How to create an easy to update website with all client side technology:

Until now I thought, Easy to manage websites and client side technologies don’t belong together. But, I am wrong!

People might think why you want to use only client side not server side? Well , I am using office live to host my website which is great(FREE too) but when I use third party developing tools like Dreamweaver to create my website , it doesn’t allow me to have anything server side. But I do need to update my site frequently with a lot pictures, descriptions and other minute details. So, I tried creating XML files with all the data about the gallery and update thumbnails and big pictures. This seems to be hectic process.

So, I want to automate all the updating process and I was able to do it with the help of GOOGLE’s PICASA (Say it as mantra………….). If I want to add pictures to my gallery all I need to do is upload it to the respective gallery, add html coded description and export it as html page. Then copy the folder into my site directory.

All this is possible by finding out about Picasa templates. I have been using Picasa and light box since a long time. Now there is a template that handles galleries supported with lightbox javascript. Then I dig into the code and made it customized to my website theme and links. So, what can I say now!! Updating my website is a breeze now.

My sincere thanks to,

Paul van Roekel http://www.paulvanroekel.nl/picasa/lightbox/
LokeshDhakar http://www.lokeshdhakar.com/projects/lightbox2/

PS:
Hosting a website with officelive means you need to use little hacks here and there. For example, lightbox works just fine on my PC. I uploaded the website online and it’s not working any more. Then, see the problem and used a hack by Royster. Yeah, of course it’s working now. 

A BIG thanks Royster at Officelive Community!
Link to Lightbox hack for officelive: http://softprizm.com/default.aspx