Category Archives: Site Building

Site Launched: Some Useful UNIX Commands for Promoting Sites

I finally launched the new and improved gench site! It’s my first Drupal site.

In order to replace the current (non-drupal) site with the new one, I had to juggle some big directories around on the live server. The good news is it’s relatively easy to do this. The bad news is it’s still rather nerve-racking! UNIX commands are indispensable for a task like this.

My scenario…

development environment = my local MAMP stack

staging environment = sub-directory under the live site (the old gench site)

live site = root of shared hosting web server

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Oops! I painted Myself Into a Corner

Here’s a lesson on how NOT to design a responsive website.

Don’t wait until the end of the project to think about it. Thinking about how your site will look and behave on mobile devices should be the first step in planning and designing a site. It should continue to be forefront in your mind during every layout and feature decision, especially anything having to do with menus and navigation.

When I started the gench site, I knew I wanted it to be responsive, so I did my homework and based the genchstyle theme on Omega. This was a good move, but the last time in the project that I focused on responsiveness. As I built and styled the site, I told myself “I’ll tweak the design for mobile devices once I get the ‘basic’ site built.” BIG mistake! Continue reading →

Labor Pains, or Bringing a New Website Into the World

Unbelievably, my first Drupal website is nearing completion and approaching launch.

“Nearing completion” rightfully belongs couched in quotes as I’ve been daily uttering “today is the day I finish the website” — for the past 3 weeks!

I’ve been burning the midnight oil every day and night, but the goal-post keeps moving as I realize how many of those non-glamorous but essential tasks remain to be done.

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