How to create a website for an interior design company: Part 2

You can visit sample website to see the final result or compare your code.

The second part of this tutorial will teach you how to customize a Flash website template for an interior design company. In case you’ve missed the first part that deals with HTML version customization, please follow the link: How to create a website for an interior design company: Part 1.

Flash templates are remarkable by their interactivity. They also are characterized by universality and flexibility and are used as an animated captivating introduction to the company. Flash templates grab visitors’ attention, they are vivid and eye-catching. And what is more pleasing, they are very easy to customize without requiring much time, efforts and special knowledge. So, let’s start the customization process.

Template Customization

As it was mentioned in the first part of this tutorial, we have chosen a Flash template from a wide range of web templates provided by TemplatedBusiness.com. Its number is 23371.

If you are a web designer and have no any knowledge of HTML, XML or don’t want to spend time and efforts to learn it – you can easily turn into TemplateTuning.com where you can order the template customization at an affordable price. And along with the rest of the way we will go full customization of your template.

For the full-fledged website we only need a design of the home page, the rest will be loaded inside flash. As our web design based on XML Dynamic Flash, we don’t need to make any changes to PSD, HTML or FLASH files. All the information we might need to change is placed in .XML files in your template catalog and photos in your gallery are tfile_[categoty-name]_**.jpg files.

HTML customization

So lets’ change HTML title of our page and it will be the only change that we need in HTML.
Open index.html in any HTML editor and change

<title> </title>

to

<title>Interior Design Company</title>

That’s all the changes you need to do in HTML.

XML customization

For XML customization you will need “tfile_main.xml” file in the “site_flash” folder. DO NOT rename this file! Otherwise, you will not be able to edit text without Macromedia Flash software. Open “tfile_main.xml” file in text editor (e.g. Notepad or Dreamweaver). In this file you will find all the variables. Find the variable you need and type in your text after the sign of equality (=).

For example we need to change line:

<item name=”companyName”>JACOB & SAM</item>

to

<item name=”companyName”>TEMPL & BIZ</item>

After header changes do the same with footer, find <item name=”copyright”> line. I recommend you if you are not sure how the parameter should name – just find it by typing an existing text, modify it on the needed one and check the changes by reloading the page. Or if you make online changes you need to upload all files from the template “site_flash” folder to your “public_html” or “www” folder on server. All files should be placed in one folder.

Let’s go on and modify the menu buttons. Edit the menu section by replacing the menu buttons names with yours. In my case I have changed “Collections” to “Design Ideas”.

The next thing we are going to do is to change the texts. Find the following section: <page name=”about”>:

<page name=”about”>
<image imageUrl=”_pic1.jpg” link=”#”/>
<texts>
<pageText><![CDATA[
CREATION OF A LIVING SPACE
]]></pageText>
<pageText><![CDATA[

LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSEC TETUER ADIPISCING ELIT. PRAESENT VESTIBULUM MOLESTIE LACUS. AENEAN NONUMMY HENDRERIT MAURIS. PHASELLUS PORTA. FUSCE SUSCIPIT VARIUS MI.
<br><br>
CUM SOCIIS NATOQUE PENATIBUS ET MAGNIS DIS PARTURIENT MONTES, NASCETUR RIDICULUS MUS. NULLA DUI. FUSCE FEUGIAT MALESUADA ODIO. MORBI NUNC ODIO, GRAVIDA AT, CURSUS NEC, LUCTUS A, LOREM. MAECENAS ORCI AC SEM. DUIS ULTRICIES PHARETRA MAGNA. DONEC ACCUM SAN MAL ESUADA ORCI. DONEC SIT AMET EROS. LOREM IPSUM DOLOR SIT AMET, CONSECTETUER ADIPISCING ELIT. MAURIS FERMENTUM DICTUM MAGNA. SED LAOREET ALIQUAM LEO. UT TELLUS DOLOR, ELEMENTUM VEL, CURSUS ELEIFEND, ELIT. AENEAN AUCTOR WISI ET URNA. ALIQUAM ERAT VOLUTPAT. DUIS AC TURPIS. I

]]></pageText>

And change it to your text. See the example below.

<page name=”about”>
<image imageUrl=”_pic1.jpg” link=”#”/>
<texts>
<pageText><![CDATA[
CREATION OF A LIVING SPACE
]]></pageText>
<pageText><![CDATA[

INTERIOR DESIGN IS A PROFESSION CONCERNED WITH ANYTHING THAT IS FOUND INSIDE A SPACE - WALLS, WINDOWS, DOORS, FINISHES, TEXTURES, LIGHT, FURNISHINGS AND FURNITURE. ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS ARE USED BY INTERIOR DESIGNERS TO DEVELOP A FUNCTIONAL, SAFE, AND AESTHETICALLY PLEASING SPACE FOR A BUILDING'S USER.
<br><br>
THE WORK OF AN INTERIOR DESIGNER DRAWS UPON MANY DISCIPLINES INCLUDING ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY, ARCHITECTURE, PRODUCT DESIGN, AND TRADITIONAL DECORATION (AESTHETICS AND COSMETICS). THEY PLAN THE SPACES OF ALMOST EVERY TYPE OF BUILDING INCLUDING: HOTELS, CORPORATE SPACES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, PRIVATE RESIDENCES, SHOPPING MALLS, RESTAURANTS, THEATERS, AND AIRPORT TERMINALS.

]]></pageText>

The same should be done with the second text. Reload the page to view the result.

In case you want to put your own images, you have to stick to one simple rule: the new images should have the same width and height as the previous ones. Replace them in the template folder (site_flash) and that’s it. Reload the page to view the result. In this way any image can be changed.

Don’t forget to update “tfile_main.xml” and all changed graphics on web server via FTP. In the same way you should customize rest of pages.

Contact Form

To make contact form working open “form05configuration.xml” and put here <emailTo>your_email@domain.com</emailTo> your real e-mail address.

Choosing a hosting provider

When choosing the hosting services you should be guided first of all by other people reviews, prices and quality. On this basis I recommend you webhostingbuzz.com.

If you experience any troubles with registering a domain name or hosting you can always contact TemplateTuning.com professionals.

Website Promotion

You may find a lot of website promotion services all over the Internet. But probably, one of the most reliable among them is website promotion services from Web Design Library. It offers:

- Search Engines Inclusion
- Website Analysis Report
- Keyword Research Report
- Link Building Campaign
- Link Analysis Report
- Search Engine Optimization Report
- Search Engine Rankings Report.

There are two packages:
-  Standard package: it would be great for new websites
-  Pro package: a complex approach to website promotion.

There is no monthly fee. And by ordering a pro package you will get a 30% discount. Moreover, if you purchase a website template from TemplateMonster.com or TemplatedBusiness, you will get 50% off on the SEO services provided by Webdesign.org. You don’t need to learn the secrets of search engines algorithms in order to increase your ranking, because everything will be performed by qualified SEO specialists.

* * *

Bravo! You did this! As you can see there is nothing easier than to edit an .xml file and customize a Flash template. Good luck in your future activity!

You can visit sample website to see the final result or compare your code.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 7th, 2009 at 7:00 AM and is filed under Tutorials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.