Actually all of the files that you need to use in your Umbraco-solution is on your disc. This means that you can create a new solution/project or just open the files from "Open WebSite" in Visual studio.
The nodes in the content-tree, document types, media types etc. is stored in the database. The templates are stored in the database, and refers to some physical files in the masperpages-folder on the disc.
From there you can edit the templates (.net master templates), js, css, xslt, app_code, and all the config files for your site. Umbraco will notice when the files change on disk and update the database accordingly. Or if you change content of these files through the umbraco ui the disk will be changed as well. It's a 2-way sync.
But the content itself is stored in the database and only editable via the umbraco ui or with the umbraco api.
This means you can re-use much of your .net knowledge directly in umbraco (and umbraco is extremely easy to extend with .net!) but you also want to learn 'the umbraco way' to do things. Sometimes people think they can just do everything the way they always did in .net but that defeats the purpose of having an awesome CMS like umbraco if you're just going to bypass all its features and code the way you always used to.
In particular, you'll want to understand document types. Once you really grasp docTypes you'll be well on your way to enjoying umbraco and getting the most out of it. Check out the wiki and umbraco.tv for instant gratification. Consider the umbraco level 1 training to get immersed in umbraco completely and quickly.
Thanks for the advice. I'm beginning to get it. All the CWS masters are stored in the install directory on the serverI can see that, but where does the compiled codebehind for these master files go?
If I create a new master, si it sufficient just to drop it in the masters folder without the code behind?
Actually I'm not that good at .NET, so I usually always create my template-files in Umbraco. This means that a new *.master-file will be created in the "masterpages"-folder in your file-system. I think that it is a safe way to create your templates, especially when you are new to Umbraco. After the template is created, I always open the file in my project in visual Studio, and works with it in there.
Don't know if this answers your question at all, or I have misunderstood something :)
Getting started - how to move CWS/Runway into Visual Studio?
Ok, so I'm new to Umbraco, I can see broadly how sites are put together by looking at CWS for example.
Now if I want to build my site in Visual Studio how do I go about it? How do you bridge from an IDE to the format that Umbraco needs?
Thanks
Hi Manwood
Actually all of the files that you need to use in your Umbraco-solution is on your disc. This means that you can create a new solution/project or just open the files from "Open WebSite" in Visual studio.
The nodes in the content-tree, document types, media types etc. is stored in the database. The templates are stored in the database, and refers to some physical files in the masperpages-folder on the disc.
Hope this helps you, otherwise just say so :)
/Kim A
As Kim says, you can "open" the website in VS.
From there you can edit the templates (.net master templates), js, css, xslt, app_code, and all the config files for your site. Umbraco will notice when the files change on disk and update the database accordingly. Or if you change content of these files through the umbraco ui the disk will be changed as well. It's a 2-way sync.
But the content itself is stored in the database and only editable via the umbraco ui or with the umbraco api.
This means you can re-use much of your .net knowledge directly in umbraco (and umbraco is extremely easy to extend with .net!) but you also want to learn 'the umbraco way' to do things. Sometimes people think they can just do everything the way they always did in .net but that defeats the purpose of having an awesome CMS like umbraco if you're just going to bypass all its features and code the way you always used to.
In particular, you'll want to understand document types. Once you really grasp docTypes you'll be well on your way to enjoying umbraco and getting the most out of it. Check out the wiki and umbraco.tv for instant gratification. Consider the umbraco level 1 training to get immersed in umbraco completely and quickly.
cheers,
doug.
Hi Kim
Thanks for the advice. I'm beginning to get it. All the CWS masters are stored in the install directory on the serverI can see that, but where does the compiled codebehind for these master files go?
If I create a new master, si it sufficient just to drop it in the masters folder without the code behind?
Thanks
@Manwood:
Actually I'm not that good at .NET, so I usually always create my template-files in Umbraco. This means that a new *.master-file will be created in the "masterpages"-folder in your file-system. I think that it is a safe way to create your templates, especially when you are new to Umbraco. After the template is created, I always open the file in my project in visual Studio, and works with it in there.
Don't know if this answers your question at all, or I have misunderstood something :)
/Kim A
Thanks guys, I signed up to .tv today and it's already starting to make a bit more sense :)
Very good idea manwood. There are a lot of good videos on umbraco.tv. Great source to new knowledge on Umbraco :)
Remember to mark this post as answered if you haven't god any further questions.
/Kim A
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