Converting a Dreamweaver Template to a Wordpress theme in condensed format... PLEASE HELP!!!!!?

Question

I have a client that has a nursing home site, and the recreation department wants to be able to post events and news on it using Wordpress, but it needs to match the theme of the other pages, which were designed in Dreamweaver. From what I am seeing, I have to create a "wordpress theme" out of my Dreamweaver template. Can anyone point me to a CONCISE cliffs notes version IN ENGLISH of how to convert my dreamweaver template to Wordpress?? I am getting overwhelmed by the 10 page discourse on the Wordpress site! (I don't use Wordpress). Thanks! :)

Answer 1

Converting a WordPress theme is tough work, so be prepared. If I were you, I'd pay a quick $50 to someone on elance to convert it for you unless your time isn't that valuable and you want to learn. There's a lot of hooks and things you'll have to learn before you could even attempt a conversion. Perhaps consider a premium theme at http://wordpress-themes.topfiveawards.com/ ?

Answer 2

Actually, WordPress is pretty easy. If you're using Dreamweaver in WYSIWYG form, you'll have to get into code mode. WordPress is a database, and templates mostly controlled through CSS.



So, what you're going to want to do is to look closely at the source of your DW template, see how the CSS works, etc. and apply that to the WordPress template. You can edit each template from within WordPress, it's actually pretty easy.



Some WordPress templates will allow you to change the heading image through the template settings, some you just have to fiddle with the WP CSS to change it.



It's time consuming, but once you dig into the WP CSS and WP page templates, you'll be good to go. Good luck!

Answer 3

The reason there's a "discourse" is because you need to understand how Wordpress works, and you need to understand html and css so you can build the theme. If you don't understand it, you'll break it. Simple.



Converting current website to wordpress:



http://www.jonbishop.com/2010/03/convert-html-wordpress/





http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/wordpress/how-to-create-a-wordpress-theme-from-scratch/



http://themeshaper.com/2009/06/22/wordpress-themes-templates-tutorial/

http://www.wpdesigner.com/2007/02/19/so-you-want-to-create-wordpress-themes-huh/



http://mosheberman.com/wordpress/2010/02/23/wordpress-theming-tipstutorial/







http://codex.wordpress.org/Theme_Development