* Composite websites

[mezentia]

I've called this question composite websites as my question is this.

I can see how to create a website within FH. However, I have a website that I am creating separately (and very slowly, using Microsoft Expression 4 ) that contains a significant amount of other information that provides a much wider level of context about the times, places, occupations, etc., of the members of my family. It provides photo galleries and extended collections of newspaper articles.

How does one create a uniform view across both sets of web pages, uniform navigation, and presentation format, and in fact integrate both sites so that navigation appears seemless? Or is it simply too much to ask?

[tatewise]

You need to come to grips with CSS Cascaded Style Sheets that establish overall style, fonts, colours, etc.

See FHUG KB Creating a website especially Family Tree Tips ~ Alter CSS Default Styles and Family Tree Tips ~ Set Page Background.

You will need to become familiar with the FH fhstyle.css file so that you can override its settings where needed.

It should be possible to integrate with the CSS used in the other web pages.

Navigation is more difficult to discuss without knowing how the other web pages are navigated.
The FH web pages each have a menu bar across the top to access the key FH pages.
You will could add extra menu options to every FH web page or replace it with navigation code that matches the other pages. Alternatively, you could treat the FH webpages as a distinct section with its own menu bar and provide a way of navigating into and out of that section.

[Robert Jacobs]

Instead of starting with the FH7 website you might consider using GedSite. It integrates beautifully with FH7 via Mike Tate's Export GedCom plug-in. GedSite permits great organizational flexibility and has many design options. You can use CSS, but I suspect that most GedSite user don't need to.

Details at www.gedsite.com with a link to example sites..

[Brian]

For an example of a composite website have a look at my site at www.myfamilyheritage.ca. It was created using TMG, John Cardinal's SecondSite, and custom pages using Microsoft Expression. I have since moved to FH and have been able to duplicate the web site using FH with John's GedSite but I have not yet uploaded the new site. I use GedSite to create all the Person Pages, Charts, ID search, Advanced Search, Person Indexes, and Calendar. The GedSite pages are easily integrated into a composite web site. I highly recommend GedSite.

Brian