit the configuration and log in as the user you just created.
8. FTP-Tool
In Consolo, choose FTP System Tool in the menu.
9. Scripting Languages
If you want to link the navigation on the web site to Consolo’s Page Structure (which is the normal case), all the pages have to be written in a scripting language such as ASP or PHP.
If you have a web site where all the pages are of the type .htm and/or .html, you will have to start by renaming all pages so they end with .asp or .php. Don’t forget to click Update, since it isonly then that the file is renamed on the server.
10. Create Page Structure and “Content” Tags
Now it is time to create the Page Structure and insert “content” tags. Do the following for every page that should be in the Page Structure:
- Click the check box Connected to Page Structure. If the file is in a folder that is not a part of the Page Structure, you will have to start by doing this for the folder.
- Enter a title for the new menu option and click OK.
- Double-click the file in the FTP window so the source code is displayed in your favorite editor, that is the editor associated with this file type in Windows.
- Define editable regions by adding “content” tags. Read more about this in the section HTML-Based Pages »
- Save the file, and it will be uploaded automatically.
11. Program The Navigation
Now create the navigation for the web site the way you want it to look. This is done with Consolo’s supporting functions and style sheets. Create the menu/menus as scripts you can include on all pages. Read more about this in the section Navigation in ASP and PHP »
12. Insert Navigation
To insert the navigation on every page, use the FTP window and do the following for all pages in the Page Structure:
- Double-click the file in the FTP window so the source code is displayed in your editor.
- Include the files you created in step 11.
- Save the file and it will be uploaded automatically.
13. Add Templates
Start from an existing page and create one or more templates for the editor to choose from when a new page is created. Use Consolo's FTP tools and put the templates in the folder "consolo/templates/". Read more under Templates »
14. Other Features
Now use the other parts of this documentation to create more features. Then create administrators and send out login information to the editors.