I have just started experimenting with SS so please tread softly with me!
I can see how to do all the basics like change theme, add pages, enter content etc.

What I can't see in the user interface is where you manage the page layout, specifically the sidebar?

From reading some of the forum entries it would seem you have to do some heavy coding to create and manage sidebar content.
Other than fiddling with CSS in dreamweaver (not an expert at all in this) I certainly can't code in php.... so am I barking up the wrong tree in trying to use Silverstripe to create and edit websites?

Please, if you post a reply to this (which would be greatly appreciated) I'm looking for an overview of the process, not specific code and it's application.... thanks in advance!

Hi,

I'd strong recomend reading through http://doc.silverstripe.org/, but the bit you are after is here --> http://doc.silverstripe.org/widgets

Barry

If you don't want to code PHP at all then SilverStripe is not the sort of thing you want to be trying. Saying that if you are willing to learn a little bit of PHP / CSS then try following tutorials like

http://www.ssbits.com/create-a-static-sidebar/

and the post on the forum: http://silverstripe.org/customising-the-cms/show/252007

Thanks swaiba and Willr for your replies.

Sad to say that I'm having to give up with silverstripe as reading the first paragraph on the basic overview at this link http://doc.silverstripe.org/tutorial:1-building-a-basic-site, it reads...
"We assume to begin you have some XHTML, CSS & PHP knowledge"
I can do HTM and CSS but not PHP.
I have scanned through the other links you guys suggested and I just don't understand it.
It's a real shame because I have managed to download and install MAMP and Silverstripe to my mac, and install and play with different themes, but I can see what initially looks like a really easy to use and simple interface actually requires code skills and a complete understanding of the framework of how all the files link to each other in order to simply add extra blocks within a page.

I have also been experimenting with concrete5 and this does give you a choice of page configurations with or without sidebars, plus you can add custom blocks to any or all pages real easy.

I'm totally gutted though, because as a designer I can see the potential of the CMS from other showcase sites and would have loved to be using it.

All the best and thanks for your help.

No worries, appleman, sorry we weren't able to win you over!

SilverStripe is much more a PHP framework for developing more customized sites / webapps unlike Wordpress, Joomla so its better we made that clear in the tutorials then leaving it up to the user! We're always looking for ways to make it easier but our development goals are slightly different to other CMS's out there, some people like it some sadly think otherwise :(

If you ever get the feeling to learn a bit more PHP come back and try us out!

Thanks Willr,

No worries and thanks for your honesty.

Good luck with the development of SS in the future.

Cheers!