Free CMS for RapidWeaver!

This CMS uses WordPress as the back end (though you can just as easily go direct to MySQL or some other CMS)

  • Install WordPress →
  • wp-config.php to get DB credentials →
  • wp_posts is the table that has the data (view in phpMyAdmin or equivalent) →
  • paste an include to your script (Perl, PHP etc) in RapidWeaver where you want the editable text →
  • give client the WordPress login/pass and page URLs they can edit.
Example includes:

.shtml
<!–#include virtual=“/cgi-bin/example.pl” –>

.php
<?php require ‘…/includes/example.php’ ; ?>

Benefits

  • No licenses
  • No subscriptions
  • Use on as many sites as you want!
You don't actually even need a DB to see how this approach works, just a text file. For example, FTP (or use cPanel) a text file to your server and then edit it online using Brackets or some other IDE.

<?php require ‘includes/example.php’ ; ?>

However, using WordPress for the back end offers many more options, especially for clients:

  • Version control (if they make a mistake, they can go back to a previous revision)
  • Easy to use editor
  • No FTP
To help preserve your HTML formatting, I recommend installing the Always Edit In HTML plugin from the repository.

PHP Script
<?php
$mysqli = new mysqli(“localhost”, “username”, “password”, “database”);

/* check connection */
if (mysqli_connect_errno()) {
printf(“Connect failed: %s\n”, mysqli_connect_error());
exit();
}

/* Change wp_posts and ID to match your DB*/
$query = "SELECT * FROM wp_posts WHERE ID=5 ";
if ($result = $mysqli->query($query)) {
while ($row = $result->fetch_row()) {
printf($row[4]);
}
/* free result set */
$result->close();
}

/* close connection */
$mysqli->close();
?>

Screenshots

RapidWeaver - sample HTML in a page

Copy HTML to your WordPress page

Replace HTML in RapidWeaver with includes code

1 Like

I appreciate the tut but this is far from comprehensive. I am sorry to say I have no idea how to do what you are describing here. Any chance of step-by-step? If you leave out what appears to be an obvious step to you…I will also leave it out when I try to replicate the results. Sorry but I need for you need to assume nothing for people like me with no experience beyond html and css.

Thanks!

Hi Flash!
1.) Make a PHP file on your server (for example, test.php)
2.) On test.php insert the include <?php include 'includes/example.php' ; ?>
3.) On example.php (in the includes folder) place some dummy text, for example “Hello World”

Open test.php in your browser - do you see Hello World?

@bobafifi

You must see that this is already too complicated for some of our fellow users here…

2 Likes

Hi Jannis,
That’s OK - we all start at ‘Hello World’
The important thing is that people understand the big picture here. I’ve been using ‘includes’ for about twenty years - not a new thing at all in programming.

So how are you linking this to RW?

Wherever you can enter text in RW, you can place an include:

<?php include 'includes/example.php' ; ?>

When the page loads in the browser, the include will populate the location where the tag is.

1 Like

Here’s a good overview of the process
http://php.net/manual/en/function.include.php

2 Likes

Here’s an includes zip file containing test.php, example.php and README.txt
https://app.box.com/s/dnmp7l2qnuu3ohoy4qsbt6o99rplmlwz

Hope that helps!

2 Likes

@bobafifi - as info, I use all kinds of includes also but for some reason includes seem to be shunned on this forum… People say includes are “over the head” of RW users which is really sad as includes are really very simple. What amazes me is that other “over the head of normal RW users” topics seem to be OK, like very complicated CSS suggestions, etc. I just don’t get it…

2 Likes

Thanks Greg!
I’ve been using RW since 2007 and during that time have spent hundreds of dollars on themes, stacks and upgrades. Frankly, I’m getting burnt out on the RW business model. Paid video tutorials? Subscriptions? No thanks! Also, many of the stacks and themes I’ve bought come bundled with lengthy manuals in order to get them to work. The notion that this is all drag and drop is a myth.

After purchasing two CMS stacks only to find they conflicted with other stacks, I had enough. It took me only a short while to make my own CMS using WordPress as the back end, and I couldn’t be happier. Thanks again!

3 Likes

Agreed with your summary of the business model. Thus my reasons for asking you all the questions. Thanks so much for your kind help!

@Flash… In simple terms an include works this way. You put a code snippet in a folder (typically named “includes”) on your server. You then use a php “include” call for the snippet on your RW page where you want the include to be. When the page renders the include will bring in the snippet.

The advantage is this: Imagine an announcement that displays at the top of your page and you want it on every page. If you build it as an “include” (and place it on every page) you need only change the snippet code on the server and magically every page that uses that include is changed the instant the snippet is saved. You need not upload (publish) a single RW page. Instantly “remove” the announcement by making it be only a non-breakable space, then when ready for the next announcement just go to your include text file, edit the text, hit save on your editor, and hundreds of pages instantly have the new announcement.

With that said, I do thank all the great developers who provide things like Global Content and Stacks3/Partials. I use those extensively also. But there are some very simple things that I do on each and every of 1500 pages where “includes” are simply the best way to go.

3 Likes

S[quote=“bobafifi, post:12, topic:14718”]
Paid video tutorials? Subscriptions? No thanks!
[/quote]

So you think the small RMS team is able to live and earn enough money just from the RW software license sales?

They do all this videos and subscriptions to have a sustainable business.

5 Likes

Hi Jannis,
Sorry, but I don’t agree. There’s no way the $39 for a Foundry video is paying anybody’s salaries. Adam has lots of Foundry videos - he doesn’t charge for any of them. Look at the other CMS out there like concrete5, WordPress etc. They don’t try to monetize how to use their products and are very successful. Spending $100 on Foundation and then another $39 for the video to show you how to use it? No thanks.

3 Likes

There are many please try users of these videos.

Make a calculation how to pay 4-5(?) employees just from a 59$-99$ software license.

Enough said on that story. If a product is too expensive for you, don’t buy it. Don’t think we indie developers have a easy life.

3 Likes

Meh. WordPress has proven that an open source business model not only can be successful, but can be the most widely used platform of all time - currently powering 27% of all the websites on the internet.

1 Like

Hi Steve,
Sorry for the misunderstanding - I’m only using WordPress as the back end for the CMS - the website is RW. This is just an alternative for those not wanting to spend $297 on Pulse CMS and the other current crop of CMS stacks.

This is what was confusing me. PHP includes I understand and they are simple enough. That simple “php include” line was not going to get WP to work with RW in my mind. Thanks for clearing that up.

I am working on Bludit CMS and I might add it into RW. So far with this project I have not found a reason for RW other than to build a theme style with.

Hi Flash!
So just to double-check, you were able to get the “Hello World” biz to work?
https://app.box.com/s/dnmp7l2qnuu3ohoy4qsbt6o99rplmlwz