I am desperate for some pointers here. It seems as if all support options are based on a monthly membership, which as a new business owner, I just don't have the budget for. My web designer built this site for me on Umbraco after insisting I get off Word Press (at least I understood Word Press) and reassured me he would teach me how to use it, and now when I need him, he decided he won't help me.
The long of the short of it is, my website sucks. It is flat, boring, all text, nothing interactive, nothing that pops. It looks very unprofessional.
I need help learning Umbraco, basic things. For example, I want to add things that showcase whatever current promotion we are running, and I don't want it to just be more text on my homepage, that just blends into the rest of the homepage. I want it inside a colorful box or with some sort of graphic, or to be able to change it SOMEHOW to make it pop.
Same with content on all my other pages, it is just so long and boring and flat looking, very unprofessional looking. I absolutely hate it actually, but I can't afford to hire a third web designer... I have to figure this out on my own. Please help, any tips at all will help.
If it helps you to see my website as is, here is the link for your review:
Hi, you need to review you text font size ... in some page are different...the logo is small and not aligned...the home page is not beaty...it's a bit dark...
To be honest, it doesn't look too bad (I've seen far worse). I think a background colour to separate the section blocks might be nice, not sure if you have anything like that.
I would try not to create or do anything to crazy/colourful, clean and simple works now adays.
The problem with Umbraco is, it does need to be developed if you need further customisation.
I would like some simple, clean blocks to break up text. I know how to make a pod but they all seem to be pods that end up at the top or bottom of the page, and the only color option is white, light grey and dark grey. Any suggestions for how to be able to create a pod that I can control where it goes and the color of the background?
Yes, Umbraco need to developed if you want your personal customization or similar things...but the other hand is more flexy. I work with it for my 90% of projects and use other CMS for other things but with them I don't have the help of Visual Studio or better editor -:)))
As a fresher web developer I don't know what is Umbraco and
I learned umbraco from these videos. It is really helpful to understand basics of umbraco easily and effectively.
That is an unfortunate situation! You might find the video tutorials on umbraco.tv helpful. The Content editor chapter along with a good number of videos in the Implementor chapter are free.
For example, I am playing with all of the options for page components, the block quote the form, the code section the gallery the pods, all of those other options in there, and no matter what I select, when I hit publish, I have not control of where it goes. I can't be in control of where these additional pieces go, even within the section it puts it in, I have no control of centering it or making it left or right aligned. Or of adding an additional piece of content into it. For example, I have a picture I added, which it automatically put at the bottom left of my home page. Then it has a huge block of white empty space in the center and right of that block of space. I don't have the option of centering it, adding text next to it, or having any control at all of how the lay out looks and feels. So frustrated! Anybody have suggestions?
Does your account have access to the templates under settings in the Umbraco backoffice?
When you add a picture to a piece of content, where it goes is based on the template that that content uses. But you have to have the correct permissions to see those templates.
Yes I do have access to them... The problem is, I am not a developer, or a coder, or anything even remotely considered teach savvy, so when I began clicking around ad exploring, I saw the templates but they are all written in what I think is complicated code. So I can't really feel confident messing with the templates as they all seem like gibberish to me. I am pretty adept at finding my way around the back end of my site as he set it up. But changing the set up of the site, all the stuff my developer did, is over my head.
Unfortunately you will have to change templates/CSS styles around if you want to modify things like spacing and placement of images. The getting started, page someone mentioned has some stuff on templating, and even Umbraco TV I think offers some free ones, but generally you would need some general html/css knowledge and an environment to test stuff in. With some trial and error, you can probably get things looking pretty good!
I know you said you can't afford another designer, but we might be able to help each other, because I'm also a bit too new to the Umbraco game to charge people. (I have 4 years of .net web development experience, but not with Umbraco, specifically). I could offer to help out however I can in exchange for portfolio credit. :)
This sounds like a great deal... Are you able to do a screen share session? Or speak on the phone, or if you are not in America, Skype with me? We can certainly work something out.
Oh I'm definitely from America lol. I should probably update my profile here. I'm in NC. I'm wrapping up at work at the moment, and then have a prior engagement, but could definitely get in contact with you afterwards with either of the aforementioned methods. I see your twitter account is linked on here, I'll shoot you a private message there with my contact info.
@Kylee: I'm sorry to hear about your current situation. As a small Christmas contribution, the Umbraco HQ would like to give you a free, lifetime umbraco.tv subscription. Just send me an email on nh umbraco com and I'll get you setup.
Best of luck and thanks to everyone for making my day!
Help! Web developer abandoned me
I am desperate for some pointers here. It seems as if all support options are based on a monthly membership, which as a new business owner, I just don't have the budget for. My web designer built this site for me on Umbraco after insisting I get off Word Press (at least I understood Word Press) and reassured me he would teach me how to use it, and now when I need him, he decided he won't help me.
The long of the short of it is, my website sucks. It is flat, boring, all text, nothing interactive, nothing that pops. It looks very unprofessional.
I need help learning Umbraco, basic things. For example, I want to add things that showcase whatever current promotion we are running, and I don't want it to just be more text on my homepage, that just blends into the rest of the homepage. I want it inside a colorful box or with some sort of graphic, or to be able to change it SOMEHOW to make it pop.
Same with content on all my other pages, it is just so long and boring and flat looking, very unprofessional looking. I absolutely hate it actually, but I can't afford to hire a third web designer... I have to figure this out on my own. Please help, any tips at all will help.
If it helps you to see my website as is, here is the link for your review:
www.citypolestudio.com
Hi, you need to review you text font size ... in some page are different...the logo is small and not aligned...the home page is not beaty...it's a bit dark...
Read this pdf for Umbraco editor: https://our.umbraco.org/projects/website-utilities/umbraco-7-editors-manual/
Thank you so much, this is very helpful!
To be honest, it doesn't look too bad (I've seen far worse). I think a background colour to separate the section blocks might be nice, not sure if you have anything like that.
I would try not to create or do anything to crazy/colourful, clean and simple works now adays.
The problem with Umbraco is, it does need to be developed if you need further customisation.
I would like some simple, clean blocks to break up text. I know how to make a pod but they all seem to be pods that end up at the top or bottom of the page, and the only color option is white, light grey and dark grey. Any suggestions for how to be able to create a pod that I can control where it goes and the color of the background?
Thanks,
Kylee
Yes, Umbraco need to developed if you want your personal customization or similar things...but the other hand is more flexy. I work with it for my 90% of projects and use other CMS for other things but with them I don't have the help of Visual Studio or better editor -:)))
Try
https://www.youtube.com/user/casper6060/videos
As a fresher web developer I don't know what is Umbraco and I learned umbraco from these videos. It is really helpful to understand basics of umbraco easily and effectively.
Thanks
Hi Kylee
That is an unfortunate situation! You might find the video tutorials on umbraco.tv helpful. The Content editor chapter along with a good number of videos in the Implementor chapter are free.
There is also the official documentation on this site. Here I'm mainly thinking of the Getting Started section and this tutorial for creating a basic site.
Hope this can be of some help to you.
All the best
Rune
Thank you, I will check these out too.... Appreciate the feedback.
Kylee
For example, I am playing with all of the options for page components, the block quote the form, the code section the gallery the pods, all of those other options in there, and no matter what I select, when I hit publish, I have not control of where it goes. I can't be in control of where these additional pieces go, even within the section it puts it in, I have no control of centering it or making it left or right aligned. Or of adding an additional piece of content into it. For example, I have a picture I added, which it automatically put at the bottom left of my home page. Then it has a huge block of white empty space in the center and right of that block of space. I don't have the option of centering it, adding text next to it, or having any control at all of how the lay out looks and feels. So frustrated! Anybody have suggestions?
Does your account have access to the templates under settings in the Umbraco backoffice?
When you add a picture to a piece of content, where it goes is based on the template that that content uses. But you have to have the correct permissions to see those templates.
Yes I do have access to them... The problem is, I am not a developer, or a coder, or anything even remotely considered teach savvy, so when I began clicking around ad exploring, I saw the templates but they are all written in what I think is complicated code. So I can't really feel confident messing with the templates as they all seem like gibberish to me. I am pretty adept at finding my way around the back end of my site as he set it up. But changing the set up of the site, all the stuff my developer did, is over my head.
Unfortunately you will have to change templates/CSS styles around if you want to modify things like spacing and placement of images. The getting started, page someone mentioned has some stuff on templating, and even Umbraco TV I think offers some free ones, but generally you would need some general html/css knowledge and an environment to test stuff in. With some trial and error, you can probably get things looking pretty good!
Do you have access to a development environment? To monkey around? Here's a link where someone suggests how to set one up if not. Seems like it could work: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10296463/setting-up-local-development-environment-for-umbraco
I know you said you can't afford another designer, but we might be able to help each other, because I'm also a bit too new to the Umbraco game to charge people. (I have 4 years of .net web development experience, but not with Umbraco, specifically). I could offer to help out however I can in exchange for portfolio credit. :)
This sounds like a great deal... Are you able to do a screen share session? Or speak on the phone, or if you are not in America, Skype with me? We can certainly work something out.
Oh I'm definitely from America lol. I should probably update my profile here. I'm in NC. I'm wrapping up at work at the moment, and then have a prior engagement, but could definitely get in contact with you afterwards with either of the aforementioned methods. I see your twitter account is linked on here, I'll shoot you a private message there with my contact info.
It's so amazing to follow this thread - h5yr.
@Kylee: I'm sorry to hear about your current situation. As a small Christmas contribution, the Umbraco HQ would like to give you a free, lifetime umbraco.tv subscription. Just send me an email on nh umbraco com and I'll get you setup.
Best of luck and thanks to everyone for making my day!
/n
Wow! Cool beans! This is my introduction to this community...the bar is set high now.
Good thing HQ!!! The community wins!
is working on a reply...