Sounds like you are asking the questions a little late in the game (don't mean it as a bad thing, I learned this the hard way myself). The best way to go about doing something like this is using UML and planning it from the ground up. In that way, you identify all the requirements, scenarios, etc., before writing any script of any type. The best and most efficient part of this procedure is you no longer get three quarters of the way through the module and find out that...hey, I built the car, but now I forgot the starter and I don't have any more place to put it! The only downside of doing it with UML (or any other design facility for that matter) is that there is no distinct connection yet between UML and web applications.
The only other thing I can recommend if you aren't ready to go back to the beginning (which most of us aren't) is to cut the site into sections and UML (plan) those section by themselves. Start from the beginning, determine the end results you wish to attain, determine how a user or admin would get there, determine how the web application will interact with the data store, user, etc., determine what the sequence is, write up the scenario, and so on. Again, sounds like a lot of work, and it is, but is nothing compared to finding out after you complete your bulletin board that you forgot something.
HTH,
Jim Hawley
Mark wrote:
I am working on a website right now that i guess would be under the category of community portal site. Kind of like www.collegeclub.com. I have over 200 pages written so far and all of it is written in a form of html, javascript, etc. The basics. I am planning on using php soon, instead of asp. (dont have any asp code on the site either though). I am also trying to learn MySQL also. Since I will be having so many different pages, and most of the will have the basic template. What is the best way for me to create or manage my site. There are things that i will be adding or changing every day. I will need to be able have users be able to register on the site, login, check email, talk in chat rooms and forums. Etc. Any ideas on how i should go about this? My site is located at www.macscr.com if u want to see the basic layout and what im trying to do. Thanks.
Mark
www.macscr.com
