Hi,
A quick hack to create static pages using a table for the main page is to take a look at how pages like 404.php work - for a quick run-down, see the annotated code from below (taken from 404.php):
--- header section ---
<?php
require_once('lib-common.php');
$display = COM_siteHeader('menu');
--- header section end ---
This section sets up the header and left blocks for your page.
--- Table body ---
$display .= COM_startBlock('Title for page');
$display .= "text/html content goes in here";
$display .= "you can use as many of these as you want.";
$display .= COM_endBlock();
--- End Table body ---
This sets up the table or block - it's basically a big block constructed using the block structure from the left hand side - so it will work cross-themes...
--- Footer section ---
$display .= COM_siteFooter();
echo $display
?>
--- End footer section ---
Adds the right blocks and footer to complete the page.
If that looks confusing just take a look at your own 404.php file to see it without my confusing annotations - it's quite straight-forward.
This method gives the advantage of allowing static pages with names you choose, ie, http://www.yourdomain.dom/contactme.php etc - the disadvantage, of course, is that the page content is not stored in the database so you may need to consider backing up any pages you create this way in addition to database backup routines.
Alternately of course, you could just use HTML code to setup your own tables etc within the staticpage plugin - although this does pose potential problems with respect to integrating with multiple themes.
That turned into a bit of a waffle! I'll shut up now!!
Cheers,
Alan@goddammit.co.uk
