Hi Geoff, You are on the right path! For the time you put into this, you will become the developers' favorite designer.
Once you have made it through Stephen's excellent recommendations, start reading the documentation for the Python Standard Library at https://docs.python.org/2/library/index.html. As you get through the Django tutorial and docs, start looking through the Mezzanine source. Do not expect it all to make sense immediately, but reading code is an even more important skill than writing code. Start watching the issues and commits your team makes and look for easy, little ways to contribute. Ask one of the developers on your team to identify some "low-hanging fruit" issues for you to get some easy wins. Ask a developer if you can shadow her for a few hours. ken On Thu, Oct 30, 2014 at 1:13 AM, Geoff P <[email protected]> wrote: > Stephen, > > Thanks! What you've said here is very encouraging. I'll start with the > crash course like you've suggested. > > Cheers, > Geoff > > On Wednesday, October 29, 2014 4:03:14 PM UTC-7, Stephen McDonald wrote: >> >> Hi Geoff, >> >> Great email - you've really articulated your position perfectly, which >> makes replying a pleasure. >> >> It sounds like you've done everything right so far in learning how do to >> everything possible with Mezzanine using your existing skill set. You've >> now hit the point where you want to achieve things that will require >> learning Python, some database basics, and the core Django concepts beyond >> templating. >> >> I'd recommend first doing some type of crash course on Python. http:// >> learnpythonthehardway.org/book/ comes highly recommended for those >> without solid programming experience. >> >> After that I would suggest doing the tutorial in the Django documentation >> - it covers core Django concepts like models and views. >> >> Through these first two phases, don't progress until you confidently >> understand what you've just absorbed. Try all examples - typing manually, >> no copy and pasting. Modify them in different ways you expect them to >> behave. Sometimes they won't. Work out why. >> >> After that, read the Django and Mezzanine documentation back to front. >> The Mezzanine documentation overall is quite useless without understanding >> Django, so the sequence is important. >> >> This path requires the most time and effort, but will yield the greatest >> reward and least amount of confusion. Of course you could alternatively >> take the reverse approach and start from the terribly presumptuous >> Mezzanine documentation, and randomly try to piece things together. You >> might get something working, you might not. You'll probably need help, and >> frustration will be certain. >> >> Good luck! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> On Thu, Oct 30, 2014 at 9:42 AM, Geoff P <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hi everyone. I'm new to Mezzanine / Django. My background is in design >>> and I don't have any programming experience. I know HTML, CSS and a little >>> jQuery and I've used snippets of PHP before. My job wants me to start >>> making themes for Mezzanine. I've been working at it for a few days, >>> reading and following tutorials. >>> >>> I'll try to refrain from posting stupid, generic, desperate, or obvious >>> questions on here but I'll admit it, I'm pretty lost. >>> >>> So far I've installed Python, Django and Mezzanine on Windows 7. I've >>> figured out how to create a Mezzanine project, created a 'theme' app inside >>> it, copied over core templates, downloaded and inspected the free themes, >>> edited HTML and CSS of those themes, played around with the default theme >>> and looked at the code in the template files. I've read over the Django >>> documentation - specifically 'Django template language', 'Built-in tag >>> reference' and 'The Django templating system'. I've read over the links >>> from the Mezzanine default homepage. >>> >>> In learning how to do all this, confusion is hitting from all angles. I >>> want to know how this stuff is working so I can not only edit and create >>> css styles but add different page types and learn how to write template >>> code and change the default url names. What do you suggest focusing on >>> first? >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Mezzanine Users" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Stephen McDonald >> http://jupo.org >> > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Mezzanine Users" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Mezzanine Users" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
