Hi and welcome!
Be aware that what is revealed here is NOT for the faint of heart.
Things can crash
Things can corrupt
Your site can be destroyed.
Etc.
I’ve had my share of problems so far... like a template-chooser showing up empty. You’ve been warned.
 
The usual disclamer of no liability whatsoever to what YOU do to your machines etc.apply in full.
This is for information and/or educational purposes only.
You are responsible for your own actions. Just like I am for mine.
So, if you, based on the information available here, destroy anything in your computer or whatever, I’m not responsible.
 
Having that part being dealt with, let’s go on.
 
So, if you have an investigating mind, want to dig in deeper, have fun and share the results like I did here. I’ve just put an effort in here to share what I’ve found on manipulating an iWeb template in order to make my life easier.
 
So, at first some DO’s and DON’T’s
  1. •DO track your changes.
  2. •DO share your findings
  3. •DO tell me you want to link into my stuff
  4. •DO tell me YOUR link with additional discoveries.
  5. •DO your backup’s
  6. •DO whatever you can think of to limit possible damage to your files.
 
  1. •DON’t ask me to sort out whatever variable for you to accomplish whatever. Just give it a try yourself.
  2. •DON’t bother me with questions on how to do this-and-this or that-and-that because you’re a newbie. I am too at this subject. Relatively seen, that is. I’m just sharing things on what seems to work. I tried it.
  3. •DON’t bother me with questions on how to further enhance iWeb with whatever. I really don’t know. And if I did, it was in these pages, believe me!
 
All in all, it may be a bit over the top... better save then sorry.
Last chance to “Keep Out!”
 
Please do read my iWeBlog2... it contains some stuff on progress and intersting tips. For example how to get rid of the Blog-bug. Just one of the iWeb hacks on this site.
 
This site is adding more to all the stuff Suzanne Boben digged into. She’s got some serious stuff om her website at: http://www.11mystics.com/blog/
In there, she describes a step-by-step how-to for editting a template file to make it do more then you have now. I would recommend to read her site too,especially since she’s been doing a lot with customised webtemplates.
 
Jim MacCormiac has a site up and is digging into XML as well. He’s got a description of the Template up as well. Worthwhile to take a look.
 
If you’re into doing stuff the hard way and struggle your way through coding some of the behaviour. you’ve come to the right place.
 
Where it all started
When I first got my hands on iWeb I Thought it was cool. Way cool. Even more than with Freeway, I’ve tried it out and found some things to be more complex.At least for the older version. Now I could just drag & drop stuff, building my own pages without worrying about navigation for example.
 
In all honesty, adding pages and modifying the standard settings was obnoxious. So I tried to find out how to do more and easier. A few day’s later I found Suzanna’s website. That made some stuff a bit easier...!!! It pointed me in the direction of taking up the challenge.
 
I’m in the process of setting up a new business and saw the potential of iWeb as a “content manager”. Wouldn’t it be great if you coud have a fully customised template? And have iWeb create it for you? Speed up the publishing tremendously? It can be done.
 
Note: there are professional systems out there. These systems can also easily change and add content to a site quickly. All in all maybe even quicker than iWeb can do it. The flip side of the coin is that these cost a lot of money.
 
What I wanted was a standard template suited for my business -as simple as possible- so anyone could add for example news and other stuff without being an expert.
 
On the next pages you will find some nice stuff that will help tweaking iWeb in ways not intended by Apple. Possibly that is. Maybe they do have plans...
 
Oh, before I forget...
I do have some visions I want to share with you at the end of all this stuff. Where will iWeb x.x go?
 
On the of pages here I’ll show you some stuff regarding the navigation-bar etc. Also how to build a new custom template containing all elements you want. Using iWeb as the editor. Watch this space!
 
Thanks,
Paul
A NavBar experiment Dissecting a template Anatomy of a Template