Spec me a HTML program

Rain Man

Rain Man

Rain Man

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Ok so im fast approaching the point where I need to implement my final year project. I need to build a website which allows the user to upload a CV and interact with the website, such as filling in online questionnaires. The website will need to be laid out well whilst looking reasonably professional.

What program would you advise I use? Im not completely confident when using HTML but I have dabbled in the past. Please help :)
 
PHP is easy enough, and of course free.

HTML is only a markup language (Hyper Text Markup Language) and thus has no functional purpose, strictly layout.

You'll need to get a rough design of the model of your application before you even touch a line of code though.
 
Ive already done plenty of design documentation so that shouldn't be a problem, thanks for the advice. Any more suggestions or comments on PHP welcome, thanks again

P.S oh and it doesn't necessarily have to be a free program; if the right one comes along ill buy it
 
As Dj_Jester has already explained, ensure you have a thorough design and idea of how you want your 'application' to link together.

Design the website in Photoshop, or even on paper. Then think how the site will link together. Create a flow chart for website processes (SlickPlan is quite handy for this).

Then start to create your website. As you go along learn HTML, it's fairly simple and will give you a good understanding on how to maintain your website with ease. Then look at a server-side language such as PHP. PHP is fairly easy to get to grips with, and plenty of guys here to help you if you get stuck.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for the replies, ive made a flow chart and im in the process of designing a house style and home page on photoshop. I've got another question, obviously PHP is a good program to use for the coding side of things but what would you recommend for the graphics side. I want a website which looks similar to this

http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/ourwork/teachingandlearning/assessment#content_anchor

is dreamweaver something which people on here use?

Cheers
 
Just for reference, PHP isnt a programme, its a programming launguage (server side), use a lightweight text editor (Notepad++) to write the code. Depending on what exactly you need for your website, you may have to tie it in with an SQL database to store information (Not all PHP elements on a page require a database, for example a simple contact or comments form can use the PHP Mailto function to submit details from website>e-mail).

For example, one of my Uni assignments years ago was to create an online DVD rental company website, I created the site in XHTML for the content markup, I used CSS for creating the page layout, I used PHP & SQL together to implement a catalogue of DVD's to browse through (with the DVD info being stored in an SQL database), and PHP works with SQL to give the user a search feature, the PHP submits a query to the SQL database which returns values based on the users input. and voila, the user has the search results.
 
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I would recommend Dreamweaver as you said you have only dabbled with HTML in the past.

+1 for using PHP for the backend of the system. Its free (look at getting XAMP/WAMP installed on your Windows PC, LAMP for Linux, no idea for OSX) and its super easy to learn. Works really well combined with SQL, as previously mentioned. It's also a good language to learn, if you are interested in Web Development as a career/job.

Personally, I code all my HTML/XHTML, CSS and PHP in Notepad++. Combined with running a local server, I find this a quick way to work and as you are viewing the website in an actual browser, you can spot errors easily.
 
I would say your design documentation is incomplete if you haven't included what languages and services you need for your application to function.

Luckily the kind chaps have put you on the right path. XHTML, PHP, MySQL it is!
 
gord said:
I would say your design documentation is incomplete if you haven't included what languages and services you need for your application to function.
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I'd disagree with that. Design is about domain model and data flow, not the semantics, in my humble opinion :)

gord said:
Luckily the kind chaps have put you on the right path. XHTML, PHP, MySQL it is!
Click to expand...
Huzzah!
 
Rain Man,

Your design documentation should include:


0. Reason for choosing the Project

- What you aim to achieve
- how your going to research

1. Research Stage

- Content
- Information Structure (content layout, sitemap, navigation)
- User Interaction (how the user will use the website)
- Languages / Tools (e.g xhtml / css / javascript / php / photoshop / dreamweaver )

2. Design and Development Stage

- Designing UI (sketch / photoshop)
- Developing (psd 2 xhtml/css, writing the code etc)
- Test (cross browser, cross platform, security, user interaction)

3. Delivery

- Website analysis
- Feedback

4. Justification

- Justify if the the project met your expectation based on what you wanted to achieve (The most important section)


You will need at least 1 month to write your report and depending on the complixity of the website you will need another 1-2 month to have working website.

I would spend more time having a good report (around 10,000 - 15,000 word with graphs, tables, images) then good looking site with crap report.


Good luck.
 
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Inquisitor said:
There's also much more overhead involved in learning the .NET Framework before you can even start coding, though. PHP is certainly the better choice for a first time web app.
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i would have thought it was 6 and half a dozen the other, but fair enough.

i was a classic asp developer, then moved to php , then moved to .NET. .NET is defo the best language out the bunch.

edit: actually having thought about it you are right, a scripting language would be quicker to pick up
 
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