NewlinsNet CMS - overview.

The CMS is a "solution" to an age old problem of trying to handle a "dynamic" website without having to constantly work with a web designer to maintain the content. Ideas on the development of this project have been inspired working with other businesses, especially those who had wanted to have control of the content without constantly resorting to using an outside source.

The limitations of this CMS are relatively few - but some do exist.

• There are only 4 blocks of editable areas available on a page - arbitarily called "body", "sidebar", "extra1", and "extra2". Whilst there are no restrictions of where they are placed - since that is a function of the design - once placed in a specific position they will be at that position on each page (although every block other than body can be switched on and off).
• To create are responsive website requires a certain level of knowledge of "Bootstrap" (from Twitter) which is used by the CMS to manage most of the functionality but still needs conformant content.
• Whilst the CSS (style sheets) are editable (both site and individual pages), the actual design of the website is fixed.

Notwithstanding there are functions for diaries, features, whoswho, document uploads, page banners, articles and card based information (similar to product cards). There is also an event management system available. Additionally, the latest version also provides the ability to require a "logon" to access certain pages.

The latest version now allows the administrator to ensure the latest versions of the main components can be specified to the CMS.

The main website page is based on the PHP development environment and is based on a few very simple PHP function calls.

To come in 2018:

• Switching to a template system for the main design
• Adding a basic "shopping" function