hello and general workflow questions

[davidkizler]

Hello, I'm David, a brand new Genesis user. What is the most simple and effective way to design and develop simple web sites within genesis? I'm a new user comfortable with html and css and slowly getting more comfortable with basic wordpress php.

I just purchased the basic framework and am working with the sample child theme. I'd really like to easily be able to convert or code up from scratch an html document straight into wordpress. Do I need to be copying files like header.php, footer.php from the main framework into the child theme so that I can then enter my appropriate html into those files?  Should I be using hooks which I don't get just yet.

In my ideal world I would be able to design in the browser and have total control of my design via html and css without having to deal with too much juggling, cutting and pasting into php. Maybe this world I dream of doesn't exist within wordpress, but I figure I could ask while introducing myself. I hope my cluster of questions makes sense and would appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks, David

[Susan]

Welcome to Genesis, David.

I've been playing around with creating my own child theme, but mostly, I've just customized some existing themes, but I found these articles great for helping me get started:

http://www.billerickson.net/building-a-genesis-child-theme/

http://www.billerickson.net/genesis-base-child-theme/

 

[And_or]

Hi David,

When starting with Genesis I found 9 out of 10 times the fastest way is/was just to select the theme which is closest to your required layout and start from there.

Most sites you will not enter a line of html for. Your css file and the themes functions.php are the first you need to be able to work with... and that should keep you busy for a while.  Unfortunately for you, most changes do require a bit of php.

I learned a lot from the (old) forum and of course Bill Erickson and Nick the ubergeek and all the other fine coders on the forum. (I am still not convinced the new forum will turn out as good as the former)

Good luck.

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Simplicity is not Simple Webtaurus

[davidkizler]

Thanks Susan & And or,

The links and advice were very helpful. I'm starting to see the power available in Genesis, and the thought of using child themes while focusing on css, content and clients sounds like a good way to go. I often think I have to do it all myself which is not a good thing when it comes to me hacking away at Php. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

[AnitaC]

You also might want to download this Genesis for Beginners also - http://www.studiopress.com/download/genesis-for-beginners.pdf.

 

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