in-browser text editor?

[tvfoto]

All,

I am a bit confused about how to set up a free text editor on a web page so other (given the right) can maintain the content of the page besides me. I look it up online , and I see bunch of editors but I could not find any thing about the set up.

I assume I need a edit button on my page ? div? and when that button will authenticate who has the right to edit the page? Then that will open up the editor with all the page content to be edited (how it is done)? After the editing, I will sumit the change/save the change and that will refresh the page with new change(how it is done)?

I assume that the text editor need to be in the same folder where the page is?

Any one has any example?

Thanks

[djr33]

This is not just editing text-- you can search for a "WYSIWYG" editor for the page, and there are a couple in the DD library. Take a look at openWYSIWYG, for example.
However, that will just allow the manipulation of text.
To save anything, you will need to setup a system that allows access to your server.
There are a couple ways:
1. You could give out your account info, etc., and they could do it via FTP, just like you do.
2. You could set up a CMS, which is what you want in this case.

Basically, google CMS and see what options look good. Some are free (and will work fine), and others are expensive and might be better for what you need. You can also make one yourself using PHP (or another serverside language), but in all cases you'll need to set up your website with a back end driven by a CMS (prebuilt or made by yourself). You can use a database, or just have it store the text to webpages that are included in your site. It's up to you.

Here's a link to a popular setup, something you can consider:
http://www.joomla.org/

If you just want a few things (like, for example, a comment system on one page), then you might want to code something yourself. If you want the entire site to be dynamic and modifiable by others, then it's best to use something like that and spend the time to get your entire site running from it.

Alternatively, for something you built yourself, look into PHP (and maybe MySQL if you want to use a database), and just look at how forms work, and how you'd want to store the data (database or files).

The time investment is more for a more complex system, but then of course easier to deal with once it's all set up like that, so you can figure out what will work best for your site.

Once you have a more specific idea what you want to do, reply with the details and we can offer more advice.

[tvfoto]

My environment uses Coldfusion for the most part evethough we do have some .NET and Flex application.
We have an in-house-built portal (CF base) and it has very rigid capability. It is configured with Activedit & FCKeditor. I need to build a Health related application that allows the Health Dept. Admin user to maintain the content of the web page (WCM). Most documents are more like one time events, flash news, announcements that can be deleted when the events are done.

I'd like to get away with the rigid portal structure that we have in place and still be able to provide the users the power to sustain their own content. I'd like to be able to provide a nice, plexible & attractive interface and let the users maintain the contents.

I dont have to stick with Activeedit or FCKeditor and I'd like to provide nothing too fancy about the editor, just the basic functions of an editor.

I signed up for Joomla this morning and I am a bit lost of what I see. I guess I need to read a bit more. Is Joomla a bit much for what I try to do or is there a simpler solution?

Thanks

[djr33]

Most prebuilt CMS solutions you will find will be complex, like Joomla. Some may be a little easier/simpler, though, if you want.
If you just want some content editable on a few pages, look into some basics with PHP. Look for a "PHP comments tutorial" on google, and see how that generally functions. It would work the same way, but instead of adding new comments, you'd just keep replacing a single item on the page when updated.
That's about as basic as you'll get.

It sounds like you have a lot going on with your system already, so that might make things complex.

One other thing to look into is anything related to "templates" because it sounds like the design will be filled in with user-generated content, so that's exactly what you'd want to use, if you can find something that fits correctly.


Personally I'd try to write it with PHP, but I have experience doing that for this kind of thing. If you're just starting out, it would probably be faster to just go with Joomla and deal with it's quirks. It's quite popular, so don't get too discouraged. (I've never actually used it myself, but would, given the need, considering how many people like it.)