Web Site(s) Architecture Help! (Multiple sites)

[developerqs@hotmail.com]

I have developed an engine that I use for all of my clients web sites.
They are all
the same type of site, some use features A, B, & C. Some web sites just
use features A & B.

My issue is that in order for me to make a new site, I am copying the
files and then adding in the design/unique look.
This makes developing new features and fixing old features a huge
hassle because:

1) Too many files to change
2) Custom content sometimes required but not managed
3) Unable to use CVS due to all of the different files


Solution:

I need to be able to have one set of files that ALL of my clients sites
will run off of.
Each site will still:

- Have custom templates
- Custom Database (Data in Database, Not Structure)
- Custom Content (Database)
- Unique Domain(s)
- Customize Features (My engine is custom, and not a typical web site
engine.)



The development work of making features customizable and that sort of
thing is no problem.
But getting my sites to all run off of one set of files is where I need
some input.


- How can I run all of my sites off of one set of files and have each
domain work individually?

- Does anyone have any examples of an architecture that would allow me
to run all of these sites off of one set of files?
Thank you very much!


Tim

[Justin Koivisto]

Re: Web Site(s) Architecture Help! (Multiple sites)

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developerqs@hot mail.com wrote:

| I have developed an engine that I use for all of my clients web sites.
| They are all
| the same type of site, some use features A, B, & C. Some web sites just
| use features A & B.
|
| My issue is that in order for me to make a new site, I am copying the
| files and then adding in the design/unique look.
| This makes developing new features and fixing old features a huge
| hassle because:
|
| 1) Too many files to change
| 2) Custom content sometimes required but not managed
| 3) Unable to use CVS due to all of the different files
|
|
| Solution:
|
| I need to be able to have one set of files that ALL of my clients sites
| will run off of.
| Each site will still:
|
| - Have custom templates
| - Custom Database (Data in Database, Not Structure)
| - Custom Content (Database)
| - Unique Domain(s)
| - Customize Features (My engine is custom, and not a typical web site
| engine.)
|
|
|
| The development work of making features customizable and that sort of
| thing is no problem.
| But getting my sites to all run off of one set of files is where I need
| some input.
|
|
| - How can I run all of my sites off of one set of files and have each
| domain work individually?
|
| - Does anyone have any examples of an architecture that would allow me
| to run all of these sites off of one set of files?
| Thank you very much!

What I have done on one server is to create a directory where all the
main working files reside. This is where all the generic code that the
sites start development with are held.

I use apache, so in my .htaccess file, I use:
php_value include_path
"/path/to/this/site:/path/to/site-specific/includes:/path/to/global/includes:/path/to/pear"

I can then simply say include 'myfile.php'; This will search the include
path in order and find the file I am looking for. When I create a custom
file for a site, I just put it under the /path/to/site-specific/includes
directory. Then when I change a generic file, all the sites that use
that are changed at once, and I'd only have to edit customized files.

HTH

- --
Justin Koivisto - justin@koivi.co m

http://www.koivi.com

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