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student_trap

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Mar 14, 2005
1,879
0
'Ol Smokey, UK
Hi all,

So I am looking to build my first website (I used to maintain a commercial wordpress site a few years ago, but have never actually built one!).

I would like my site to have 3 main aspects:

1)Database of user submitted data
2)Ability to search this data effectively
3)A forum.

Idealy the main page would just be like a google page (but just searching my site), followed by a page with some way of organising the site data, and then a forum (like MR would be cool).

I think wordpress is probably the right way to start, as I want to get my site up ASAP and don't know much HTML at all!

I spent all of yesterday looking for Wordpress templates to fit this, but couldn't find anything.

Can anybody help me? I'm in a right muddle!

Are there any templates that you know of that fit this?
can you combine templates?
Any other things to consider?
 

jeremysteele

Cancelled
Jul 13, 2011
485
394
You're going to need plugins in addition to templates, rather than just a template by itself.

There's some plguins to integrate PHPBB (forum) into wordpress - for instance this. . Not sure if there are any vBulletin ones (which MR uses).

As far as saving/searching user data goes, there may be some plugins to fit that bill, but the other option is to find a freelancer to code something up if needed.

Just be sure to keep WP updated!
 

BlabBen

macrumors newbie
May 12, 2014
11
0
Malta
Wordpress

Hi,

There is quite some scripts you can use apart from sites like blogger etc...

If Wordpress it the route you want to take, there are some pretty cool templates on templatemonster .com

You can just purchase the template on its own or purchase it and its installment, meaning its installed for you and you do nothing as such, pretty neat if you want something quick.
 

nfable

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2007
179
26
I'd give themeforest a try in searching for a theme closest to what you want, then search for plugins to bridge the lacking functionality gap. May need to head to code canyon and buy a plugin if you can't find what you need in wordpress's repository.

And a Google search of 'wordpress forum' will set you on your way. Grab a pot of coffee and be prepared to do a lot of searching and evaluating before committing to something and you should be fine. Here's one of those 'best of' listings here.

Also, as I run some WP sites, I recommend iThemes Security free plugin for closing many compromises in WP base install.

Good luck,
nf
 

960design

macrumors 68040
Apr 17, 2012
3,691
1,548
Destin, FL
Yes we can help you. But what is it you are looking for?

So far you've told us what you want; not what you need help with. I cannot help you decide on a template that you will like, only you know what you want.

1) A google-like front page? That would be a couple of lines in any base wordpress theme.
2) A database of user submitted data. Build a little form plugin that asks the questions you want and provides appropriate places for them to reply and submit. The plugin should create and destroy/save the tables when it is started and/or deleted.
3) Forum: bbPress

Hide/Delete the common login and create your own. http://yoursite.com/wp-admin or .../wp-login.php
 

JoelTheSuperior

macrumors 6502
Feb 10, 2014
406
443
To be honest if you want a forum I would have to advise against WordPress which the other users have suggested. WordPress is a wonderful system (from an end users perspective at least...) but it really isn't (in my opinion) suited to running a forum. Free software such as phpBB & Vanilla or paid software such as XenForo, IP.Board or vBulletin (which MacRumors uses!) would be much better suited.

To be perfectly honest what you're describing sounds like it could potentially be fairly complex. What I mean by this is it isn't going to be a basic site you're building using just some HTML, but rather a more complex web application.

With that said, if you can't find a software package that fulfils your needs it may be worth hiring a good software developer. You're pretty vague about what user submitted data is but if it's outside of the scope of a forum or something else that's fairly generic I think you'll have a difficult time finding a prebuilt software package that offers this functionality.
 
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