Hi all
As I’m about to upgrade my weather equipment (Davis VP2 from a WM918) I thought it’s time to upgrade the webpage I have had online for the past 4 years
Here’s my thought since I just went through it…
Completely rethink how you’re doing your pages.
CSS - Makes for easy and quick site changes when done property. Wrap as much as you can in CSS.
PHP - Even if you don’t really understand how PHP works, if you have it on your webserver, USE PHP INCLUDES. This allows you to incredibly easily change header, sidebar, and footer information because it’s inserting the data on all pages from just one file.
Combined, these two features allow you to instantly make major changes across all pages of your site.
I would also say ditch the HTML editor but I know many people think they’re easy to use (and produce garbage code!).
there is some examples and discussion on using what carterlake is talking about on this section of the forum, i think 
I’ll 2nd the use of CSS… So much easier to change the site later.
And, I’ll 2nd the ditching of the HTML editor - any brand. Just learn HTML and use notepad/editpad – much cleaner code.
I prefer text over graphics to convey most info and currently make use of quite a few wxlocal custom pages.
Creative use of JavaScript to modify the wxlocal pages based on the data in variables is easy and can make the site more interesting.
I’ve never cared much for PHP - probably because I code in Perl all day at work… I need to redesign the entire site to use only Perl and mySQL to generate all the pages. I already use Perl to pull all the radar images, pollen counts, and a few other things.
Dwain
If you want to see a pretty drastic change in a site that takes place ONLY by the change of the CSS file take a look at these
two sites.
these are NOT weather related, just some sites that I built for a presentation this morning to the group they are for to show them what they can do… Note that their original site is in the same Dark Blue colors as the first link.
The DARK blue site
http://adapt.adapt.org
The Light blue site
http://adapt.adapt.org/index2.php
The only difference is the refernce to a different css file. all the content is exactly the same.
Thats what I’m talking about, I like the light blue version, nice, clear, crisp and easy to read.
If you want to be stunned by the benefits of CSS have a look at http://www.csszengarden.com/ A site that demonstrates all you need is CSS
Julian
Stunningly good, but I wonder how long it took them to put the CSS files together to do that. They seem to be the fine art of the web world…which probably means they spent months on the look, leaving seconds for the content. I know how long I spent trying to get the CSS right for the forum. It’s not complex, but it’s still not perfect!
It’s OK if you have a dedicated web development team to do such things…but I only have me to…manage the server, build the web site, create the web site content, manage the forum, develop MML, run my weather station, managed WD…oh…and all the other things there are in life!
Changes made, thanks for feedback ~ couldnt workout php so stuck with frontpage as my editor for now.
www.homepages.paradise.net.nz/otdrmn
looking good to me 
not sure about the flashing title though…might be a bit distracting…
windy at your place?
windy here,80kmh gusts
thanks, will change title
yep, gusting high 50’s, but we’re sheltered from the west a little.
when VP2 arrives it will be going on a new mast (power pole) that Ive installed with clear skyviews ~ cant wait, would be getting good readings.
Looks like I’ll be off to work to help repair powerlines tonight if it stays as forecast, 120kph