I am thinking of using Joomla as a CMS for a website.

However I do not know where I can start. I know CSS and using semantic markup. I also know how to integrate a CMS like WordPress into my own website design. However with Joomla, it looks more complex and troublesome. With WordPress, it was decently documented and I had no problems using their functions.

I have read up on the documentation of Joomla. I have a question.
There is index.php to handle the main page, but how about sub pages? I would appreciate it if someone can give me a brief introduction of how the CMS works in layman terms.

Also can you advise where I can learn how to integrate Joomla into my site's template?

Thanks in advance

you can install joomla first, and look for it
and then search idea fot templates
and then edit your templates using dreamweaver
install plugins
done

I was starting to get pessimistic that nobody was ever going to reply to the thread.

I think you have misunderstood what I am asking.

I am able to come up with my own design, I am only concerned about the integration of the modules into my template and how to customize a site template for use in Joomla. I would appreciate any help.

Hi. Don't get pessimistic too early. I am sure you will like joomla so much.

I assume you have successfully install the joomla. For template integration, I will suggest you to start from modifying a free template out there. I think it is much easier that way to figure out what the joomla template do since to make a template from scratch won't be so simple. I may be wrong though.

Here is what I do. I modify the template here (the lightframe one) to become the layout of my site here. To install a template, see this how-to. You can start to modify the template to the one that you designed by altering [your_joomla_location]\templates\[the_name_of_your_template]\index.php and some css files in .\css\ and may be (for further modification) the php files inside .\html\.

I would suggest you to set up a local server in your own computer so that, in your learning process, the modification can take effect instantaneously. After you are happy with the modification you can upload it to trap17 hosting. Good luck.

-day
Note: My site seems to be down at the time I write this post. It says mysql error. Hope it will come back soon.

Well, I am not realy sure about this, but I think that you must do it the other way arround... You can integrate the already present content from your website into Joomla! website. Joomla have very flexible layout system, that is mostly given with the template used... each template have the main module positions, so you can rearrange the looks to your pleasure. The subcontent is created from the database so the main index.php is always used. You have to create sections, categories, content items and then to create mainmenu items that will call certain section/category/item.

There is also the other option to create subdomain (where appliable) from where you can call content rendered by Joomla, but you still need to link it or integrate it inside your web site via some kind of wrapper.

You need to be in touch with tuxcomputing. Check out his post at http://www.trap17.com/forums/index.php?sho...mp;#entry375252. He just came on board and has offered to help people with Joomla.