Developing Genealogy Web-Pages/Beyond Site Creation

Direction

Where do we go from here? We have the basic tools, now how do we use them ... best use, most effective design? These are excellent questions and what we will try to do here is expand on the basic skillset that you currently have and provide some concrete examples that will completement those skills in the development of your Genealogical Web-Site.

Examining Other Code

Look at the code others use to generate their pages, in particular if you like what you see.

BUT (this is a big one), don't let it throw you off when you come across code that looks daunting (it WILL happen) or complex. Your first thought might be, "I can't do all that."

You might not be able to do it all. That's part of the fun, learning to do it in small steps.

First, remember that HTML, at its core, is easy ... you don't need to be a programmer to be a successful author. The main reason that the code for many pages looks so complex is that it was likely created with a Visual Design Tool (WYSIWYG - What You See Is What You Get) ... which has a knack for generating things that are very difficult to read; as opposed to being hand-generated (what we are trying to achieve here).

Also keep in mind that apparently large-complex sites and pages were most likely created over time; every web-site is changed and approved, built a piece at a time.

Viewing the Source Code

Looking at the HTML code that others have created is easier than you think, but remember the prior warning, some of them can look very complex.

While you've got a web-page open, use the <Right-Click> and select View Source (if View Source does not show up on the list, make sure that the mouse is not hovering over an image).

This method allows you to view the source on any web-page ... there will be a FEW sites that will block the <Right-Click> option, but most allow it ...

Making Sure It Can Be Found

The most frustrating thing for most genealogists is locating information. Those thousands of searches can be very frustrating. What we want to cover here is how to ensure that the information that you've spent all this time developing can be located when someone is looking for it.