Site downloader

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Aug 2004

Hello,

I am very new to web designing (though i am a system engineer graduated in the old days). I wish to learn few techniques to create a site (such as ysl.com).

What application can I use to download a whole site and check its source (the techniques used to create it)?
What application can I use to edit a downloaded site?

In brief, what would you advise?

Thank you

KarenArt's picture

She has: 354 posts

Joined: May 2001

Hello jiugiusto and welcome!

I can see why you like the ysl.com site. It is a sharp looking design.
It is a flash design, so unless you know how to design in flash you wouldn't be able to do exactly the same effects.

My humble advice...
Don't try to download an entire website to take it apart and duplicate it!
Do spend some time (usually many months to a few years) learning html, css, php/asp, javascript, dhtml. Then you can move into flash design and more "cutting edge" works.

What you really want to do is be able to visit a site you like, say "hey that's an interesting way they did this bit", decide what they used to create that effect (that's why we sometimes look at each others codes), then figure out what it would take to either write the code to do it yourself or use the same code on your site... Then simply incorporate it into your own unique design.

Studying other designs is how we learn. Copying them without knowing what they do only leads to more trouble than it's worth.

That's my view on it anyway.

gotta finish redesigning my sites so I can show them again.

The purpose of education is... to get more jokes!

They have: 2 posts

Joined: Aug 2004

Hello Karenart,

I sincerely thank you for your advice. The issue is that I am not getting into webdesign; It is just that I wish to create my own company webdesign myself. (much cheaper). That is why I need to create something similar (not the same) to the ysl.com.

Thanx a lot.

openmind's picture

He has: 945 posts

Joined: Aug 2001

jiugiusto wrote: Hello Karenart,

I sincerely thank you for your advice. The issue is that I am not getting into webdesign; It is just that I wish to create my own company webdesign myself. (much cheaper). That is why I need to create something similar (not the same) to the ysl.com.

Thanx a lot.

Then I would have said KarenArt's originial comment stands..

It makes no difference if you're doing it for yourself, your company or Joe Bloggs down the road, simply downloading an entire site and attempting to pick it apart is not the way to learn IMHO...

There are thousands of very good tutorial sites out there if you knowledge is limited so make good use of them. One other point is what happens if you want to make changes to your site? How will you know what to do?

If you take the time now to learn the basics you will save yourself countless headaches and frustration later. Smiling

Just my £1.73...

KarenArt's picture

She has: 354 posts

Joined: May 2001

I understand. Sorry if I offended you in anyway!

If you want to create your own site, but have limited knowledge of html I would suggest starting with a pre-made template.
You can find tons of places to get templates free or for purchase by searching Google. Here is one place that has templates and a few tutorials http://www.adesdesign.net/

I'm not as versed in this, but I'm sure others here could give you some good advice.

I would also suggest you start looking through some of the html tutorials at W3C http://www.w3schools.com/html/default.asp
If nothing else, you will be able to figure out what the template code means.

Best of luck and have fun with it!

gotta finish redesigning my sites so I can show them again.

The purpose of education is... to get more jokes!

They have: 47 posts

Joined: Jul 2004

That site is probably in flash so you cant take the source down...only the movie and you cant edit that:D

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